In the late 1980s, approximately 430,000 Hungarians lived in Yugoslavia, primarily in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. In the late 1980s, relations between Hungary and Yugoslavia were good. After a December 1986 visit to Yugoslavia, Hungarian prime minister Gyorgy Lazar termed "exemplary" Yugoslavia's treatment of its Hungarian minority. Yugoslavia provided an adequate number of Hungarian-language schools on all educational levels to this minority. In addition, the Yugoslav government freely permitted the publication and dissemination of periodicals and newspapers in the Hungarian language.

In other areas, bilateral ties developed remarkably well. Since the 1970s, Hungary has maintained governmental relations with the various republics of Yugoslavia. The two countries also undertook a variety of successful economic and scientifictechnical ventures. In 1985 Hungary and Yugoslavia signed a trade agreement worth US$4.8 billion. In the late 1980s, each side expressed its readiness to increase cooperation in culture, education, information exchange, and sports.

Data as of September 1989