Where Is Hungary? Geopolitical Neighbors Of Eastern Europe

Romania and Austria are two countries in Europe, with Serbia lying west of Romania and Hungary, Slovakia, and Slovenia to the east of Austria.

Serbia lies west of Romania

Serbia is located in southeastern Europe, as is Romania. It is bordered to the north by the Czech Republic, to the northeast by Slovakia, to the east by Hungary, to the south by Slovenia, to the southwest by Italy, to the west by Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and to the northwest by Germany. Serbia is a landlocked country with a landscape characterised by mountains and forests. The Serbian Alps form the physical backbone of the country and can be subdivided into a northern and a southern limestone range, each composed of rugged mountains.

Romania, on the other hand, is the 12th largest country in Europe, with an area of 238,391 square kilometres. It is a member of several international organisations, including the United Nations, NATO, and the European Union. In addition to Serbia to the west, Romania also borders Hungary, Bulgaria to the south, and the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine to the east. Romania has a total of 3,195 kilometres of border.

Austria's neighbours include Germany and Switzerland

Austria is a landlocked country in south-central Europe, with Germany and the Czech Republic as its northern neighbours, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to its west. To the northeast lies Slovakia, and to the east, Hungary. Its southwestern neighbour is Italy.

Austria's landscape is characterised by mountains and forests, with the majestic Austrian Alps forming the physical backbone of the country. The country's highest elevation is the Grossglockner, which rises to 12,460 feet (3,798 metres). The western Austrian states of Vorarlberg, Tirol, and Salzburg are known for their high Alpine scenery. This Alpine landscape extends to the western part of Kärnten (Carinthia), the Salzkammergut region of central Austria, and the state of Steiermark (Styria).

The country is strategically located at the crossroads of central Europe, with its capital, Vienna, lying in the northeast. Vienna is renowned for its architecture and was once the seat of the Holy Roman Empire.

Austria's geographic position has contributed to its prominence, as it lies at the centre of European traffic between east and west along the Danubian trade route, and between north and south through the Alpine passes. This has embedded the country within various political and economic systems.

Romania is the world's 12th largest country

Hungary lies west of Romania and Austria lies east of Hungary, therefore Hungary lies east of Austria.

Romania is the 12th largest country in the world by area, with a land mass of 238,397 square kilometres (92,046 sq mi). The terrain is almost evenly distributed among mountains, hills, and plains. The Carpathian Mountains, with 14 mountain ranges reaching above 2,000 m or 6,600 ft, dominate the centre of Romania. The country's highest point, Mt. Moldoveanu, is located in the Transylvanian Alps, a range of the Carpathians that divide central and southern Romania. It stands at 2,544 m (8,346 ft). The Carpathian Mountains are surrounded by the Moldavian and Transylvanian plateaus, the Pannonian Plain, and the Wallachian plains.

Romania is the largest country in Southeastern Europe and the 12th largest in Europe. It is roughly the same size as the United Kingdom and slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Oregon. Romania has a population of over 20 million people, making it the 7th most populous country in the EU. Bucharest, the capital and largest city, is the cultural, administrative, and economic centre of the country. It is the 6th largest city in the EU and the most prosperous city in Romania.

Romania is home to six terrestrial ecoregions: Balkan mixed forests, Central European mixed forests, East European forest steppe, Pannonian mixed forests, Carpathian montane conifer forests, and Pontic steppe. Natural and semi-natural ecosystems cover about 47% of the country's land area. There are almost 10,000 km2 (3,900 sq mi) of protected areas in Romania, covering 13 national parks and three biosphere reserves. The Danube River, the second-longest river in Europe, forms a large part of the border with Serbia and Bulgaria and flows into the Black Sea, forming the Danube Delta, the second-largest and best-preserved delta in Europe. The Danube Delta is a biosphere reserve and a biodiversity World Heritage Site.

Romania has one of the largest areas of undisturbed forest in Europe, covering almost 27% of its territory. There are approximately 3,700 plant species in the country, with 23 declared natural monuments. The fauna of Romania consists of 33,792 species of animals, with almost 400 unique species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, including about 50% of Europe's brown bears and 20% of its wolves.

Romania is a unitary semi-presidential representative democratic republic. It joined the EU in 2007 and is a member of several other international organisations, including the United Nations, NATO, and the BSEC.

Austria is a landlocked country

Hungary, Serbia, and Bulgaria lie to the west of Romania. To the east of Austria is Slovenia, followed by Italy and Switzerland. This places these countries on either side of Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, which lie in the middle.

Austria's geographic position has contributed to its prominence, as it lies at the centre of European trade routes between east and west, along the Danubian trade route, and between north and south through the Alpine passes. This has embedded the country within a variety of political and economic systems.

Austria's landscape is characterised by mountains and forests, with the northeastern part of the country featuring the Danube River winding between the eastern edge of the Alps and the hills of Bohemia and Moravia. Vienna, the capital, lies in the area where the Danube emerges from the mountains into the drier plains.

The country is divided into nine states, known as Länder: Vorarlberg, Tirol, Salzburg, Kärnten (Carinthia), Steiermark (Styria), Oberösterreich (Upper Austria), Niederösterreich (Lower Austria), Burgenland, and the state of Vienna.

Austria's landlocked position has had an impact on its economic and trade activities, as well as its cultural and social development. Its central location has made it a hub for trade and transportation, connecting different parts of Europe. The country has also had to address environmental issues, such as forest degradation and air and soil pollution, which are partly due to its location along busy transit routes between northern and southern Europe.

Romania is a member of the EU but not the Schengen zone

Hungary lies west of Romania and east of Austria.

Romania is a member of the European Union (EU) but not the Schengen zone. The Schengen zone is a group of countries that have officially abolished border controls at their common borders, allowing free movement of people without passport checks. While Romania is not a member of the Schengen zone, it is a member of several other international organisations, including the United Nations and NATO.

The Schengen zone is a key part of the EU's policy on freedom, security and justice, and most EU countries are members. However, there are a few exceptions, including Romania. In fact, there are six EU members that have not joined the Schengen zone. Ireland and the United Kingdom maintain opt-outs, while Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Cyprus are required to join and are seeking to do so.

Romania's non-membership in the Schengen zone means that border controls and passport checks are still conducted at its borders with other Schengen countries. This can cause bottlenecks at border crossings, impacting international trade and travel. However, as of 2025, Romania and Bulgaria became full members of the Schengen zone, scrapping land border controls and allowing free travel within the Schengen area. This change was marked by a symbolic raising of a barrier on the Friendship Bridge over the Danube River by the Bulgarian and Romanian interior ministers.

Despite not being a member of the Schengen zone, Romania has fulfilled all the technical accession criteria and was approved by the European Parliament. However, its entry was initially rejected by the Council of Ministers due to concerns about shortcomings in anti-corruption measures and the fight against organised crime. Austria also maintained a veto, citing worries that Romania was a major transit route for illegal immigration.

To become a member of the Schengen zone, countries must fulfil a list of pre-conditions. They must apply the common set of Schengen rules, take responsibility for controlling external borders, cooperate with law enforcement agencies, and connect to and use the Schengen Information System. Once a country's readiness is confirmed through evaluations, a unanimous approval from all other member states is required.

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