2019 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. The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the EU in 1995 have altered the meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.

Area

Land

82,445 sq km

Total

83,871 sq km

Water

1,426 sq km

Area Comparative

about the size of South Carolina; slightly more than two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania

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

Highest Point

Grossglockner 3,798 m

Lowest Point

Neusiedler See 115 m

Mean Elevation

910 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; water pollution; the Danube, as well as some of Austria’s other rivers and lakes, are threatened by pollution

Environment International Agreements

Party To

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air 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

Signed But Not Ratified

none of the selected agreements

Geographic Coordinates

47 20 N, 13 20 E

Geography Note

note 1: 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 note 2: the world's largest and longest ice cave system at 42 km (26 mi) is the Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giants World) inside the Hochkogel mountain near Werfen, about 40 km south of Salzburg; ice caves are bedrock caves that contain year-round ice formations; they differ from glacial caves, which are transient and are formed by melting ice and flowing water within and under glaciers

Irrigated Land

1,170 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

Border Countries

Czech Republic 402 km, Germany 801 km, Hungary 321 km, Italy 404 km, Liechtenstein 34 km, Slovakia 105 km, Slovenia 299 km, Switzerland 158 km

Total

2,524 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

38.4% (2016 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

16.5% (2016 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

0.8% (2016 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

21.1% (2016 est.)

Forest

47.2% (2016 est.)

Other

14.4% (2016 est.)

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

Population Distribution

the northern and eastern portions of the country are more densely populated; nearly two-thirds of the populace lives in urban areas

Terrain

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

Age Structure

0 14 Years

14% (male 630,739 /female 600,663)

15 24 Years

10.82% (male 484,515 /female 467,064)

25 54 Years

42.1% (male 1,851,209 /female 1,851,100)

55 64 Years

13.63% (male 595,146 /female 603,249)

65 Years And Over

19.44% (male 743,174 /female 966,511) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

9.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

65.7% (2012/13)

Current Health Expenditure

10.4% (2016)

Death Rate

9.7 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

28.1 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

3.6 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

49.2 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

21.1 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

100% of population

Improved Total

100% of population

Improved Urban

100% of population

Unimproved Rural

0% of population

Unimproved Total

0% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0% of population

Education Expenditures

5.5% of GDP (2016)

Ethnic Groups

Austrian 80.8%, German 2.6%, Bosnian and Herzegovinian 1.9%, Turkish 1.8%, Serbian 1.6%, Romanian 1.3%, other 10% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

0.1% (2017 est.)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

<100 (2017 est.)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

7,400 (2017 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

7.6 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

3 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

3.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in southern Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

84.5 years

Male

79 years

Total Population

81.7 years (2018 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

1.915 million VIENNA (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

45.4 years

Male

42.9 years

Total

44.2 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

29 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Austrian

Noun

Austrian(s)

Net Migration Rate

4.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

20.1% (2016)

Physicians Density

5.14 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Population

8,793,370 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.42% (2018 est.)

Religions

Catholic 73.8% (includes Roman Catholic 73.6%, other Catholic 0.2%), Protestant 4.9%, Muslim 4.2%, Orthodox 2.2%, other 0.8% (includes other Christian), none 12%, unspecified 2% (2001 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

100% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

100% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

100% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

0% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

0% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

16 years (2016)

Male

16 years

Total

16 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.05 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.04 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

1 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

0.99 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.77 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total Population

0.96 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.48 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

8.7% (2017 est.)

Male

10.8%

Total

9.8%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

0.59% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

58.5% of total population (2019)

Administrative Divisions

9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria), Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria), Tirol (Tyrol), Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)

Capital

Daylight Saving Time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Geographic Coordinates

48 12 N, 16 22 E

Name

Vienna

Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

Citizenship By Birth

no

Citizenship By Descent Only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Austria

Dual Citizenship Recognized

no

Residency Requirement For Naturalization

10 years

Constitution

Amendments

proposed through laws designated "constitutional laws" or through the constitutional process if the amendment is part of another law; approval required by at least a two-thirds majority vote by the National Assembly and the presence of one half of the members; a referendum is required only if requested by one third of the National Council or Federal Council membership; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote; amended many times, last in 2018 (2019)

History

several previous; latest adopted 1 October 1920, revised 1929, replaced May 1934, replaced by German Weimar constitution in 1938 following German annexation, reinstated 1 May 1945

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

Republic of Austria

Conventional Short Form

Austria

Etymology

the name Oesterreich means "eastern realm" or "eastern march" and dates to the 10th century; the designation refers to the fact that Austria was the easternmost extension of Bavaria, and, in fact, of all the Germans; the word Austria is a Latinization of the German name

Local Long Form

Republik Oesterreich

Local Short Form

Oesterreich

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Trevor TRAINA (since 24 May 2018)

Embassy

Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna

Fax

[43] (1) 3100682

Mailing Address

Boltzmanngasse 16, 1090 Vienna, Austria

Telephone

[43] (1) 31339-0

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery

3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Wolfgang WALDNER (since 28 January 2016)

Consulate S

Chicago

Consulate's General

Los Angeles, New York

Fax

[1] (202) 895-6750

Telephone

[1] (202) 895-6700

Executive Branch

Cabinet

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

Chief Of State

President Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (since 26 January 2017)

Election Results

Alexander VAN DER BELLEN elected in second round; percent of vote in first round - Norbret HOFER (FPOe) 35.1%, Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (independent, allied with the Greens) 21.3%, Irmgard GRISS (independent) 18.9%, Rudolf HUNDSTORFER (SPOe) 11.3%, Andreas KHOL (OeVP) 11.1%, Richard LUGNER (independent) 2.3%; percent of vote in second round - Alexander VAN DER BELLEN 53.8%, Norbert HOFER 46.2%

Elections Appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held on 24 April 2016 (first round), 22 May 2016 (second round, which was annulled), and 4 December 2016 (second round re-vote) (next election to be held in April 2022); chancellor appointed by the president but determined by the majority coalition parties in the Federal Assembly; vice chancellor appointed by the president on the advice of the chancellor

Head Of Government

Brigitte BIERLEIN since 30 May 2019; note -Chancellor Sebastian KURZ resigned on 18 May 2019; Chancellor BIERLEIN will hold office until elections in December; Clemens JABLONER is named vice chancellor by Chancellor BIERLEIN

Flag Description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red; the flag design is certainly one of the oldest - if not the oldest - national banners in the world; according to tradition, in 1191, following a fierce battle in the Third Crusade, Duke Leopold V of Austria's white tunic became completely blood-spattered; upon removal of his wide belt or sash, a white band was revealed; the red-white-red color combination was subsequently adopted as his banner

Government Type

federal parliamentary republic

Independence

no official date of independence: 976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 6 January 1453 (Archduchy of Austria acknowledged); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed); 30 March 1867 (Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy established); 12 November 1918 (First Republic proclaimed); 27 April 1945 (Second Republic proclaimed)

International Law Organization Participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International Organization Participation

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

Supreme Court of Justice or Oberster Gerichtshof (consists of 85 judges organized into 17 senates or panels of 5 judges each); Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof (consists of 20 judges including 6 substitutes; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof - 2 judges plus other members depending on the importance of the case)

Judge Selection And Term Of Office

Supreme Court judges nominated by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; judges serve for life; Constitutional Court judges nominated by several executive branch departments and approved by the president; judges serve for life; Administrative Court judges recommended by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; terms of judges and members determined by the president

Subordinate Courts

Courts of Appeal (4); Regional Courts (20); district courts (120); county courts

Legal System

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court

Legislative Branch

Description

bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of: Federal Council or Bundesrat (61 seats; members appointed by state parliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 seats in proportion to its population; members serve 5- or 6-year terms) National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) (e.g. 2019)

Election Results

Federal Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 44, women 17, percent of women 27.9% National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP 37.5%, SPOe 21.2%, FPOe 16.2%, The Greens 13.9%, NEOS 8.1%, other 3.1%; seats by party - OeVP 71, SPOe 40, FPOe 31, The Greens 26, NEOS 15; composition - men 115, women 68, percent of women 37.2%; note - total Federal Assembly percent of women 34.8% (e.g. 2019)

Elections

Federal Council - last appointed - NA National Council - last held on 29 September 2019 (next to be held in 2024); note - election was originally scheduled for 2022, but President VAN DER BELLEN called for an early election (e.g. 2019)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Paula von PRERADOVIC/Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART or Johann HOLZER (disputed)

Name

"Bundeshymne" (Federal Hymn)

National Holiday

National Day (commemorates passage of the law on permanent neutrality), 26 October (1955)

National Symbol S

eagle, edelweiss, Alpine gentian; national colors: red, white

Political Parties And Leaders

Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Sebastian KURZ] Communist Party of Austria or KPOe [Mirko MESSNER] Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Heinz-Christian STRACHE] The Greens [Werner KOGLER] NEOS - The New Austria [Beate MEINL-REISINGER] NOW-Pilz List (JETZT-Liste Pilz) or PILZ [Maria STERN] Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Pamela RENDI-WAGNER]

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

grains, potatoes, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber and other forestry products

Budget

Expenditures

204.6 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

201.7 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-0.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2010

0%

31 December 2017

0%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

1.86%

31 December 2017

1.57%

Current Account Balance

2016

$8.313 billion

2017

$7.859 billion

Debt External

31 December 2017

$630.8 billion

31 March 2015

$679.3 billion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

2014

30.5

2015

30.5

Economy Overview

Austria is a well-developed market economy with skilled labor force and high standard of living. It is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's, but also the US’, its third-largest trade partner. Its economy features a large service sector, a sound industrial sector, and a small, but highly developed agricultural sector.Austrian economic growth strengthen in 2017, with a 2.9% increase in GDP. Austrian exports, accounting for around 60% of the GDP, were up 8.2% in 2017. Austria’s unemployment rate fell by 0.3% to 5.5%, which is low by European standards, but still at its second highest rate since the end of World War II, driven by an increased number of refugees and EU migrants entering the labor market.Austria's fiscal position compares favorably with other euro-zone countries. The budget deficit stood at a low 0.7% of GDP in 2017 and public debt declined again to 78.4% of GDP in 2017, after reaching a post-war high 84.6% in 2015. The Austrian government has announced it plans to balance the fiscal budget in 2019. Several external risks, such as Austrian banks' exposure to Central and Eastern Europe, the refugee crisis, and continued unrest in Russia/Ukraine, eased in 2017, but are still a factor for the Austrian economy. Exposure to the Russian banking sector and a deep energy relationship with Russia present additional risks.Austria elected a new pro-business government in October 2017 that campaigned on promises to reduce bureaucracy, improve public sector efficiency, reduce labor market protections, and provide positive investment incentives.

Exchange Rates

2013

0.7634

2014

0.885

2015

0.9214

2016

0.903

2017

0.885

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$149.5 billion

2017

$156.7 billion

Exports Commodities

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, manufactured goods, chemicals, iron and steel, foodstuffs

Exports Partners

Germany 29.4%, US 6.3%, Italy 6.2%, Switzerland 5.1%, France 4.8%, Slovakia 4.8% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

54.2% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

19.5% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

52.1% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-50.7% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

23.5% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

1.6% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

1.3% (2017 est.)

Industry

28.4% (2017 est.)

Services

70.3% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$417.4 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$48,900

2016

$49,000

2017

$50,000

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$422 billion

2016

$428.1 billion

2017

$441 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

1.1%

2016

1.5%

2017

3%

Gross National Saving

2015

25.5% of GDP

2016

26.2% of GDP

2017

27% of GDP

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10

23.5% (2012 est.)

Lowest 10

2.8%

Imports

2016

$142.3 billion

2017

$158.1 billion

Imports Commodities

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

Imports Partners

Germany 41.8%, Italy 5.8%, Switzerland 5.5%, Czech Republic 4.4%, Netherlands 4.2% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

6.5% (2017 est.)

Industries

construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and paper, electronics, tourism

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

1%

2017

2.2%

Labor Force

4.26 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

0.7%

Industry

25.2%

Services

74.1% (2017 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

31 December 2013

$117.7 billion

31 December 2014

$96.79 billion

31 December 2015

$96.08 billion

Population Below Poverty Line

3% (2017 est.)

Public Debt

2016

83.6% of GDP

2017

78.6% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$23.36 billion

31 December 2017

$21.57 billion

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$214 billion

31 December 2017

$271.4 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

31 December 2016

$214.7 billion

31 December 2017

$339.7 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

31 December 2016

$158.9 billion

31 December 2017

$294.1 billion

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$483.7 billion

31 December 2017

$555.4 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$214 billion

31 December 2017

$271.4 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

48.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

6%

2017

5.5%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

63.93 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

146,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Production

13,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

41.2 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

64.6 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

19.21 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

25% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

43% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

31% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

26.37 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

24.79 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

60.78 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

9.486 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

5.437 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

14.02 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

1.274 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

6.513 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

268,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

49,960 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

135,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

186,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

29 (2017 est.)

Total

2,511,200

Broadcast Media

worldwide cable and satellite TV are available; the public incumbent ORF competes with three other major, several regional domestic, and up to 400 international TV stations; TV coverage is in principle 100%, but only 90% use broadcast media; Internet streaming not only complements, but increasingly replaces regular TV stations (2019)

Communications Note

note 1: the Austrian National Library contains important collections of the Imperial Library of the Holy Roman Empire and of the Austrian Empire, as well as of the Austrian Republic; among its more than 12 million items are outstanding holdings of rare books, maps, globes, papyrus, and music; its Globe Museum is the only one in the world note 2: on 1 October 1869, Austria-Hungary introduced the world's first postal card - postal stationery with an imprinted stamp indicating the prepayment of postage; simple and cheap (sent for a fraction of the cost of a regular letter), postal cards became an instant success, widely produced in the millions worldwide note 3: Austria followed up with the creation of the world's first commercial picture postcards - cards bearing a picture or photo to which postage is affixed - in May 1871; sent from Vienna, the image served as a souvenir of the city; together, postal cards and post cards served as the world's e-mails of the late 19th and early 20th centuries note 4: Austria was also an airmail pioneer; from March to October of 1918, it conducted the world's first regular (daily) airmail service - between the imperial cities of Vienna, Krakow, and Lemberg - a combined distance of some 650 km (400 mi) (earlier airmail services had been set up in a few parts of the world, but only for short stretches and none lasted beyond a few days or weeks); an expansion of the route in June of 1918 allowed private mail to be flown to Kyiv, in newly independent Ukraine, which made the route the world's first regular international airmail service (covering a distance of some 1,200 km; 750 mi)

Internet Country Code

.at

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

84.3% (July 2016 est.)

Total

7,346,055

Telephone System

Domestic

developed and efficient; 46 per 100 fixed-line for households, 174 per 100 for companies; 181 per 100 mobile-cellular; Broadband: 138 per 100 on smartphones; 62 per 100 fixed broadband, 54 per 100 mobile broadband (2018)

General Assessment

mobile-cellular subscribership is everywhere; cable networks are very extensive, the fiber-optic net is being developed; all telephone applications and Internet services are accessible; broadband is available in all large municipalities, and is planned to be accessible nation-wide by 2020; the roll-out of 5G has begun in a test phase in 2019 and is planned to be available nation-wide in 2025 (2018)

International

country code - 43; earth stations available in the Astra, Intelsat, Eutelsat satellite systems (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

43 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

3,762,801

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

170 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

14,924,340

Airports

52 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

1 (2017)

2 438 To 3 047 M

5 (2017)

914 To 1 523 M

4 (2017)

Over 3 047 M

1 (2017)

Total

24 (2017)

Under 914 M

13 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

1 (2013)

914 To 1 523 M

3 (2013)

Total

28 (2013)

Under 914 M

24 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

OE (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

351.379 million mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

14,718,641 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

130 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

11 (2015)

Pipelines

1888 km gas, 594 km oil, 157 km refined products (2017)

Ports And Terminals

Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna (Danube)

Railways

Standard Gauge

5,300 km 1.435-m gauge (3,826 km electrified) (2016)

Total

5,800 km (2017)

Roadways

Paved

137,039 km (includes 2,232 km of expressways) (2018)

Total

137,039 km (2018)

Waterways

358 km (2011)

Military And Security Forces

Land Forces Command, Air Forces Command, plus a Logistics Command and Service Support & Cyber Defence Command. (2019)

Military Expenditures

2014

0.75% of GDP

2015

0.71% of GDP

2016

0.75% of GDP

2017

0.73% of GDP

2018

0.58% of GDP

Military Service Age And Obligation

registration requirement at age 17, the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service (6 months), or optionally, alternative civil/community service (9 months); males 18 to 50 years old in the militia or inactive reserve are subject to compulsory service; in a January 2012 referendum, a majority of Austrians voted in favor of retaining the system of compulsory military service (with the option of alternative/non-military service) instead of switching to a professional army system (2015)

Disputes International

none

Illicit Drugs

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; increasing consumption of European-produced synthetic drugs

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

Refugees Country Of Origin

49,179 (Syria), 33,103 (Afghanistan), 11,301 (Russia), 8,295 (Iraq), 5,772 (Iran) (2018)

Stateless Persons

1,062 (2018)