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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 of that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. This neutrality, once ingrained as part of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995. A prosperous country, Austria entered the European Monetary Union in 1999.

[edit] Geography

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
water: 1,120 sq km
land: 82,738 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: 16.89%
permanent crops: 0.99%
other: 82.12% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

457 sq km (2000 est.)

Natural hazards 

landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

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

[edit] People

Population 

8,169,929 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 16.4% (male 686,205; female 652,840)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 2,814,866; female 2,756,777)
65 years and over: 15.4% (male 484,313; female 774,928) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate 

0.23% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

9.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

9.73 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

2.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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 (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 

4.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 78 years
female: 81.31 years (2002 est.)
male: 74.85 years

Total fertility rate 

1.4 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 

843 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths 

8 (2001 est.)

Nationality 

noun: Austrian(s)
adjective: Austrian

Ethnic groups 

German 88%, non-nationals 9.3% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma), naturalized 2% (includes those who have lived in Austria at least three generations)

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%

[edit] Government

Country name 

conventional long form: Republic of Austria
conventional short form: Austria
local short form: Oesterreich
local long form: Republik 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 State Treaty restoring national sovereignty and the end of occupation and 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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage 

18 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 Herbert HAUPT (since 28 February 2003)
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
note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe
election results: Thomas KLESTIL reelected president; percent of vote - Thomas KLESTIL 63%, Gertraud KNOLL 14%, Heide SCHMIDT 11%, Richard LUGNER 10%, Karl NOWAK 2%

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)
election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP 42.3%, SPOe 36.9%, FPOe 10.2%, Greens 9%; seats by party - OeVP 79, SPOe 69, FPOe 19, Greens 16
elections: National Council - last held 24 November 2002 (next to be held in the fall of 2006)

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, 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, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, 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
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700

Diplomatic representation from the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador William Lee 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

[edit] Economy

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. Slowing growth in Germany and elsewhere in the world held the economy to only 1.2% growth in 2001 and 0.6% in 2002. To meet increased competition from both EU and Central European countries, Austria will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the economy, continue to deregulate the service sector, and lower its tax burden.

GDP 

purchasing power parity - $226 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 

0.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $27,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: 2%
industry: 33%
services: 65% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line 

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 23% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index 

31 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

1.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force 

4.3 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation 

services 67%, industry and crafts 29%, agriculture and forestry 4% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate 

4.8% (2002 est.)

Budget 

revenues: $53 billion
expenditures: $54 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries 

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

Industrial production growth rate 

3.8% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production 

60.285 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 28%
hydro: 69%
other: 3% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

54.764 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

15.11 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

13.809 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products 

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

Exports 

$70 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities 

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

Exports - partners 

EU 63% (Germany 35%, Italy 9%, France 5%), Switzerland 5%, US 5%, Hungary 4% (2000)

Imports 

$74 billion c.i.f. (2001)

Imports - commodities 

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

Imports - partners 

EU 68% (Germany 42%, Italy 7%, France 5%), US 6%, Switzerland 3%, Hungary 2% (2000)

Debt - external 

$12.1 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - donor 

ODA, $410 million (2000)

Currency 

euro (EUR); Austrian schilling (ATS)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code 

EUR; ATS

Exchange rates 

euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (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)

Fiscal year 

calendar year

[edit] Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

4 million (consisting of 3,600,000 analog main lines plus 400,000 Integrated Services Digital Network connections); in addition, there are 100,000 Asymmetric Digital Services lines (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

6 million (2001)

Telephone system 

general assessment: highly developed and efficient
domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; 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 1 Eutelsat; in addition, there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 2, FM 160 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios 

6.08 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

45 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions 

4.25 million (1997)

Internet country code 

.at

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

37 (2000)

Internet users 

3.7 million (2002)

[edit] Transportation

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: 33.9 km 1.000-m gauge (28.1 km electrified); 497.1 km 0.760-m gauge (94 km electrified) (2001 est.)

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 

Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

Merchant marine 

total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 46,563 GRT/59,278 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 6, combination bulk 1, container 2 (2002 est.)

Airports 

55 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 24
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 14 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

Airports - with unpaved runways 

total: 31 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 27 (2002)

Heliports 

1 (2002)

[edit] Military

Military branches 

Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)

Military manpower - military age 

19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability 

males age 15-49: 2,092,623 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service 

males age 15-49: 1,728,191 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually 

males: 50,580 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure 

$1,497.1 million (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP 

0.8% (FY01/02)

[edit] Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

minor disputes with Czech Republic and Slovenia continue 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