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, Austria's 1955 State Treaty declared the country "permanently neutral" as a condition of Soviet military withdrawal.

Neutrality, once ingrained as part of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria's increasingly prominent role in European affairs.

A prosperous country, Austria joined the European Union in 1995 and the euro monetary system in 1999.

Border countries: Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland

Official Name: Republik Österreich

short form: Österreich

int'l long form: Federal Republic of Austria

int'l short form: Austria

ISO Country Code: at

Actual Time: Tue-Sept-6 19:30

Local Time = UTC +1h

Daylight Saving Time (DST) 27 March - 30 October (UTC +2)

Capital City: Wien (Vienna) (2003 pop. 1.5 million)

Other Cities:

Bregenz

The City of Bregenz

Graz

The City of Graz

Innsbruck

The City of Innsbruck

Klagenfurt

The City of Klagenfurt

Linz

The City of Linz

Salzburg

City of Salzburg

Salzburg

Tourist information Salzburg.

Government:

Parliamentary democracy.

Constitution: 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated May 1, 1945).

Geography:

Location: Central Europe

Area: 83,145 sq. km. (32,377 sq. mi.) Terrain: Alpine (64%), northern highlands that form part of the Bohemian Massif (10%), lowlands to the east (26%).

Climate: Continental temperate.

People:

Nationality: Noun and adjective--Austrian(s).

Population (2003): 8,032,926. Ethnic groups: Germans 98%, Croats, Slovenes; other recognized minorities include Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, and Roma.

Religions: Roman Catholic 73.6%, Lutheran 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 5.5, no confession 12.0%.

Language: German 92%.

Literacy: 98%.

Natural resources: Iron ore, crude oil, natural gas, timber, tungsten, magnesite, lignite, cement.

Agriculture products: Drains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber.

Industries: Construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism.

Exports partners: Germany 31.9%, Italy 9.6%, Switzerland 5.2%, USA 4.9%, France 4.8%, UK 4.7% (2003)

Imports partners: Germany 43.2%, Italy 6.7%, Hungary 5.4%, Switzerland 5%, Netherlands 4.2% (2003)

Currency: Euro (EUR)