| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Europe |
| Geographical Location |
47° 20' North Latitude
13° 20' East Longitude |
| Surface Area |
83,870 sq km |
| Climate |
Temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers |
| Natural Resources |
Oil , coal , lignite , timber , iron ore , copper , zinc , antimony , magnesite , tungsten , graphite , salt , hydropower |
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| Political Information |
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| Country Name |
Republic of Austria |
| Capital City |
Vienna |
| Government Type |
Federal Republic |
| Administrative Divisions |
9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna) |
| Independence Day |
1156 (Duchy of Austria founded) ; 12 November 1918 (republic proclaimed) |
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| Demographical Information |
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| Population |
8,184,691 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Austrian |
| Ethnic Groups |
German 88.5%, indigenous minorities 1.5% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma), recent immigrant groups 10% (includes Turks, Bosnians, Serbians, Croatians) (2001) |
| Religion |
Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 0.1%, none 17.4% |
| Languages |
German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in Carinthia), Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official in Burgenland) |
| Population Growth Rate |
0.11% (2005 est.) |
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| Economical Information |
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| Currency |
Euro (EUR) |
| Industries |
Construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism |
| Labor Force |
3.45 million (2004 est.) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
Agriculture and forestry 4%, industry and crafts 29%, Services 67% (2001 Estimate) |
| Agriculture Products |
Grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber |
| Export Commodities |
Machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel; textiles, foodstuffs |
| Export Partners |
Germany 31.4%, Italy 9%, US 6%, Switzerland 4.8%, UK 4.4%, France 4.2% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs |
| Import Partners |
Germany 45.9%, Italy 6.7%, Switzerland 4.3% (2004) |
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| Transportation |
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| Railways |
6,021 km (3,552 km electrified) |
| Highways |
200,000 km |
| Pipelines |
Gas 2,722 km; oil 663 km; refined products 149 km (2004) |
| Airports |
55 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna |
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| Communication |
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| Phone Code |
+43 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.at |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770,
when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.
The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. In recent decades,
Australia has transformed itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy. It boasted one of the OECD's fastest growing economies during the 1990's, a performance due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980's.
Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef. |
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