Austria

Republic of AustriaRepublik Oesterreich

federal republicIndependence 12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)

Austria as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 84 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalVienna
Area83,850 sq km
LocationCentral Europe, north of Italy
1995

Every edition of Austria

Populationas each edition published it
7.99 million July 1995 est. · 7.64m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.35% 1995 est. · 0.55% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 39.4 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
76.9 years 1995 est. · 76.4 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.48 children per woman 1995 est. · 1.5 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
6.9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 6 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$17,500 1994 est. · $18,000 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
2.5% 1994 est. · 1.8% in 1993

Geography

Central Europe, north of Italy

14 fields

Land useshare of 83,850 sq km

arable land 17%permanent crops 1%meadows and pastures 24%forest and woodland 39%other 19%irrigated 40 sq km (1989)
Area
83,850sq km
land area: 82,730 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Maine
Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked
Land boundaries
2,496km
total · Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 37 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 262 km, Switzerland 164 km

Location

Central Europe, north of Italy

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

Natural resources

iron ore, petroleum, timber, magnesite, aluminum, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower

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
natural hazards:
NA
international agreements:
  • party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands;
  • signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulpher 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea, Whaling

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

15 fields
Population
7,986,664
(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 0.35% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth
11.21Death
10.27Net migration
2.5

Ethnic divisions

German 99.4%Croatian 0.3%Slovene 0.2%other 0.1%

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%Protestant 6%other 9%
Labor force
3.47million
(1989)by occupation: services 56.4%, industry and crafts 35.4%, agriculture and forestry 8.1%note: an estimated 200,000 Austrians are employed in other European countries; foreign laborers in Austria number 177,840, about 5% of labor force (1988)
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1974 est.)total population: 99%

Age structure

0-14 years:
17% (female 681,087; male 711,127)
15-64 years:
67% (female 2,672,554; male 2,677,100)
65 years and over:
16% (female 791,762; male 453,034) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:
76.9 years
male:
73.7 years
female:
80.27 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.48 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Austrian(s)
adjective:
Austrian

Languages

German

Government

Federal republic; President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992); Chancellor Franz VRANITZKY (since 16 June 1986)

23 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

34.9%
SPOE 34.9%OEVP 27.7%FPOE 22.5%Greens 7.3%LF other 1.6% 6.0%

Legislature, 183 seatsone dot, one seat

SPOE 65OEVP 52FPOE 42Greens 13LF 11

Names

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

Type

federal republic

Capital

Vienna

Administrative divisions

9 states (bundeslaender, singular - bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien

Independence

12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)

National holiday

National Day, 26 October (1955)

Constitution

1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Suffrage

  • 18 years of age;
  • universal;
  • compulsory for presidential elections

Executive branch

chief of state:
  • President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992);
  • election last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held 1996);
  • results of second ballot - Thomas KLESTIL 57%, Rudolf STREICHER 43%
head of government:
Chancellor Franz VRANITZKY (since 16 June 1986); Vice Chancellor Erhard BUSEK (since 2 July 1991)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor

Legislative branch

bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung)

Federal Council (Bundesrat)

consists of 63 members representing each of the provinces on the basis of population, but with each province having at least 3 representatives

National Council (Nationalrat)

  • elections last held 9 October 1994 (next to be held October 1998);
  • results - SPOE 34.9%, OEVP 27.7%, FPOE 22.5%, Greens 7.3%, LF 6.0% other 1.6%;
  • seats - (183 total) SPOE 65, OEVP 52, FPOE 42, Greens 13, LF 11

Judicial branch

Supreme Judicial Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for civil and criminal cases, Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof) for bureaucratic cases, Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof) for constitutional cases

Political parties and leaders

  • Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPOE), Franz VRANITZKY, chairman;
  • Austrian People's Party (OEVP), Erhard BUSEK, chairman;
  • Freedom Movement (F) (was the Freedom Party of Austria, FPOE), Joerg HAIDER, chairman;
  • Communist Party (KPOE), Walter SILBERMAYER, chairman;
  • The Greens, Madeleine PETROVIC;
  • Liberal Forum (LF), Heide SCHMIDT

Other political or pressure groups

  • Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
  • Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist);
  • three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party (OEVP) representing business, labor, and farmers;
  • OEVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists;
  • Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action

Member of

AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUSAL, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIH, UNOMIL, UNOMOZ, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Helmut TUERK
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

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:
Ambassador Swanee G. HUNT
chancery:
Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091, Vienna
mailing address:
use embassy street address
telephone:
[43] (1) 313-39

FAX

[43] (1) 310-0682; consulate(s) general: none (Salzburg closed September 1993)

Flag

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

Economy

Austria boasts a prosperous and stable market economy with a | sizable but falling proportion of nationalized industry and with | extensive welfare benefits.

19 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$17,500
(1994 est.)
Real growth rate
2.5%
(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 2.5% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate
4.3%
(1994 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$52.2 billionExpenditures
$60.3 billion (1993 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 17,230,000 kW

Electricity production
50.2 billionElectricity consumption per capita
5,824 (1993)

Overview

Austria boasts a prosperous and stable market economy with a sizable but falling proportion of nationalized industry and with extensive welfare benefits. Thanks to its raw material endowment, a technically skilled labor force, and strong links to German industrial firms, Austria occupies specialized niches in European industry and services (tourism, banking) and produces almost enough food to feed itself with only 8% of the labor force in agriculture.

After 11 consecutive years of growth, the Austrian economy experienced a mild recession in 1993, but growth resumed in 1994. Unemployment is 4.3% and will likely stay at that level as companies adjust to the competition of EU membership beginning 1 January 1995. To prepare for EU membership, Austria's government has taken measures to open the economy by introducing a major tax reform, privatizing state-owned firms, and liberalizing cross-border capital movements.

Problems for the 1990s include an aging population, the high level of industrial subsidies, and the struggle to keep welfare benefits within budgetary capabilities - the deficit climbed to over 4% of GDP in 1994.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $139.3 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$44.1 billion (1994 est.)

commodities:
machinery and equipment, iron and steel, lumber, textiles, paper products, chemicals
partners:
EC 63.5% (Germany 38.9%), EFTA 9.0%, Eastern Europe/FSU 12.3%, Japan 1.5%, US 3.4% (1993)

Imports

$53.8 billion (1994 est.)

commodities:
petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals
partners:
EC 66.8% (Germany 41.3%), EFTA 6.7%, Eastern Europe/FSU 7.5%, Japan 4.4%, US 4.4% (1993)

External debt

$21.5 billion (1994 est.)

Industries

foods, iron and steel, machines, textiles, chemicals, electrical, paper and pulp, tourism, mining, motor vehicles

Agriculture

  • accounts for 3.2% of GDP (including forestry);
  • principal crops and animals - grains, fruit, potatoes, sugar beets, sawn wood, cattle, pigs, poultry;
  • 80%-90% self-sufficient in food

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and Eastern Europe

Economic aid

donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $2.4 billion

Currency

1 Austrian schilling (S) = 100 groschen

Exchange rates

Austrian schillings (S) per US$1 - 10.774 (January 1995), 11.422 (1994), 11.632 (1993), 10.989 (1992), 11.676 (1991), 11.370 (1990)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 55 in all

1
over 3,047 m
5
2,438 to 3,047 m
1
1,524 to 2,437 m
3
914 to 1,523 m
4
41
under 914 m
PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways
110,000Railroads
5,624Inland waterways
446
Highways: paved: 35,000 km (including 1,554 km of autobahn) · unpaved: mostly gravel and earth 75,000 km (1992) · Railroads: standard gauge: 5,269 km 1.435-m gauge (3,162 km electrified) · narrow gauge: 355 km 1.000-m and 0.760-m gauge (84 km electrified) (1994)

Railroads

total:
5,624 km
standard gauge:
5,269 km 1.435-m gauge (3,162 km electrified)
narrow gauge:
355 km 1.000-m and 0.760-m gauge (84 km electrified) (1994)

Highways

total:
110,000 km
paved:
35,000 km (including 1,554 km of autobahn)
unpaved:
mostly gravel and earth 75,000 km (1992)

Pipelines

  • crude oil 554 km;
  • petroleum products 171 km;
  • natural gas 2,611 km

Ports

Linz, Vienna

Merchant marine

total:
32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 152,885 GRT/235,719 DWT
ships by type:
bulk 3, cargo 25, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

4,014,000 telephones; highly developed and efficient

local:
NA
intercity:
NA
international:
2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), and EUTELSAT earth stations

Radio

broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 21 (repeaters 545), shortwave 0
radios:
NA

Television

broadcast stations:
47 (repeaters 870)
televisions:
NA

Defense Forces

Army (includes Flying Division)

3 fields

Branches

Army (includes Flying Division)

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 2,026,567;
  • males fit for military service 1,695,879;
  • males reach military age (19) annually 46,821 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - about $1.8 billion, 0.9% of GDP (1994) AZERBAIJAN Note--Azerbaijan continues to be plagued by an unresolved seven-year-old conflict with Armenian separatists over its Nagorno-Karabakh region. The Karabakh Armenians have declared independence and seized almost 20% of the country's territory, creating almost 1 million Azeri displaced persons in the process.

Both sides have generally observed a Russian-mediated cease-fire in place since May 1994, and support the OSCE-mediated peace process, now entering its fourth year. Nevertheless, Baku and Xankandi (Stepanakert) remain far apart on most substantive issues from the placement and composition of a peacekeeping force to the enclave's ultimate political status, and prospects for a negotiated settlement remain dim.

Central Intelligence Agency. “Austria.” The World Factbook 1995. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/austria/1995.

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