1996 Edition

Description

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

Location

47 20 N, 13 20 E -- Central Europe, north of Italy Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than Maine

land area

82,730 sq km

total area

83,850 sq km

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

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

international agreements

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

natural hazards

NA

Geographic coordinates

47 20 N, 13 20 E

Geographic 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

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

40 sq km (1989)

Land boundaries

border countries

Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 37 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 324 km, Switzerland 164 km

total

2,558 km

Land use

arable land

17%

forest and woodland

39%

meadows and pastures

24%

other

19%

permanent crops

1%

Location

Central Europe, north of Italy

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

highest point

Grossglockner 3,797 m

lowest point

Neusiedler See 115 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 18% (male 720,696; female 685,179) 15-64 years: 67% (male 2,726,122; female 2,659,162) 65 years and over: 15% (male 451,231; female 780,854) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

11.19 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

10.43 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

6.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

German

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.84 years (1996 est.)

male

73.38 years

total population

76.53 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1974 est.)

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

99%

Nationality

adjective

Austrian

noun

Austrian(s)

Net migration rate

3.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

8,023,244 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

0.41% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

all ages

0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

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: 0.58 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.49 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Vienna

Constitution

1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Data code

AU

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035

chief of mission

Ambassador Helmut TUERK

telephone

[1] (202) 895-6700

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers was chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor

chief of state

President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992) was elected for a six-year term by popular vote; election last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held 1998); results of second ballot - Thomas KLESTIL 57%, Rudolf STREICHER 43%

head of government

Chancellor Franz VRANITZKY (since 16 June 1986) was chosen by the president from the majority party in the National Council; Vice Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (since 22 April 1995) was chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor

FAX

[1] (202) 895-6750

[43] (1) 310-0682

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Federal Council (Bundesrat)

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

Flag

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

Independence

12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung)

Name of country

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 17 December 1995 (next to be held Fall 1999); results - SPOE 38.3%, OEVP 28.3%, FPOE 22.1%, Greens 4.6%, LF 5.3%, other 1.4%; seats - (183 total) SPOE 71, OEVP 53, FPOE 40, Greens 9, LF 10

National holiday

National Day, 26 October (1955)

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

Political parties and leaders

Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPOE), Franz VRANITZKY, chairman; Austrian People's Party (OEVP), Wolfgang SCHUESSEL, chairman; Freedom Movement (F, formerly the Freedom Party of Austria or FPOE), Joerg HAIDER, chairman; Communist Party (KPOE), Walter SILBERMAYER, chairman; The Greens, Madeleine PETROVIC; Liberal Forum (LF), Heide SCHMIDT

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections

Type of government

federal republic

US diplomatic representation

chancery

Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091, Vienna

chief of mission

Ambassador Swanee G. HUNT

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[43] (1) 313-39

Agriculture

grains, fruit, potatoes, sugar beets; cattle, pigs, poultry; sawn wood

Budget

expenditures

$75.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

revenues

$65 billion

Currency

1 Austrian schilling (S) = 100 groschen

Economic aid

donor

ODA, $544 million (1993)

Economic overview

Austria has a well-developed market economy with a sizable - but falling - proportion of nationalized industry, an extensive social system, and a high standard of living. Austria's economy is closely integrated with Germany and other EU members - Austria joined the EU on 1 January 1995. Since the early 1980s, the Austrian economy has experienced stable growth. Following a mild recession in 1993, Austria's economy - driven by strong exports, investment, and private consumption - expanded 2.7% in 1994 and about 2.4% in 1995. The slowdown in 1995 was largely due to an appreciation of the Austrian schilling and its negative effect on exports and tourism. EU membership has had a positive impact on foreign investment and has helped to lower inflation. Despite Austria's generally favorable economic prospects, the government faces a number of economic challenges, especially budget consolidation. Smaller than expected revenues and rising welfare payments caused the budget deficit to climb to 7.1% of GDP in 1995. Austria also faces a growing unemployment problem. Although low by European standards, Austria's unemployment rate has risen gradually during the 1990s as companies restructured to meet competition from the EU single market and Eastern Europe.

Electricity

capacity

17,230,000 kW

consumption per capita

5,824 kWh (1993)

production

50.2 billion kWh

Exchange rates

Austrian schillings (S) per US$1 - 10.314 (January 1996), 10.081 (1995), 11.422 (1994), 11.632 (1993), 10.989 (1992), 11.676 (1991)

Exports

$45.2 billion (1994)

commodities

machinery and equipment, iron and steel, lumber, textiles, paper products, chemicals

partners

EU 64.8% (Germany 38.1%, Italy 8.1%), Eastern Europe 11.8%, Japan 1.6%, US 3.5% (1994)

External debt

$28.7 billion (1995 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $152 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

2%

industry

34%

services

64% (1994)

GDP per capita

$19,000 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

2.4% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

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

Imports

$55.3 billion (1994)

commodities

petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals

partners

EU 68.4% (Germany 40%, Italy 8.8%), Eastern Europe 6.55%, Japan 4.3%, US 4.4% (1994)

Industrial production growth rate

7.7% (first half 1995)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.3% (1995 est.)

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 5% of labor force (1988)

Unemployment rate

4.6% (1995 est.)

Branches

Army (includes Flying Division)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $2.1 billion, 1.0% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

2,084,827

males fit for military service

1,741,068

males reach military age (19) annually

45,628 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 21 (repeaters 545), shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic

highly developed and efficient

international

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 2 Eutelsat

Telephones

3.47 million (1986 est.)

Television broadcast stations

47 (repeaters 870)

Televisions

2,418,584 (1984 est.) Defense

Airports

total

55

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

5

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

3

with paved runways over 3 047 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

41

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

4 (1995 est.)

Heliports

1 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

22,000 km (including 1,800 km of expressways)

total

108,000 km

unpaved

86,000 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 1, cargo 23, combination bulk 2, container 1, refrigerated cargo 2 (1995 est.)

total

29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 88,617 GRT/122,475 DWT

Pipelines

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

Ports

Linz, Vienna

Railways

narrow gauge

355 km 1.000-m and 0.760-m gauge (86 km electrified) (1995)

standard gauge

5,269 km 1.435-m gauge (3,263 km electrified)

total

5,624 km

Waterways

446 km