from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Austria
Introduction
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 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. Following the Soviet
Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the
European Union in 1995, some Austrians have called into
question this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic
country, Austria entered the Economic and Monetary
Union in 1999.
Geography
Location: Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia
Geographic 47 20 N, 13 20 E
coordinates:
Map Europe
references:
Area: total: 83,870 sq km
land: 82,444 sq km
water: 1,426 sq km
Area - slightly smaller than Maine
comparative:
Land total: 2,562 km
boundaries: 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 none (landlocked)
claims:
Climate: temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with
frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in
mountains; moderate 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 lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
extremes: highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m
Natural oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc,
resources: antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt,
hydropower
Land use: arable land: 16.59%
permanent crops: 0.85%
other: 82.56% (2005)
Irrigated 40 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural landslides; avalanches; earthquakes
hazards:
Environment - some forest degradation caused by air and soil
current pollution; soil pollution results from the use of
issues: 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 - party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
international Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
agreements: 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 - landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of
note: 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
Population: 8,192,880 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.4% (male 645,337/female 614,602)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 2,782,712/female 2,749,620)
65 years and over: 17.1% (male 567,752/female 832,857)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 40.9 years
male: 39.8 years
female: 42 years (2006 est.)
Population 0.09% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 8.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 9.76 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 5.65 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 79.07 years
expectancy at male: 76.17 years
birth: female: 82.11 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.36 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.3% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 10,000 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - less than 100 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Austrian(s)
adjective: Austrian
Ethnic groups: 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: Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%,
other 3.5%, unspecified 2%, none 12% (2001 census)
Languages: German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in
Carinthia), Croatian (official in Burgenland),
Hungarian (official in Burgenland)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: NA
female: NA
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Austria
conventional short form: Austria
local long form: Republik Oesterreich
local short form: Oesterreich
Government federal republic
type:
Capital: 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 9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland);
divisions: Burgenland, Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich,
Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria), Tirol,
Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)
Independence: 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 11 August
1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed); 12 November 1918
(republic proclaimed)
National National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates
holiday: 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
Executive chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (since 8 July
branch: 2004)
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 (eligible for a second term);
presidential election last held 25 April 2004 (next to
be held April 2010); 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
election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president;
percent of vote - Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) 52.4%, Benita
FERRERO-WALDNER (OeVP) 47.6%
note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe
Legislative bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung
branch: consists of Federal Council or Bundesrat (62 members;
members represent each of the states on the basis of
population, but with each state having at least 3
representatives; members 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 to be held in 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%; seats by party - SPOe 68, OeVP 66,
Greens 21, FPOe 21, BZOe 7
Judicial Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof;
branch: Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof;
Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof
Political Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Joerg
parties and HAIDER]; Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang
leaders: SCHUESSEL]; 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 Austrian Trade Union Federation (nominally independent
pressure but primarily Socialist) or OeGB; Federal Economic
groups and Chamber; OeVP-oriented League of Austrian
leaders: 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 and
other non-government organizations in the areas of
environment and human rights
International ACCT (observer), AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC
organization (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA,
participation: EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM
(guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF
(observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SECI
(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNMEE, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU
(observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY
representation chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC
in the US: 20008-3035
telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Susan R. McCAW
representation embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
from the US: mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0
FAX: [43] (1) 3100682
Flag three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and
description: red
Economy
Economy - Austria, with its well-developed market economy and
overview: 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 current government has successfully
pursued a comprehensive economic reform program, aimed
at streamlining government, creating a more competitive
business environment, further strengthening Austria's
attractiveness as an investment location, pursuing a
balanced budget, and implementing effective pension
reforms. Weak domestic consumption and slow growth in
Europe have held the economy to growth rates of 0.4% in
2002, 1.4% in 2003, 2.4% in 2004, and 1.8% in 2005. To
meet increased competition from both EU and Central
European countries, particularly the new EU members,
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 $265.8 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $293.4 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 1.8% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $32,500 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 1.8%
composition by industry: 30.4%
sector: services: 67.8% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 3.49 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 3%
by occupation: industry: 27%
services: 70% (2005 est.)
Unemployment 5.2% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population 5.9% (2004)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 3.3%
income or highest 10%: 22.5% (2004)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 31 (2002)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 2.3% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 20.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $148.6 billion
expenditures: $154.5 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 65.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy
products: products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber
Industries: construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food,
metals, chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper
and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism
Industrial 4.7% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 63.69 billion kWh (2004)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 29.3%
production by hydro: 67.2%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 3.5% (2001)
Electricity - 64.78 billion kWh (2004)
consumption:
Electricity - 13.53 billion kWh (2004)
exports:
Electricity - 16.63 billion kWh (2004)
imports:
Oil - 17,810 bbl/day (2004)
production:
Oil - 249,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: 30,140 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports: 152,600 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved 84.3 million bbl (2004)
reserves:
Natural gas - 1.96 billion cu m (2004)
production:
Natural gas - 9.01 billion cu m (2004)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2004)
exports:
Natural gas - 7.05 billion cu m (2004)
imports:
Natural gas - 23.2 billion cu m (2004)
proved
reserves:
Current $1.467 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $122.5 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts,
commodities: paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and
steel, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - Germany 31.2%, Italy 8.7%, US 5.8%, Switzerland 5.2%,
partners: France 4.2% (2005)
Imports: $118.8 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals,
commodities: metal goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs
Imports - Germany 45.9%, Italy 6.6%, Switzerland 4.5% (2005)
partners:
Reserves of $11.83 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $510.6 billion (30 June 2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - ODA, $681 million (2004)
donor:
Currency euro (EUR)
(code): 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
Currency code: EUR
Exchange euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),
rates: 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 3.705 million (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 8.16 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: highly developed and efficient
system: domestic: there are 45 main lines for every 100
persons; 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 VSAT
(very small aperture terminals) (2005)
Radio AM 2, FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave
broadcast 1 (2001)
stations:
Radios: 6.08 million (1997)
Television 10 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 4.25 million (1997)
Internet .at
country code:
Internet 2,062,035 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 37 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 4.65 million (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 55 (2006)
Airports - total: 25
with paved over 3,047 m: 1
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 15 (2006)
Airports - total: 30
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 26 (2006)
Heliports: 1 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 2,722 km; oil 663 km; refined products 149 km
(2006)
Railways: total: 6,011 km
standard gauge: 5,568 km 1.435-m gauge (3,427 km
electrified)
narrow gauge: 21 km 1.000-m gauge; 422 km 0.760-m gauge
(109 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways: total: 133,718 km
paved: 133,718 km (including 1,677 km of expressways)
(2003)
Waterways: 358 km (2003)
Merchant total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 34,072 GRT/44,437 DWT
marine: by type: cargo 6, container 2
foreign-owned: 2 (Netherlands 2)
registered in other countries: 14 (Liberia 13, Malta 1)
(2006)
Ports and Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna
terminals:
Military
Military Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)
branches:
Military 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16
service age years of age for voluntary service; from 2007, at the
and earliest, compulsory military service obligation will
obligation: be reduced from eight months to six (2005)
Manpower males age 18-49: 1,914,800
available for females age 18-49: 1,870,134 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 1,550,441
for military females age 18-49: 1,515,365 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 48,967
reaching females age 18-49: 46,633 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $1.497 billion (FY01/02)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 0.9% (2004)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - Austrian anti-nuclear activists have revived blockades
international: of the Czech-Austrian border to protest operation of
the Temelin nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and
South American cocaine destined for Western Europe