Austria
Introduction   Geography   People   Government   Economy   Communications   Transportation   Military   Transnational Issues   Print This Frame Airports Hotels

Austria

Introduction

Top of Page

Background:

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, Austria's 1955 State Treaty declared the country "permanently neutral" as a condition of Soviet military withdrawal. Neutrality, once ingrained as part of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria's increasingly prominent role in European affairs. A prosperous country, Austria joined the European Union in 1995 and the euro monetary system in 1999.

Austria

Geography

Top of Page

Location:

Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates:

47 20 N, 13 20 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total:  83,858 sq km land:  82,738 sq km water:  1,120 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries:

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:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers

Terrain:

in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Neusiedler See 115 m highest point:  Grossglockner 3,798 m

Natural resources:

iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower

Land use:

arable land:  17% permanent crops:  1% permanent pastures:  23% forests and woodland:  39% other:  20% (1996 est.)

Irrigated land:

457 sq km (1995 est.)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

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:

party to:  Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified:  Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:

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

Austria

People

Top of Page

Population:

8,150,835 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years:  16.57% (male 691,925; female 658,375) 15-64 years:  68.05% (male 2,802,019; female 2,744,536) 65 years and over:  15.38% (male 478,498; female 775,482) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.24% (2001 est.)

Birth rate:

9.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate:

9.8 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth:  1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years:  1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years:  1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over:  0.62 male(s)/female total population:  0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

4.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population:  77.84 years male:  74.68 years female:  81.15 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.39 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.23% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality:

noun:  Austrian(s) adjective:  Austrian

Ethnic groups:

German 98%, Croatian, Slovene, other (includes Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%

Languages:

German

Literacy:

definition:  age 15 and over can read and write total population:  98% male:  NA% female:  NA%

Austria

Government

Top of Page

Country name:

conventional long form:  Republic of Austria conventional short form:  Austria local long form:  Republik Oesterreich local short form:  Oesterreich

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

Vienna

Administrative divisions:

9 states (bundeslaender, singular - bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien

Independence:

1156 (from Bavaria)

National holiday:

National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the passage of the law on permanent neutrality

Constitution:

1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Legal system:

civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

19 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections

Executive branch:

chief of state:  President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992) head of government:  Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4 February 2000); Vice Chancellor Susanne RIESS-PASSER (FPOe) (since 4 February 2000) 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; presidential election last held 19 April 1998 (next to be held in the spring of 2004); chancellor traditionally chosen by the president from the plurality party in the National Council; in the case of the current coalition, the chancellor was chosen from another party after the plurality party failed to form a government; vice chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor election results:  Thomas KLESTIL reelected president; percent of vote - Thomas KLESTIL 63%, Gertraud KNOLL 14%, Heide SCHMIDT 11%, Richard LUGNER 10%, Karl NOWAK 2% note:  government coalition - OeVP and FPOe

Legislative branch:

bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal Council or Bundesrat (64 members; members represent each of the states on the basis of population, but with each state having at least three representatives; members serve a four- 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 3 October 1999 (next to be held in the fall of 2003) election results:  National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe 33.2%, OeVP 26.9%, FPOe 26.9%, Greens 7.4%; seats by party - SPOe 65, OeVP 52, FPOe 52, Greens 14

Judicial branch:

Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof

Political parties and leaders:

Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Susanne RIESS-PASSER]; Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens Alternative or GA [Alexander VAN DER BELLEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist) or OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber; OeVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists or VOeI; 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

International organization participation:

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission:  Ambassador Peter MOSER 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, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission:  Ambassador-designate Lyons BROWN, Jr. embassy:  Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091, Vienna mailing address:  use embassy street address telephone:  [43] (1) 31339-0 FAX:  [43] (1) 3100682

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

Austria

Economy

Top of Page

Economy - overview:

Austria with its well-developed market economy and high standard of living is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European market and proximity to EU aspirant economies. In 2000, Austria moved to further cut government spending and raise taxes to meet EMU deficit targets after facing unexpected difficulties in reducing the public deficit. To meet increased competition from both EU and Central European countries, Austria will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the economy and continue to deregulate the service sector. Growth is expected to remain at about 3% in 2001.

GDP:	purchasing power parity - $203 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.1% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:

purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture:  2.2% industry:  30.4% services:  67.4% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2% (2000 est.)

Labor force:

3.7 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:

services 68%, industry and crafts 29%, agriculture and forestry 3% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

5.4% (2000 est.)

Budget:

revenues:  $56.3 billion expenditures:  $60.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries:

construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

4.2% (2000)

Electricity - production:

59.283 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel:  29.53% hydro:  67.65% nuclear:  0% other:  2.82% (1999)

Electricity - consumption:

53.231 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports:

13.507 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports:

11.605 billion kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products:

grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber

Exports:

$63.2 billion (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel; textiles, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

EU 64.2% (Germany 35.7%, Italy 8.7%, France 4.5%), Switzerland 5.9%, US 4.5%, Hungary 3.9% (1999)

Imports:

$65.6 billion (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

EU 70.3% (Germany 42.5%, Italy 7.9%, France 5.3%), US 5.4%, Switzerland 3.0%, Hungary 2.8% (1999)

Debt - external:

$16 billion (1999)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $472 million (1999)

Currency:

Austrian schilling (ATS); euro (EUR) note:  on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Austria at a fixed rate of 13.7603 Austrian shillings per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

Currency code:

ATS; EUR

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Austrian schillings per US dollar - 11.86 (January 1999), 12.91 (1999), 12.379 (1998), 12.204 (1997), 10.587 (1996)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Austria

Communications

Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use:

4 million (3,600,000 analog main lines plus 400,000 ISDN or Integrated Services Digital Network connections) (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.5 million (2000)

Telephone system:

general assessment:  highly developed and efficient domestic:  there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons and the system is nearly 100% digital; the fiber optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet services are available international:  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 2 Eutelsat (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 61 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

6.08 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

45 (plus 960 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

4.25 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.at

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

37 (2000)

Internet users:

2.6 million (2000)

Austria

Transportation

Top of Page

Railways:

total:  6,095.2 km (3,643.3 km electrified) standard gauge:  5,564.2 km 1.435-m gauge (3,521.2 km electrified) narrow gauge:  531 km (33.9 km 1.000-m gauge - 28.1 km electrified, 497.1 km 0.760-m gauge - 94 km electrified) (2001)

Highways:

total:  133,361 km paved:  133,361 km (including 1,613 km of expressways) unpaved:  0 km (1998)

Waterways:

358 km (1999)

Pipelines:

crude oil 777 km; natural gas 840 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:

Linz, Vienna, Enns, Krems

Merchant marine:

total:  23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 86,905 GRT/117,417 DWT ships by type:  bulk 1, cargo 18, combination bulk 2, container 2 (2000 est.)

Airports:

55 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:

total:  24 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:  14 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total:  31 1,524 to 2,437 m:  1 914 to 1,523 m:  3 under 914 m:  27 (2000 est.)

Heliports:

1 (2000 est.)

Austria

Military

Top of Page

Military branches:

Army (includes Flying Division)

Military manpower - military age:

19 years of age

Military manpower - availability:

males age 15-49:  2,091,263 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:

males age 15-49:  1,731,383 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:

males:  50,580 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$1.7 billion (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.2% (FY98)

Austria

Transnational Issues

Top of Page

Disputes - international:

minor disputes with Czech Republic and Slovenia over nuclear power plants and post-World War II treatment of German-speaking minorities

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe