Austria

Table of Contents

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
- Drainage
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic groups
- Languages
- Religion
- Settlement patterns
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture and forestry
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Finance
- Trade
- Services
- Labour and taxation
- Transportation and telecommunications
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Local government
- Justice
- Political process
- Security
- Health and welfare
- Education
Cultural life
- Cultural milieu
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- Prehistory and Roman times
- Early Middle Ages
  - Germanic and Slavic settlement
  - Early Babenberg period
  - Later Babenberg period
- Late Middle Ages
  - Contest for the Babenberg heritage
  - Accession of the Habsburgs
  - Division of the Habsburg lands
  - Burgundian and Spanish marriages
- Reformation and Counter-Reformation
  - Acquisition of Bohemia
  - Advance of Protestantism
  - Rudolf II and Matthias
  - The Bohemian rising and the victory of the Counter-Reformation
  - Struggle with Sweden and France
- Austria as a great power
  - War of the Spanish Succession
  - Problem of the Austrian succession
  - New conflicts with the Turks and the Bourbons
  - Social, economic, and cultural trends in the Baroque period
- From the accession of Maria Theresa to the Congress of Vienna
  - War of the Austrian Succession, 1740–48
  - First reforms, 1748–56
  - Seven Years’ War, 1756–63
  - Reforms, 1763–80
  - Foreign affairs, 1763–80
  - Early reign of Joseph II, 1780–85
  - Late reign of Joseph II, 1785–90
  - Conflicts with revolutionary France, 1790–1805
  - Conflicts with Napoleonic France
- The Age of Metternich, 1815–48
- Revolution and counterrevolution, 1848–59
- Neoabsolutist era, 1849–60
- Constitutional experimentation, 1860–67
- Austria-Hungary, 1867–1918
  - Ausgleich of 1867
  - Domestic affairs, 1867–73
  - International relations: the Balkan orientation
  - Domestic affairs, 1879–1908
    - Political realignment
    - Political turmoil
    - Electoral reform
  - Foreign policy, 1878–1908
  - Last years of peace
    - Conflicts of nationality
    - Party rivalries
    - Conflict with Serbia
  - World War I
  - End of the Habsburg empire
- First Republic and the Anschluss
  - Early postwar years
  - Economic reconstruction and political strife
  - Authoritarianism: Dollfuss and Schuschnigg
  - Anschluss and World War II
- Second Republic
  - Allied occupation
  - Restoration of sovereignty
  - Austria in the European Union

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images, Videos & Interactives

Hallstatt, Austria

the Alps, Tirol, Austria

Austria: Population composition by country of birth

Austria: Religious affiliation

For Students

Austria summary

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Austria: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	Republic of Austria • Österreich • Republik Österreich
Head Of Government	Chancellor: Karl Nehammer
Capital	Vienna
Population	(2024 est.) 9,295,000
Currency Exchange Rate	1 USD equals 0.932 euro
Head Of State	President: Alexander Van der Bellen
Form Of Government	federal state with two legislative houses (Federal Council [61]; National Council [183])
Official Language	German
Official Religion	none
Official Name	Republik Österreich (Republic of Austria)
Total Area (Sq Km)	83,883
Total Area (Sq Mi)	32,387
Monetary Unit	euro (€)
Population Rank	(2023) 99
Population Projection 2030	9,113,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2023) 279.4
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2023) 107.9
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2020) 58.7% • Rural: (2020) 41.3%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022) 79 years • Female: (2022) 83.7 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: 100% • Female: 100%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2022) 507,632
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2022) 56,140

Photos and Videos

Hallstatt, Austria

the Alps, Tirol, Austria

population density of Austria

Causes and start of World War I

Hungary's historic removal of the iron border

How do fish survive under icy lakes in winter?

Explore the mesmerizing Hallstatter See, a lake in Salzkammergut, Austria

Hiking a historic trail in the Carnic Alps

National anthem of Austria

See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

Napoleonic Wars French Revolutionary wars League of Nations Seven Years’ War European Union Congress of Vienna Peace of Westphalia War of the Grand Alliance Russo-Turkish wars European Community United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

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Quiz

Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Match the Country with Its Hemisphere Quiz

7:023 Geography: Think of Something Big, globe showing Africa, Europe, and Eurasia

Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz

10:087 Ocean: The World of Water, two globes showing eastern and western hemispheres

You Name It!

Flags of all countries of the world. Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

The Country Quiz

Actual continental drift of plates. Thematic map.

Geography Fun Facts

Opened passport with visas, stamps, seals, world map. (travel, tourism)

Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz

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Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz

Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Countries & Their Features

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Countries of the World

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List

Benedictine abbey of Melk, Austria.

20 Must-See Buildings in Austria