1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
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. After the annexation to Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allied powers, Austria's 1955 State Treaty declared the country "permanently neutral" as a condition of the Soviet military withdrawal. The Soviet collapse relieved the external pressure to remain unaligned, but neutrality had evolved into a part of Austrian cultural identity, which has led to an ongoing public debate over whether Vienna legitimately can remain outside of European security structures. A wealthy country, Austria joined the European Union in 1995 and, like many EU members, is adjusting to the new European currency and struggling with high unemployment.
Geography
Area
total: 83,858 sq km land: 82,738 sq km water: 1,120 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than Maine
Climate
temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m highest point: Grossglockner 3,797 m
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 coaland 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
Geographic coordinates
47 20 N, 13 20 E
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
Irrigated land
40 sq km (1993 est.)
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
Land use
arable land: 17% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 23% forests and woodland: 39% other: 20% (1996 est.)
Location
Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia
Map references
Europe
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
NA
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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 17% (male 702,261; female 666,310) 15-64 years: 68% (male 2,792,484; female 2,713,397) 65 years and over: 15% (male 478,071; female 786,776) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
9.62 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
10.04 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
German 99.4%, Croatian 0.3%, Slovene 0.2%, other 0.1%
Infant mortality rate
5.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
German
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 77.48 years male: 74.31 years female: 80.82 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1974 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Nationality
noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian
Net migration rate
1.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
8,139,299 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
0.09% (1999 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, other 17%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.37 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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)
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Austria conventional short form: Austria local long form: Republik Oesterreich local short form: Oesterreich
Data code
AU
Executive branch
chief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992) head of government: Chancellor Viktor KLIMA (since 28 January 1997); Vice Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (since 22 April 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; presidential election last held 19 April 1998 (next to be held in the spring of 2004); chancellor chosen by the president from the majority party in the National Council; vice chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor election results: Thomas KLESTIL reelected president; percent of vote--Thomas KLESTIL 63%, Gertraud KNOLL 14%, Heide SCHMIDT 11%, Richard LUGNER 10%, Karl NOWAK 2%
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red
Government type
federal republic
Independence
1156 (from Bavaria)
International organization participation
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Helmut TUERK chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kathryn Walt HALL embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091, Vienna mailing address: use embassy street address
Judicial branch
Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party of Austria caucus floor leader and Alexander VAN DER BELLEN, party spokesman]; Political pressure groups and leaders: Federal Chamber of Trade and Commerce; Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist) or OeGB; three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers; OeVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists or VOeI; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action
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 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 fouror 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 17 December 1995 (next to be held in the fall of 1999) election results: National Council--percent of vote by party--SPOe 38.3%, OeVP 28.3%, FPOe 22.1%, LF 5.3%, Greens 4.6%, other 1.4%; seats by party--SPOe 71, OeVP 53, FPOe 40, LF 10, Greens 9
National holiday
National Day, 26 October (1955)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections
Economy
Agriculture--products
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber
Budget
revenues: $50.4 billion expenditures: $55.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Currency
1 Austrian schilling (AS) = 100 groschen
Debt--external
$24.33 billion (1997)
Economic aid--donor
ODA, $513 million (1997); of which, bilateral $298 million, multilateral $215 million
Economy--overview
Austria has a well-developed market economy with a high standard of living. As a member of the European Monetary Union (EMU), Austria's economy is closely integrated with other EU member countries, especially with Germany. Austria's membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European market. Through privatization efforts, the 1996-98 budget consolidation programs, and austerity measures, Austria brought its total public sector deficit down to 2.5% of GDP in 1997 and public debt--at 66% of GDP in 1997--more or less in line with the 60% of GDP required by the EU's Maastricht criteria. Cuts mainly affect the civil service and Austria's generous social system, the two major causes of the government deficit. To meet increased competition from both EU and Central European countries, Austria will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the economy and deregulate the service sector, particularly telecommunications and energy. The strong GDP growth of 1998 is expected to dwindle back to 2.3% in 1999, and observers caution that this projection may be revised downwards in view of the Asian and Brazilian crises and Germany's lower growth projection.
Electricity--consumption
56.1 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity--exports
9.8 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity--imports
9 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity--production
52.15 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 34.4% hydro: 65.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1997)
Exchange rates
Austrian schillings (AS) per US$1--11.86 (January 1999), 12.379 (1998), 12.204 (1997), 10.587 (1996), 10.081 (1995), 11.422 (1994) note: on 9 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed rate of 13.7603 Austrian shillings per euro; the euro will replace the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
Exports
$62.5 billion (1998)
Exports--commodities
vehicles, machinery and equipment, paper and paperboard, metal goods, iron and steel, telecommunication equipment, textiles, medical and pharmaceutical products (1997)
Exports--partners
EU 62% (Germany 35.1%, Italy 8.3%), Central and Eastern Europe 17.6% (Hungary 4.9%), Japan 1.3%, US 3.7% (1997)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$184.5 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 1.4% industry: 30.8% services: 67.8% (1997 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$22,700 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
2.9% (1998 est.)
Imports
$65.8 billion (1998)
Imports--commodities
vehicles, machinery and equipment, apparel, metal goods, oil and oil products, office and data-processing machinery, medical and pharmaceutical products, telecommunication equipment, textiles (1997)
Imports--partners
EU 68.9% (Germany 41.7%, Italy 8%), Central and Eastern Europe 11% (Hungary 3.1%), Asia 7.1% (Japan 2.2%), US 5.4% (1997)
Industrial production growth rate
4% (1998 est.)
Industries
construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
0.9% (1998)
Labor force
3.7 million (1998)
Labor force--by occupation
services 67.7%, industry and crafts 29%, agriculture and forestry 0.7% (salaried employees, 1997 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
7% (1999 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 61 (several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (Austria's single shortwave station, Radio Austria International, transmits its programs to the world in six languages using 12 frequencies and six communication satellite relays) (1998)
Radios
70% of all households had radiosaccoding to the 1993 census
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
51 (in addition, there are 920 repeaters) (1998)
Televisions
2,418,584 (1984 est.)
Transportation
Airports
55 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 12 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 33 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 29 (1998 est.)
Heliports
1 (1998 est.)
Highways
129,061 km paved: 129,061 km (including 1,613 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1997 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 67,066 GRT/95,693 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 18, combination bulk 2, container 1 (1998 est.)
Pipelines
crude oil 777 km; natural gas 840 km (1997) Ports and harbors: Linz, Vienna, Enns, Krems
Railways
total: 5,849 km (there is also 594 km of private tracks) standard gauge: 5,470 km 1.435-m gauge (3,418 km electrified) narrow gauge: 379 km 1.000-m and 0.760-m gauge (84 km electrified) (1997)
Waterways
358 km (1997)
Military and Security
Military branches
Army (includes Flying Division)
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$1.8 billion (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
0.82% (1999 est.)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 2,091,902 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,735,469 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
19 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 48,872 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe