Brief Introduction Capital: Vienna Area: total: 83,871 sq km National Flower: Edelweiss The important Festival: National day: National Day, 26 October (1955) Independence Day: 27 April (1945) Population: 8,112,880 Language: German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in Carinthia), Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official in Burgenland)

Austria

Geography

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.

Administrative divisions

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

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. Slowing growth in Germany and elsewhere in the world held the economy to only 1.2% growth in 2001, 0.6% in 2002, and 0.8% in 2003.. To meet increased competition from both EU and Central European countries, Austria will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the economy, continue to deregulate the service sector, and lower its tax burden. A key issue is the encouragement of much greater participation in the labor market by its ageing population.

Culture and media

Newspaper:

Heute, Kurier, Der, Neue Kronen Zeitung , Neue Wochenschau, Presse, Die , Wirtschafts Blatt , Yeni Vatan .

Broadcast: Radio Austria International .

TV Stations: ORF Nachrichten .

The place of interest

State Opera Theatre of Vienna

Music Hall Vienna

Salzburg