Austria

§1. Austria Introduction

Background:
  Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was
  reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. 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 Austrians
  have called into question this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic
  country, Austria entered the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.

§2. Austria Geography

Location:
  Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates:
  47 20 N, 13 20 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 83,870 km²
  land: 82,444 km²
  water: 1,426 km²

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,562 km
  border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km,
    Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km,
    Switzerland 164 km

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

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:
  arable land: 16.59%
  permanent crops: 0.85%
  other: 82.56% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  457 km² (2000 est.)

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

§3. Austria People

Population:
  8,192,880 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.4% (male 645,337/female 614,602)
  15-64 years: 67.5% (male 2,782,712/female 2,749,620)
  65 years and over: 17.1% (male 567,752/female 832,857) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.9 years
  male: 39.8 years
  female: 42 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.09% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  8.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  9.76 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.07 years
  male: 76.17 years
  female: 82.11 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.36 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  10,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

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)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 3.5%, unspecified
  2%, none 12% (2001 census)

Languages:
  German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in Kaernten or Carinthia),
  Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official in Burgenland)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: NA
  female: NA

§4. Austria Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Austria
  conventional short form: Austria
  local long form: Republik Oesterreich
  local short form: Oesterreich

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  Vienna

Administrative divisions:
  9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten,
  Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol,
  Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)

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

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

Constitution:
  1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (since 8 July 2004)
  head of government: Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4 February
    2000); Vice Chancellor Hubert GORBACH (since 21 October 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice of the
    chancellor
  elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year term;
    presidential election last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held 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
  election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote - Heinz
    FISCHER (SPOe) 52.4%, Benita FERRERO- WALDNER (OeVP) 47.6%
  note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe

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 3 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)
  elections: National Council - last held 24 November 2002 (next to be held
    in the fall of 2006)
  election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP 42.3%,
    SPOe 36.5%, FPOe 10.0%, Greens 9.5%; seats
  by party - OeVP 79, SPOe 69, FPOe 18, Greens 17; seating as of May 2005
    after split within the Freedom Party: OeVP 79, SPOe 69, Greens 17, BZOe
    11, FPOe 7

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

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Joerg HAIDER]; Austrian
  People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party of Austria or
  FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; 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

International organization participation:
  ACCT (observer), 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, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG,
  OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNTSO,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY
  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 Susan R. McCAW
  embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [43] (1) 31339
  FAX: [43] (1) 3100682

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

§5. Austria Economy

Economy - overview:
  Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high standard of
  living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's. The
  Austrian economy also benefits greatly from strong commercial relations,
  especially in the banking and insurance sectors, with central, eastern, and
  southeastern Europe. The economy features a large service sector, a sound
  industrial sector, and a small, but highly developed agricultural sector.
  Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors attracted by
  Austria's access to the single European market and proximity to the new EU
  economies. The current government has successfully pursued a comprehensive
  economic reform program, aimed at streamlining government, creating a more
  competitive business environment, further strengthening Austria's
  attractiveness as an investment location, pursuing a balanced budget, and
  implementing effective pension reforms. Weak domestic consumption and slow
  growth in Europe have held the economy to growth rates of 0.4% in 2002,
  1.4% in 2003, 2.4% in 2004, and 1.8% in 2005. To meet increased competition
  from both EU and Central European countries, particularly the new EU
  members, Austria will need to continue restructuring, emphasizing
  knowledge-based sectors of the economy, and encouraging greater labor
  flexibility and greater labor participation by its aging population.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $269.6 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $295.1 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.8% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $32,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 2.3%
  industry: 30.8%
  services: 66.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  3.49 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture and forestry 3%, industry and crafts 27%, services 70% (2005
  est.)

Unemployment rate:
  5.1% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  5.9% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3.3%
  highest 10%: 22.5% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  31 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.3% (2005)

Investment (gross fixed):
  21.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $148.6 billion
  expenditures: $154.5 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005
    est.)

Public debt:
  63.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.2% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
  63.69 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - consumption:
  64.78 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
  13.53 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
  16.63 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
  17,810 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:
  249,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
  30,140 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
  152,600 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:
  84.3 million bbl (2004)

Natural gas - production:
  1.96 billion m³ (2004)

Natural gas - consumption:
  9.01 billion m³ (2004)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 m³ (2004)

Natural gas - imports:
  7.05 billion m³ (2004)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  23.2 billion m³ (2004)

Current account balance:
  $-212 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $122.5 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and paperboard,
  metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
  Germany 32%, Italy 8.9%, US 6%, Switzerland 4.8%, France 4.2%, UK 4.2%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $118.8 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods, oil and
  oil products; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Germany 46.3%, Italy 6.8%, Switzerland 4.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $19.5 billion (2004)

Debt - external:
  $510.6 billion (30 June 2005 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $681 million (2004)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as
    a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member
    countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for
    everyday transactions within the member countries

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Austria Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3.791 million (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  7.99 million (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: highly developed and efficient
  domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; 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 VSAT (very small aperture terminals) (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  10 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)

Internet country code:
  .at

Internet hosts:
  1,812,776 (2005)

Internet users:
  4.65 million (2005)

§7. Austria Transportation

Airports:
  55 (2005)

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: 3
  under 914 m: 14 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 31
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 27 (2005)

Heliports:
  1 (2005)

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

Railways:
  total: 6,021 km (3,552 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 5,565 km 1.435-m gauge (3,430 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 34 km 1.000-m gauge (28 km electrified); 422 km 0.760-m gauge
    (94 km electrified) (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 133,718 km
  paved: 133,718 km (including 1,677 km of expressways) (2003)

Waterways:
  358 km (2003)

Merchant marine:
  total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 34,072 GRT/44,437 DWT
  by type: cargo 6, container 2
  foreign-owned: 2 (Netherlands 2)
  registered in other countries: 15 (Liberia 14, Malta 1) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

§8. Austria Military

Military branches:
  Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)

Military service 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 eight months to six (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,914,800 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,550,441 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 48,967 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.497 billion (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (2004)

§9. Austria Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  Austrian anti-nuclear activists have revived blockades of the
  Czech-Austrian border to protest operation of the Temelin nuclear power
  plant in the Czech Republic

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


<Factbook 2006>
