1994 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

Agriculture

accounts for 3.2% of GDP (including forestry); principal crops and animals - grains, fruit, potatoes, sugar beets, sawn wood, cattle, pigs, poultry; 80%-90% self-sufficient in food

Airports

total: 55 usable: 55 with permanent-surface runways: 20 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 6 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 4

Area

total area: 83,850 sq km land area: 82,730 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Maine

Birth rate

11.38 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Branches

Army (including Flying Division)

Budget

revenues: $52.2 billion expenditures: $60.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)

Capital

Vienna

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Currency

1 Austrian schilling (S) = 100 groschen

Death rate

10.34 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $1.7 billion, 0.9% of GDP (1993)

Digraph

AU

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Helmut TUERK chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035 telephone: (202) 895-6700

Economic aid

donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $2.4 billion

Electricity

capacity: 17,600,000 kW production: 49.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 6,300 kWh (1992)

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 natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

Ethnic divisions

German 99.4%, Croatian 0.3%, Slovene 0.2%, other 0.1%

Exchange rates

Austrian schillings (S) per US$1 - 12.255 (January 1994), 11.632 (1993), 10.989 (1992), 11.676 (1991), 11.370 (1990), 13.231 (1989)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992); election last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held 1996); results of second ballot - Thomas KLESTIL 57%, Rudolf STREICHER 43% head of government: Chancellor Franz VRANITZKY (since 16 June 1986); Vice Chancellor Erhard BUSEK (since 2 July 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers; chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor

Exports

$39.9 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: machinery and equipment, iron and steel, lumber, textiles, paper products, chemicals partners: EC 63.5% (Germany 38.9%), EFTA 9.0%, Eastern Europe/FSU 12.3%, Japan 1.5%, US 3.35% (1993)

External debt

$16.2 billion (1993 est.)

FAX

(202) 895-6750 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

[43] (1) 513-43-51 consulate(s) general: Salzburg

Federal Council (Bundesrat)

consists of 63 members representing each of the provinces on the basis of population, but with each province having at least 3 representatives

Fiscal year

calendar year

Flag

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

Highways

total: 95,412 km paved: 21,812 km (including 1,012 km of autobahn) unpaved: mostly gravel and earth 73,600 km

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and Eastern Europe

Imports

$48.5 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals partners: EC 66.8% (Germany 41.3%), EFTA 6.7%, Eastern Europe/FSU 7.5%, Japan 4.4%, US 4.4% (1993)

Independence

12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)

Industrial production

growth rate -4.5% (1993 est.)

Industries

foods, iron and steel, machines, textiles, chemicals, electrical, paper and pulp, tourism, mining, motor vehicles

Infant mortality rate

7.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.7% (1993 est.)

Inland waterways

446 km

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

40 sq km (1989)

Judicial branch

Supreme Judicial Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for civil and criminal cases, Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof) for bureaucratic cases, Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof) for constitutional cases

Labor force

3.47 million (1989) by occupation: services 56.4%, industry and crafts 35.4%, agriculture and forestry 8.1% note: an estimated 200,000 Austrians are employed in other European countries; foreign laborers in Austria number 177,840, about 6% of labor force (1988)

Land boundaries

total 2,496 km, Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 37 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 262 km, Switzerland 164 km

Land use

arable land: 17% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 24% forest and woodland: 39% other: 19%

Languages

German

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.65 years male: 73.44 years female: 80.03 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1974 est.) total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA%

Location

Central Europe, between Germany and Hungary

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 2,018,954; fit for military service 1,693,341; reach military age (19) annually 48,710 (1994 est.)

Map references

Africa, Arctic Region, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

none; landlocked

Member of

AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, COCOM (cooperating), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-9, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUSAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNDOF, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIG, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Merchant marine

29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 158,724 GRT/259,594 DWT, bulk 3, cargo 23, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2

Names

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

National Council (Nationalrat)

elections last held 7 October 1990 (next to be held October 1994); results - SPOE 43%, OEVP 32.1%, FPOE 16.6%, GAL 4.5%, KPOE 0.7%, other 3.1%; seats - (183 total) SPOE 80, OEVP 60, FPOE 33, GAL 10

National holiday

National Day, 26 October (1955)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $134.4 billion (1993)

National product per capita

$17,000 (1993)

National product real growth rate

-0.5% (1993)

Nationality

noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian

Natural resources

iron ore, petroleum, timber, magnesite, aluminum, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower

Net migration rate

3.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

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

Other political or pressure groups

Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist); three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party (OEVP) representing business, labor, and farmers; OEVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action

Overview

Austria boasts a prosperous and stable socialist market economy with a sizable but falling proportion of nationalized industry and extensive welfare benefits. Thanks to its raw material endowment, a technically skilled labor force, and strong links to German industrial firms, Austria occupies specialized niches in European industry and services (tourism, banking) and produces almost enough food to feed itself with only 8% of the labor force in agriculture. Increased export sales resulting from German unification, boosted Austria's economy through 1991, but Austria's GDP growth slowed to 2% in 1992 and -0.5% in 1993 due to the weak international economy, particularly in Germany - its largest trading partner. GDP growth will resume slowly in 1994, with estimates ranging from a 0.5% to a 1% increase. Unemployment has risen to 7% as a result of the slowdown and will continue to rise in 1994. Problems for the l990s include an aging population, the high level of subsidies, and the struggle to keep welfare benefits within budgetary capabilities. Austria's government has taken measures to make the economy more liberal and open by introducing a major tax reform, privatizing state-owned firms, and liberalizing cross-border capital movements. Although it will face increased competition, Austria should benefit from the continued opening of eastern European markets, as well as the 1 January 1994 start of the European Economic Area which extends the European Union rules on the free movement of people, capital, and goods and services to four members (including Austria) of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Austria has concluded membership negotiations with the European Union and is expected to join in early 1995, thus broadening European economic unity. The government, however, plans to hold a national referendum on the matter on 12 June 1994; support for and opposition to membership appears about equal.

Pipelines

crude oil 554 km; petroleum products 171 km; natural gas 2,611 km

Political parties and leaders

Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPOE), Franz VRANITZKY, chairman; Austrian People's Party (OEVP), Erhard BUSEK, chairman; Freedom Party of Austria (FPOE), Joerg HAIDER, chairman; Communist Party (KPOE), Walter SILBERMAYER, chairman; Green Alternative List (GAL), Peter PILZ, chairman; Liberal Forum (LF), Heidi SCHMIDT

Population

7,954,974 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

0.45% (1994 est.)

Ports

Vienna, Linz (Danube river ports)

Railroads

5,749 km total; 5,652 km government owned and 97 km privately owned (0.760-, 1.435- and 1.000-meter gauge); 5,394 km 1.435-meter standard gauge of which 3,154 km is electrified and 1,520 km is double tracked; 339 km 0.760-meter narrow gauge of which 84 km is electrified

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 6%, other 9%

Suffrage

19 years of age, universal; compulsory for presidential elections

Telecommunications

highly developed and efficient; 4,014,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 6 AM, 21 (545 repeaters) FM, 47 (870 repeaters) TV; satellite ground stations for Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, Indian Ocean INTELSAT, and EUTELSAT systems

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

1.48 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Type

federal republic

Unemployment rate

7% (1993 est.)

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Swanee G. HUNT chancery: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091, Vienna mailing address: Unit 27937, Vienna telephone: [43] (1) 313-39