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This page was last updated on 17 January, 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 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
8,199,783 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 15.1% (male 633,375/female 603,459)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 2,781,291/female 2,749,539)
65 years and over: 17.5% (male 585,747/female 846,372) (2007 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 41.3 years
male: 40.2 years
female: 42.4 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.077% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8.69 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.84 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
1.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.012 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.692 male(s)/female
total population: 0.953 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 79.21 years
male: 76.32 years
female: 82.26 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.37 children born/woman (2007 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
less 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
   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 Alfred GUSENBAUER (SPOe) (since 11 January 2007); Vice Chancellor Wilhelm MOLTERER (OeVP) (since 11 January 2007)
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; to serve a five- or six-year term) and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: National Council - last held 1 October 2006 (next scheduled for the fall of 2010)
election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe 35.3%, OeVP 34.3%, Greens 11.1%, FPOe 11.0%, BZOe 4.1%, other 4.2%; seats by party - SPOe 68, OeVP 66, Greens 21, FPOe 21, BZOe 7
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 [Peter WESTENTHALER]; Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wilhelm MOLTERER]; Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens [Alexander VAN DER BELLEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Austrian Trade Union Federation (nominally independent but primarily Social Democratic) or OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber; OeVP-oriented Association of Austrian Industrialists or IV; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action; three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers and other non-government organizations in the areas of environment and human rights
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ACCT (observer), AfDB, AsDB, 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, UNMEE, 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 Eva NOWOTNY
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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Scott KILNER
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
$319.7 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$328.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$39,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 1.6%
industry: 30.4%
services: 67.3% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.56 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
4.3% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
5.9% (2004)
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)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.9% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
21.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $176.4 billion
expenditures: $178.3 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
61% of GDP (2007 est.)
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
2.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
61.02 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
60.25 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
17.73 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
20.4 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
23,320 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
295,100 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
34,680 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
157,500 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
62 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.57 billion cu m (2005)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.217 billion cu m (2005)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
936.1 million cu m (2005)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.063 billion cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
14.39 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$12.61 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$158.3 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 30.2%, Italy 9%, US 5.9%, Switzerland 4.7% (2006)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$157.4 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Germany 45.5%, Italy 7%, Switzerland 4.5%, Netherlands 4.1% (2006)
Economic aid - donor:
Definition Field Listing
ODA, $681 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$12.91 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
$66.32 billion (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$74.89 billion (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$126.3 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Austria Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.564 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.255 million (2006)
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 elipsing 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
2.427 million (2007)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.2 million (2006)
   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 149 km (2006)
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: 133,718 km
paved: 133,718 km (includes 1,677 km of expressways) (2003)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
358 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 31,705 GRT/40,627 DWT
by type: cargo 5, container 2
foreign-owned: 2 (Netherlands 2)
registered in other countries: 4 (Cyprus 1, Malta 1, St Vincent and The Grenadines 2) (2007)
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 18-49: 1,914,800
females age 18-49: 1,870,134 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 1,550,441
females age 18-49: 1,515,365 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 48,967
females age 18-49: 46,633 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.9% (2005 est.)
   Transnational Issues    Austria Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
in 2006, Austrian public protests for the Czech Republic to close the Temelin nuclear power plant resulted in a parliamentary motion threatening international legal action
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 17 January, 2008


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