Austria: The Quintessential European Country?

Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, with Vienna, the most populous city, serving as the capital. Austria's geographic position at the heart of Europe has contributed to its prominence, as it lies along the great Danubian trade route between east and west and the Alpine passes connecting north and south. This strategic location has embedded the country within diverse political and economic systems.

Austria has a rich history, with the area being inhabited since the Paleolithic period and settled by various Celtic tribes before being annexed by the Romans in the late 1st century BC. It has been a major imperial power in Central Europe for centuries, serving as the heartland of the Habsburg monarchy since the late 13th century. The country has experienced significant political shifts, including being annexed into Nazi Germany during World War II and later regaining its sovereignty and declaring its neutrality in 1955.

Today, Austria is a federal parliamentary republic with a semi-presidential representative democracy. It is a member of the European Union and has the 13th highest nominal GDP per capita, boasting high living standards. With its central location, cultural heritage, and political and economic stability, Austria can be considered an archtypal European country.

Austria's geography and landscape

Austria is a small, landlocked country in south-central Europe. It is largely mountainous, with the Alps forming the physical backbone of the country. The country is bordered by Germany to the northwest, the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia to the northeast, Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. It extends roughly 360 miles (580 km) from east to west.

The Austrian Alps cover 62% of the country's total area. Three major Alpine ranges—the Northern Alps, Central Alps, and Southern Alps—run west to east through Austria. The Central Alps, which consist largely of a granite base, are the largest and highest ranges in Austria. The highest elevation in the country is the Grossglockner, which rises to 3,797 or 3,798 metres (12,460 feet).

The westernmost third of the pear-shaped country consists of a narrow corridor between Germany and Italy that is between 32 and 60 kilometres wide. The rest of Austria lies to the east and has a maximum north-south width of 280 kilometres. The country measures almost 600 kilometres in length, extending from Lake Constance on the Austrian-Swiss border in the west to the Neusiedler See on the Austrian-Hungarian border in the east.

The diversity of Austria's landscape is illustrated by the contrast between these two lakes—one in the Alps and the other a typical steppe lake on the westernmost fringe of the Hungarian Plain. The country is also a land of lakes, many of them a legacy of the Pleistocene Epoch, during which glacial erosion scooped out mountain lakes in the central Alpine district, notably around the Salzkammergut. The largest lakes—lying partly in the territory of neighbouring countries—are Lake Constance in the west and the marshy Neusiedler Lake in the east.

The two best-known features of the Austrian landscape are the Alps and the Danube River. The Danube has its source in southwestern Germany and flows through Austria before emptying into the Black Sea. It is the only major European river that flows eastward, and its importance as an inland waterway has been enhanced by the completion of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal in Bavaria, which connects the Rhine and Main rivers with the Danube and makes barge traffic from the North Sea to the Black Sea possible.

The parts of Austria that are most suitable for settlement—that is, arable and climatically favourable—run north of the Alps through the provinces of Upper Austria and Lower Austria in the Danube Valley and then curve east and south of the Alps through Lower Austria, Vienna, Burgenland, and Styria. Austria's least mountainous landscape is southeast of the low Leitha Range, which forms the southern lip of the Viennese Basin, where the steppe of the Hungarian Plain begins.

Austria's history

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.

Austria, as a unified state, emerged from the remnants of the Eastern and Hungarian March at the end of the first millennium, first as a frontier march of the Holy Roman Empire, it then developed into a Duchy in 1156, and was made an Archduchy in 1453. Being the heartland of the Habsburg monarchy since the late 13th century, Austria was a major imperial power in Central Europe for centuries and from the 16th century, Vienna was also serving as the Holy Roman Empire's administrative capital.

Before the dissolution of the empire two years later, in 1804, Austria established its own empire, which became a great power and one of the largest states in Europe. The empire's defeat in wars and the loss of territories in the 1860s paved the way for the establishment of Austria-Hungary in 1867.

After the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, Emperor Franz Joseph declared war on Serbia, which ultimately escalated into World War I. The empire's defeat and subsequent collapse led to the proclamation of the Republic of German-Austria in 1918 and the First Austrian Republic in 1919. During the interwar period, anti-parliamentarian sentiments culminated in the formation of an Austrofascist dictatorship under Engelbert Dollfuss in 1934. A year before the outbreak of World War II, Austria was annexed into Nazi Germany by Adolf Hitler, and it became a sub-national division. After its liberation in 1945 and a decade of Allied occupation, the country regained its sovereignty and declared its perpetual neutrality in 1955.

Austria's government and politics

Austria is a federal semi-presidential representative democracy with a popularly elected president as head of state and a chancellor as head of government and chief executive. The country is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous city and state. The president is directly elected by popular majority vote, with a run-off between the top-scoring candidates if necessary. The chancellor is selected by the president and tasked with forming a government based on the partisan composition of the lower house of parliament, the Nationalrat. The chancellor has no power to direct other members of the government. The government can be removed from office by either a presidential decree or a vote of no confidence in the Nationalrat.

Austria's parliament consists of two chambers. The composition of the Nationalrat (183 seats) is determined every five years by a general election in which every citizen over the age of 16 has the right to vote. The upper house, the Bundesrat, has 61 or 62 members and is less powerful. Its members are selected by the state legislatures (Landtage). The power of the Bundesrat is rather limited, with the Nationalrat being able to override its veto in almost all cases.

The Austrian political landscape has historically been dominated by two parties: the conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and the centre-left Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ). More recently, newer parties such as the Greens and the NEOS have gained prominence. Following the 2019 elections, the ÖVP formed a coalition government with the Greens, marking the first time the Greens have gained power.

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 service sector is the most dominant in the country, constituting approximately 70% of the gross value added (GVA) as of 2020. The largest service sector employers work in sales, hotel and restaurant services, as well as health and education. The secondary sector, primarily composed of manufacturing, energy production and supply, and construction, represents 28% of Austria's GVA. The primary sector, which includes agriculture and forestry, makes up only 1.2% of the GVA, and only one in thirty Austrians are employed in this sector.

The Austrian economy is characterised by a strong labour movement, with labour unions having a large influence on labour politics and decisions related to economic expansion. The Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) comprises about 1.5 million members, which is more than half of the country's wage and salary earners. The ÖGB pursues a moderate and consensus-oriented wage policy, cooperating with industries, agriculture, and the government on various social and economic issues.

International tourism is a vital component of Austria's economy, contributing around 10% of its GDP. In 2001, Austria was the tenth most visited country in the world, with over 18.2 million tourists. The country's ski resorts, such as Arlberg and Kitzbühel, have become popular destinations for Eastern Europeans, Russians, and Americans, reducing the sector's dependency on German guests.

Austria's most important industries include food and luxury commodities, mechanical engineering, steel construction, chemicals, and vehicle manufacturing. The country also has a strong focus on organic farming, with organic farms occupying a leading position among EU member states, with a share of 22%.

In terms of trade, Austria's main partner has historically been Germany. However, since joining the European Union, Austria has developed closer ties with other EU economies, reducing its economic dependence on Germany. Trade with other EU countries accounts for almost 66% of Austrian imports and exports. Additionally, expanding trade and investment in the emerging markets of central and eastern Europe is a significant aspect of Austrian economic activity, accounting for about 14% of imports and exports.

Austria's culture

Music

Music is highly valued in Austria, with many great composers, including Joseph Haydn, Franz Liszt, Franz Schubert, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, hailing from the country. Vienna, in particular, has long been a centre of musical innovation, drawing composers in with the patronage of the Habsburgs.

Art and Architecture

Austria's diverse landscapes, ranging from stunning mountain ranges to historic cities, provide a wealth of artistic inspiration. The country is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, museums, galleries, castles, and palaces. Vienna, for example, is known for its imperial history and modern attractions, while the westernmost province of Vorarlberg showcases a beautiful harmony between culture, nature, tradition, and modernity.

Food

Austrian cuisine is influenced by the diverse regions of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, including Italy and Eastern Europe. Popular dishes include Wiener Schnitzel, sausages, goulash, apple strudel, and Sachertorte. The country also has a rich coffeehouse culture, with many Austrians spending their afternoons lingering in cafes.

Sports

Austrians are known for their love of sports, with soccer and biking being popular choices. However, the country is most famous for its winter sports, particularly alpine skiing.

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