Austria Facts & Figures
Flag of Austria
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.
Capital City: Wien
(Vienna) (2003 pop. 1.5 million)
Wien online - the city of Vienna's online information service
Wiener Tourismusverband
Official site of the Vienna tourism association, with comprehensive information
about Vienna.
Other Cities:
Bregenz
The City of Bregenz
Graz
The City of Graz
Innsbruck
The City of Innsbruck
Klagenfurt
The City of Klagenfurt
Linz
The City of Linz
Salzburg
City of Salzburg
Salzburg
The Tourist information Salzburg
Government:
Parliamentary democracy.
Constitution: 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated May 1, 1945).
Geography:
Location: Europe
Area: 83,857 sq. km. (32,377 sq. mi.) Terrain: Alpine (64%), northern highlands
that form part of the Bohemian Massif (10%), lowlands to the east (26%).
Climate: Continental temperate.
People:
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Austrian(s).
Population (2003): 8,032,926. Ethnic groups: Germans 98%, Croats, Slovenes;
other recognized minorities include Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, and Roma.
Religions: Roman Catholic 73.6%, Lutheran 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 5.5, no
confession 12.0%.
Language: German 92%. Literacy: 98%.
Natural resources: Iron ore, crude oil, natural gas, timber, tungsten,
magnesite, lignite, cement.
oesterreich.at
The Austrian e-government portal (in German)
Statistics
Statistik Austria
Statistical Office Austria. (in German)
Post and Telephone
Post & Telekom Austria
Austrian Phone and
eMail Directories
Electronic Telephone Book
Telephone code directories
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from the USA State Department
Geography
Area: 83,857 sq. km. (32,377 sq. mi.); slightly smaller than Maine.
Cities: Capital--Vienna (1998 pop. 1.6 million). Other cities--Graz,
Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt.
Terrain: Alpine (64%), northern highlands that form part of the Bohemian Massif
(10%), lowlands to the east (26%).
Climate: Continental temperate.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Austrian(s).
Population (1998): 8,078,449.
Annual growth rate (1998): 0.07%.
Ethnic groups: Germans 98%, Croats, Slovenes; other recognized minorities
include Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, and Roma.
Religions: Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%.
Language: German 92%.
Education: Years compulsory--9. Attendance--99%. Literacy--98%.
Health (1998): Infant mortality rate--4.9 deaths/1,000. Life
expectancy--men 74.7 years , women 80.9 years.
Work force (1999, 3.7 million): Services--67.2%; agriculture and
forestry--0.8%.
Government
Type: Parliamentary democracy.
Constitution: 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated May 1, 1945).
Branches: Executive--federal president (chief of state), chancellor (head
of government), cabinet. Legislative--bicameral Federal Assembly
(Parliament). Judicial--Constitutional Court, Administrative Court,
Supreme Court.
Political parties: Social Democratic Party, People's Party, Freedom Party,
Greens, Liberal Forum.
Suffrage: Universal over 19.
Administrative subdivisions: Nine Laender (federal provinces). Defense (2000):
0.8% of GDP.
Flag: Three horizontal bands--red, white, and red; flag also may have the
national emblem (a black eagle centered in the white band).
Economy
GDP (1999): $207.9 billion.
Real GDP growth rate (1999): 2.2%.
Per capita income (1999): $25,655.
Natural resources: Iron ore, crude oil, natural gas, timber, tungsten, magnesite,
lignite, cement.
Agriculture (2.4% of 1999 GDP): Products--livestock, forest products,
grains, sugarbeets, potatoes.
Industry (30.0% of 1999 GDP): Types--iron and steel, chemicals, capital
equipment, consumer goods.
Services: 67.6% of 1999 GDP.
Trade (1999): Exports--$63.5 billion: iron and steel products, timber,
paper, textiles, electrotechnical machinery, chemical products. Imports--$68.8
billion: machinery, vehicles, chemicals, iron and steel, metal goods, fuels, raw
materials, foodstuffs. Principal trade partners--European Union, U.S.,
Hungary, and Switzerland.
Austrians are a homogeneous people; 92% are native German speakers. Only two
numerically significant minority groups exist--30,000 Slovenes in Carinthia
(south central Austria) and about 60,000 Croats in Burgenland (on the Hungarian
border). The Slovenes form a closely knit community. Their rights as well as
those of the Croats are protected by law and generally respected in practice.
The present boundaries of Austria, once the center of the Habsburg Empire that
constituted the second-largest state in Europe, were established in accordance
with the Treaty of St. Germain in 1919. Some Austrians, particularly near
Vienna, still have relatives in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. About
78% of all Austrians are Roman Catholic. The church abstains from political
activity; however, lay Catholic organizations are aligned with the conservative
People's Party. The Social Democratic Party long ago shed its anticlerical
stance. Small Lutheran minorities are located mainly in Vienna, Carinthia, and
Burgenland.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire played a decisive role in central European
history. It occupied strategic territory containing the southeastern routes to
western Europe and the north-south routes between Germany and Italy. Although
present-day Austria is only a tiny remnant of the old empire, it retains this
unique position.
Soon after the Republic of Austria was created at the end of World War I, it
faced the strains of catastrophic inflation and of redesigning a government
meant to rule a great empire into one that would govern only 6 million citizens.
In the early 1930s, worldwide depression and unemployment added to these strains
and shattered traditional Austrian society. Resultant economic and political
conditions led in 1933 to a dictatorship under Engelbert Dollfuss. In February
1934, civil war broke out, and the Socialist Party was outlawed. In July, a coup
d'etat by the National Socialists failed, but Dollfuss was assassinated by
Nazis. In March 1938, Austria was incorporated into the German Reich, a
development commonly known as the "Anschluss" (annexation).
At the Moscow conference in 1943, the Allies declared their intention to
liberate Austria and reconstitute it as a free and independent state. In April
1945, both Eastern- and Western-front Allied forces liberated the country.
Subsequently, Austria was divided into zones of occupation similar to those in
Germany. Under the 1945 Potsdam agreements, the Soviets took control of German
assets in their zone of occupation. These included 7% of Austria's manufacturing
plants, 95% of its oil resources, and about 80% of its refinery capacity. The
properties were returned to Austria under the Austrian State Treaty. This
treaty, signed in Vienna on May 15, 1955, came into effect on July 27, and,
under its provisions, all occupation forces were withdrawn by October 25, 1955.
Austria became free and independent for the first time since 1938.
The Austrian president convenes and concludes parliamentary sessions and
under certain conditions can dissolve Parliament. However, no Austrian president
has dissolved Parliament in the Second Republic. The custom is for Parliament to
call for new elections if needed. The president requests a party leader, usually
the leader of the strongest party, to form a government. Upon the recommendation
of the Federal Chancellor, the president also appoints cabinet ministers. No one
can become a member of the government without the approval of the president. The
Federal Assembly (Parliament) is composed of two houses--the National Council (Nationalrat),
or lower house, and the Federal Council (Bundesrat), or upper house. Legislative
authority is concentrated in the National Council. Its 183 members are elected
for a maximum 4-year term in a three-tiered system, based on proportional
representation. The National Council may dissolve itself by a simple majority
vote or it may be dissolved by the president on the recommendation of the
Chancellor. The 64 members of the Federal Council are elected by the
legislatures of the nine provinces for 4- to 6-year terms. The Federal Council
only reviews legislation passed by the National Council and can delay but not
veto its enactment.
The highest courts of Austria's independent judiciary are the Constitutional
Court; the Administrative Court, which handles bureaucratic disputes; and the
Supreme Court, for civil and criminal cases. Cases in the Administrative and
Supreme Courts concerning constitutional issues can be appealed to the
Constitutional Court. Justices of the three courts are appointed by the
president for specific terms.
The governors of Austria's nine Laender (provinces) are elected by the
provincial legislatures. Although most authority, including that of the police,
rests with the federal government, the provinces have considerable
responsibility for welfare matters and local administration. Strong provincial
and local loyalties are based on tradition and history.
Principal Government Officials
Federal President--Thomas Klestil
Federal Chancellor--Wolfgang Schuessel
Vice Chancelor--Susanne Riess-Passer
Foreign Minister--Benita Ferrero-Waldner
Ambassador to the United States--Peter Moser
Ambassador to the United Nations--Gerhard Pflanzelter
Austria maintains an embassy in the United States at 3524 International
Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008 (te1. 202-895-6700). Consulates general are
located in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, with honorary consulates in
Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Cleveland, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, Miami, New
Orleans, Newark, Philadelphia, St. Paul, San Francisco, San Juan, and Seattle.
Since World War II, Austria has enjoyed political stability. A Socialist
elder statesman, Dr. Karl Renner, organized an Austrian administration in the
aftermath of the war, and general elections were held in November 1945. In that
election, the conservative People's Party (OVP) obtained 50% of the vote (85
seats) in the National Council (lower house of Parliament), the Socialists won
45% (76 seats), and the communists won 5% (4 seats). The ensuing three-party
government ruled until 1947, when the communists left the government and the OVP
led a governing coalition with the socialists (now called the Social Democratic
Party or SPO) that governed until 1966. Between 1970 and 1999, the SPO has ruled
the country either alone or in conjunction with the OVP, except from 1983-86,
when it governed in coalition with the Freedom Party. In 1999, the OVP formed a
coalition with the right wing-populist Freedom Party (FPO). The SPO, which was
the strongest party in the 1999 elections, and the Greens now form the
opposition. As a result of the inclusion of the FPO on the government, the EU
imposed a series of sanctions on Austria. The U.S. and Israel, as well as
various other countries, also reduced contacts with the Austrian Government.
The Social Democratic Party traditionally draws its constituency from blue-
and white-collar workers. Accordingly, much of its strength lies in urban and
industrialized areas. In the 1995 national elections, it garnered 38% of the
vote. The SPO in the past advocated heavy state involvement in Austria's key
industries, the extension of social security benefits, and a full-employment
policy. Beginning in the mid-1980s, it shifted its focus to free market-oriented
economic policies, balancing the federal budget, and European Union (EU)
membership.
The People's Party advocates conservative financial policies and
privatization of much of Austria's nationalized industry and finds support from
farmers, large and small business owners, and lay Catholic groups, mostly in the
rural regions of Austria. In 1995, it received 28% of the vote. The rightist
Freedom Party attracts protest votes and those who desire no association with
the other major parties. The party's mixture of populism and anti-establishment
themes propagated by its aggressive leader Joerg Haider steadily gained support
over the past years. It attracted about 27% of the vote in the 1999 elections.
The Liberal Forum, founded on libertarian ideals, split from the Freedom
Movement in February 1993. It received 5.5% of the vote in the 1999 election
and, thus, failed to re-enter the national legislature. The Greens, a
left-of-center party focusing on environmental issues, received 4.4% of the vote
in 1999.
Austria has a well-developed social market economy with a high standard of
living in which the government has played an important role. Many of the
country's largest firms were nationalized in the early post-war period to
protect them from Soviet takeover as war reparations. For many years, the
government and its state-owned industries conglomerate played a very important
role in the Austrian economy. However, starting in the early 1990s, the group
was broken apart, state-owned firms started to operate largely as private
businesses, and a great number of these firms were wholly or partially
privatized. Although the government's privatization work in past years has been
very successful, it still operates some firms, state monopolies, utilities, and
services. The new government has presented an ambitious privatization program,
which, if implemented, will considerably reduce government participation in the
economy. Austria enjoys well-developed industry, banking, transportation,
services, and commercial facilities.
Although some industries, such as several iron and steel works and chemical
plants, are large industrial enterprises employing thousands of people, most
industrial and commercial enterprises in Austria are relatively small on an
international scale.
Austria has a strong labor movement. The Austrian Trade Union Federation (OGB)
comprises constituent unions with a total membership of about 1.5 million--more
than half the country's wage and salary earners. Since 1945, the OGB has pursued
a moderate, consensus-oriented wage policy, cooperating with industry,
agriculture, and the government on a broad range of social and economic issues
in what is known as Austria's "social partnership." The OGB has
announced tough opposition against the new government's program for budget
consolidation, social reform, and improving the business climate, and
indications are rising that Austria's peaceful social climate could become more
confrontational.
Austrian farms, like those of other west European mountainous countries, are
small and fragmented, and production is relatively expensive. Since Austria's
becoming a member of the EU in 1995, the Austrian agricultural sector has been
undergoing substantial reform under the EU's common agricultural policy (CAP).
Although Austrian farmers provide about 80% of domestic food requirements, the
agricultural contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) has declined since
1950 to less than 3%.
Austria has achieved sustained economic growth. During the 1950s, the average
annual growth rate was more than 5% in real terms and averaged about 4.5%
through most of the 1960s. Following moderate real GDP growth of 1.7%, 2.0% and
1.2%, respectively, in 1995, 1996, and 1997, the economy rebounded and with real
GDP expansion of 2.9% in 1998 and 2.2% in 1999.
Austria became a member of the EU on January 1, 1995. Membership brought
economic benefits and challenges and has drawn an influx of foreign investors
attracted by Austria's access to the single European market. Austria also has
made progress in generally increasing its international competitiveness. As a
member of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), Austria's economy is closely
integrated with other EU member countries, especially with Germany. On January
1, 1999, Austria introduced the new Euro currency for accounting purposes.
Starting January 2002, Euro notes and coins will be introduced and substitute
for the Austrian schilling. Economists agree that the economic effects in
Austria of using a common currency have been positive.
Trade with other EU countries accounts for almost 66% of Austrian imports and
exports. Expanding trade and investment in the emerging markets of central and
eastern Europe is a major element of Austrian economic activity. Trade with
these countries accounts for almost 14% of Austrian imports and exports, and
Austrian firms have sizable investments in and continue to move labor-intensive,
low-tech production to these countries. Although the big investment boom has
waned, Austria still has the potential to attract EU firms seeking convenient
access to these developing markets.
Total trade with the United States in 1999 reached $6.6 billion. Imports from
the United States amounted to $3.7 billion, constituting a U.S. market share in
Austria of 5.4%. Austrian exports to the United States in 1999 were $2.9 billion
or 4.6% of total Austrian exports.
The 1955 Austrian State Treaty ended the four-power occupation and recognized
Austria as an independent and sovereign state. In October 1955, the Federal
Assembly passed a constitutional law in which "Austria declares of her own
free will her perpetual neutrality." The second section of this law stated
that "in all future times Austria will not join any military alliances and
will not permit the establishment of any foreign military bases on her
territory." Since then, Austria shaped its foreign policy on the basis of
neutrality.
In recent years, however, Austria began to reassess its definition of
neutrality, granting overflight rights for the UN-sanctioned action against Iraq
in 1991, and, since 1995, contemplating participation in the EU's evolving
security structure. Also in 1995, it joined the Partnership for Peace, and
subsequently participated in peacekeeping missions in Bosnia. Discussion of
possible Austrian NATO membership intensified during 1996. OVP and FPO aim at
moving closer to NATO or a European defense arrangement. The SPO, in turn,
believes continued neutrality is the cornerstone of Austria's foreign policy,
and a majority of the population generally supports this stance.
Austrian leaders emphasize the unique role the country plays as East-West hub
and as a moderator between industrialized and developing countries. Austria is
active in the United Nations and experienced in UN peacekeeping efforts. It
attaches great importance to participation in the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development and other international economic organizations, and
it has played an active role in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE).
Vienna hosts the Secretariat of the OSCE and the headquarters of the
International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN Industrial Development Organization,
and the UN Drug Control Program. Other international organizations based in
Vienna include the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and the
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. Recently, Vienna added the
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization and the Wassenaar Arrangement (a
technology-transfer control agency) to the list of international organizations
it hosts.
Austria traditionally has been active in "bridge-building to the
east," increasing contacts at all levels with eastern Europe and the states
of the former Soviet Union. Austrians maintain a constant exchange of business
representatives, political leaders, students, cultural groups, and tourists with
the countries of central and eastern Europe. Austrian companies are active in
investing and trading with the countries of central and eastern Europe. In
addition, the Austrian Government and various Austrian organizations provide
assistance and training to support the changes underway in the region.
Austria's political leaders and people recognize and appreciate the essential
role played by U.S. economic assistance through the Marshall Plan in the
reconstruction of their country after World War II, and by the U.S. in promoting
the conclusion of the Austrian State Treaty. It is in the interest of the U.S.
that the present friendly relations be maintained and strengthened and that
Austria's political and economic stability be maintained.
Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Kathryn Walt Hall
Deputy Chief of Mission--Robert S. Deutsch
Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs--Lee Brudvig
Counselor for Public Affairs (USIS)--L.W. Koengeter
Counselor for Commercial Affairs--Stephen Craven
Counselor for Administrative Affairs--Steven White
Counselor for Agricultural Affairs--Allan Mustard
Consul General--James Pettit
Defense and Army Attache--Col. Bruce Boevers
Consular Agent in Salzburg--Jeanie Mayer
The U.S. embassy in Austria is located at Boltzmanngasse 16, Vienna 1091,
tel. (43) (1) 313-39 (After office hours: (43) (1) 319-5523). The U.S. Consular
Agency in Salzburg is located at Alte Markt 1, 5020 Salzburg, tel. (43) (662)
848-776.
The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program provides Consular
Information Sheets, Travel Warnings, and Public Announcements. Consular
Information Sheets exist for all countries and include information on entry
requirements, currency regulations, health conditions, areas of instability,
crime and security, political disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. posts
in the country. Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department
recommends that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Public
Announcements are issued as a means to disseminate information quickly about
terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas which pose
significant risks to the security of American travelers. Free copies of this
information are available by calling the Bureau of Consular Affairs at
202-647-5225 or via the fax-on-demand system: 202-647-3000. Consular Information
Sheets and Travel Warnings also are available on the Consular Affairs Internet
home page: http://travel.state.gov.
Consular Affairs Tips for Travelers publication series, which contain
information on obtaining passports and planning a safe trip abroad are on the
internet and hard copies can be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents,
U.S. Government Printing Office, telephone: 202-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250.
Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained
from the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225. For after-hours
emergencies, Sundays and holidays, call 202-647-4000.
Passport information can be obtained by calling the National Passport
Information Center's automated system ($.35 per minute) or live operators 8 a.m.
to 8 p.m. (EST) Monday-Friday ($1.05 per minute). The number is 1-900-225-5674 (TDD:
1-900-225-7778). Major credit card users (for a flat rate of $4.95) may call
1-888-362-8668 (TDD: 1-888-498-3648). It also is available on the internet.
Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP
(877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm
give the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or
requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and
countries. A booklet entitled Health Information for International Travel (HHS
publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.
Information on travel conditions, visa requirements, currency and customs
regulations, legal holidays, and other items of interest to travelers also may
be obtained before your departure from a country's embassy and/or consulates in
the U.S. (for this country, see "Principal Government Officials"
listing in this publication).
U.S. citizens who are long-term visitors or traveling in dangerous areas are
encouraged to register at the U.S. embassy upon arrival in a country (see
"Principal U.S. Embassy Officials" listing in this publication). This
may help family members contact you in case of an emergency.
Further Electronic Information
Department of State Foreign Affairs Network. Available on the
Internet, DOSFAN provides timely, global access to official U.S. foreign policy
information. Updated daily, DOSFAN includes Background Notes; daily press
briefings; Country Commercial Guides; directories of key officers of Foreign
Service posts; etc. DOSFAN's World Wide Web site is at http://www.state.gov.
National Trade Data Bank (NTDB). Operated by the U.S. Department of
Commerce, the NTDB contains a wealth of trade-related information. It is
available on the Internet (www.stat-usa.gov)
and on CD-ROM. Call the NTDB Help-Line at (202) 482-1986 for more information.
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from the CIA Fact Book
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The World Factbook
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Austria
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Background:
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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 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.
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Location:
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Central Europe, north of
Italy and Slovenia
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Geographic coordinates:
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47 20 N, 13 20 E
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total: 83,858 sq km
water: 1,120 sq km
land: 82,738 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Maine
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Land boundaries:
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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
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked)
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked)
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Climate:
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temperate; continental,
cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in lowlands and snow in
mountains; cool summers with occasional showers
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Terrain:
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in the west and south
mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly
flat or gently sloping
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Neusiedler See 115 m
highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m
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Natural resources:
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iron ore, oil, timber,
magnesite, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower
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Land use:
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arable land: 16.89%
permanent crops: 0.99%
other: 82.12% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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457 sq km (2000 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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landslides; avalanches;
earthquakes
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Environment - current issues:
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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
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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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
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Population:
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8,188,207 (July 2003 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 16.2%
(male 678,944; female 646,390)
15-64 years: 68.3% (male 2,827,736; female 2,768,480)
65 years and over: 15.5% (male 490,979; female 775,678) (2003
est.)
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Median age:
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total: 39.4 years
male: 38.2 years
female: 40.7 years (2002)
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Population growth rate:
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0.22% (2003 est.)
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Birth rate:
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9.43 births/1,000
population (2003 est.)
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Death rate:
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9.69 deaths/1,000
population (2003 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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2.44 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2003 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 4.33
deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population:
78.17 years
male: 75.02 years
female: 81.48 years (2003 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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1.41 children born/woman
(2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.2% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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9,900 (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100 (2001 est.)
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Nationality:
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noun: Austrian(s)
adjective: Austrian
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Ethnic groups:
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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)
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 78%,
Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%
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Languages:
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German
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Literacy:
|
definition: age 15
and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: NA%
female: NA%
|
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form:
Republic of Austria
conventional short form: Austria
local short form: Oesterreich
local long form: Republik Oesterreich
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|
Government type:
|
federal republic
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|
Capital:
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Vienna
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Administrative divisions:
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9 states (Bundeslaender,
singular - Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten, Niederoesterreich,
Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien
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Independence:
|
1156 (from Bavaria)
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|
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
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Constitution:
|
1920; revised 1929
(reinstated 1 May 1945)
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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
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal;
compulsory for presidential elections
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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 Hubert GORBACH (since 21 October 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; 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%
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|
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)
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Judicial branch:
|
Supreme Judicial Court or
Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof;
Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof
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Political parties and leaders:
|
Austrian People's Party or
OeVP [Wolfgang SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Herbert
HAUPT]; Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER];
The Greens Alternative or GA [Alexander VAN DER BELLEN]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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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
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International organization participation:
|
AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU,
ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, 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,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY
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
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador William Lee LYONS BROWN, Jr.
embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [43] (1) 31339, 31375, 31335
FAX: [43] (1) 5125835
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Flag description:
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three equal horizontal
bands of red (top), white, and red
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Economy - overview:
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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, 0.6% in 2002, and 0.8% in 2003.. 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. A
key issue is the encouragement of much greater participation in the
labor market by its ageing population.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity -
$227.7 billion (2002 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
|
1.1% (2002 est.)
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|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity -
$27,900 (2002 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 2%
industry: 33%
services: 65% (2002 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
|
NA%
|
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 22.5% (1995)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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31 (1995)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.8% (2002 est.)
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Labor force:
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4.3 million (2001)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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services 67%, industry and
crafts 29%, agriculture and forestry 4% (2001 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
|
4.8% (2002 est.)
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Budget:
|
revenues: $53
billion
expenditures: $54 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001 est.)
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Industries:
|
construction, machinery,
vehicles and parts, food, chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper
and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism
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|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
3.8% (2001 est.)
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Electricity - production:
|
58.75 billion kWh (2001)
|
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Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 29.3%
hydro: 67.2%
other: 3.5% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
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Electricity - consumption:
|
54.85 billion kWh (2001)
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Electricity - exports:
|
14.25 billion kWh (2001)
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Electricity - imports:
|
14.47 billion kWh (2001)
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Oil - production:
|
20,670 bbl/day (2001 est.)
|
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Oil - consumption:
|
262,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
|
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Oil - exports:
|
35,470 bbl/day (2001)
|
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Oil - imports:
|
262,000 bbl/day (2001)
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Oil - proved reserves:
|
85.69 million bbl (37257)
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Natural gas - production:
|
1.731 billion cu m (2001
est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
|
7.81 billion cu m (2001
est.)
|
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
403 million cu m (2001
est.)
|
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
6.033 billion cu m (2001
est.)
|
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
24.9 billion cu m (37257)
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Agriculture - products:
|
grains, potatoes, sugar
beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber
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Exports:
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$70 billion f.o.b. (2001)
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Exports - commodities:
|
machinery and equipment,
motor vehicles and parts, paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals,
iron and steel; textiles, foodstuffs
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Exports - partners:
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Germany 31.5%, Italy 9.3%,
Switzerland 5.4%, US 4.9%, UK 4.9%, France 4.7%, Hungary 4.3% (2002)
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Imports:
|
$74 billion c.i.f. (2001)
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Imports - commodities:
|
machinery and equipment,
motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs
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|
Imports - partners:
|
Germany 42.6%, Italy 6.6%,
Hungary 5.1%, Switzerland 4.8%, Netherlands 4.4% (2002)
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Debt - external:
|
$12.1 billion (2001 est.)
|
|
Economic aid - donor:
|
ODA, $410 million (2000)
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Currency:
|
euro (EUR)
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
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Currency code:
|
EUR
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Exchange rates:
|
euros per US dollar - 1.06
(2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999), 12.38 (1998)
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Fiscal year:
|
calendar year
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|
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)
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|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
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6 million (2001)
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|
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)
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Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 2, FM 160 (plus several
hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001)
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Radios:
|
6.08 million (1997)
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Television broadcast stations:
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45 (plus more than 1,000
repeaters) (2001)
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Televisions:
|
4.25 million (1997)
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Internet country code:
|
.at
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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37 (2000)
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Internet users:
|
3.7 million (2002)
|
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Railways:
|
total: 6,024 km
(3,641 km electrified)
standard gauge: 5,566 km 1.435-m gauge (3,524 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 34 km 1.000-m gauge (28 km electrified); 424 km
0.760-m gauge (89 km electrified) (2002)
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Highways:
|
total: 200,000 km
paved: 200,000 km (including 1,633 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)
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Waterways:
|
358 km (1999)
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Pipelines:
|
gas 2,722 km; oil 687 km;
refined products 149 km (2003)
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Ports and harbors:
|
Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna
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Merchant marine:
|
total: 5 ships
(1,000 GRT or over) 27,551 GRT/34,225 DWT
ships by type: cargo 4, container 1 (2002 est.)
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Airports:
|
55 (2002)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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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
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 27 (2002)
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Heliports:
|
1 (2002)
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Military branches:
|
Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air
Forces (KdoLuSK)
|
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Military manpower - military age:
|
19 years of age (2003 est.)
|
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age 15-49:
2,093,821 (2003 est.)
|
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age 15-49:
1,725,123 (2003 est.)
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
|
males: 49,090 (2003
est.)
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$1.497 billion (FY01/02)
|
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
0.8% (FY01/02)
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Transnational
Issues
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Austria
|
|
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
|
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