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. Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938, and the victorious Allies then occupied the country in 1945. As a result, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade after World War II, until a State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's 'perpetual neutrality' as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. Austria joined the EU in 1995, but the obligation to remain neutral kept it from joining NATO, although the country became a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace program in 1995. Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.

Area
Total: 83,871 km²
Land: 82,445 km²
Water: 1,426 km²
Comparative: about the size of South Carolina; slightly more than two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania

Land boundaries
Total: 2,524 km
Border countries (8): (8) Czech Republic 402 km; Germany 801 km; Hungary 321 km; Italy 404 km; Liechtenstein 34 km; Slovakia 105 km; Slovenia 299 km; Switzerland 158 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers

Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps) in the west and south; mostly flat or gently sloping along the eastern and northern margins

Elevation
Highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m
Lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
Mean elevation: 910 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 31.5% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 16% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.8% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 14.7% (2023 est.)
Forest: 47.2% (2023 est.)
Other: 20.9% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 382 km² (2016)

Major rivers: Donau (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km
Note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Natural hazards: landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

Geography
Note note 1: 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
Note note 2: the world's largest and longest ice cave system at 42 km (26 mi) is the Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giants World) inside the Hochkogel mountain near Werfen, about 40 km south of Salzburg; ice caves are bedrock caves that contain year-round ice formations; they differ from glacial caves, which are transient and are formed by melting ice and flowing water within and under glaciers

Population
Total: 8,967,982 (2024 est.)
Male: 4,392,898
Female: 4,575,084
Distribution: the northern and eastern portions of the country are more densely populated; nearly two thirds of the populace lives in urban areas
Growth rate: 0.3% (2024 est.)

Languages: German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in southern Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 est.)
Major-language sample(s): ; Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Roman Catholic 55.2%, Muslim 8.3%, Orthodox 4.9%, Evangelical Christian 3.8%, Jewish 0.1%, other 5.4%, none 22.4% (2021 est.)
Note: data on Muslim is a 2016 estimate; data on other/none/unspecified are from 2012-2018 estimates

Age structure
0-14 years: 14.1% (male 648,639/female 616,334)
15-64 years: 64.7% (male 2,904,587/female 2,898,339)
65 years and over: 21.2% (2024 est.) (male 839,672/female 1,060,411)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 53.4 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 21.7 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 31.7 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 3.2 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 44.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 43.6 years
Female: 46.3 years

Population growth rate: 0.3% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 9.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 9.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: the northern and eastern portions of the country are more densely populated; nearly two thirds of the populace lives in urban areas

Urbanization
Urban population: 59.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.975 million VIENNA (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 82.7 years (2024 est.)
Male: 80.1 years
Female: 85.4 years

Total fertility rate: 1.52 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 5.5% (2024 est.); 5.3% (2023 est.); 5% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Vienna
Geographic coordinates: 48 12 N, 16 22 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Etymology: the name may have evolved from the Roman name Vindobona, which was taken from the Celtic words vindo (white) and bona (fort)

Administrative divisions: 9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria), Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria), Tirol (Tyrol), Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)

Legal system: civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (since 26 January 2017)
Head of government: Chancellor Christian STOCKER (since 3 March 2025)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the chancellor and appointed by the president
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); chancellor appointed by the president but determined by the majority coalition parties in the Federal Assembly; vice chancellor appointed by the president on the advice of the chancellor
Most recent election date: 9 October 2022
2022: Alexander VAN DER BELLEN reelected in first round; percent of vote - Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (independent) 56.7%, Walter ROSENKRANZ (FPO) 17.7%, Dominik WLAZNY (Beer Party) 8.3%, Tassilo WALLENTIN (independent) 8.1%, Gerald GROSZ (independent) 5.6%
2016: Alexander VAN DER BELLEN elected in second round; percent of vote in first round - Norbert HOFER (FPOe) 35.1%, Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (independent, allied with the Greens) 21.3%, Irmgard GRISS (independent) 18.9%, Rudolf HUNDSTORFER (SPOe) 11.3%, Andreas KHOL (OeVP) 11.1%, Richard LUGNER (independent) 2.3%; percent of vote in second round - Alexander VAN DER BELLEN 53.8%, Norbert HOFER 46.2%
Expected date of next election: 2,028

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Parliament (Parlament)
Legislative structure: bicameral

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

National anthem
Title: 'Bundeshymne' (Federal Hymn)
Lyrics/music: Paula von PRERADOVIC/Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART or Johann HOLZER (disputed)
History: adopted 1947; Austria adopted a new national anthem after World War II to replace the former imperial anthem composed by Franz Josef HAYDN, which Germany had appropriated in 1922 and was thereafter associated with the Nazi regime; the Austrian Federal Assembly adopted a gender-neutral version of the lyrics in 2012
Note: the beloved waltz 'The Blue Danube' ('An der schoenen, blauen Donau'), composed in 1866 by Johann STRAUSS II, is widely considered Austria's unofficial national anthem

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 12 (11 cultural, 1 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: -1.2% (2024 est.); -1% (2023 est.); 5.3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: -1.2% (2024 est.); -1% (2023 est.); 5.3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 52.2% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 20.5% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 24.9% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.5% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 59.5% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -57.3% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.2% (2024 est.)
Industry: 23.1% (2024 est.)
Services: 65.3% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Industries: construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and paper, electronics, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: -5.5% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 4.768 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 5.5% (2024 est.); 5.3% (2023 est.); 5% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 5.5% (2024 est.); 5.3% (2023 est.); 5% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $231.132 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $241.516 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 25.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $299.366 billion (2024 est.); $303.914 billion (2023 est.); $291.804 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: cars, packaged medicine, vaccines, vehicle parts/accessories, nitrogen compounds (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $284.467 billion (2024 est.); $293.692 billion (2023 est.); $294.324 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: cars, garments, vaccines, vehicle parts/accessories, refined petroleum (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 33.371 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 64.611 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 21.631 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 21.55 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 3.095 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 14.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 11.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 56.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 7.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Production: 1.288 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 5.403 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 2,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 4.179 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 18,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 244,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 35.2 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 548.976 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 6.971 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 7.084 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 5.04 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 56.959 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 10.527 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 33.036 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 13.397 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 120.211 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 3.604 million (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 40 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 11.1 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 95% (2024 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 2.71 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 1% of GDP (2024 est.); 0.9% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.); 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 62 (2025)

Heliports: 112 (2025)

Railways
Total: 6,123 km (2022) 3,523 km electrified

Merchant marine
Total: 1 (2023)
By type: other 1