Austria

Branches

Army (includes Flying Division)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $2.1 billion, 1.0% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49: 2,084,827 males fit for military service: 1,741,068 males reach military age (19) annually: 45,628 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 21 (repeaters 545), shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic: highly developed and efficient international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 2 Eutelsat

Telephones

3.47 million (1986 est.)

Television broadcast stations

47 (repeaters 870)

Televisions

2,418,584 (1984 est.) Defense

Agriculture

grains, fruit, potatoes, sugar beets; cattle, pigs, poultry; sawn wood

Budget

revenues: $65 billion expenditures: $75.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Currency

1 Austrian schilling (S) = 100 groschen

Economic aid

donor: ODA, $544 million (1993)

Economic overview

Austria has a well-developed market economy with a sizable - but falling - proportion of nationalized industry, an extensive social system, and a high standard of living. Austria's economy is closely integrated with Germany and other EU members - Austria joined the EU on 1 January 1995. Since the early 1980s, the Austrian economy has experienced stable growth. Following a mild recession in 1993, Austria's economy - driven by strong exports, investment, and private consumption - expanded 2.7% in 1994 and about 2.4% in 1995. The slowdown in 1995 was largely due to an appreciation of the Austrian schilling and its negative effect on exports and tourism. EU membership has had a positive impact on foreign investment and has helped to lower inflation. Despite Austria's generally favorable economic prospects, the government faces a number of economic challenges, especially budget consolidation. Smaller than expected revenues and rising welfare payments caused the budget deficit to climb to 7.1% of GDP in 1995. Austria also faces a growing unemployment problem. Although low by European standards, Austria's unemployment rate has risen gradually during the 1990s as companies restructured to meet competition from the EU single market and Eastern Europe.

Electricity

capacity: 17,230,000 kW production: 50.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,824 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

Austrian schillings (S) per US$1 - 10.314 (January 1996), 10.081 (1995), 11.422 (1994), 11.632 (1993), 10.989 (1992), 11.676 (1991)

Exports

$45.2 billion (1994) commodities: machinery and equipment, iron and steel, lumber, textiles, paper products, chemicals partners: EU 64.8% (Germany 38.1%, Italy 8.1%), Eastern Europe 11.8%, Japan 1.6%, US 3.5% (1994)

External debt

$28.7 billion (1995 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $152 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: 2% industry: 34% services: 64% (1994)

GDP per capita

$19,000 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

2.4% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

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

Imports

$55.3 billion (1994) commodities: petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals partners: EU 68.4% (Germany 40%, Italy 8.8%), Eastern Europe 6.55%, Japan 4.3%, US 4.4% (1994)

Industrial production growth rate

7.7% (first half 1995)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.3% (1995 est.)

Labor force

3.47 million (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)

Unemployment rate

4.6% (1995 est.)

Area

total area: 83,850 sq km land area: 82,730 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Maine

Climate

temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

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, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

Geographic coordinates

47 20 N, 13 20 E

Geographic 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

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

40 sq km (1989)

Land boundaries

total: 2,558 km border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 37 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 324 km, Switzerland 164 km

Land use

arable land: 17% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 24% forest and woodland: 39% other: 19%

Location

Central Europe, north of Italy

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower

Terrain

in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m highest point: Grossglockner 3,797 m

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Vienna

Constitution

1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Data code

AU

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Helmut TUERK chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035 telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700

Executive branch

chief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992) was elected for a six-year term by popular vote; election last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held 1998); results of second ballot - Thomas KLESTIL 57%, Rudolf STREICHER 43% head of government: Chancellor Franz VRANITZKY (since 16 June 1986) was chosen by the president from the majority party in the National Council; Vice Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (since 22 April 1995) was chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor cabinet: Council of Ministers was chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor

FAX

[1] (202) 895-6750 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

FAX

[43] (1) 310-0682

Federal Council (Bundesrat)

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

Flag

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

Independence

12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)

International organization participation

AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EIB, 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, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIH, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch

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

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung)

Name of country

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

National Council (Nationalrat)

elections last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held Fall 1999); results - SPOE 38.3%, OEVP 28.3%, FPOE 22.1%, Greens 4.6%, LF 5.3%, other 1.4%; seats - (183 total) SPOE 71, OEVP 53, FPOE 40, Greens 9, LF 10

National holiday

National Day, 26 October (1955)

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

Political parties and leaders

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections

Type of government

federal republic

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 18% (male 720,696; female 685,179) 15-64 years: 67% (male 2,726,122; female 2,659,162) 65 years and over: 15% (male 451,231; female 780,854) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

11.19 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

10.43 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

6.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

German

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.53 years male: 73.38 years female: 79.84 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1974 est.) total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality

noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian

Net migration rate

3.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

8,023,244 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

0.41% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 6%, other 9%

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: 0.58 male(s)/female all ages: 0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.49 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 55 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 5 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 41 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 4 (1995 est.)

Heliports

1 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: 108,000 km paved: 22,000 km (including 1,800 km of expressways) unpaved: 86,000 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 88,617 GRT/122,475 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 23, combination bulk 2, container 1, refrigerated cargo 2 (1995 est.)

Pipelines

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

Ports

Linz, Vienna

Railways

total: 5,624 km standard gauge: 5,269 km 1.435-m gauge (3,263 km electrified) narrow gauge: 355 km 1.000-m and 0.760-m gauge (86 km electrified) (1995)

Waterways

446 km