Austria – information about the country

Country name	Austria
Official name	Republic of Austria
Capital	Vienna
Continent	Europe
Area	83,858 km2
Population	8,504,850 (2014)
Foundation of a state	1/1/1156
The highest mountains	Grossglockner 3797 m
Longest rivers	Donau 2850 (in Austria 358 km)
State system	a pluralistic federal republic with a bicameral parliament
The biggest cities	Wien (capital) 1,550,000, Graz 240,000, Linz 205,000
Official language	German
Ethnicity/National Composition	Austrians 93.2%, citizens of the former Yugoslavia 2.7%, Turks 1.5%, Germans 0.6%, others 2%
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholics 78.5%, Atheists and no religion 8.5%,, Protestants 5%, Muslims 2.2%, others 2%
Currency	1 euro = 100 cents
gross domestic product (GDP)	US$41,908 (2012)
Average life expectancy of the population	79.07 years (2006)
Structure of GDP	agriculture and fishing 2.7%, mining and industry 28.6%, construction 7.2%, services 61.5%

Austria – neighboring states

State	Capital	Area	Population
Czechia	Prague	78,866 km2	10,513,800
Italy	Rome	301,318 km2	59,943,933
Lichtenstein	Vaduz	160 km2	37 132
Hungary	Budapest	93,032 km2	9,906,000
Germany	Berlin	357,022 km2	80,619,000
Slovakia	Bratislava	49,033 km2	5,415,949
Slovenia	Ljubljana	20,256 km2	2,061,963
Switzerland	Bern	41,284 km2	8,112,200

Country overview

According to Abbreviationfinder, Austria is a small federal republic, but it used to be one of the largest empires in Europe. The historical power of Austria has declined, but a good geographical position on the border between Western and Eastern Europe ensures an influence on the economic and political development in this part of Europe. The natural beauty of the country, together with the cosmopolitan atmosphere and cultural appeal of Austrian cities, have made Austria an important world center for tourism.

Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe and due to its almost 600 km long territory, it borders a total of eight states. Its skeleton is formed by the Alps and the transport axis by the Danube River.

Population

The population of Austria is ethnically uniform, although its historical origins are diverse. Due to strong immigration, especially from the former Yugoslavia, the share of Austrians is still decreasing. The distribution of the population shows great unevenness and 1/5 of the population lives in Vienna, the former capital of a great empire. Rural settlements account for more than 1/3 of the population. Several dialects are spoken in the country, such as Tyrolean, Carniolan and Vorarlberg. Most Austrians are Roman Catholics, but atheists and Lutherans are also significantly represented. The Jewish community in Vienna had 12,000 members, most of whom perished in World War II.

The country has a rich cultural history, but it is most famous for its music. Famous Austrian composers include Joseph Haydn (1732–1809), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–91), Franz Schubert (1797–1828), Johann Strauss the Elder (1804–49) and the Younger (1825–99), and Anton Bruckner (1824 –96). The younger generation of composers includes Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951), the founder of the modern Viennese school of composition and the direction called dodecaphony, and another composer, Alban Berg (1885–1935). Today’s Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Vienna State Opera, with conductors such as Gustav Mahler (1860 to 1911) and Herbert von Karajan (1908–92), have gained an extraordinary international reputation. Austrian painters include, for example, Gustav Klimt (1862–1918), Egon Schiele (1890 to 1918) and Oscar Kokoschka (1886–1980). Psychiatrist Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) is world-famous with his psychoanalysis. Folk culture is particularly developed in Tyrol, where it is supported by the state government.

Country data

Location: Europe

Time zone: CET

Total area: 83,871 km²

Land area: 82,445 km²

Water area: 1,426 km²

Length of the state border: 2,524 km

Bordering countries:
Germany: 801 km
Italy: 404 km
Liechtenstein: 34 km
Switzerland: 158 km
Slovakia: 105 km
Slovenia: 299 km
Czech Republic: 402 km
Hungary: 321 km

Coastline: 0 km

Capital: Vienna

Federal states: 9
Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Vienna

Electric current: 220 V / 50 Hz

Telephone code: 00 43 (Source: Allcitycodes)

Highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m

Population

Population: approx. 8.2 million residents (Countryaah, 2021)

Population growth: 0.2% per year

Population density (residents per km²): 98

Life expectancy: 75 (male), 81 (female)

Official language: German

Religions:

• 74% Roman Catholic
• 5% Protestants
• 4% Muslim
• 17% other

Climate

Austria lies in a continental climate zone.

The summer months are warm with average daytime temperatures around 20 ° C.

In winter it is always quite cool, with temperatures between -20 ° C and 0 ° C depending on the altitude.

Currency / finance

Currency unit: € / Euro (EUR)

Classification: 1 euro = 100 cents

ATMs: Available in many cities.

International credit cards: These are accepted by many hotels and shops.

Regulations: Foreign and national currencies can be imported and exported in unlimited amounts.

Customs regulations

The following may be carried duty-free:

• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco
• 1 liter of alcoholic beverages
• small amounts of perfume

(Information applies to people aged 18 and over)

Tourists and people in transit can bring items of personal use with them duty-free.

Travel advice

Austria has temporarily reintroduced border controls. There may be a corresponding waiting time when crossing the national borders.

Economy

Steel processing and mechanical engineering are still among the most important industrial branches.

However, the electrical industry, the service sector and tourism have also grown steadily in recent years.

Industries: chemistry, electronics, vehicle construction, wood processing, food production, mechanical engineering, steel processing, tourism

Natural resources: lead, iron ore, wood, coal, copper, magnesium, hydropower, zinc

Land use:

• Land: 17%
• Grain cultivation: 1%
• Pasture area: 23%
• Forests: 39%
• other: 20%