Budapest is the capital and most populous city of Hungary, one of the largest cities in the European Union and sometimes described as the primate city of Hungary.  It has an area of 525 square kilometres (203 square miles) and a population of about 1.8 million within the administrative limits in 2016. It is both a city and county, and forms the center of the Budapest Metropolitan Area, which has an area of 7,626 square kilometers. Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the Danube River with the unification of Buda and Óbuda on the west bank, with Pest on the east bank on November 17, 1873. Budapest is an Alpha- global city with strengths in the healthcare, research, education, media, commerce, design, and tourism.  Budapest is cited as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe ranked as the most liveable Central and Eastern European city on EIU's quality of life index ranked as "the world's second best city" by Condé Nast Traveler and "Europe's 7th most idyllic place to live" by Forbes.            

Budapest is home to over 35 higher education institutions, of which a large number of universities. Under the Bologna Process, many offered qualifications are recognised in countries across Europe. Medicine, dentistry, pharmaceuticals, veterinary programs, and engineering are among the most popular fields for foreigners to undertake in Budapest. The central area of the city along the Danube River is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has many notable monuments, including the Hungarian Parliament, Buda Castle, Fisherman's Bastion, Gresham Palace, Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Matthias Church and the Liberty Statue.