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This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


Map of Austria



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Austria Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995 have altered the meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.
   Geography    Austria Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
47 20 N, 13 20 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Europe
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 83,870 sq km
land: 82,444 sq km
water: 1,426 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 2,562 km
border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km, Switzerland 164 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
none (landlocked)
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 16.59%
permanent crops: 0.85%
other: 82.56% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
40 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
Definition Field Listing
84 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Definition Field Listing
total: 3.67 cu km/yr (35%/64%/1%)
per capita: 448 cu m/yr (1999)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
landslides; avalanches; earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere
   People    Austria Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8,205,533 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 14.8% (male 621,326/female 592,131)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 2,783,531/female 2,753,389)
65 years and over: 17.7% (male 599,415/female 855,741) (2008 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 41.7 years
male: 40.7 years
female: 42.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.064% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8.66 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.91 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 4.48 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.48 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 79.36 years
male: 76.46 years
female: 82.41 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.38 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
10,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Austrian(s)
adjective: Austrian
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or unspecified 2.4% (2001 census)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 3.5%, unspecified 2%, none 12% (2001 census)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 census)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: NA
female: NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
Definition Field Listing
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.4% of GDP (2005)
   Government    Austria Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Republic of Austria
conventional short form: Austria
local long form: Republik Oesterreich
local short form: Oesterreich
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
federal republic
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Vienna
geographic coordinates: 48 12 N, 16 22 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria), Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria), Tirol (Tyrol), Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed); 12 November 1918 (republic proclaimed)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the passage of the law on permanent neutrality
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
1920; revised 1929; reinstated 1 May 1945; note - during the period 1 May 1934-1 May 1945 there was a fascist (corporative) constitution in place
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
16 years of age; universal; note - reduced from 18 years of age in 2007
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) (since 8 July 2004)
head of government: Chancellor Werner FAYMANN (SPOe) (since 2 December 2008); Vice Chancellor Josef PROELL (OeVP) (since 2 December 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); presidential election last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2010); chancellor formally chosen by the president but determined by the coalition parties forming a parliamentary majority; vice chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote - Heinz FISCHER 52.4%, Benita FERRERO-WALDNER 47.6%
note: government coalition - SPOe and OeVP
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal Council or Bundesrat (62 seats; members chosen by state parliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 members according to its population; members serve a five- or six-year term) and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Council - last held 28 September 2008 (next to be held by September 2013)
election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe 29.3%, OeVP 26%, FPOe 17.5%, BZOe 10.7%, Greens 10.4%, other 6.1%; seats by party - SPOe 57, OeVP 51, FPOe 34, BZOe 21, Greens 20
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Stefan PETZNER]; Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wilhelm MOLTERER]; Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Werner FAYMANN]; The Greens [Alexander VAN DER BELLEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Austrian Trade Union Federation or OeGB (nominally independent but primarily Social Democratic); Federal Economic Chamber; OeVP-oriented Association of Austrian Industrialists or IV; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action
other: three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or OeVP representing business, labor, farmers, and other nongovernment organizations in the areas of environment and human rights
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ACCT (observer), ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Deputy Chief of Mission Andreas Riecken
chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador David F. GIRARD-DICARLO
embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0
FAX: [43] (1) 3100682
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red
   Economy    Austria Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high standard of living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's. The Austrian economy also benefits greatly from strong commercial relations, especially in the banking and insurance sectors, with central, eastern, and southeastern Europe. The economy features a large service sector, a sound industrial sector, and a small, but highly developed agricultural sector. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European market and proximity to the new EU economies. The outgoing government has successfully pursued a comprehensive economic reform program, aimed at streamlining government and creating a more competitive business environment, further strengthening Austria's attractiveness as an investment location. It has implemented effective pension reforms; however, lower taxes in 2005-06 led to a small budget deficit in 2006 and 2007. Boosted by strong exports, growth nevertheless reached 3.3% in both 2006 and 2007, although the economy may slow in 2008 because of the strong euro, high oil prices, and problems in international financial markets. To meet increased competition - especially from new EU members and Central European countries - Austria will need to continue restructuring, emphasizing knowledge-based sectors of the economy, and encouraging greater labor flexibility and greater labor participation by its aging population.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$322 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$373.9 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$39,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 1.6%
industry: 30.3%
services: 68% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.566 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 3%
industry: 27%
services: 70% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.4% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 22.5% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
26 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
20.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $177.5 billion
expenditures: $179.9 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
59.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.2% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.3% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Stock of domestic credit:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$599.5 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
59.31 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
62.35 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
15.51 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
22.13 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
24,920 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
289,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
46,300 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
313,500 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
50 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.848 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8.436 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.767 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.658 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
16.14 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$12.03 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$162.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Germany 29.8%, Italy 8.8%, US 4.9%, Switzerland 4.3% (2007)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$160.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Germany 45.5%, Italy 7.1%, Switzerland 5%, Netherlands 4.3% (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$18.22 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$752.5 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$222.9 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$208.1 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$126.3 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
euro (EUR)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
   Communications    Austria Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.374 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.768 million (2007)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: highly developed and efficient
domestic: fixed-line subscribership has been in decline since the mid-1990s with mobile-cellular subscribership eclipsing it by the late 1990s; the fiber-optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet services are available
international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 15; in addition, there are about 600 VSATs (very small aperture terminals) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 2, FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
10 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.at
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.806 million (2008)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.277 million (2007)
   Transportation    Austria Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
55 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 15 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 26 (2007)
Heliports:
Definition Field Listing
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
gas 2,722 km; oil 663 km; refined products 157 km (2007)
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 6,383 km
standard gauge: 5,924 km 1.435-m gauge (3,772 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 371 km 1.000-m gauge; 88 km 0.760-m gauge (25 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 107,262 km
paved: 107,262 km (includes 1,677 km of expressways) (2006)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
358 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 4
by type: cargo 2, container 2
foreign-owned: 2 (Netherlands 2)
registered in other countries: 4 (Cyprus 1, Malta 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna
   Military    Austria Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
18-35 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for male or female voluntary service; service obligation 7 months of training, followed by an 8-year reserve obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 1,986,411
females age 16-49: 1,944,834 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 1,617,385
females age 16-49: 1,583,886 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
Definition Field Listing
male: 50,869
female: 48,246 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
   Transnational Issues    Austria Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
while threats of international legal action never materialized in 2007, 915,220 Austrians, with the support of the newly elected Freedom Party, signed a petition in January 2008, demanding that Austria block the Czech Republic's accession to the EU unless Prague closes its nuclear power plant in Temelin, bordering Austria
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; increasing consumption of European-produced synthetic drugs

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


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