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Europe :: Austria

- ## Introduction :: AUSTRIA

- 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 European Union in 1995 have altered the meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.

- ## Geography :: AUSTRIA

- Location:
  Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia
  Geographic coordinates:
  47 20 N, 13 20 E
  Map references:
  Europe
  Area:
  total: 83,871 sq km
  land: 82,445 sq km
  water: 1,426 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 114
  Area - comparative:
  about the size of South Carolina; slightly more than two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania
  Area comparison map:
  Land boundaries:
  total: 2,524 km
  border countries (8): 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
  Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)
  Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)
  Climate:
  temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers
  Terrain:
  mostly mountains (Alps) in the west and south; mostly flat or gently sloping along the eastern and northern margins
  Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
  highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m
  Natural resources:
  oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower
  Land use:
  agricultural land: 38.4%
  arable land 16.5%; permanent crops 0.8%; permanent pasture 21.1%
  forest: 47.2%
  other: 14.4% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  1,170 sq km (2007)
  Total renewable water resources:
  77.7 cu km (2011)
  Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
  total: 3.66 cu km/yr (18%/79%/3%)
  per capita: 452.4 cu m/yr (2008)
  Natural hazards:
  landslides; avalanches; earthquakes
  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-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
  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

- ## People and Society :: AUSTRIA

- Nationality:
  noun: Austrian(s)
  adjective: Austrian
  Ethnic groups:
  Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or unspecified 2.4% (2001 census)
  Languages:
  German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in South Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 est.)
  Religions:
  Catholic 73.8% (includes Roman Catholic 73.6%, other Catholic .2%), Protestant 4.9%, Muslim 4.2%, Orthodox 2.2%, other 0.8% (includes other Christian), none 12%, unspecified 2% (2001 est.)
  Population:
  8,665,550 (July 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 95
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.05% (male 622,856/female 594,349)
  15-24 years: 11.55% (male 510,614/female 490,390)
  25-54 years: 42.98% (male 1,861,777/female 1,862,705)
  55-64 years: 12.51% (male 535,691/female 548,022)
  65 years and over: 18.92% (male 706,288/female 932,858) (2015 est.)
  population pyramid:
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 49.2%
  youth dependency ratio: 21.2%
  elderly dependency ratio: 28%
  potential support ratio: 3.6% (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 43.6 years
  male: 42.5 years
  female: 44.6 years (2015 est.)
  Population growth rate:
  0.55% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 153
  Birth rate:
  9.41 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 204
  Death rate:
  9.42 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 58
  Net migration rate:
  5.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 24
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 66% of total population (2015)
  rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  VIENNA (capital) 1.753 million (2015)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  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: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 206
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 81.39 years
  male: 78.76 years
  female: 84.15 years (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 22
  Total fertility rate:
  1.46 children born/woman (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 203
  Contraceptive prevalence rate:
  69.6%
  note: percent of women aged 18-46 (2008/09)
  Health expenditures:
  11% of GDP (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 11
  Physicians density:
  4.83 physicians/1,000 population (2011)
  Hospital bed density:
  7.6 beds/1,000 population (2011)
  Drinking water source:
  improved:
  urban: 100% of population
  rural: 100% of population
  total: 100% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 0% of population
  rural: 0% of population
  total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved:
  urban: 100% of population
  rural: 100% of population
  total: 100% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 0% of population
  rural: 0% of population
  total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  20.1% (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 93
  Education expenditures:
  5.8% of GDP (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 44
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
  total: 16 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 16 years (2012)
  Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
  total: 8.7%
  male: 8.8%
  female: 8.7% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 108

- ## Government :: AUSTRIA

- Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Austria
  conventional short form: Austria
  local long form: Republik Oesterreich
  local short form: Oesterreich
  note: the name Oesterreich means "eastern realm" or "eastern march" and dates back 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
  Government type:
  federal republic
  Capital:
  name: Vienna
  geographic coordinates: 48 12 N, 16 22 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
  Administrative divisions:
  9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria), Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria), Tirol (Tyrol), Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)
  Independence:
  12 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed)
  National holiday:
  National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the passage of the law on permanent neutrality
  Constitution:
  several previous; latest adopted 1 October 1920, revised 1929, replaced May 1934 (authoritarian-corporate constitution), replaced by German Weimar constitution in 1938 following German annexation; latest reinstated 1 May 1945 (1920 constitution with 1929 revisions); amended many times, last in 2008 (2013)
  Legal system:
  civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court
  International law organization participation:
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
  Suffrage:
  16 years of age; universal
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (since 8 July 2004)
  head of government: Chancellor Werner FAYMANN (SPOe) (since 2 December 2008); Vice Chancellor Michael SPINDELEGGER (OeVP) (since 21 April 2011)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
  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); election last held on 25 April 2010 (next to be held on 25 April 2016); 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
  election results: Heinz FISCHER reelected president; percent of vote - Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) 79.3%, Barbara ROSENKRANZ (FPOe) 15.2%, Rudolf GEHRING 5.4%
  Legislative branch:
  description: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of the Federal Council or Bundesrat (62 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) and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
  elections: National Council - last held on 29 September 2013 (next to be held by September 2018)
  election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe 27.1%, OeVP 23.8%, FPOe 21.4%, Greens 11.5%, Team Stronach 5.8%, NEOS 4.8%, other 5.6%; seats by party - SPOe 53, OeVP 46, FPOe 42, Greens 22; Team Stronach 11, NEOS 9
  Judicial branch:
  highest court(s): 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
  Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Josef BUCHER]
  Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Reinhold MITTERLEHNER]
  Communist Party of Austria or KPOe [Mirko MESSNER]
  Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]
  The Greens [Eva GLAWISCHNIG]
  NEOS - The New Austria [Matthias STROLZ]
  Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Werner FAYMANN]
  "Team Stronach" [Frank STRONACH]
  Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Austrian Trade Union Federation or OeGB (nominally independent but primarily Social Democratic)
  Federal Economic Chamber (OeVP-dominated)
  Labor Chamber or AK (Social Democratic-leaning think tank)
  OeVP-oriented Association of Austrian Industrialists or IV
  Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action
  other: three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or OeVP representing business, labor, farmers, and other nongovernment organizations in the areas of environment and human rights
  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
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hans Peter MANZ (since 2 December 2011)
  chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
  telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700
  FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Alexa Lange WESNER (since 22 October 2013)
  embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0
  FAX: [43] (1) 3100682
  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
  National symbol(s):
  golden eagle, edelweiss, Alpine gentian; national colors: red, white
  National anthem:
  name: "Bundeshymne" (Federal Hymn)
  lyrics/music: Paula von PRERADOVIC/Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART or Johann HOLZER (disputed)
  note: adopted 1947; the anthem is also known as "Land der Berge, Land am Strome" (Land of the Mountains, Land on the River); Austria adopted a new national anthem after World War II to replace the former imperial anthem composed by Franz Josef HAYDN, which had been appropriated by Germany in 1922 and was thereafter associated with the Nazi regime; a gendered version of the lyrics was adopted by the Austrian Parliament in fall 2011 and became effective 1 January 2012

- ## Economy :: AUSTRIA

- Economy - overview:
  Austria, with its well-developed market economy, skilled labor force, and high standard of living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's. Its economy features a large service sector, a relatively sound industrial sector, and a small, but highly developed agricultural sector. Economic growth was anemic at less than 0.5% in 2013 and 2014, and growth in 2015 is not expected to exceed 0.5%. Austria’s 5.6% unemployment rate, while low by European standards, is at an historic high for Austria. Without extensive vocational training programs and generous early retirement, the unemployment rate would be even higher. Public finances have not stabilized even after a 2012 austerity package of expenditure cuts and new revenues. On the contrary, in 2014, the government created a “bad bank” for the troubled nationalized “Hypo Alpe Adria” bank, pushing the budget deficit up by 0.9% of GDP to 2.4% and public debt to 84.5% of the GDP. Although Austria's fiscal position compares favorably with other euro-zone countries, it faces several external risks, such as Austrian banks' continued exposure to Central and Eastern Europe, repercussions from the Hypo Alpe Adria bank collapse, political and economic uncertainties caused by the European sovereign debt crisis, the current crisis in Russia/Ukraine, the recent appreciation of the Swiss Franc, and political developments in Hungary.
  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $395.5 billion (2014 est.)
  $394.1 billion (2013 est.)
  $393.3 billion (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 46
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $437.1 billion (2014 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  0.3% (2014 est.)
  0.2% (2013 est.)
  0.9% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 189
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
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# Library

ABOUT REFERENCES APPENDICES FAQs CONTACT

Europe :: Austria

- ## Introduction :: AUSTRIA

- 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 European Union in 1995 have altered the meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.

- ## Geography :: AUSTRIA

- Location:
  Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia
  Geographic coordinates:
  47 20 N, 13 20 E
  Map references:
  Europe
  Area:
  total: 83,871 sq km
  land: 82,445 sq km
  water: 1,426 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 114
  Area - comparative:
  about the size of South Carolina; slightly more than two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania
  Area comparison map:
  Land boundaries:
  total: 2,524 km
  border countries (8): 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
  Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)
  Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)
  Climate:
  temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers
  Terrain:
  mostly mountains (Alps) in the west and south; mostly flat or gently sloping along the eastern and northern margins
  Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
  highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m
  Natural resources:
  oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower
  Land use:
  agricultural land: 38.4%
  arable land 16.5%; permanent crops 0.8%; permanent pasture 21.1%
  forest: 47.2%
  other: 14.4% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  1,170 sq km (2007)
  Total renewable water resources:
  77.7 cu km (2011)
  Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
  total: 3.66 cu km/yr (18%/79%/3%)
  per capita: 452.4 cu m/yr (2008)
  Natural hazards:
  landslides; avalanches; earthquakes
  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-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
  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

- ## People and Society :: AUSTRIA

- Nationality:
  noun: Austrian(s)
  adjective: Austrian
  Ethnic groups:
  Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or unspecified 2.4% (2001 census)
  Languages:
  German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in South Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 est.)
  Religions:
  Catholic 73.8% (includes Roman Catholic 73.6%, other Catholic .2%), Protestant 4.9%, Muslim 4.2%, Orthodox 2.2%, other 0.8% (includes other Christian), none 12%, unspecified 2% (2001 est.)
  Population:
  8,665,550 (July 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 95
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.05% (male 622,856/female 594,349)
  15-24 years: 11.55% (male 510,614/female 490,390)
  25-54 years: 42.98% (male 1,861,777/female 1,862,705)
  55-64 years: 12.51% (male 535,691/female 548,022)
  65 years and over: 18.92% (male 706,288/female 932,858) (2015 est.)
  population pyramid:
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 49.2%
  youth dependency ratio: 21.2%
  elderly dependency ratio: 28%
  potential support ratio: 3.6% (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 43.6 years
  male: 42.5 years
  female: 44.6 years (2015 est.)
  Population growth rate:
  0.55% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 153
  Birth rate:
  9.41 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 204
  Death rate:
  9.42 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 58
  Net migration rate:
  5.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 24
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 66% of total population (2015)
  rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  VIENNA (capital) 1.753 million (2015)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  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: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 206
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 81.39 years
  male: 78.76 years
  female: 84.15 years (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 22
  Total fertility rate:
  1.46 children born/woman (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 203
  Contraceptive prevalence rate:
  69.6%
  note: percent of women aged 18-46 (2008/09)
  Health expenditures:
  11% of GDP (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 11
  Physicians density:
  4.83 physicians/1,000 population (2011)
  Hospital bed density:
  7.6 beds/1,000 population (2011)
  Drinking water source:
  improved:
  urban: 100% of population
  rural: 100% of population
  total: 100% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 0% of population
  rural: 0% of population
  total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved:
  urban: 100% of population
  rural: 100% of population
  total: 100% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 0% of population
  rural: 0% of population
  total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  20.1% (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 93
  Education expenditures:
  5.8% of GDP (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 44
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
  total: 16 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 16 years (2012)
  Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
  total: 8.7%
  male: 8.8%
  female: 8.7% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 108

- ## Government :: AUSTRIA

- Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Austria
  conventional short form: Austria
  local long form: Republik Oesterreich
  local short form: Oesterreich
  note: the name Oesterreich means "eastern realm" or "eastern march" and dates back 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
  Government type:
  federal republic
  Capital:
  name: Vienna
  geographic coordinates: 48 12 N, 16 22 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
  Administrative divisions:
  9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria), Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria), Tirol (Tyrol), Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)
  Independence:
  12 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed)
  National holiday:
  National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the passage of the law on permanent neutrality
  Constitution:
  several previous; latest adopted 1 October 1920, revised 1929, replaced May 1934 (authoritarian-corporate constitution), replaced by German Weimar constitution in 1938 following German annexation; latest reinstated 1 May 1945 (1920 constitution with 1929 revisions); amended many times, last in 2008 (2013)
  Legal system:
  civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court
  International law organization participation:
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
  Suffrage:
  16 years of age; universal
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (since 8 July 2004)
  head of government: Chancellor Werner FAYMANN (SPOe) (since 2 December 2008); Vice Chancellor Michael SPINDELEGGER (OeVP) (since 21 April 2011)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
  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); election last held on 25 April 2010 (next to be held on 25 April 2016); 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
  election results: Heinz FISCHER reelected president; percent of vote - Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) 79.3%, Barbara ROSENKRANZ (FPOe) 15.2%, Rudolf GEHRING 5.4%
  Legislative branch:
  description: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of the Federal Council or Bundesrat (62 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) and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
  elections: National Council - last held on 29 September 2013 (next to be held by September 2018)
  election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe 27.1%, OeVP 23.8%, FPOe 21.4%, Greens 11.5%, Team Stronach 5.8%, NEOS 4.8%, other 5.6%; seats by party - SPOe 53, OeVP 46, FPOe 42, Greens 22; Team Stronach 11, NEOS 9
  Judicial branch:
  highest court(s): 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
  Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Josef BUCHER]
  Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Reinhold MITTERLEHNER]
  Communist Party of Austria or KPOe [Mirko MESSNER]
  Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]
  The Greens [Eva GLAWISCHNIG]
  NEOS - The New Austria [Matthias STROLZ]
  Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Werner FAYMANN]
  "Team Stronach" [Frank STRONACH]
  Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Austrian Trade Union Federation or OeGB (nominally independent but primarily Social Democratic)
  Federal Economic Chamber (OeVP-dominated)
  Labor Chamber or AK (Social Democratic-leaning think tank)
  OeVP-oriented Association of Austrian Industrialists or IV
  Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action
  other: three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or OeVP representing business, labor, farmers, and other nongovernment organizations in the areas of environment and human rights
  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
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hans Peter MANZ (since 2 December 2011)
  chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
  telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700
  FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Alexa Lange WESNER (since 22 October 2013)
  embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0
  FAX: [43] (1) 3100682
  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
  National symbol(s):
  golden eagle, edelweiss, Alpine gentian; national colors: red, white
  National anthem:
  name: "Bundeshymne" (Federal Hymn)
  lyrics/music: Paula von PRERADOVIC/Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART or Johann HOLZER (disputed)
  note: adopted 1947; the anthem is also known as "Land der Berge, Land am Strome" (Land of the Mountains, Land on the River); Austria adopted a new national anthem after World War II to replace the former imperial anthem composed by Franz Josef HAYDN, which had been appropriated by Germany in 1922 and was thereafter associated with the Nazi regime; a gendered version of the lyrics was adopted by the Austrian Parliament in fall 2011 and became effective 1 January 2012

- ## Economy :: AUSTRIA

- Economy - overview:
  Austria, with its well-developed market economy, skilled labor force, and high standard of living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's. Its economy features a large service sector, a relatively sound industrial sector, and a small, but highly developed agricultural sector. Economic growth was anemic at less than 0.5% in 2013 and 2014, and growth in 2015 is not expected to exceed 0.5%. Austria’s 5.6% unemployment rate, while low by European standards, is at an historic high for Austria. Without extensive vocational training programs and generous early retirement, the unemployment rate would be even higher. Public finances have not stabilized even after a 2012 austerity package of expenditure cuts and new revenues. On the contrary, in 2014, the government created a “bad bank” for the troubled nationalized “Hypo Alpe Adria” bank, pushing the budget deficit up by 0.9% of GDP to 2.4% and public debt to 84.5% of the GDP. Although Austria's fiscal position compares favorably with other euro-zone countries, it faces several external risks, such as Austrian banks' continued exposure to Central and Eastern Europe, repercussions from the Hypo Alpe Adria bank collapse, political and economic uncertainties caused by the European sovereign debt crisis, the current crisis in Russia/Ukraine, the recent appreciation of the Swiss Franc, and political developments in Hungary.
  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $395.5 billion (2014 est.)
  $394.1 billion (2013 est.)
  $393.3 billion (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 46
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $437.1 billion (2014 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  0.3% (2014 est.)
  0.2% (2013 est.)
  0.9% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 189
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $46,400 (2014 est.)
  $46,300 (2013 est.)
  $46,200 (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 25
  Gross national saving:
  25% of GDP (2014 est.)
  23.9% of GDP (2013 est.)
  26.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 49
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  household consumption: 55%
  government consumption: 19.5%
  investment in fixed capital: 21.1%
  investment in inventories: 0.2%
  exports of goods and services: 56.4%
  imports of goods and services: -52.1%
  (2014 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 1.3%
  industry: 28.4%
  services: 70.2% (2014 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  grains, potatoes, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber
  Industries:
  construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and wood, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism
  Industrial production growth rate:
  1.8% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 137
  Labor force:
  3.86 million (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 96
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 5.5%
  industry: 26%
  services: 68.5% (2012 est.)
  Unemployment rate:
  5.6% (2014 est.)
  5.4% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 42
  Population below poverty line:
  4.2% (2013 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 4%
  highest 10%: 22% (2011 est.)
  Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  26.3 (2007)
  31 (1995)
  country comparison to the world: 131
  Budget:
  revenues: $218.1 billion
  expenditures: $228.6 billion (2014 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  50% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 16
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  -2.4% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 116
  Public debt:
  84.5% of GDP (2014 est.)
  80.9% of GDP (2013 est.)
  note: this is general government gross debt, defined in the Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year; it covers the following categories of government liabilities (as defined in ESA95): currency and deposits (AF.2), securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives (AF.3, excluding AF.34), and loans (AF.4); the general government sector comprises the sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government and social security funds; as a percentage of GDP, the GDP used as a denominator is the gross domestic product in current year prices
  country comparison to the world: 27
  Fiscal year:
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.6% (2014 est.)
  2% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 84
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  2.1% (31 December 2014 est.)
  2.21% (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 181
  Stock of narrow money:
  $222.6 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $225.8 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders
  country comparison to the world: 19
  Stock of broad money:
  $428.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $439.3 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 27
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $539.7 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $559.3 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 25
  Market value of publicly traded shares:
  $106 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
  $82.37 billion (31 December 2011)
  $67.68 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 42
  Current account balance:
  $7.967 billion (2014 est.)
  $11.25 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 34
  Exports:
  $170.1 billion (2014 est.)
  $167.3 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 31
  Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs
  Exports - partners:
  Germany 30.4%, Italy 6.5%, France 5%, US 4.7%, Switzerland 4.5%, Slovakia 4.2% (2014)
  Imports:
  $172.5 billion (2014 est.)
  $173.8 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 29
  Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs
  Imports - partners:
  Germany 41.9%, Italy 6.5%, Switzerland 4.6%, Czech Republic 4.3%, Netherlands 4.1% (2014)
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $23.29 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  $23.29 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 55
  Debt - external:
  $820 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  $812 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 18
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
  $300.7 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $286.3 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 20
  Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
  $365.7 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $346.5 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 19
  Exchange rates:
  euros (EUR) per US dollar -
  0.7489 (2014 est.)
  0.7634 (2013 est.)
  0.78 (2012 est.)
  0.7185 (2011 est.)
  0.755 (2010 est.)

- ## Energy :: AUSTRIA

- Electricity - production:
  68.02 billion kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 39
  Electricity - consumption:
  69.01 billion kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 40
  Electricity - exports:
  17.69 billion kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 10
  Electricity - imports:
  24.96 billion kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 8
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  22.36 million kW (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 36
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  20.8% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 184
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 43
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  67.2% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 45
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  12% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 13
  Crude oil - production:
  20,240 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 71
  Crude oil - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 78
  Crude oil - imports:
  157,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 40
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  48.5 million bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 79
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  191,900 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 57
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  263,300 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 47
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  50,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 61
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  117,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 43
  Natural gas - production:
  1.297 billion cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 60
  Natural gas - consumption:
  8.2 billion cu m (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 51
  Natural gas - exports:
  3.973 billion cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 33
  Natural gas - imports:
  10.41 billion cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 23
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  9.656 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 80
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  66.68 million Mt (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 52

- ## Communications :: AUSTRIA

- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 3.27 million
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 45
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total: 13 million
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 150 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 71
  Telephone system:
  general assessment: highly developed and efficient
  domestic: fixed-line subscribership has been in decline since the mid-1990s with mobile-cellular subscribership eclipsing it by the late 1990s; the fiber-optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet services are available
  international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 15; in addition, there are about 600 VSATs (very small aperture terminals) (2007)
  Broadcast media:
  Austria's public broadcaster, Osterreichischer Rundfunk (ORF), was the main broadcast source until commercial radio and TV service was introduced in the 1990s; cable and satellite TV are available, including German TV stations (2008)
  Radio broadcast stations:
  FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2009)
  Television broadcast stations:
  9 (2010)
  Internet country code:
  .at
  Internet users:
  total: 7.2 million
  percent of population: 83.7% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 53

- ## Transportation :: AUSTRIA

- Airports:
  52 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 90
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 24
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 13 (2013)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 28
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m:
  24 (2013)
  Heliports:
  1 (2013)
  Pipelines:
  gas 4,736 km; oil 663 km; refined products 157 km (2013)
  Railways:
  total: 5,267.7 km
  standard gauge: 5,267.7 km 1.435-m gauge (3,556.4 km electrified) (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 29
  Roadways:
  total: 124,508 km
  paved: 124,508 km (includes 1,719 km of expressways) (2012)
  country comparison to the world: 39
  Waterways:
  358 km (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 89
  Merchant marine:
  registered in other countries: 3 (Cyprus 1, Kazakhstan 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 134
  Ports and terminals:
  river port(s): Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna (Danube)

- ## Military :: AUSTRIA

- Military branches:
  Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)
  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 (9-12 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)
  Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 1,941,110
  females age 16-49: 1,910,434 (2010 est.)
  Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 1,579,862
  females age 16-49: 1,554,130 (2010 est.)
  Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
  male: 48,108
  female: 45,752 (2010 est.)
  Military expenditures:
  0.55% of GDP (2015 projected)
  0.62% of GDP (2014)
  0.63% of GDP (2013)
  0.68% of GDP (2012)
  0.7% of GDP (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 115

- ## Transnational Issues :: AUSTRIA

- Disputes - international:
  none
  Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 11,906 (Afghanistan); 19,577 (Russia) (2014)
  stateless persons: 570 (2014)
  Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; increasing consumption of European-produced synthetic drugs

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