2004 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 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 Austrian's have called into question this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the European Monetary Union in 1999.

Area

land

82,444 sq km

total

83,870 sq km

water

1,426 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maine

Climate

temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate 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

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

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

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

457 sq km (2000 est.)

Land boundaries

km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km, Switzerland 164 km

border countries

Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366

total

2,562 km

Land use

arable land

16.91%

other

82.23% (2001)

permanent crops

0.86%

Location

Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

Natural resources

oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, 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: 15.9% (male 665,680; female 633,560) 15-64 years: 68.1% (male 2,799,411; female 2,764,426) 65 years and over: 16% (male 518,748; female 792,937) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

8.9 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

9.56 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

German 88.5%, indigenous minorities 1.5% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma), recent immigrant groups 10% (includes Turks, Bosnians, Serbians, Croatians) (2001)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

10,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

3.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

male

5.76 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.68 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in Carinthia), Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official in Burgenland)

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.89 years (2004 est.)

male

76 years

total population

78.87 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

NA

male

NA

total population

98%

Median age

female

41.2 years (2004 est.)

male

38.8 years

total

40 years

Nationality

adjective

Austrian

noun

Austrian(s)

Net migration rate

2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

8,174,762 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

0.14% (2004 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 0.1%, none 17.4%

Sex ratio

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.35 children born/woman (2004 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

Diplomatic representation from the US

FAX: [43] (1) 3100682

chief of mission

Ambassador William Lee LYONS BROWN, Jr.

embassy

Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[43] (1) 31339-0, 31375, 31335

Diplomatic representation in the US

FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750

chancery

3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035

chief of mission

Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

telephone

[1] (202) 895-6700

Executive branch

February 2000); Vice Chancellor Hubert GORBACH (since 21 October 2003)

of the chancellor

term; presidential election last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held NA 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

Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) 52.4%, Benita FERRERO-WALDNER (OeVP) 47.6%

cabinet

Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice

chief of state

President Heinz FISCHER (since 8 July 2004)

election results

Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote -

elections

president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year

head of government

Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4

note

government coalition - OeVP and FPOe

Flag description

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

Government type

federal republic

Independence

1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 12 November 1918 (republic proclaimed)

International organization participation

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, 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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung 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 three 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)

42.3%, SPOe 36.5%, FPOe 10.0%, Greens 9.5%; seats by party - OeVP 79, SPOe 69, FPOe 18, Greens 17

held in the fall of 2006)

election results

National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP

elections

National Council - last held 24 November 2002 (next to be

National holiday

National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the State Treaty restoring national sovereignty and the end of occupation and the passage of the law on permanent neutrality

Political parties and leaders

Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Ursula HAUBNER]; Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens [Alexander VAN DER BELLEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Austrian Trade Union Federation (nominally independent but 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 and other non-government organizations in the areas of environment and human rights

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

(2004 est.)

expenditures

$70 billion, including capital expenditures of NA

revenues

$67 billion

Currency

euro (EUR)

euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions of member countries; as of 1 January 2002, the euro became the only legal tender in EMU member countries, including Austria

note

on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

Currency code

EUR

Current account balance

$-1.353 billion (2003)

Debt - external

$15.5 billion (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

31 (1995)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $520 million (2002)

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 and proximity to EU aspirant economies. Slow growth in Germany and elsewhere in the world held the economy to 0.7% growth in 2001, 1.4% in 2002, and again less than 1% in 2003. However, recent data signal that the recovery has started. The government estimates economic growth in 2004 of 1.7-2.1% and of 2.5% in 2005. The government is planning a EURO 500 billion income tax cut in 2004, though some economists doubt it will have stimulative effects in 2004, because it will be offset by higher health insurance contributions and higher taxes on energy. For 2005, Austria plans a tax cut of EURO 2.5 billion and harmonization of the various pension schemes. To meet increased competition from both EU and Central European countries, particularly the new EU members, Austria will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the economy, continue to deregulate the service sector, and lower its tax burden. A key issue is the encouragement of much greater participation in the labor market by its aging population.

Electricity - consumption

54.85 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

14.25 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

14.47 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

58.75 billion kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Exports

$83.45 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel; textiles, foodstuffs

Exports - partners

Germany 31.9%, Italy 9.6%, Switzerland 5.2%, US 4.9%, France 4.8%, UK 4.7% (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $245.3 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

3.5%

industry

25.7%

services

70.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $30,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

0.7% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

22.5% (1995)

lowest 10%

2.5%

Imports

$81.59 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs

Imports - partners

Germany 43.2%, Italy 6.7%, Hungary 5.4%, Switzerland 5%, Netherlands 4.2% (2003) Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $12.73 billion (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

1.9% (2003 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.4% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

22.5% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

3.425 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture and forestry 4%, industry and crafts 29%, services 67% (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

7.81 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

403 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

6.033 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

1.731 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

24.9 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption

262,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

35,470 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

262,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

20,670 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

85.69 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line

3.9% (1999)

Public debt

67.6% of GDP (2003)

Unemployment rate

4.4% (2003 est.)

Internet country code

.at

Internet hosts

387,006 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

37 (2000)

Internet users

3.73 million (2003)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios

6.08 million (1997)

Telephone system

optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet services are available

Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; in addition, there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals) (2002)

domestic

there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber

general assessment

highly developed and efficient

international

country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 2

Telephones - main lines in use

3.881 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

7,094,500 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

10 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions

4.25 million (1997)

Airports

55 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

over 3,047 m

1

total

24

under 914 m

14 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3

total

31

under 914 m

27 (2004 est.)

Heliports

1 (2003 est.)

Highways

paved

200,000 km (including 1,633 km of expressways)

total

200,000 km

unpaved

0 km (2000)

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 4, container 2

foreign-owned

Netherlands 1

registered in other countries

34 (2004 est.)

total

6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 29,624 GRT/37,425 DWT

Pipelines

gas 2,722 km; oil 663 km; refined products 149 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

Railways

0.760-m gauge (94 km electrified) (2003)

narrow gauge

34 km 1.000-m gauge (28 km electrified); 422 km

standard gauge

5,565 km 1.435-m gauge (3,430 km electrified)

total

6,021 km (3,552 km electrified)

Waterways

358 km (2003)

Military branches

Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$1.497 billion (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.85% (June 2004)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

2,066,467 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

1,699,384 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for voluntary service; from 2007, at the earliest, compulsory military service obligation will be reduced from 8 months to 6 (June 2004)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

48,981 (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

minor disputes with the Czech Republic over the Temelin Nuclear Power Plant

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005 @Azerbaijan