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2 definitions found
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
Austria
n : a mountainous republic in central Europe; under the
Habsburgs (1278-1918) Austria maintained control of the
Holy Roman Empire and was a leader in European politics
until the 19th century [syn: {Republic of Austria}, {Oesterreich}]
From CIA World Factbook 2002 [world02]:
Austria
Introduction Austria
--------------------
Background: Once the center of power for the
large Austro-Hungarian Empire,
Austria was reduced to a small
republic after its defeat in World
War I. Following annexation by Nazi
Germany in 1938 and subsequent
occupation by the victorious Allies
in 1945, Austria's status remained
unclear for a decade. A State Treaty
signed in 1955 ended the occupation,
recognized Austria's independence,
and forbade unification with
Germany. A constitutional law of
that same year declared the
country's "perpetual neutrality" as
a condition for Soviet military
withdrawal. This neutrality, once
ingrained as part of the Austrian
cultural identity, has been called
into question since the Soviet
collapse of 1991 and Austria's entry
into the European Union in 1995. A
prosperous country, Austria entered
the European Monetary Union in 1999.
Geography Austria
-----------------
Location: Central Europe, north of Italy and
Slovenia
Geographic coordinates: 47 20 N, 13 20 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 83,858 sq km
water: 1,120 sq km
land: 82,738 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries: total: 2,562 km
border countries: Czech Republic 362
km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km,
Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km,
Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km,
Switzerland 164 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
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
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m
Natural resources: iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite,
lead, coal, lignite, copper,
hydropower
Land use: arable land: 16.89%
permanent crops: 0.99%
other: 82.12% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 457 sq km (2000 est.)
Natural hazards: landslides; avalanches; earthquakes
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
Environment - international party to: Air Pollution, Air
agreements: Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-
Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol
Geography - 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 Austria
--------------
Population: 8,169,929 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.4% (male 686,205;
female 652,840)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 2,814,866;
female 2,756,777)
65 years and over: 15.4% (male
484,313; female 774,928) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.23% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 9.58 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 9.73 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 2.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
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: 0.62 male(s)/
female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78 years
female: 81.31 years (2002 est.)
male: 74.85 years
Total fertility rate: 1.4 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 843 (2001 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 8 (2001 est.)
Nationality: noun: Austrian(s)
adjective: Austrian
Ethnic groups: German 88%, non-nationals 9.3%
(includes Croatians, Slovenes,
Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma),
naturalized 2% (includes those who
have lived in Austria at least three
generations)
Religions: Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%,
Muslim and other 17%
Languages: German
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 98%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government Austria
------------------
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
Austria
conventional short form: Austria
local short form: Oesterreich
local long form: Republik
Oesterreich
Government type: federal republic
Capital: Vienna
Administrative divisions: 9 states (Bundeslaender, singular -
Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten,
Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich,
Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol,
Vorarlberg, Wien
Independence: 1156 (from Bavaria)
National holiday: National Day, 26 October (1955);
note - commemorates the State Treaty
restoring national sovereignty and
the end of occupation and the
passage of the law on permanent
neutrality
Constitution: 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May
1945)
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; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal;
compulsory for presidential
elections
Executive branch: chief of state: President Thomas
KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992)
head of government: Chancellor
Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4
February 2000); Vice Chancellor
Susanne RIESS-PASSER (FPOe) (since 4
February 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen
by the president on the advice of
the chancellor
elections: president elected by
direct popular vote for a six-year
term; presidential election last
held 19 April 1998 (next to be held
in the spring of 2004); chancellor
traditionally chosen by the
president from the plurality party
in the National Council; in the case
of the current coalition, the
chancellor was chosen from another
party after the plurality party
failed to form a government; vice
chancellor chosen by the president
on the advice of the chancellor
note: government coalition - OeVP
and FPOe
election results: Thomas KLESTIL
reelected president; percent of vote
- Thomas KLESTIL 63%, Gertraud KNOLL
14%, Heide SCHMIDT 11%, Richard
LUGNER 10%, Karl NOWAK 2%
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or
Bundesversammlung consists of
Federal Council or Bundesrat (64
members; members represent each of
the states on the basis of
population, but with each state
having at least three
representatives; members serve a
four- or six-year term) and the
National Council or Nationalrat (183
seats; members elected by direct
popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
election results: National Council -
percent of vote by party - SPOe
33.2%, OeVP 26.9%, FPOe 26.9%,
Greens 7.4%; seats by party - SPOe
65, OeVP 52, FPOe 52, Greens 14
elections: National Council - last
held 3 October 1999 (next to be held
in the fall of 2003)
Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster
Gerichtshof; Administrative Court or
Verwaltungsgerichtshof;
Constitutional Court or
Verfassungsgerichtshof
Political parties and leaders: Austrian People's Party or OeVP
[Wolfgang SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party
of Austria or FPOe [Susanne RIESS-
PASSER]; Social Democratic Party of
Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER];
The Greens Alternative or GA
[Alexander VAN DER BELLEN]
Political pressure groups and Austrian Trade Union Federation
leaders: (primarily Socialist) or OeGB;
Federal Economic Chamber; OeVP-
oriented League of Austrian
Industrialists or VOeI; Roman
Catholic Church, including its chief
lay organization, Catholic Action;
three composite leagues of the
Austrian People's Party or OeVP
representing business, labor, and
farmers
International organization AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS,
participation: BSEC (observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU,
FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM
(guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOT,
UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU
(observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter
MOSER
chancery: 3524 International Court
NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los
Angeles, and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador William
US: Lee LYONS BROWN, Jr.
embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091,
Vienna
mailing address: use embassy street
address
telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0
FAX: [43] (1) 3100682
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red
(top), white, and red
Economy Austria
---------------
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 slowed the economy to only
1.2% growth in 2001; the economy is
expected to do little better in
2002. 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $220
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.2% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,000
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2%
industry: 29%
services: 69% (2001)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 4.4%
percentage share: highest 10%: 19.3% (1992)
Distribution of family income - Gini 23.1 (1987)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2001)
Labor force: 4.3 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation: services 67%, industry and crafts
29%, agriculture and forestry 4%
(2001 est.)
Unemployment rate: 4.8% (2001)
Budget: revenues: $53 billion
expenditures: $54 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2001
est.)
Industries: construction, machinery, vehicles
and parts, food, chemicals, lumber
and wood processing, paper and
paperboard, communications
equipment, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 60.285 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 28.46%
hydro: 68.64%
other: 2.9% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 54.764 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 15.11 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 13.809 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine,
fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs,
poultry; lumber
Exports: $70 billion (f.o.b., 2001) (2000
est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, motor
vehicles and parts, paper and
paperboard, metal goods, chemicals,
iron and steel; textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners: EU 63% (Germany 35%, Italy 9%,
France 5%), Switzerland 5%, US 5%,
Hungary 4% (2000)
Imports: $73 billion (c.i.f., 2001)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, motor
vehicles, chemicals, metal goods,
oil and oil products; foodstuffs
Imports - partners: EU 68% (Germany 42%, Italy 7%,
France 5%), US 6%, Switzerland 3%,
Hungary 2% (2000)
Debt - external: $12.1 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $410 million (2000)
Currency: euro (EUR); Austrian schilling (ATS)
note: on 1 January 1999, the
European Monetary Union introduced
the euro as a common currency to be
used by the financial institutions
of member countries; on 1 January
2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions
within the member countries
Currency code: EUR; ATS
Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324
(January 2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999);
Austrian schillings per US dollar -
11.86 (January 1999), 12.91 (1999),
12.379 (1998), 12.204 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Austria
----------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 4 million (consisting of 3,600,000
analog main lines plus 400,000
Integrated Services Digital Network
connections); in addition, there are
100,000 Asymmetric Digital Services
lines (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 6 million (2001)
Telephone system: general assessment: highly developed
and efficient
domestic: there are 48 main lines
for every 100 persons; the fiber
optic net is very extensive; all
telephone applications and Internet
services are available
international: satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1
Eutelsat; in addition, there are
about 600 VSAT (very small aperture
terminals) (2002)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 160 (plus several hundred
repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios: 6.08 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 45 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters)
(2001)
Televisions: 4.25 million (1997)
Internet country code: .at
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 37 (2000)
Internet users: 3 million (2000)
Transportation Austria
----------------------
Railways: total: 6,095.2 km (3,643.3 km
electrified)
standard gauge: 5,564.2 km 1.435-
m gauge (3,521.2 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 33.9 km 1.000-m gauge
(28.1 km electrified); 497.1 km
0.760-m gauge (94 km electrified)
(2001 est.)
Highways: total: 133,361 km
paved: 133,361 km (including 1,613
km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1998)
Waterways: 358 km (1999)
Pipelines: crude oil 777 km; natural gas 840 km
(1999)
Ports and harbors: Linz, Vienna, Enns, Krems
Merchant marine: total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 46,563 GRT/59,278 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 6,
combination bulk 1, container 2
(2002 est.)
Airports: 55 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 24
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 14 (2001)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 27 (2001)
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military Austria
----------------
Military branches: Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces
(KdoLuSK)
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,092,623 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 1,728,191 (2002
service: est.)
Military manpower - reaching military males: 50,580 (2002 est.)
age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar $1,497.1 million (FY01/02)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 0.8% (FY01/02)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Austria
----------------------------
Disputes - international: minor disputes with Czech Republic
and Slovenia continue over nuclear
power plants and post-World War II
treatment of German-speaking
minorities
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest
Asian heroin and South American
cocaine destined for Western Europe
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