Lexi Webster
Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Germany. The country is known for its mountainous landscape, with the Austrian Alps forming the physical backbone of the country. The native name for Austria, Österreich, is derived from the Old High German Ostarrîchi, meaning eastern realm. This word likely originated from a translation of Medieval Latin Marchia orientalis into a local (Bavarian) dialect.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Formal Name | Republic of Austria |
| Native Name | Österreich |
| Population | 9 million |
| Area | 83,879 km2 (32,386 sq mi) |
| Capital | Vienna |
| Currency | Euro |
| GDP per capita | 13th highest nominal GDP per capita |
| United Nations Membership | Since 1955 |
| European Union Membership | Since 1995 |
| Organizations Hosted | Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) |
| Organizations Founded | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Interpol |
| Bordering Countries | Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein |
| Geography | Landlocked, mountainous, Danubian trade route, Alpine passes |
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What You'll Learn
Austria's borders
Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by eight countries: Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. The country covers an area of 83,879 square kilometres (or 32,386 square miles) and has a population of around 9 million people. Its capital, Vienna, is also its largest city.
Austria's geography has historically had little to do with its national borders. Since the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Alps and the Danube River, which runs through the country, have not served as political boundaries. Even within Austria, provincial borders were rarely determined by the Alps' ranges and ridges. Nevertheless, the Alps have often separated different groups of people within the country. The impassability of the Alps in the past meant that inhabitants of different valleys developed distinct regional subcultures, dialects, and traditions.
Today, Austria's borders are shared with the following countries:
- Germany: 801 kilometres (497 miles)
- Czech Republic: 402 kilometres (249 miles)
- Slovakia: 105 kilometres (65 miles)
- Hungary: 331 kilometres (205 miles)
- Slovenia: 330 kilometres (185 miles)
- Italy: 404 kilometres (251 miles)
- Switzerland: 158 kilometres (98 miles)
- Liechtenstein: 34 kilometres (21 miles)
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Austrian currency
Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a Central European country with a population of around 9 million. The country has a high nominal GDP per capita, ranking 13th in the world, and is known for its high living standards.
Austria's current official currency is the euro, which was adopted in 1999. Euro banknotes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500, while coins are available in 1 and 2 euro denominations, as well as cents in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cent denominations. The currency code for the euro is EUR, and the symbol € is used to denote prices.
Prior to the adoption of the euro, the Austrian schilling was the country's official currency from 1925 to 1938 and again from 1945 to 1999. The schilling was introduced to replace the Krone, which had been devalued by inflation after World War I. The schilling was subdivided into 100 groschen, and it quickly gained stability, earning the nickname the "Alpine dollar." In 1947, new banknotes were introduced, and the schilling was tied to the US dollar at an exchange rate of $1 to 26 schillings. Following the breakdown of the Bretton Woods system in 1971, the schilling's value was tied to a basket of currencies until 1976, when it was coupled to the German mark.
During its time as the Austrian currency, the schilling was issued in various denominations of banknotes and coins. Silver coins were available in denominations of 25, 50, 100, 200, and 500 schillings, while gold coins existed for 500 and 1,000 schillings. These gold coins were legal tender but rarely seen in everyday transactions. Banknotes were issued in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 1,000 schillings.
Today, while the euro is the primary currency in Austria, it is worth noting that other currencies, such as foreign-issued MasterCard cards, American Express cards, Diners cards, and Visa-Plus cards, can also be used for transactions and withdrawals at various locations across the country.
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Austrian education system
The Austrian education system is highly regarded, ranking 6th among 63 countries worldwide for talent competitiveness in the 2020 World Talent Report. The country has a compulsory school system, with nine years of mandatory education. This includes one year of preschool, four years of primary school (called Volksschule), and four years of lower secondary school (Mittelschule). At age 16, students may choose either a vocation or academic track program based on their interests and strengths. The academic track is comparable to a college preparatory school in the United States.
The vocational track lasts six years, with a focus on practical life skills and preparation for an apprenticeship. Students can choose from seven vocational areas: metal, electrical, wood, construction, trade/office, services, and tourism. After four years of lower secondary school, students who want to pursue an apprenticeship can attend a polytechnic institute (Polytechnische Schule) for a year before finding an apprentice position. They then attend vocational school (Berufsschule) for three years, either in block release (5 days a week for about four months) or day release (once a week).
Secondary school graduates can attend a high school called "Gymnasiale Oberstufe" or a vocational secondary school called "Berufsbildende höhere Schule" (HLW, HTL, Polytechnische Schule, HAK). Austria also has many educational opportunities for students whose native language is not German, including international schools, bilingual programs, and immersive German lessons.
After completing secondary education, some students opt for a gap year in the United States to earn an additional diploma before university. Austrian students are also attracted to the American high school system, which offers classes and sports activities not typically found in Austria. The country has over 2,800 secondary schools, with around 1.14 million students enrolled for the 2021/2022 academic year.
Austria's 23 public and 13 private universities offer a full spectrum of degree programs. Established in 1365, the University of Vienna is the oldest and largest university in the country. While universities in Austria were free until 2001, studies are now subject to fees (€366 per term for citizens, and about €700 per term for non-citizens). However, the government abolished fees for EU/EEA citizens who complete their studies in the minimum time.
The country's education system has seen a growing number of students, reflecting the liberalization of educational policy at the secondary and higher levels. Between 1955–56 and 1991–92, the number of students enrolled in higher education increased from about 19,000 to over 200,000. While gender-specific differences in education levels have decreased, they have not disappeared entirely. In 2020, 15.4% of women had only completed compulsory school, compared to 11.5% of men. However, women outnumbered men in tertiary degree programs in the 25-64 age group (23.3% vs. 18.7%).
Austrian students and professionals actively participate in study abroad programs, with the United States being one of the top destinations. During the 2022/2023 academic year, 1,054 Austrians enrolled in academic programs longer than 90 days in the United States, an increase from previous years. Austrian professionals also attend training programs in the United States at both individual and corporate levels.
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Austrian landscape
Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is predominantly mountainous, with just over 28% of the country being moderately hilly or flat. The landscape has been significantly shaped by three main geological units: the highlands of the Waldviertel and Mühlviertel regions, which form part of the Bohemian Massif in the north; the undulating hilly Alpine Foreland with great valleys and basins in the east; and the mountainous Alps, which extend for over 500 km lengthwise across the country.
The Alps serve as a watershed for Europe's three major kinds of weather systems that influence Austrian weather. Atlantic maritime weather systems bring snow, and continental weather systems help to keep it. Mediterranean high-pressure systems bring warm, sunny weather in the summer, and cold, dry continental systems or warm Mediterranean ones can postpone the ski season.
Three major ranges of the Alps run west to east through Austria: the Northern Calcareous Alps, the Central Alps, and the Southern Calcareous Alps. The Central Alps, which consist largely of a granite base, are the largest and highest ranges in the country. The most important pass in the Austrian Alps is the Brenner Pass, located on the Austrian-Italian border in Tyrol. At 1,370 m above sea level, it is one of the lowest Alpine passes and provides the most direct route between Germany and northern Italy.
The landscape of Austria is also shaped by its many rivers. The major rivers north of the watershed of the Austrian Alps (the Inn in Tyrol, the Salzach in Salzburg, and the Enns in Styria and Upper Austria) are direct tributaries of the Danube and flow north into the Danube Valley. The rivers south of the watershed in central and eastern Austria (the Gail and Drau rivers in Carinthia and the Mürz and Mur in Styria) flow south into the drainage system of the Drau, which eventually empties into the Danube in Serbia. Consequently, central and eastern Austria are geographically oriented away from the watershed of the Alps.
Austria's least mountainous landscape is southeast of the low Leithagebirge, which forms the southern lip of the Vienna Basin, where the steppe of the Hungarian Plain begins. The granite massif of the Bohemian Forest, a low mountain range with bare and windswept plateaus and a harsh climate, is located north of the Danube Valley and covers the remaining 10% of Austria.
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Austrian history
The history of Austria dates back to the Paleolithic period, with traces of Copper Age settlements also identified in the country. During the late Iron Age, Austria was occupied by the Hallstatt Celtic culture, which was referred to by the Romans as Noricum. The Romans annexed the area in the late 1st century BC, with the lands south of the Danube becoming part of the Roman Empire.
In the 6th century, during the Migration Period, the Germanic Bavarii occupied these lands until the 9th century when they fell to the Frankish Empire. The name Ostarrîchi (Austria) has been used since 996 AD when it was a margravate of the Duchy of Bavaria. From 1156, Austria was an independent duchy (later an archduchy) of the Holy Roman Empire.
From 1273 to 1918, Austria was dominated by the House of Habsburg and House of Habsburg-Lorraine. In 1526, after the Battle of Mohács, Bohemia and parts of Hungary came under Austrian rule, leading to frequent conflicts with the Ottoman Empire. In the 17th century, the Long Turkish War resulted in most of Hungary being controlled by Austria, formalised by the Treaty of Karlowitz in 1699.
In 1806, Emperor Francis II of Austria dissolved the Holy Roman Empire, and Austria became the Austrian Empire. It was also part of the German Confederation until the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. In 1867, Austria formed a dual monarchy with Hungary, creating the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 sparked World War I, and the empire's defeat led to its collapse. After the war, Austria adopted the name Republic of German-Austria in 1918 and became the First Austrian Republic in 1919. During the interwar period, anti-parliamentarian sentiments led to the formation of an Austrofascist dictatorship under Engelbert Dollfuss in 1934.
In 1938, Austria was annexed into Nazi Germany by Adolf Hitler. After its liberation in 1945 and a decade of Allied occupation, Austria regained its sovereignty and declared its perpetual neutrality in 1955. The country became a semi-presidential representative democracy with a popularly elected president and a chancellor as head of government.
Today, Austria is a federal republic with a high standard of living and the 13th highest nominal GDP per capita. It is a member of the United Nations and the European Union, and has adopted the euro as its currency.
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Frequently asked questions
The capital of Austria is Vienna, formerly known as Wien.
The official name of Austria is the Republic of Austria.
Austria has a population of around 9 million people.
The currency of Austria is the Euro.
