Statistical information Austria 1995

Austria in the World
top of pageBackground: 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. After the annexation to Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allied powers, Austria's 1955 State Treaty declared the country "permanently neutral" as a condition of the Soviet military withdrawal. The Soviet collapse relieved the external pressure to remain unaligned, but neutrality had evolved into a part of Austrian cultural identity, which has led to an ongoing public debate over whether Vienna legitimately can remain outside of European security structures. A wealthy country, Austria joined the European Union in 1995 and, like many EU members, is adjusting to the new European currency and struggling with high unemployment.
top of pageLocation: Central Europe, north of Italy
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
EuropeAreaTotal area total: 83,850 km²
Land: 82,730 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries: total 2,496 km, Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 37 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 262 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
ElevationNatural resources: iron ore, petroleum, timber, magnesite, aluminum, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower
Land useArable land: 17%
Permanent crops: 1%
Meadows and pastures: 24%
Forest and woodland: 39%
Other: 19%
Irrigated land: 40 km² (1989)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographyNote: 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
top of pagePopulation: 7,986,664 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 0.35% (1995 est.)
NationalityNoun: Austrian(s)
Adjective: Austrian
Ethnic groups: German 99.4%, Croatian 0.3%, Slovene 0.2%, other 0.1%
Languages: German
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 6%, other 9%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 17% (female 681,087; male 711,127)
15-64 years: 67% (female 2,672,554; male 2,677,100)
65 years and over: 16% (female 791,762; male 453,034) (July 1995 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.35% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 11.21 births/1000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 10.27 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.5 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent 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
Current issues natural hazards: NA
Current issues international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulpher 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea, Whaling
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 6.9 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 76.9 years
Male: 73.7 years
Female: 80.27 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.48 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1974 est.)
Total population: 99%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Austria
Conventional short form: Austria
Local long form: Republik Oesterreich
Local short form: Oesterreich
Government type: federal republic
Capital: Vienna
Administrative divisions: 9 states (bundeslaender, singular - bundesland; Burgenland, Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien
Dependent areasIndependence: 12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)
National holiday: National Day, 26 October (1955)
Constitution: 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)
Legal system: civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of legislative acts by a Constitutional Court; separate administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections
Executive branchChief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992); election last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held 1996); results of second ballot - Thomas KLESTIL 57%, Rudolf STREICHER 43%
Head of government: Chancellor Franz VRANITZKY (since 16 June 1986); Vice Chancellor Erhard BUSEK (since 2 July 1991)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung)
Federal Council Bundesrat: consists of 63 members representing each of the provinces on the basis of population, but with each province having at least 3 representatives
National Council Nationalrat: elections last held 9 October 1994 (next to be held October 1998); results - SPOE 34.9%, OEVP 27.7%, FPOE 22.5%, Greens 7.3%, LF 6.0% other 1.6%; seats - (183 total) SPOE 65, OEVP 52, FPOE 42, Greens 13, LF 11
Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for civil and criminal cases, Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof) for bureaucratic cases, Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof) for constitutional cases
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUSAL, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIH, UNOMIL, UNOMOZ, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Helmut TUERK
In the us chancery: 3,524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20,008-3,035
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 895-6,700
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 895-6,750
In the us consulates general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Swanee G. HUNT
From the us chancery: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091, Vienna
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [43] (1) 313-39
From the us FAX: [43] (1) 310-0682
From the us consulates general: none (Salzburg closed September 1993)
Flag description
: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Austria boasts a prosperous and stable market economy with a sizable but falling proportion of nationalized industry and with extensive welfare benefits. Thanks to its raw material endowment, a technically skilled labor force, and strong links to German industrial firms, Austria occupies specialized niches in European industry and services (tourism, banking) and produces almost enough food to feed itself with only 8% of the labor force in agriculture. After 11 consecutive years of growth, the Austrian economy experienced a mild recession in 1993, but growth resumed in 1994. Unemployment is 4.3% and will likely stay at that level as companies adjust to the competition of EU membership beginning 1 January 1995. To prepare for EU membership, Austria's government has taken measures to open the economy by introducing a major tax reform, privatizing state-owned firms, and liberalizing cross-border capital movements. Problems for the 1990s include an aging population, the high level of industrial subsidies, and the struggle to keep welfare benefits within budgetary capabilities - the deficit climbed to over 4% of GDP in 1994.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 2.5% (1994 est.)
Real gdp per capita: $17,500 (1994 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for 3.2% of GDP (including forestry; principal crops and animals - grains, fruit, potatoes, sugar beets, sawn wood, cattle, pigs, poultry; 80%-90% self-sufficient in food
Industries: foods, iron and steel, machines, textiles, chemicals, electrical, paper and pulp, tourism, mining, motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 3.47 million (1989)
By occupation services: 56.4%
By occupation industry and crafts: 35.4%
By occupation agriculture and forestry: 8.1%
Note: an estimated 200,000 Austrians are employed in other European countries; foreign laborers in Austria number 177,840, about 5% of labor force (1988)
Unemployment rate: 4.3% (1994 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $52.2 billion
Expenditures: $60.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $44.1 billion (1994 est.)
Commodoties: machinery and equipment, iron and steel, lumber, textiles, paper products, chemicals
Partners: EC 63.5% (Germany 38.9%), EFTA 9.0%, Eastern Europe/FSU 12.3%, Japan 1.5%, US 3.4% (1993)
Imports: $53.8 billion (1994 est.)
Commodoties: petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals
Partners: EC 66.8% (Germany 41.3%), EFTA 6.7%, Eastern Europe/FSU 7.5%, Japan 4.4%, US 4.4% (1993)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $21.5 billion (1994 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Austrian schillings (S) per US$1 - 10.774 (January 1995), 11.422 (1994), 11.632 (1993), 10.989 (1992), 11.676 (1991), 11.370 (1990)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 17,230,000 kW
Production: 50.2 billion kWh
Production consumption per capita: 5,824 kWh (1993)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone system: 4,014,000 telephones; highly developed and efficient
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), and EUTELSAT earth stations
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: about $1.8 billion, 0.9% of GDP (1994)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 55
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 41
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 554 km; petroleum products 171 km; natural gas 2,611 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: 446 km
Merchant marineTotal: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 152,885 GRT/235,719 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 25, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1
Ports and terminalsAustria - Transnational issues 1995
top of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and Eastern Europe