The Arctic from a Hungarian Perspective

Abstract

The history of Arctic exploration and the natural and social geographical characteristics of the region have been in the focus of Hungarian geographical research for 250 years. These studies are not exclusively geographical, but related to scientific fields (science, ethnography, and geopolitics), and include travel history. At the same time, no uniform work or knowledge base was created that would summarize domestic research in the Arctic region. The present study tries to fill this gap and summarize the role of Hungarian scientists in the research history of Arctic geography and related sciences and covers a geopolitical perspective. During the study, I applied a multidisciplinary approach, using domestic scientific works published in the fields of history, travel history, geography, ethnography, linguistics, as well as international relations, geopolitics, and international law. I concluded that the Arctic region has belonged to the field of interest of Hungarian scientists for centuries. I identified five major periods, during which different aspects and scientific fields played a central role (e.g., natural science, ethnography, geopolitics).