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, Austria's 1955 State Treaty declared the country
  "permanently neutral" as a condition of Soviet military withdrawal.
  Neutrality, once ingrained as part of the Austrian cultural identity, has
  been called into question since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria's
  increasingly prominent role in European affairs. A prosperous country,
  Austria joined the European Union in 1995 and the euro monetary system 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: 83,858 kmē
  land: 82,738 kmē
  water: 1,120 kmē

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 in lowlands
  and snow in mountains; cool 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:
  iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower

Land use:
  arable land: 17%
  permanent crops: 1%
  permanent pastures: 23%
  forests and woodland: 39%
  other: 20% (1996 est.)

Irrigated land:
  457 kmē (1995 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

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-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
    Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
    Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
    Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
    Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
    Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
    Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

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:
  8,150,835 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.57% (male 691,925; female 658,375)
  15-64 years: 68.05% (male 2,802,019; female 2,744,536)
  65 years and over: 15.38% (male 478,498; female 775,482) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.24% (2001 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate:
  9.8 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  4.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.84 years male: 74.68 years
  female: 81.15 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.39 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.23% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  9,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Austrian(s)
  adjective: Austrian

Ethnic groups:
  German 98%, Croatian, Slovene, other (includes Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks,
  Roma)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%

Languages:
  German

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

Independence:
  1156 (from Bavaria)

National holiday:
  National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates 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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  19 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992)
  head of government: Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4 February
    2000); Vice Chancellor Susanne RIESS-PASSER (FPOe) (since 4 February
    2000)
  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 19 April 1998 (next to be held in the
    spring of 2004); chancellor traditionally chosen by the president from
    the plurality party in the National Council; in the case of the current
    coalition, the chancellor was chosen from another party after the
    plurality party failed to form a government; vice chancellor chosen by
    the president on the advice of the chancellor
  election results: Thomas KLESTIL reelected president; percent of vote -
    Thomas KLESTIL 63%, Gertraud KNOLL 14%, Heide SCHMIDT 11%, Richard LUGNER
    10%, Karl NOWAK 2%
  note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal Council
  or Bundesrat (64 members; members represent each of the states on the basis
  of population, but with each state having at least three representatives;
  members serve a four- 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 3 October 1999 (next to be held in
    the fall of 2003)
  election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe 33.2%,
    OeVP 26.9%, FPOe 26.9%, Greens 7.4%; seats by party - SPOe 65, OeVP 52,
    FPOe 52, Greens 14

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

Political parties and leaders:
  Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party of
  Austria or FPOe [Susanne RIESS-PASSER]; Social Democratic Party of Austria
  or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens Alternative or GA [Alexander VAN
  DER BELLEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Austrian Trade Union Federation (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

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN,
  EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU,
  WCL, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Peter MOSER 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, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kathryn Walt HALL embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16,
    A-1091, Vienna
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [43] (1) 313-39-2060
  FAX: [43] (1) 313-39-2057

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. Membership in
  the EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors attracted by Austria's
  access to the single European market and proximity to EU aspirant
  economies. In 2000, Austria moved to further cut government spending and
  raise taxes to meet EMU deficit targets after facing unexpected
  difficulties in reducing the public deficit. To meet increased competition
  from both EU and Central European countries, Austria will need to emphasize
  knowledge-based sectors of the economy and continue to deregulate the
  service sector. Growth is expected to remain at about 3% in 2001.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $203 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.1% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 2.2% industry: 30.4%
  services: 67.4% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  3.7 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 68%, industry and crafts 29%, agriculture and forestry 3% (1999
  est.)

Unemployment rate:
  5.4% (2000 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $56.3 billion
  expenditures: $60.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000
    est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.2% (2000)

Electricity - production:
  59.283 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source:
  fossil fuel: 29.53% hydro: 67.65%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 2.82% (1999)

Electricity - consumption:
  53.231 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports:
  13.507 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports:
  11.605 billion kWh (1999)

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

Exports:
  $63.2 billion (2000 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
  EU 64.2% (Germany 35.7%, Italy 8.7%, France 4.5%), Switzerland 5.9%, US
  4.5%, Hungary 3.9% (1999)

Imports:
  $65.6 billion (2000 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  EU 70.3% (Germany 42.5%, Italy 7.9%, France 5.3%), US 5.4%, Switzerland
  3.0%, Hungary 2.8% (1999)

Debt - external:
  $16 billion (1999)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $472 million (1999)

Currency:
  Austrian schilling (ATS); euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency
    that is now being used by financial institutions in Austria at a fixed
    rate of 13.7603 Austrian shillings per euro and will replace the local
    currency for all transactions in 2002

Currency code:
  ATS; EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999);
  Austrian schillings per US dollar - 11.86 (January 1999), 12.91 (1999),
  12.379 (1998), 12.204 (1997), 10.587 (1996)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Austria Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4 million (3,600,000 analog main lines plus 400,000 ISDN or Integrated
  Services Digital Network connections) (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4.5 million (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: highly developed and efficient domestic: there are 48
    main lines for every 100 persons and the system is nearly 100% digital;
    the fiber optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and
    Internet services are available
  international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and
    1 Indian Ocean) and 2 Eutelsat (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 61 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  6.08 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  45 (plus 960 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  4.25 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .at

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  37 (2000)

Internet users:
  2.6 million (2000)

§7. Austria Transportation

Railways:
  total: 6,095.2 km (3,643.3 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 5,564.2 km 1.435-m gauge (3,521.2 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 497.1 km (33.9 km 1.000-m gauge - 28.1 km electrified, 497.1
    km 0.760-m gauge - 94 km electrified) (2001)

Highways:
  total: 133,361 km
  paved: 133,361 km (including 1,613 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1998)

Waterways:
  358 km (1999)

Pipelines:
  crude oil 777 km; natural gas 840 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
  Linz, Vienna, Enns, Krems

Merchant marine:
  total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 86,905 GRT/117,417 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 18, combination bulk 2, container 2 (2000
    est.)

Airports:
  55 (2000 est.)

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 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 27 (2000 est.)

Heliports:
  1 (2000 est.)

§8. Austria Military

Military branches:
  Army (includes Flying Division)

Military manpower - military age:
  19 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 2,091,263 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,731,383 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 50,580 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.7 billion (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.2% (FY98)

§9. Austria Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  minor disputes with Czech Republic and Slovenia over nuclear power plants
  and post-World War II treatment of German-speaking minorities

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