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. 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.

Land boundaries: 2,640 km total; Czechoslovakia 548 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 37 km, Switzerland 164 km, FRG 784 km, Yugoslavia 311 km

Coastline: none - 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: mostly mountains with Alps in west and south; mostly flat, with gentle slopes along eastern and northern margins

Natural resources: iron ore, crude oil, timber, magnesite, aluminum, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower

Land use: 17% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 24% meadows and pastures; 39% forest and woodland; 19% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

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: 7,585,766 (July 1989), growth rate 0.1% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Austrian(s; adjective - Austrian

Ethnic groups: 99.4% German, 0.3% Croatian, 0.2% Slovene, 0.1% other

Languages: German

Religions: 85% Roman Catholic, 6% Protestant, 9% other

Birth rate: 12 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 12 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: 1 migrant/1000 population (1989)

Environment
Current issues: because of steep slopes, poor soils, and cold temperatures, population is concentrated on eastern lowlands

Infant mortality rate: 8 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 71 years male, 79 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1989)

Literacy: 98%

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Austria

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Vienna

Administrative divisions: 9 states (bundeslander, singular - bundesland; Burgenland, Karnten, Niederosterreich, Oberosterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien

Independence: 12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)

National holiday: National Day, 26 October (1955)

Constitution: 1920, revised 1929 (reinstated 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

Suffrage: universal over age 19; compulsory for presidential elections

Executive branch: Chief of State - President Kurt WALDHEIM (since 8 July 1986; Head of Government - Chancellor Franz VRANITZKY (since 16 June 1986; Vice Chancellor Alois MOCK (since 16 June 1986)

Legislative branch: Army, Flying Division

International organization participation: ADB, Council of Europe, CCC, DAC, ECE, EFTA, EMA, ESA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IDB - Inter-American Development Bank, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, IWC - International Wheat Council, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WSG; Austria is neutral and is not a member of NATO or the EC

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Friedrich HOESS; Embassy at 2,343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 483-4,474; there are Austrian Consulates General in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York; US - Ambassador Henry A. GRUNWALD; Embassy at Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091, Vienna (mailing address is APO New York 9,108; telephone Õ43å (222) 31-55-11; there is a US Consulate General in Salzburg

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

Economy overview: The economy depends primarily on manufacturing, which accounts for about 30% of GDP. Agriculture is of declining importance, contributing less than 4% to GDP and employing 8.5% of the labor force in 1986. In early 1987 the government introduced a policy of fiscal austerity and economic restructuring that should have long-term benefits for the economy. However, transitional difficulties soon became apparent as real growth slowed to 1%.

Agriculture products: accounts for 3.5% of GDP (including forestry; principal crops - grains, fruit, potatoes, sugar beets, sawn wood; livestock - cattle, pigs, poultry; 80-90% self-sufficient in food

Industries: foods, iron and steel, machines, textiles, chemicals, electrical, paper and pulp, tourism, mining

Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (1988)

Labor force:

Budget: revenues $31.6 billion; expenditures $37.5 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1987)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $27.2 billion (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: machinery and equipment, iron and steel, lumber, textiles, paper products, chemicals
Partners: FRG 35%, Italy 10%, Eastern Europe 8%, Switzerland 7%, US 4%, OPEC 3%

Imports: $32.7 billion (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodities: petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals
Partners: FRG 44%, Italy 9%, Eastern Europe 6%, Switzerland 5%, US 3%, USSR 2%

Debt external: $12.4 billion (December 1987)

Exchange rates: Austrian schillings (S) per US$1 - 12.873 (January 1989), 12.348 (1988), 12.643 (1987), 15.267 (1986), 20.690 (1985)

Electricity
Capacity: 17,042,000 kW capacity; 47,860 million kWh produced, 6,310 kWh per capita (1988)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $1.358 billion, 3.6% of central government budget (1988)

Airports: 55 total, 54 usable; 19 with permanent-surface runways; 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Pipelines: 554 km crude oil; 2,611 km natural gas; 171 km refined products

Waterways: 446 km

Merchant marine: 31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 211,848 GRT/372,407 DWT; includes 25 cargo, 1 container, 5 bulk

Disputes international: South Tyrol question with Italy