2000 Edition

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, 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 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.

Area

land

82,738 sq km

total

83,858 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

highest point

Grossglockner 3,798 m

lowest point

Neusiedler See 115 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 coal- and 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

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

total

2,562 km

Land use

arable land

17%

forests and woodland

39%

other

20% (1996 est.)

permanent crops

1%

permanent pastures

23%

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 17% (male 697,283; female 663,459) 15-64 years: 68% (male 2,787,555; female 2,731,446) 65 years and over: 15% (male 474,067; female 777,301) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

9.9 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

9.91 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

German 98%, Croatian, Slovene, other (includes Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma)

Infant mortality rate

4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

German

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.99 years (2000 est.)

male

74.52 years

total population

77.68 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

98%

Nationality

adjective

Austrian

noun

Austrian(s)

Net migration rate

2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

8,131,111 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

0.25% (2000 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%

Sex ratio

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: 0.61 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.39 children born/woman (2000 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)

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Austria

conventional short form

Austria

local long form

Republik Oesterreich

local short form

Oesterreich

Data code

AU

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Kathryn Walt HALL

embassy

Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091, Vienna

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

(1) 313-39

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035

chief of mission

Ambassador Peter MOSER

telephone

(202) 895-6700

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992)

election results

Thomas KLESTIL reelected president; percent of vote - Thomas KLESTIL 63%, Gertraud KNOLL 14%, Heide SCHMIDT 11%, Richard LUGNER 10%, Karl NOWAK 2%

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; in the case of the current coalition, the chancellor was chosen from another party after the plurality party failed to form a government; vice chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor

head of government

Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4 February 2000); Vice Chancellor Susanne RIESS-PASSER (FPOe) (since 4 February 2000)

note

government coalition - FPOe and OeVP

FAX

(202) 895-6750

(1) 310-0682

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

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, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, 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, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch

Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof

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 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 - SPOe 33.2%, OeVP 26.9%, FPOe 26.9%, Greens 7.4%; seats by party - SPOe 65, OeVP 52, FPOe 52, Greens 14

elections

National Council - last held 3 October 1999 (next to be held in the fall of 2003)

National holiday

National Day, 26 October (1955)

Political parties and leaders

Austrian People's Party or OeVP ; Communist Party or KPOe [Walter BAIER, chairman]; Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe ; Liberal Forum or LF ; Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe ; The Greens or GA [Alexander VAN DER BELLEN, party spokesman]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Suffrage

19 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections

Agriculture - products

grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber

Budget

expenditures

$59.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

revenues

$54 billion

Currency

1 Austrian schilling (AS) = 100 groschen

Debt - external

$31.7 billion (1998)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $452 million (1998)

Economy - overview

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. Through privatization efforts, the 1996-98 budget consolidation programs, and austerity measures, Austria has brought its total public sector deficit down to 2.1% of GDP in 1999 and public debt - at 63.1% of GDP in 1998 - more or less in line with the 60% of GDP required by the EMU's Maastricht criteria. Cuts mainly have affected the civil service and Austria's generous social benefit system, the two major causes of the government's 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. Growth, which slowed to 2.0% in 1999, probably will rebound to 2.8% in both 2000 and 2001.

Electricity - consumption

51.891 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

10.5 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

10.25 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

56.066 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

31.46%

hydro

65.92%

nuclear

0%

other

2.62% (1998)

Exchange rates

euros per US$1 - 0.9867 (January 2000), 0.9386 (1999); Austrian schillings (AS) per US$1 - 11.86 (January 1999), 12.91 (1999), 12.379 (1998), 12.204 (1997), 10.587 (1996), 10.081 (1995)

note

on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at 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

$62.9 billion (1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery and equipment, paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel; textiles, foodstuffs (1998)

Exports - partners

EU 65% (Germany 36%, Italy 9%, France 5%), Switzerland 5%, Hungary 5%, US 4.5% (1999 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $190.6 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

1.3%

industry

32.4%

services

66.3% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $23,400 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2% (1999 est.)

Imports

$69.9 billion (1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs (1998)

Imports - partners

EU 70% (Germany 42%, Italy 8%, France 5%), US 5%, Hungary 3%, Switzerland 3% (1999 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

2.3% (1999)

Industries

construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.5% (1999)

Labor force

3.7 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

services 68%, industry and crafts 29%, agriculture and forestry 3% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

4.4% (1999)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

35 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 61 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

6.08 million (1997)

Telephone system

domestic

highly developed and efficient

international

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

Telephones - main lines in use

3.726 million (plus 83,100 ISDN or Integrated Services Digital Network connections) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.31 million (1998)

Television broadcast stations

51 (plus 920 repeaters) (1999)

Televisions

4.25 million (1997)

Airports

55 (1999 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 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

33 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 29 (1999 est.)

Heliports

1 (1999 est.)

Highways

200,000 km

paved

200,000 km (including 1,613 km of expressways)

unpaved

0 km (1999)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 1, cargo 15, combination bulk 2, container 2 (1999 est.)

total

20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 65,284 GRT/91,951 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 777 km; natural gas 840 km (1999)

Ports and harbors

Linz, Vienna, Enns, Krems

Railways

narrow gauge

484 km (13 km 0.600-m gauge, 468 km 0.760-m gauge - 94 km electrified, and 3 km 0.600-m gauge) (1999)

standard gauge

5,639 km 1.435-m gauge (3,429 km electrified)

total

6,123 km (3,523 km electrified)

Waterways

358 km (1999)

Military branches

Army (includes Flying Division)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$1.7 billion (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.2% (FY98)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,088,993 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,733,681 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

19 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

51,335 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe

AZERBAIJAN