Budapest is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It serves as the nation's primate city, housing 1.7 million inhabitants within its limits. The greater metro area has a population of approximately 3.3 million, which accounts for one-third of the country's total population and generates more than 40% of its economic output.
The city functions as the political, economic, and cultural center of Hungary. It is ranked among the ten largest cities in the European Union and represents the second largest urban area in Central and Eastern Europe. Geographically, Budapest is situated on the River Danube at the center of the Pannonian Basin, positioned along ancient trade routes that connect the hills of Transdanubia with the Great Plain.