Is Schengen Area Austria-Friendly?

The Schengen Area is a region of 29 European countries that have abolished their internal borders to allow the free and unrestricted movement of people. It covers a vast area of 4,595,131 square kilometres and is home to over 448 million citizens. Austria is one of the 29 countries in the Schengen Area. It joined the Schengen Area in 1997.

Austria's geography

Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe, with its capital in Vienna. It is bordered by eight countries: Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. The country is predominantly mountainous, with the Eastern Alps occupying approximately 60% of its territory. The Austrian Alps form the physical backbone of the country and can be divided into three ranges: a northern and southern limestone range, and a central range composed of crystalline rocks. The highest elevation in the country is the Grossglockner, rising 3,797 or 3,798 metres towards the west.

Austria's landscape is characterised by mountains and forests, with the Danube River flowing between the eastern edge of the Alps and the hills of Bohemia and Moravia in the north-east. The country is also home to numerous lakes, including Lake Constance in the west and the Neusiedler Lake in the east.

The country can be divided into five areas: the Eastern Alps, the Austrian foothills, the Carpathians, the foothills surrounding the Pannoni low country, and the Austrian granite plateau. The climate in Austria varies, with the alpine climate predominant in the east and a more continental climate in the Pannonian Plain and along the Danube Valley.

The country is divided into nine federal states, with Vienna being both a city and a state. The official language is German, and the country has a population of around 9 million people.

Austria's history

Prehistory and Antiquity

The area of today's Austria has been inhabited since at least the Paleolithic period. Around 400 BC, it was inhabited by the Celts and then annexed by the Romans in the late 1st century BC. Christianization in the region began in the 4th and 5th centuries, during the late Roman period, followed by the arrival of numerous Germanic tribes during the Migration Period.

The Middle Ages

In the 6th century, the Bavarii, a Germanic people, occupied these lands until it fell to the Frankish Empire established by the Germanic Franks in the 9th century. The name Ostarrîchi (Austria) has been in use since 996 AD when it was a margravate of the Duchy of Bavaria and from 1156 an independent duchy (later archduchy) of the Holy Roman Empire (962–1806).

The Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburgs

Austria was dominated by the House of Habsburg and House of Habsburg-Lorraine from 1273 to 1918. In 1806, when Emperor Francis II of Austria dissolved the Holy Roman Empire, Austria became the Austrian Empire, and was also part of the German Confederation until the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. In 1867, Austria formed a dual monarchy with Hungary: the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The First Republic

When this empire collapsed after the end of World War I in 1918, Austria was reduced to the main, mostly German-speaking areas of the empire (its current frontiers), and adopted the name, the Republic of German-Austria. However, union with Germany and the chosen country name were forbidden by the Allies at the Treaty of Versailles. This led to the creation of the First Austrian Republic (1919–1933).

Austrofascism and the Anschluss

Following the First Republic, Austrofascism tried to keep Austria independent from the German Reich. Engelbert Dollfuss accepted that most Austrians were German and Austrian, but wanted Austria to remain independent from Germany. In 1938, Austrian-born Adolf Hitler annexed Austria to Germany, which was supported by a large majority of Austrians.

World War II and the Second Republic

After the German defeat in World War II, the German identity in Austria was weakened. Ten years after the Second World War Austria again became an independent republic as the Second Austrian Republic in 1955.

Modern Austria

Austria joined the European Union in 1995. Since the fall of communism, Austrian companies have been quite active players and consolidators in Eastern Europe. Austria is a semi-presidential representative democracy with a popularly elected president as head of state and a chancellor as head of government and chief executive. Austria has the 13th highest nominal GDP per capita with high standards of living.

Austria's government

Austria is a federal parliamentary republic with a chancellor who is the head of government and a president who is the ceremonial head of state. The country consists of nine states (Bundesländer), and both regional and federal governments exercise executive power. The federal Parliament has two chambers: the directly elected lower house (Nationalrat) and the upper house (Bundesrat), which is elected by regional parliaments.

The chancellor is appointed by the president and, although they are the head of government, they have no power to direct other members of the government. The chancellor is tasked with forming a government based on the partisan composition of the lower house of parliament. The federal cabinet consists of the chancellor and a number of ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chancellor. The federal cabinet answers to the Nationalrat and can be forced to resign through a motion of no confidence.

The Nationalrat is the main legislative body, with legislative tasks carried out at the federal level by the Nationalrat in conjunction with the Bundesrat. The Nationalrat has 183 members, elected for a five-year term by proportional representation. To be represented in the Nationalrat, a party needs to either win at least four percent of votes across the nation or win a seat in one of the 43 regional constituencies.

The Bundesrat is less powerful, with its members selected by the state legislatures (Landtage). Its power is rather limited, with only a suspensive veto in most cases, which can be overruled by the Nationalrat. In some situations, such as legislation that imposes limits on the competences of the provinces, Bundesrat approval is required.

The five political parties currently represented in the Austrian Parliament are the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ), the Greens, and the NEOS.

Austria's economy

Austria has a highly developed social market economy and is one of the fourteen richest countries in the world in terms of GDP per capita. The country's economy is characterised by a strong labour movement, with labour unions comprising about 1.5 million members—over half of the country's wage and salary earners.

The service sector is the most important component of Austria's economy, generating the vast majority of its GDP. Vienna, in particular, has become a hub for finance and consulting and established itself as the "door to the East". The city's law firms and banks are among the leading corporations in business with the new EU member states.

Tourism is also a significant contributor to Austria's economy, accounting for around 10% of its GDP. In 2001, Austria was the tenth most visited country in the world, with over 18.2 million tourists.

In terms of industry, while some Austrian companies are global competitors, most are relatively small on an international scale. Many of the country's largest firms were nationalised in the early post-war period but have since been privatised. The government still operates some firms, state monopolies, utilities, and services.

Agriculture is the smallest component of Austria's economy, contributing less than 3% to its GDP. Austrian farms are small and fragmented, making production relatively expensive. Since Austria joined the EU in 1995, its agricultural sector has been undergoing substantial reform under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Austria's culture

Language

German is the official language of Austria, but there are noticeable differences between the German spoken in Austria and Germany. For example, the word for 'potato' in Austria is 'Erdapfel', while in Germany it is 'Kartoffel'. There are also regional dialects, such as Wienerisch, spoken in Vienna.

Religion

Arts and Music

Austria is known for its composers, including Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, and Beethoven. Vienna is associated with the operetta and waltz music genres. The country also has a rich history of classical and romantic art, with literary luminaries including Franz Kafka, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and Karl Kraus.

Food and Drink

Austrian cuisine is influenced by its neighbouring countries, including Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Italy. Traditional dishes include Wiener Schnitzel, Schweinsbraten, Kaiserschmarren, Knödel, Sachertorte, and Tafelspitz. Austrian wine is also popular, with the Grüner Veltliner grape providing some of the country's most notable white wines.

Sports and Leisure

Outdoor activities and sports are prevalent in Austria, with skiing being a particularly popular pastime. Other common sports include football, ice hockey, basketball, and American football.

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