- Capital city: Vienna
- Total area: 83 858 km²
- Population: 8.3 million
- Currency: euro
Austria is in central Europe, bordered by eight countries: Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Italy and Slovenia to the south, Switzerland and Liechtenstein into the west. The Alps take up two thirds of the land area. More than half of the Austrian population lives in the cities, with 60% of the Alpine regions being sparsely populated. There are about 300,000 foreigners living in the country, originating mainly from Turkey or the former Yugoslavia.
Austria is a highly developed industrial country with a free market economy. Since the fall of the iron curtain, Austria's role as gateway to central and Eastern Europe has increased considerably. Roughly 40% of Austria's GDP is derived from commerce and foreign trade and services. After trade and industry, tourism - in summer and winter - is one of the most developed branches of the economy.
Austria is a democratic federal republic which is composed of nine federal states or Bundeslinder. At national level it is governed by a bicameral legislature. The National Council or Nationalrat is the lower house and has 83 members elected directly by the people on the basis of proportional representation. The Federal Council or Bundesrat is the UpperHouse, with 63 members elected by the legislatures of the nine federal states. It reviews legislation passed by the Parliament.
The President of Austria is elected by popular vote for a term of 6 years. He appoints the Chancellor from the party with the strongest representation or one of those able to form a coalition in the National Council.
Austria
