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Key Facts: Érettségi Földrajz Exam

A current elective subject governed by the detailed requirements effective from the 2024 spring examination period.

Középszint written exam duration: 120 minutes (Part I: ~20 points topography without atlas; Part II: ~80 points problem-solving with atlas).

Oral examination accounts for 50 points out of a total 150 points at both intermediate and advanced levels.

Passing threshold requires at least 25% overall, with a minimum of 12% in both the written and oral parts individually.

Emelt szint uses a 240-minute written examination followed by a 20-minute oral; higher-education programmes set their own current admission rules.

The secondary school geography atlas (középiskolai földrajzi atlasz) is an authorized and essential reference tool for Part II of the written examination.

Topographical requirements cover both domestic physical/socio-economic locations and global landmarks (rivers, mountain ranges, megacities, straits).

The official examination is centrally developed, moderated, and published by the Oktatási Hivatal (oktatas.hu).

The Hungarian Érettségi Geography examination is a standardized school-leaving exam administered by the Oktatási Hivatal under 100/1997 Korm. rendelet and NAT 2020, evaluating physical, human, and regional geography at intermediate and advanced levels.

Sample Érettségi Földrajz Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Érettségi Földrajz exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1What is the primary cause of the change of seasons on Earth?
A.The periodic variation in Earth's distance from the Sun due to its elliptical orbit
B.The changing speed of Earth's rotation around its geographical axis
C.Earth's constant axial tilt of approximately 23.5° relative to the plane of the ecliptic during its revolution
D.Fluctuations in solar radiation output caused by the 11-year sunspot cycle
Explanation: Seasons are caused by Earth's axial tilt of approximately 23.5° relative to the plane of its orbit (the ecliptic) combined with its revolution around the Sun. Because the tilt remains oriented in the same direction in space (parallelism of the axis), the Northern and Southern Hemispheres alternately tilt toward and away from the Sun throughout the year, changing the solar angle of incidence and day length.
2What is the culmination angle of the Sun (solar altitude at noon) in Budapest (latitude 47.5° N) on the summer solstice (June 21)?
A.42.5°
B.66.0°
C.71.0°
D.90.0°
Explanation: The solar culmination angle (h) at solar noon is calculated using the formula h = 90° − |φ − δ|, where φ is the latitude of the location and δ is the solar declination. On the summer solstice, the Sun is directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer (δ = +23.5° N). For Budapest (φ = 47.5° N): h = 90° − (47.5° − 23.5°) = 90° − 24.0° = 66.0°.
3If the local solar time at Greenwich (0° longitude) is 12:00 noon, what is the local solar time at a research station located at 45° E longitude?
A.09:00
B.14:00
C.16:00
D.15:00
Explanation: Earth completes one 360° rotation in 24 hours, meaning it rotates 15° of longitude per hour (360° ÷ 24 = 15°/hour, or 1° every 4 minutes). Locations to the east of the Prime Meridian experience solar noon earlier. For 45° E: 45° ÷ 15°/hour = +3 hours ahead of Greenwich. Therefore, 12:00 + 3 hours = 15:00.
4When a traveler crosses the International Date Line heading westward (from North America toward Asia), how must they adjust their calendar?
A.Advance the calendar by one full day (add 24 hours)
B.Turn the calendar back by one full day (subtract 24 hours)
C.Keep the calendar date the same and adjust the clock by exactly 12 hours
D.Advance the clock by one hour without changing the calendar date
Explanation: The International Date Line roughly follows the 180° meridian in the Pacific Ocean. Crossing it westward (e.g., from Honolulu toward Tokyo) moves the traveler from the Western Hemisphere (lagging UTC) to the Eastern Hemisphere (ahead of UTC), requiring them to advance the calendar by one day (e.g., from Monday to Tuesday).
5On a topographic map with a scale of 1:50,000, two settlements are separated by a straight-line distance of 8 cm. What is the actual distance between them on the ground?
A.2.0 km
B.4.0 km
C.8.0 km
D.40.0 km
Explanation: A map scale of 1:50,000 means that 1 cm on the map represents 50,000 cm in reality. 50,000 cm = 500 meters = 0.5 km. Therefore, 8 cm on the map corresponds to 8 × 0.5 km = 4.0 km on the ground.
6At which point in Earth's orbit is the planet closest to the Sun, and during which month does this occur?
A.Aphelion, occurring in early January
B.Aphelion, occurring in early July
C.Perihelion, occurring in early January
D.Perihelion, occurring in early July
Explanation: Earth's orbit around the Sun is slightly elliptical (eccentricity ~0.0167). The point of closest approach is called perihelion (approximately 147.1 million km), which occurs annually around January 3–5. The farthest point is aphelion (approximately 152.1 million km), occurring around July 4–6.
7What is the minimum geographical latitude in the Northern Hemisphere where the Sun does not rise above the horizon for at least 24 continuous hours during the winter solstice?
A.66.5° N (The Arctic Circle)
B.23.5° N (The Tropic of Cancer)
C.90.0° N (The North Pole)
D.45.0° N (Mid-latitudes)
Explanation: The Arctic Circle is located at 66.5° N (90° minus Earth's axial tilt of 23.5°). It marks the southernmost latitude in the Northern Hemisphere where the Sun remains continuously below the horizon for at least 24 hours at the winter solstice (polar night) and continuously above the horizon for at least 24 hours at the summer solstice (midnight sun).
8How does the Coriolis effect alter the trajectory of freely moving fluids (winds and ocean currents) in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres?
A.Deflects movement to the left in the Northern Hemisphere and to the right in the Southern Hemisphere
B.Deflects movement toward the equator in both hemispheres
C.Deflects movement toward the poles in both hemispheres
D.Deflects movement to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere
Explanation: Because Earth rotates from west to east, the linear rotational speed of the surface decreases from the equator toward the poles. As an apparent inertial force, the Coriolis effect deflects moving masses (air currents and water masses) to the right of their direction of motion in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left of their direction of motion in the Southern Hemisphere.
9Which statement correctly describes the geometric properties of parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude on a standard globe?
A.Parallels are great circles of equal length, while meridians intersect at the equator
B.Parallels are circles of varying circumferences running east-west, while meridians are semi-great circles of equal length converging at both poles
C.Meridians run east-west and never intersect, while parallels run north-south and converge at the poles
D.Both parallels and meridians are complete great circles that divide the Earth into two equal hemispheres
Explanation: On a spherical globe, parallels of latitude run east-west and decrease in circumference from the Equator (the only parallel that is a great circle, ~40,075 km) to zero at the poles. Meridians of longitude run north-south, connecting the North and South Poles; each individual meridian is a semi-circle of equal length (~20,004 km) that intersects all parallels at right angles.
10According to Kepler's Second Law of planetary motion (law of equal areas), what consequence does Earth's elliptical orbit have on its orbital speed and the length of astronomical seasons?
A.Earth travels fastest when farthest from the Sun, making the Northern Hemisphere summer shorter than its winter
B.Earth maintains a constant orbital velocity throughout the year, so all astronomical seasons have identical durations
C.Earth travels fastest at perihelion (early January), causing the astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere to be approximately 7 days shorter than its summer
D.Earth travels slowest at perihelion, causing the Northern Hemisphere winter to be the longest season
Explanation: Kepler's Second Law states that a line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time. Therefore, the orbital velocity is greatest when Earth is closest to the Sun (perihelion in early January, ~30.3 km/s) and slowest at aphelion (early July, ~29.3 km/s). Consequently, Earth traverses the winter segment of its orbit faster, making the Northern Hemisphere astronomical winter (~89 days) noticeably shorter than its summer (~93.6 days).

About the Érettségi Földrajz Exam

Földrajz is a current elective Hungarian Érettségi subject covering topography, physical geography, society and economy, Hungary, Europe, global regions, and environmental issues. Középszint has a 120-minute, 90-point written paper split between topographic identification and geographic analysis, followed by a 15-minute, 60-point oral. Emelt szint has a 240-minute, 100-point written paper and a 20-minute, 50-point oral. These 100 English MCQs are independent study questions, not an official translation or a substitute for map work, data response, calculations, and oral explanation.

Exam sponsor: Oktatási Hivatal (Educational Authority, Hungary). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Question count not published by the exam provider

Time Limit

120 minutes written (közép) / 240 minutes (emelt) + oral

Passing Score

At least 25% overall and at least 12% in both the written and oral parts. Középszint grades: 25–39% = 2, 40–59% = 3, 60–79% = 4, 80–100% = 5. Emelt szint grades: 25–32% = 2, 33–46% = 3, 47–59% = 4, 60–100% = 5.

Exam / Certification Fees

Free for qualifying students taking examinations toward their first school-leaving certificate, including the first remedial or replacement examination before receiving it. For fee-paying 2026 entries, the per-subject fee is HUF 48,000 at középszint and HUF 81,000 at emelt szint.

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

10%

Astronomical Geography & Earth Science

Earth's orbit and axial tilt, solstices, equinoxes, geographic coordinates, time zones, local solar time calculations, Kepler's laws, and solar system dynamics.

14%

Geomorphology & Plate Tectonics

Mantle convection, tectonic plate interactions (divergent, convergent, transform), earthquakes, seismic wave refraction, volcanic landforms, magmatic differentiation, and the rock cycle.

14%

Meteorology & Climate Zones

Atmospheric composition, global wind belts (Hadley cells, trade winds, westerlies, polar easterlies), cyclonic and anticyclonic circulation, warm and cold fronts, and Köppen-Trewartha climate classification.

12%

Hydrosphere & Pedosphere

Ocean currents and thermohaline circulation, river valley evolution and fluvial deposition, karst landforms and hydrology, glacial erosional features, and soil profiles (humus formation, csernozjom, podzols).

18%

Social & Economic Geography of Hungary

Geomorphological regions of Hungary (Alföld, Kisalföld, Alpokalja, Dunántúli-dombság, Dunántúli-középhegység, Északi-középhegység), Lake Balaton, Danube and Tisza hydrology, soil distribution (csernozjom, barna erdőtalaj), demographic trends, urban hierarchy, energy mix (Paks Nuclear Power Plant), and key automotive/battery industrial corridors.

12%

Regional Geography of Europe

Physical structure of Europe (Caledonian, Variscan, Alpine belts), natural resource endowments, EU economic core (Blue Banana), Mediterranean tourism and agriculture, Nordic forestry and hydropower, and Central European manufacturing networks.

10%

Global Regional Geography

Economic geography of the United States (Rust Belt to Sun Belt transition), East Asian economic hegemony (China, Japan, South Korea), emerging regional markets (India, Southeast Asia, Latin America), global trade bottlenecks, and urbanization patterns.

10%

Environmental Geography & Sustainability

Global anthropogenic warming, sea level rise, desertification, soil salinization, water stress, renewable energy transition, circular industrial systems, and ecological footprint analysis.

Preparing for the Érettségi Földrajz Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: At least 25% overall and at least 12% in both the written and oral parts. Középszint grades: 25–39% = 2, 40–59% = 3, 60–79% = 4, 80–100% = 5. Emelt szint grades: 25–32% = 2, 33–46% = 3, 47–59% = 4, 60–100% = 5.
  • Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
  • Time limit: 120 minutes written (közép) / 240 minutes (emelt) + oral
  • Exam / certification fees: Free for qualifying students taking examinations toward their first school-leaving certificate, including the first remedial or replacement examination before receiving it. For fee-paying 2026 entries, the per-subject fee is HUF 48,000 at középszint and HUF 81,000 at emelt szint. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Érettségi Földrajz: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master the secondary school geography atlas (középiskolai földrajzi atlasz): Practice identifying thematic map symbols, elevation shading, climate graphs, geological formations, and trade flows quickly, as atlas proficiency is essential for Part II.
2Memorize Hungary's major physical landscapes and tectonic units: Know the sub-regions, dominant rock types, and relief features of the Alföld, Kisalföld, Alpokalja, Dunántúli-dombság, Dunántúli-középhegység, and Északi-középhegység.
3Practice astronomical calculations: Ensure you can calculate solar culmination angles (h = 90° - |φ - δ|), local solar time differences between meridians (1° = 4 minutes), and time zone shifts across the International Date Line.
4Understand the soil types of Hungary: Distinguish between the origin, humus depth, fertility, and geographical distribution of csernozjom (chernozem / mezőségi talaj) on loess plains versus barna erdőtalaj (brown forest soils) in hilly and mountainous regions.
5Connect climate drivers to Köppen zones: Study the mechanisms of the planetary wind circulation (Hadley cells, westerlies, polar fronts) and understand why precipitation seasonality varies between Mediterranean, oceanic, continental, and monsoon regimes.
6Review Hungary's contemporary socio-economic geography: Be familiar with the Paks nuclear plant's role in the electricity mix, the automotive and battery production corridors (Győr, Debrecen, Kecskemét, Komárom), and Budapest's monocentric urban dominance.
7Analyze environmental challenges: Be prepared to discuss systemic causes and mitigations for groundwater depletion in the Homokhátság, eutrophication in Lake Balaton, flood management along the Tisza River, and global decarbonization strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Geography (Földrajz) compulsory in the Hungarian Érettségi?

No. Geography is an elective examination subject. In Hungary, candidates must take four compulsory general subjects (Hungarian Language and Literature, Mathematics, History, and a Foreign Language) plus at least one elective subject (ötödik vizsgatárgy) to obtain the érettségi bizonyítvány. Geography is a popular elective for students aiming for earth science, environmental science, geography teaching, tourism, urban planning, or economics degrees.

How is the középszint (intermediate) Geography Érettségi structured?

At középszint, the examination has a 120-minute written paper worth 90 points and a 15-minute oral worth 60 points. The written paper begins with a 20-minute, 20-point topographic section and continues with a 100-minute, 70-point geography section using maps, diagrams, data, calculations, and structured analysis.

What is the difference between középszint and emelt szint in Geography?

At középszint (120 min written + 15 min oral), questions emphasize fundamental physical and socio-economic geography, Hungarian regional landscapes, and standard map interpretation. At emelt szint (240 min written + 20 min oral), candidates face more complex synthesis tasks, quantitative calculations (solar altitude, demographic indicators, map scale conversions), advanced geopolitical and earth system interactions, and must defend topics before an independent external examination board.

What tools and materials are permitted during the examination?

During Part I of the written exam (topography), no atlas is permitted. During Part II, candidates are allowed and strongly expected to use an approved secondary school geography atlas (középiskolai földrajzi atlasz). A non-programmable scientific calculator, ruler, and protractor are permitted throughout both written components. For the oral exam, atlases and thematic physical/thematic wall maps or desktop maps are provided in the preparation room.

What is the passing score and grading scale for Geography Érettségi?

Candidates need at least 25% overall and at least 12% in both the written and oral parts. Középszint grades are 25–39% = 2, 40–59% = 3, 60–79% = 4, and 80–100% = 5. Emelt szint grades are 25–32% = 2, 33–46% = 3, 47–59% = 4, and 60–100% = 5.

How did the NAT 2020 curriculum reforms impact the Geography Érettségi?

The NAT 2020 framework reorganized geography education, placing increased emphasis on sustainability, climate change resilience, digital earth observation, modern global economic shifts, and practical problem-solving. Topographical item lists were streamlined, and regional topics now focus more on systemic global interdependencies rather than isolated country-by-country memorization.

How should I use this 100-question practice bank?

Use this independent English-language MCQ bank to identify gaps across physical, social, regional, and environmental geography. It is not an official translation or blueprint replica and should be supplemented with official past papers, map and atlas work, constructed data responses, calculations, and oral practice.