Austria's Regions: A Comprehensive Geographical Overview

Austria is a federal republic consisting of nine federal states, also known as provinces. Each state has its own capital and can pass laws within the limits of the constitution. The majority of the land area in the federal states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Vienna, and Burgenland is situated in the Danube valley. Austria's most densely populated federal state is Vienna, the heart of the country's only metropolitan area. In addition to its nine federal states, Austria also has three major wine-growing regions and 16 smaller wine regions.

Austria has nine federal states, also known as provinces

• Vorarlberg, with capital Bregenz
• Tirol, with capital Innsbruck
• Salzburg, with capital Salzburg
• Upper Austria, with capital Linz
• Lower Austria, with capital St. Pölten
• Vienna, with capital Vienna
• Styria, with capital Graz
• Carinthia, with capital Klagenfurt
• Burgenland, with capital Eisenstadt

Each federal state has representatives in the main Austrian parliament and can pass laws that stay within the limits of the constitution.

The European Commission calls them Bundesländer

Austria is a federal republic consisting of nine federal states, or provinces, called Bundesländer. Each of these states has its own capital. The federal states of Austria can pass laws that stay within the limits of the constitution, and each state has representatives in the main Austrian parliament. The majority of the land area in the federal states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Vienna, and Burgenland is situated in the Danube valley and thus consists almost completely of accessible and easily arable terrain. Austria's most densely populated federal state is Vienna, the heart of what is Austria's only metropolitan area. Lower Austria ranks only fourth in population density even though it contains Vienna's suburbs; this is due to large areas of land being predominantly agricultural.

Each state has its own capital

Austria is a federal republic consisting of nine federal states, or provinces, each with its own capital. These are:

• Vorarlberg, with capital Bregenz
• Tirol, with capital Innsbruck
• Salzburg, with capital Salzburg
• Upper Austria, with capital Linz
• Lower Austria, with capital St. Pölten
• Vienna, with capital Vienna
• Styria, with capital Graz
• Carinthia, with capital Klagenfurt
• Burgenland, with capital Eisenstadt

Vienna is Austria's capital and most densely populated federal state. It is one of the grandest cities in the world, having been the seat of the Habsburg Empire for six centuries and a UN city since 1957.

The states can pass their own laws within the limits of the constitution

Austria is a federal republic consisting of nine federal states, also referred to as provinces. Each state has its own capital and can pass laws that stay within the limits of the constitution.

The Austrian federal states have representatives in the main Austrian parliament. Each state has a legislature elected by popular vote and a cabinet appointed by its legislature. The federal constitution defines Austria as a bicameral parliamentary democracy with near-complete separation of powers.

The Austrian government structure is similar to that of other larger federal republics, such as Germany and the United States. However, Austria's states have comparatively little autonomy. Most matters of practical importance, including defence, foreign politics, criminal law, corporate law, and economic law, are handled by the federation.

To pass a valid motion in parliament relating to a law that is not constitutional, a simple majority of votes is required, with one-third of parliamentary members present and voting. For bills curtailing the constitutional rights of Austria's member states, the Federal Assembly's approval is mandatory.

Each state has representatives in the Austrian parliament

Austria is a federal republic consisting of nine federal states, or provinces, each with its own capital. The European Commission calls these provinces. Each federal state has representatives in the Austrian parliament. The states are:

• Vorarlberg, capital: Bregenz, pop. 29,139
• Tirol, capital: Innsbruck, pop. 130,894
• Salzburg, capital: Salzburg, pop. 150,887
• Upper Austria, capital: Linz, pop. 200,841
• Lower Austria, capital: St. Pölten, pop. 53,445
• Vienna, pop. 1,840,573
• Styria, capital: Graz, pop. 280,200
• Carinthia, capital: Klagenfurt, pop. 99,110
• Burgenland, capital: Eisenstadt, pop. 14,241

Vienna, the capital, is the most densely populated federal state. It is the heart of Austria's only metropolitan area. Lower Austria ranks fourth in population density, despite containing Vienna's suburbs, because large areas of land are predominantly agricultural.

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