Austria's Location: A Guide To The Heart Of Europe

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, and Liechtenstein. The country is largely mountainous, with the Austrian Alps forming the physical backbone of the country. Austria has a population of around 9 million people, with its capital and largest city, Vienna, home to 1.8 million people. Vienna is renowned for its architecture and was once the seat of the Holy Roman Empire. Austria has a rich history, having been a major imperial power in Central Europe for centuries until the fall of the Habsburg dynasty after World War I. Today, Austria is a member of the European Union and has a federal parliamentary republic system, with a chancellor as the head of government and a president as the head of state.

Austria is landlocked and located in Central Europe

Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe, occupying an area of 83,879 square kilometres (32,386 square miles). It 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. The country is largely mountainous, with the Austrian Alps forming the physical backbone of the country. The highest elevation is the Grossglockner mountain, at 3,798 metres (12,460 feet).

Austria has a population of around 9 million people, with its capital and largest city, Vienna, home to 1.8 million people. It is a federal parliamentary republic, consisting of nine states (Bundesländer). The official language is Austrian German, with recognised regional languages including Croatian, Hungarian, and Slovene.

Austria has a rich history, once serving as the centre of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire. After its defeat in World War I, it was reduced to a small republic. It was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938, and subsequently occupied by the victorious Allies. Austria's 1955 State Treaty declared the country "permanently neutral", and it has since developed into a stable and socially progressive nation. It joined the European Union in 1995 and adopted the euro as its currency in 1999.

The country is bordered by eight other European countries

Austria is bordered by eight other European countries. To the north, it shares a border with the Czech Republic and Germany. To the northeast lies Slovakia, with Hungary to the east. To the south, Austria is bordered by Slovenia, Italy, and Switzerland. Finally, to the west, it shares borders with Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

Austria's landscape is largely mountainous and dominated by the Alps in the west and south. The country's highest point is the Grossglockner mountain, which stands at 3,798 m (12,460 ft). The major rivers north of the watershed of the Austrian Alps are the Inn, the Salzach, and the Enns, which are all tributaries of the Danube. The rivers south of the watershed include the Gail and Drau rivers in Carinthia, as well as the Mürz and Mur rivers.

It is a federal parliamentary republic with a chancellor and a president

Austria is a federal parliamentary republic with a chancellor and a president. The chancellor of Austria is the head of government and is viewed as the country's de facto chief executive. The chancellor chairs and leads the cabinet, which is composed of the chancellor, the vice-chancellor, and the ministers. The chancellor is appointed by the president and, together with the president, forms the country's executive branch leadership. The chancellor's power depends on the size of their affiliated parliamentary group.

The president of Austria is the head of state and is directly elected by popular vote. The president is nominally the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The president has the power to appoint or dismiss the chancellor and the cabinet, and the chancellor requires the president's consent to implement greater decisions. The president can also dismiss a chancellor or minister following a vote of no confidence in the lower chamber of parliament, the Nationalrat.

The current chancellor of Austria is Karl Nehammer, who was sworn in on 6 December 2021. The current president is Alexander Van der Bellen, who was sworn in on 26 January 2017.

The country is a member of the European Union but not NATO

Austria is a member of the European Union but not NATO. The country has been a member of the EU since 1995, when it joined alongside Finland and Sweden, two other neutral countries. Austria's membership in the EU has had a significant impact on its foreign and European policy, allowing it to advocate for its interests within the EU decision-making structures. The country benefits from its involvement in the growing single market, with about 70% of its foreign trade being with EU member states. Since joining the EU, Austrian exports have tripled, and 18,500 new jobs have been created annually.

Austria's commitment to neutrality has been a point of contention regarding its membership in organisations like the EU and NATO. Following World War II, Austria was occupied by the four victorious Allied powers, and during negotiations to end the occupation, the Soviet Union pushed for the country to adopt Swiss neutrality. This was later enshrined in Austria's constitution in 1955 with the Declaration of Neutrality, which prohibits the country from joining a military alliance, hosting foreign military bases, or participating in wars.

Austria has had formal relations with NATO since 1995 when it joined the Partnership for Peace programme. It also participates in NATO's Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and has deployments in several countries as part of United Nations peacekeeping operations. Despite this close relationship, Austria is not a member of NATO, and public opinion is largely against joining the alliance. In an April 2023 survey, only 21% of Austrians supported joining NATO, while 60% were opposed.

Austria's stance on neutrality has been tested in recent years, especially in light of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. While some politicians have argued in favour of NATO membership, Chancellor Karl Nehammer has rejected the idea of reopening the neutrality debate, and the country has instead focused on providing non-military support to Ukraine.

German is the official language, but Croatian, Hungarian and Slovene are also spoken

German is the official language of Austria, but Croatian, Hungarian and Slovene are also spoken. In fact, Austria is home to almost nine million people, and almost all of them (98%) speak German, making it a practical lingua franca. It is used by the government, the mainstream media, and educational establishments. However, the German spoken in Austria differs from Standard German, having been influenced by Austro-Bavarian. Austrian German is partially influenced by Austro-Bavarian, which is the main dialect outside Vorarlberg.

Austrians also speak Austro-Bavarian, a group of Upper German languages that are spoken across the country, except in Vorarlberg and some areas of Tyrol's Reutte District. Austro-Bavarian has approximately 8.3 million speakers in Austria. The northeastern parts of Austria (including Vienna) speak Central Austro-Bavarian dialects, while the southern parts speak Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects. Austro-Bavarian differs greatly from Standard German, and it has no official orthography.

Alemannic, or Swiss German, is the main dialect in Vorarlberg and is spoken by about 300,000 people. It is very difficult for German speakers from other regions to understand. It is descended from the Alemanni, a collection of Germanic tribes from the banks of the Upper Rhine, and is also spoken in Switzerland, Germany, Liechtenstein, France, Italy, the US, and Venezuela.

In addition to German, Croatian, Hungarian, and Slovene are recognised as official languages in specific regions of Austria. In Burgenland, Croatian is spoken by 2.5% of Austrians and is recognised as a minority language. Hungarians make up around 1,000 speakers in Burgenland, and Slovene is spoken by 0.3% of Austrians, mostly in Carinthia, where it is recognised as an official language.

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