Austria country profile

26 August 2006
by eub2 -- last modified 04 January 2008

Austria became a member of the EU on January 1, 1995. It is a Federal Republic composed of nine regions, one of which is the capital Vienna, subdivided into districts and town councils.

Republik Österreich

The Alps dominate the western and southern parts of Austria while the eastern provinces, including Vienna, the capital, lie in the Danube basin.

Until the end of World War I, Austria was for centuries the centre of a vast empire, which controlled much of central Europe. Austria is now a federal republic, consisting of nine states.

Vienna hosts a number of international organisations, including the Secretariat of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

The Austrian Parliament has two chambers. The National Council, or Nationalrat, has 183 members, who are elected by direct popular vote to serve a four-year term. The Federal Council, or Bundesrat, is the upper house with about 62 members who represent each province. Its members serve a four or six-year term.

Austria has a rich cultural heritage. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart occupies a place of his own as a composer, while Franz Schubert enjoys great popularity too. In the world of philosophy and ideas, Siegmund Freud continues to provoke controversy while Ludwig Wittgenstein was one of the major influences in 20th century thinking. The paintings of Gustav Klimt are widely admired.

Austria has a mixed industrial and agricultural economy, while tourism is also an important source of income.

In cuisine, some of Austria’s specialities like Wiener Schnitzel and Apfelstrudel have become international dishes which need no translation.

Area: 83 858 km²
Population: 8.2 million
Capital city: Vienna
Currency: 1 euro = 100 cent
National day: 26 October
EU-membership: 1 January 1995

Head of State: Federal President Heinz Fischer
Head of Government: Federal Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer
Foreign Minister: Ursula Plassnik, Federal Minister for European and International Affairs
Government: Coalition: Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs (SPÖ, Austrian Social Democratic Party), Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP, Austrian People’s Party)
Parliament: Bicameral: Nationalrat, 183 members, elections every 4 years
Bundesrat, 64 members

GDP: € 246.113 billion (2005)
GDP per capita in PPS: € 29 920 (2005)
Economic growth in real terms: + 1.8% (2005)

Links:
Head of State: http://www.hofburg.at
Head of Government: http://www.bundeskanzler.at
Foreign Minister: http://www.bmaa.gv.at
Parliament: http://www.parliament.gv.at

Map of Austria


Source: European Commission, Slovenia EU Presidency