Austria - AT - AUT - AUT - Europe
Austria Images
The starting line for the women's Olympic bobsled track in Innsbruck. Ride-alongs are available for tourists looking to recreate Olympic glory.
The Alps march across this image of Autumnal (early October) southern Europe. On either side of and above the Alps are the countries of (from left to right) France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Slovenia, while below the Alps is Italy. The Mediterranean and Ligurian Seas sit to the west of Italy, while to the right is the Adriatic Sea. As the season progresses, snow begins to whiten the Alps. Image courtesy of NASA.
This perspective view from the ASTER instrument aboard the NASA Terra spacecraft shows some of the magnificent natural landscape of the Austrian Salzkammergut region - renowned for its mountains and lakes. North is to the right and Hallstadt lies near the "top" (southwest) where the lake narrows, tucked into the lake shore. Image courtesy of NASA.
The neo-classical Parliament Building in Vienna took 10 years to complete (1884). The fountain fronting the structure is of Pallas Athena, the goddess of wisdom.
Close up of the Pallas Athena fountain (completed 1902) before the Parliament Building in Vienna.
Horse-drawn coaches (known as fiaker in Vienna) await riders in front of the grand Michaelertrakt (Michael's Wing) of the Hofburg (Imperial Palace).
The Michaelertor (Michael's Gate) in the Michaelertrakt (Michael's Wing) of the Hofburg (Imperial Palace) in Vienna.
The Michaelertrakt (Michael's Wing) of the Hofburg (Imperial Palace) was designed by the renowned Austrian architect Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach in 1726, but not actually constructed until 1889-1893! The fountain, Power on Land, may be seen on the right.
The fountain, Power at Sea, one of two that grace the front of the Michaelertrakt (Michael's Wing) of the Hofburg (Imperial Palace) in Vienna.
The Amalienburg section of the Hofburg (Imperial Palace) in Vienna. Of note is the small domed tower underlain by an astronomical clock. The statue honors Holy Roman Emperor Francis II (r. 1792-1806), who was also Austrian Emperor Francis I (r. 1804-1835), thus making him the only double emperor in history.
The Hofburg area has been a documented seat of government since 1279. The Schweizertor (Swiss Gate, built 1552), opens into the Alte Burg, the oldest section of the Hofburg.
Entrance to the Prunksaal (Grand Hall) of the Austrian National Library in Vienna.
Sculptures and inscription over the entrance to the Prunksaal (Grand Hall) of the Austrian National Library in Vienna.
The ceiling in the Prunksaal (Grand Hall) of the Austrian National Library in Vienna.
The Karlskirche (St. Charles Borromeo Church) in Vienna, is flanked by two massive spiral columns, modeled after Trajan's Column in Rome.
The Karlskirche (St. Charles Borromeo Church) in Vienna, built between 1716 and 1737, is a Baroque masterpiece. Its architect, Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, sought to fuse elements and ideas from the most significant churches in Europe, including the Pantheon and St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, the Hagia Sofia in Constantinople, the Dome des Invalides in Paris, and St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
The beautiful and unique Ankeruhr (Anker Clock) overlooks the oldest square in Vienna, the Hoher Markt (Upper Market). The clock - built between 1911 and 1917 in the Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) style - forms a bridge between two buildings; it is adorned with with mosaic ornaments. Over the course of 12 hours, 12 historical figures or pairs of figures move across the bridge. Every day at noon, all of the figures parade to the accompaniment of music.
Atlantes and caryatids (male and female supporting sculptures) grace the building facade on a narrow street in Vienna.
Ornate entranceway fronting a building in Vienna.
A gilded shield and crown highlight a coat of arms display over a doorway in Vienna.
A magnificently decorated building in Vienna.
A harmonious blend of 19th and 20th century architecture on a side street in Vienna.
Entrance to the church Maria am Gestade (St. Mary on the Strand) in Vienna. First mentioned in documents from 1158, the present structure (built between 1394 and 1414) is one of the oldest buildings and one of the few surviving examples of Gothic architecture in the city.
The sanctuary of the Maria am Gestade church in Vienna. Some of the stained glass in the windows dates back to medieval times.
The striking open work tower of the Maria am Gestade church in Vienna rises to 56 m (180 ft); it was built between 1419 and 1428, shortly after the church was completed.
![The Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall) in Vienna. The original building was granted to the city in 1316 and was rebuilt several times in subsequent centuries. The current facade dates to the early 18th century. Presently the building serves as the District Museum for the Inner City and as the Documentation Archive for the Austrian Resistance [to Nazism].](https://dev.me/media/factbook/au/AU_036_large.jpg "The Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall) in Vienna. The original building was granted to the city in 1316 and was rebuilt several times in subsequent centuries. The current facade dates to the early 18th century. Presently the building serves as the District Museum for the Inner City and as the Documentation Archive for the Austrian Resistance [to Nazism].")
The Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall) in Vienna. The original building was granted to the city in 1316 and was rebuilt several times in subsequent centuries. The current facade dates to the early 18th century. Presently the building serves as the District Museum for the Inner City and as the Documentation Archive for the Austrian Resistance [to Nazism].
The Rathaus (City Hall) in Vienna is the seat of the mayor and the city council. It was built in the Gothic style between 1872-83.
A view of the facade of the Rathaus (City Hall) in Vienna; it serves as the seat of both the mayor and city council. The neo-Gothic structure took 11 years to complete (1872-1883).
Close up of some of the window ornamentation on the Vienna Rathaus (City Hall).
The Vienna City Hall (Rathaus) in December with its Christmas Market (Christkindlmarkt).
Saint Stephens Cathedral sits at the center of Vienna’s historic Old Town. During the holiday season, a Christmas market fills the plaza below the church with booths, trees, and decorations.
The Naturhistorisches Museum (Natural History Museum) in Vienna flanks the Maria Theresia Monument. Opened in 1889, it is one of the most important museums in the world, housing specimens of species now extinct.
Approaching the towers of the United Nations Office in Vienna. The metro rail line is in the foreground.
The United Nations Office in Vienna is one of four major UN office sites around the world (the others are in New York, Geneva, and Nairobi). The complex, completed in 1979, is composed of six Y-shaped office towers surrounding a cylindrical conference building.
The red-white-red flag of Austria (in the center) flies with those of all the other UN countries in the entrance plaza of the United Nations Office in Vienna.
Part of a flag display in one of the buildings of the UN Office in Vienna.
A bird's-eye view of two of the six Y-shaped office buildings, as well as the central cylindrical conference center, that make up part the United Nations Office complex in Vienna. In the distance is the 252 m (827 ft) Donauturn (Danube Tower) the tallest structure in Austria. In addition to its use as a communication tower, it also houses two revolving retaurants and has an observation deck.
The Donauturm (Danube Tower) overlooks the extensive Danaupark in Vienna. The edges of some of the UN Vienna buildings appear on the left.
A view of the Kaisermuehlen section of Vienna looking across the Danube to the older, historic areas of the city. Part of the UN complex (also referred to as the Vienna International Center, VIC) appears on the right; the UN visitor center, entrance, and flag plaza are in the lower center. The subway line runs through the middle of the scene; the Kaisermuehlen-VIC metro station is at the center. The distinctive building on the left is the Hochhaus Neue Donau (High Rise New Danube), the tallest residential building in Austria.
This distinctive building is the Hochhaus Neue Donau (High Rise New Danube), the tallest residential building in Austria.
The Austria Center conference building in Vienna as seen from one of the UN Office buildings.
Approaching Schoenbrunn, the most popular tourist destination in Vienna. The 1,400-room Rococo palace served as the imperial summer residence beginning in the mid-18th century. In 1996, UNESCO added the palace and its gardens to its World Heritage List.
Schoenbrunn (lit. beautiful spring) Palace in Vienna. The magnificent structure served as the summer residence of the Austrian imperial family from the middle of the 18th century to the end of World War I.
The elaborate rear stairway at Schoenbrunn leading out to the gardens of the palace.
The rear facade of Schloss Shoenbrunn (Shoenbrunn Palace) in Vienna.
The Neptune Fountain on the grounds of Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna.
A gloriette is a garden building located on an elevated site. The Gloriette in the palace park of Schoenbrunn is the largest and best known of all gloriettes worldwide; it houses a cafe.
View of Shoenbrunn Palace as seen from the Gloriette.
A walkway dripping with wisteria in the gardens of Schoenbrunn Palace.
![The "Roman Ruin" on the grounds of Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna actually dates to 1778. It was deliberately constructed to be a picturesque horticultural feature integrated into the parklike surroundings.](https://dev.me/media/factbook/au/AU_059_large.jpg "The "Roman Ruin" on the grounds of Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna actually dates to 1778. It was deliberately constructed to be a picturesque horticultural feature integrated into the parklike surroundings.")
The "Roman Ruin" on the grounds of Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna actually dates to 1778. It was deliberately constructed to be a picturesque horticultural feature integrated into the parklike surroundings.
A peacock in the Tiergarten Schoenbrunn (Zoo). Founded originally as an imperial menagerie in 1752 on the grounds of Schoenbrunn Palace, the Tiergarten was opened to the public in 1778 and is today the oldest zoo in the world. In 1996, the zoo became a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the Schoenbrunn Palace ensemble; it is consistently rated as the best zoo in Europe.
The oriental garden on the grounds of Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna lies next to the Tiergarten (Zoo).
Azaleas in bloom on the grounds of Schoenbrunn Palaca in Vienna.
The massive Palmenhaus is the most prominent of four greenhouses on the grounds of Schoenbrunn Palace. Opened in 1882, it is among the largest botanical exhibits of its kind in the world, housing some 4,500 species (most tropical). Its oldest plant is a 350-year-old olive tree.
The Church of St. Francis of Assisi (the Jubilee Church) in Vienna dominates Mexikoplatz (Mexico Square) on the banks of the Danube River.
The Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Vienna, also called the Jubilee Church, was constructed to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Emperor Franz Joseph (r. 1848-1916) in 1898.
A side view of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi (the Jubilee Church) in Vienna gives an idea of its immensity.
A high relief carving on the exterior of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi (the Jubilee Church) in Vienna.
The same year that the Church of St. Francis of Assisi (the Jubilee Church) in Vienna was completed (1898), was also the year that the Empress Elisabeth was assassinated while on holiday. A chapel to her memory - the Elisabethkapelle shown here - was incorporated into the church plan using the left transept. It presents a Byzantine flavor through its use of gold mosaics.
A diverse selection of olives at Vienna's eclectic Naschmarkt.
Lights on Vienna's Kaertnerstrasse, an elegant shopping street.
The Kursalon is a neo-Renaissance spa pavilion located in the Wiener Stadtpark (Vienna City Park). The spa, with healing mineral waters, opened in 1867 and is still a popular place for concerts, dancing, club meetings, and congresses.
View showing the original above-ground Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) Karlsplatz city rail pavillion in Vienna, as well as the present-day underground subway entrance. Vienna's first rail mass transit system opened in 1898; in 1976 it was integrated into the newly established U-Bahn (metro), which is currently about 75 km (46 mi) long.
Close up of the former city rail entrance at the Karlsplatz subway station in Vienna. The pavillion is a well-known example of Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) architecture.
![The Secession Building in Vienna, constructed 1897-98, was meant to be an "architectural manifesto" and exhibit hall for the Secession artists of Vienna (painters, architects, and sculptors who had rejected the conservatism of the prevailing artistic establishment). Secession style became a branch of Jugendstil (Art Nouveau).](https://dev.me/media/factbook/au/AU_064_large.jpg "The Secession Building in Vienna, constructed 1897-98, was meant to be an "architectural manifesto" and exhibit hall for the Secession artists of Vienna (painters, architects, and sculptors who had rejected the conservatism of the prevailing artistic establishment). Secession style became a branch of Jugendstil (Art Nouveau).")
The Secession Building in Vienna, constructed 1897-98, was meant to be an "architectural manifesto" and exhibit hall for the Secession artists of Vienna (painters, architects, and sculptors who had rejected the conservatism of the prevailing artistic establishment). Secession style became a branch of Jugendstil (Art Nouveau).
![The Looshaus in Vienna is a quintessential example of Wiener Moderne (Vienna Modern Age) architecture (ca. 1890-1910), which eschewed external ornamentation. Upon completion in 1910, it initially shocked Vienna's citizenry, who referred to it as the "house without eyebrows."](https://dev.me/media/factbook/au/AU_047_large.jpg "The Looshaus in Vienna is a quintessential example of Wiener Moderne (Vienna Modern Age) architecture (ca. 1890-1910), which eschewed external ornamentation. Upon completion in 1910, it initially shocked Vienna's citizenry, who referred to it as the "house without eyebrows."")
The Looshaus in Vienna is a quintessential example of Wiener Moderne (Vienna Modern Age) architecture (ca. 1890-1910), which eschewed external ornamentation. Upon completion in 1910, it initially shocked Vienna's citizenry, who referred to it as the "house without eyebrows."
Residence in the western Heitzing district of Vienna. Parts of Heitzing are heavily populated urban areas with many residential buildings, but others contain large areas of the Vienna Woods, along with Schönbrunn Palace.
Beautiful Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) decorated residence in the western Heitzing district of Vienna.
Cherubs highlight this elaborately decorated residence in the Heitzing district of Vienna.
Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) decorated facade on a residence in the Heitzing district of western Vienna.
Chestnut trees in bloom in the residential section of Heitzing, which makes up part of western Vienna.
The hunting lodge at Mayering is about 25 km (15 mi) southwest of Vienna. It was here that on 30 January 1889 Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and his mistress Baroness Vetsera were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide. The shaken Emperor Franz-Josef donated the building to the order of Carmelite nuns. The chapel (on the left) is built over the spot where the tragedy took place.
Heiligenkreuz (Holy Cross) Abbey in the eponymous village in the southern Vienna Woods dates back to 1133; it is the oldest continuously occupied Cistercian monastery in the world.
One of the smaller courtyards in Heiligenkreuz (Holy Cross) Abbey in the southern Vienna Woods.
The chapter house in the cloisters of Heiligenkreuz Abbey contains the remains of 13 members of the House of Babenberg (the rulers who preceded the Habsburgs), including those of Frederick II, the last of his line.
The Baroque Holy Trinity Column in the large inner court of Heiligenkreuz Abbey.
Hohensalzburg Castle overlooks the city of Salzburg. Roughly 250 m long and 150 m wide, it is one of the largest - and best preserved - medieval castles in Europe. Originally built as a wooden fortress in 1077, it was rebuilt and expanded many times in subsequent centuries.
The fortress of Hohensalzburg overlooks the old Salzburg city center.
![The 17th century baroque cathedral in Salzburg, dedicated to St. Rupert. The missionary saint promoted the salt mines around the ruined old Roman settlement of Juvavum, made the site his base for spreading the gospel, and renamed the place Salzburg (literally "salt castle" in German).](https://dev.me/media/factbook/au/AU_020_large.jpg "The 17th century baroque cathedral in Salzburg, dedicated to St. Rupert. The missionary saint promoted the salt mines around the ruined old Roman settlement of Juvavum, made the site his base for spreading the gospel, and renamed the place Salzburg (literally "salt castle" in German).")
The 17th century baroque cathedral in Salzburg, dedicated to St. Rupert. The missionary saint promoted the salt mines around the ruined old Roman settlement of Juvavum, made the site his base for spreading the gospel, and renamed the place Salzburg (literally "salt castle" in German).
Hellbrunn Palace, located outside of Salzburg, is a popular tourist destination known for its lovely gardens and the trick fountains installed by its founder. The gardens are filled with statues, including this unicorn.
A unique clock archway in Salzburg displays a religious mural.
Narrow stairs connect the upper part of Salzburg with the old city center by the river.
Hallstatt is a picturesque town on the shores of Hallstaetter See in the Austrian Alps and a UN World Heritage Site. There is a funicular in the town that takes one to the bluff above the city from which this "aerial" photo was taken.
A castle and mountain valley in the Alps.
Shoreline along a small Austrian lake.
View from the top of the Olympic Ski Jump showing part of Innsbruck and the surrounding mountains. Innsbruck has twice hosted the Winter Olympics, in 1964 and 1976.
Christmas lights and the night sky glow along the pedestrian mall in Innsbruck during the holiday season.
The starting line for the women's Olympic bobsled track in Innsbruck. Ride-alongs are available for tourists looking to recreate Olympic glory.
The Alps march across this image of Autumnal (early October) southern Europe. On either side of and above the Alps are the countries of (from left to right) France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Slovenia, while below the Alps is Italy. The Mediterranean and Ligurian Seas sit to the west of Italy, while to the right is the Adriatic Sea. As the season progresses, snow begins to whiten the Alps. Image courtesy of NASA.
1 of 87
Austria Factbook Data
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, 1090, Vienna
mailing address: 9900 Vienna Place, Washington DC 20521-9900
telephone: [43] (1) 31339 0
FAX: [43] (1) 31339 2017
email address and website:
ConsulateVienna@state.gov
https://at.usembassy.gov/
Age structure
15-64 years: 65.11% (male 2,914,056/female 2,907,233)
65 years and over: 20.81% (2023 est.) (male 820,022/female 1,040,490)
For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page.
Geographic coordinates
Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Heliports
Natural hazards
Area - comparative
about the size of South Carolina; slightly more than two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania
Military service age and obligation
note 1: as of 2023, women made up about 4% of the military's full-time personnel
note 2: in a January 2013 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
Background
Environment - current issues
Environment - international agreements
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Antarctic-Environmental Protection
Population below poverty line
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Household income or consumption by percentage share
highest 10%: 23.1% (2020 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Exports - commodities
Exports - partners
Administrative divisions
Agricultural products
Military and security forces
note: the federal police maintain internal security and report to the Ministry of the Interior
Budget
expenditures: $215.485 billion (2019 est.)
Capital
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
etymology: the origin of the name is disputed but may derive from early Celtic settlements of the area; a plausible reconstructed Celtic name from several centuries B.C. is Vedunia (meaning "forest stream"), which in Old High German became uuenia (wenia), and later wien (its current German form) in New High German; another possibility is that the name stems from the Roman settlement Vindobona, established around 15 B.C., and its Celtic-derived name (likely from the Celtic windo, meaning "white, fair, or bright" and bona meaning "base, fortification, or settlement" to give a connotation of "white settlement" or "white fort"); archeological remains of the latter survive at many sites in the center of Vienna
Imports - commodities
Climate
Coastline
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 2020
Exchange rates
Exchange rates:
0.95 (2022 est.)
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)
0.893 (2019 est.)
0.847 (2018 est.)
Executive branch
head of government: Chancellor Karl NEHAMMER (since 6 December 2021)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the chancellor and appointed by the president
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 9 October 2022 (next to be held in 2028); 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:
2022: Alexander VAN DER BELLEN reelected in first round; percent of vote - Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (the Greens) 56.7%, Walter ROSENKRANZ (FPO) 17.7%, Dominik WLAZNY (Beer) 8.3%, Tassilo WALLENTIN (independent) 8.1%, Gerald GROSZ (independent) 5.6%
2016: Alexander VAN DER BELLEN elected in second round; percent of vote in first round - Norbert 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%
Fiscal year
Flag description
Illicit drugs
Independence
Industries
Judicial branch
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
Land boundaries
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
Land use
arable land: 16.5% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 21.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 47.2% (2018 est.)
other: 14.4% (2018 est.)
Legal system
Legislative branch
Federal Council or Bundesrat (61 seats - currently 60; 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)
elections:
Federal Council - last appointed in 2021
National Council - last held on 29 September 2019 (next to be held by 23 October 2024)
election results:
Federal Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP 42.6%, SPOe 31.2%. FPOe 16.4%, The Greens 8.2%, NEOS 1.6%; seats by party - OeVP 26, SPOe 19, FPOe 10, The Greens 5, NEOS 1; composition as of February 2024 - men 32, women 28, percent of women 46.7%
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 as of February 2024 - men 109, women 74, percent of women 41%; note - total Federal Assembly percentage of women 42%
Maritime claims
International organization participation
National holiday
Nationality
adjective: Austrian
Natural resources
Geography - note
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
Economic overview
Pipelines
Political parties and leaders
Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Herbert KICKL]
The Greens - The Green Alternative [Werner KOGLER]
NEOS - The New Austria and Liberal Forum [Beate MEINL-REISINGER]
Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Andreas BABLER]
Ports and terminals
Suffrage
Telecommunication systems
domestic: developed and efficient; 43 per 100 fixed telephone subscriptions; 122 per 100 mobile-cellular subscriptions (2021)
international: country code - 43; earth stations available in the Astra, Intelsat, Eutelsat satellite systems (2019)
Terrain
Government type
Country name
conventional short form: Austria
local long form: Republik Oesterreich
local short form: Oesterreich
etymology: the name Oesterreich means "eastern realm" 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
Location
Map references
Irrigated land
Diplomatic representation in the US
chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
email address and website:
washington-ob@bmeia.gv.at
https://www.austria.org/
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York, Washington
consulate(s): Chicago
Internet country code
Refugees and internally displaced persons
stateless persons: 3,219 (2022)
GDP (official exchange rate)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Credit ratings
Moody's rating: Aa1 (2016)
Standard & Poors rating: AA+ (2012)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Total renewable water resources
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male: 16 years
female: 16 years (2020)
Urbanization
rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Broadcast media
Drinking water source
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
National anthem
lyrics/music: Paula von PRERADOVIC/Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART or Johann HOLZER (disputed)
note 1: adopted 1947; the anthem is also known as "Land der Berge, Land am Strome" (Land of the Mountains, Land by 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 gender-neutral version of the lyrics was adopted by the Austrian Federal Assembly in fall 2011 and became effective 1 January 2012
note 2: the beloved waltz "The Blue Danube" ("An der schoenen, blauen Donau"), composed in 1866 by the Austrian composer Johann STRAUSS II, is consistently referred to as Austria's unofficial national anthem
Major urban areas - population
International law organization participation
Physicians density
Hospital bed density
National symbol(s)
Mother's mean age at first birth
Contraceptive prevalence rate
note: percent of women aged 16-49
GDP - composition, by end use
government consumption: 19.5% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 23.5% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.6% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 54.2% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -50.7% (2017 est.)
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 21.7
elderly dependency ratio: 29.4
potential support ratio: 3.4 (2021 est.)
Citizenship
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Austria
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Population distribution
Electricity access
National air transport system
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 130
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 12,935,505 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 373.51 million (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Sanitation facility access
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Ethnic groups
note: data represent population by country of birth
Religions
note: data on Muslim is a 2016 estimate; data on other/none/unspecified are from 2012-2018 estimates
Languages
major-language sample(s):
Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Imports - partners
Communications - note
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)
Disputes - international
none identified
Literacy
male: NA
female: NA
Elevation
lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
mean elevation: 910 m
Current health expenditure
Military and security service personnel strengths
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
Military deployments
Terrorist group(s)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Total water withdrawal
industrial: 2.7 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 720 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,240,918 tons (2015 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 25.7% (2015 est.)
Average household expenditures
on alcohol and tobacco: 3.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Air pollutants
carbon dioxide emissions: 61.45 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 6.34 megatons (2020 est.)
National heritage
selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Salzburg (c); Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn (c); Halstadt–Dachstein/Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape (c); Semmering railway (c); Historic Graz and Schloss Eggenberg (c); Wachau Cultural Landscape (c); Historic Vienna (c); Fertő/Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape (c); Baden bei Wien (c); Primeval Beech Forests - Dürrenstein, Kalkalpen (n)
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Military - note
the Land Forces comprise the bulk of the military, and they are organizationally divided between territorial and operational forces; each of the nine federal states has a military command that provides a link between the military and civil authorities; the main tasks of these commands include providing military assistance during disasters and supporting security police operations; these military commands have an infantry battalion, a militia battalion (Vienna has two), and typically a militia engineer/pioneer company at their disposal; the operational Land Forces are four combat brigades: a rapid reaction/”fast forces” (schnelle kräftewith) brigade with mechanized and motorized forces, an armored/mechanized infantry (panzer grenadier) brigade, a mountain infantry brigade (gebirgsbrigade), and a light infantry brigade (jägerbrigade) that includes airborne and air assault troops; the military also has separate special operations and cyber defense forces; the Air Forces have a small number of European-made multipurpose fighter aircraft
the militia is comprised of men and women who have done their basic military or training service and continue to perform a task in the armed forces; they are integrated into the military but have civilian jobs and only participate in exercises or operations; missions for the militia may include providing disaster relief, assisting security police, and protecting critical infrastructure (energy, water, etc.), as well as deployments on missions abroad (2023)
Major lakes (area sq km)
Major rivers (by length in km)
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Coal
consumption: 4.899 million metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 3.667 million metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 2.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 9.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 62.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 7.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Natural gas
consumption: 9.208 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)
exports: 2.8 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)
imports: 14.11 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)
proven reserves: 5.04 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 278,700 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 168,300 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 35.2 million barrels (2021 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
Remittances
0.67% of GDP (2021 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2020 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Space program overview
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S
Space agency/agencies
Geoparks
global geoparks and regional networks: Ore of the Alps; Styrian Eisenwurzen; Karawanken/Karavanke (includes Slovenia) (2023)
Labor force
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 11.5%
female: 11.3%
Net migration rate
Median age
male: 43.5 years
female: 46.2 years
Debt - external
$686.196 billion (2018 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$33.957 billion (2021 est.)
$30.44 billion (2020 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Waterways
Refined petroleum products - imports
Public debt
99.91% of GDP (2020 est.)
83.1% of GDP (2019 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Total fertility rate
Military expenditures
0.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2022)
0.8% of GDP (2021)
0.7% of GDP (2020)
Unemployment rate
6.46% (2021 est.)
5.2% (2020 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
Population
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
Internet users
percent of population: 93% (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
from coal and metallurgical coke: 10.508 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 37.336 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 17.695 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Area
land: 82,445 sq km
water: 1,426 sq km
Taxes and other revenues
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$481.977 billion (2021 est.)
$462.382 billion (2020 est.)
note: data in 2017 dollars
Roadways
Airports
Infant mortality rate
male: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 122 (2021 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.77% (2021 est.)
1.38% (2020 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Refined petroleum products - exports
Current account balance
$7.77 billion (2021 est.)
$14.913 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Real GDP per capita
$53,800 (2021 est.)
$51,900 (2020 est.)
note: data in 2017 dollars
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29 (2020 est.)
Tobacco use
male: 27.7% (2020 est.)
female: 25% (2020 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
Energy consumption per capita
Death rate
Birth rate
Electricity
consumption: 69,905,200,000 kWh (2020 est.)
exports: 22,918,265,000 kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 24.522 billion kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 3.192 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Merchant marine
by type: other 1
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Imports
$264.231 billion (2021 est.)
$209.817 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports
$267.791 billion (2021 est.)
$224.242 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer: 6.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 3.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 1.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
male: 79.9 years
female: 85.2 years
Real GDP growth rate
4.24% (2021 est.)
-6.63% (2020 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Industrial production growth rate
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Railways
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 28.4% (2017 est.)
services: 70.3% (2017 est.)