Austria

Year of EU entry: 1995
Political system: Federal republic
Capital city: Vienna
Total area: 83 858 km²
Population: 8.3 million
Currency: euro
Listen to the official EU language:
German

The Alps dominate the western and southern parts of Austria while the eastern provinces, including Vienna, the capital, lie in the Danube basin.




Until the end of World War I, Austria was for centuries the centre of a vast empire, which controlled much of central Europe. Austria is now a federal republic, consisting of nine states.

Vienna hosts a number of international organisations, including the Secretariat of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

The Austrian Parliament has two chambers. The National Council, or Nationalrat, has 183 members, who are elected by direct popular vote to serve a four-year term. The Federal Council, or Bundesrat, is the upper house with about 62 members who represent each province. Its members serve a four or six-year term.

Austria has a rich cultural heritage. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart occupies a place of his own as a composer, while Franz Schubert enjoys great popularity too. In the world of philosophy and ideas, Siegmund Freud continues to provoke controversy while Ludwig Wittgenstein was one of the major influences in 20th century thinking. The paintings of Gustav Klimt are widely admired.

Austria has a mixed industrial and agricultural economy, while tourism is also an important source of income.

In cuisine, some of Austria’s specialities like Wiener Schnitzel and Apfelstrudel have become international dishes which need no translation.

Climate

Austria is located in a temperate climatic zone with a Central European climate influenced by the Atlantic climate. The four seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter) each have typical temperature and climatic characters.

Due to the topographical diversity and the relatively large West-East expanse, there are three differentiating climatic regions:

East: Pannonian climate with a continental influence – low precipitation, hot summers but only moderately cold winters.

Alpine Regions: Alpine climate - high precipitation ( except inner alpine valley regions such as the upper Inntal), short summers, long winters.

Remainder of the country: transient climate influenced by the Atlantic (in the West) and a continental influence in the South-east.


Austria's topographic diversity accounts for a great variety of flora and fauna, including endemic species that are under preservation.


Fauna

In Austria there is a predominantly Central European fauna: deer, stag, rabbit, pheasant, fox, badger, marten, partridge.
Native to the alpine regions are the chamois, groundhog, eagle and mountain jackdaw. Characteristic of the Pannonian fauna is the vast bird population in the reed beds of Lake Neusiedl (heron, spoonbill, scooper, wild goose, and many more).

In recent years, Austria is home again to a small bear population, which can mainly be found in the heavily wooded southern and central mountainous regions.


Flora

The diversity of topographical and climatic conditions accounts for the country's species-rich flora.
Austria is one of Europe's most heavily wooded countries.

Characteristic are the deciduous forest (oak, beech) and the mixed forest (beech, fir) and in the higher altitude regions fir, larch and pine.

Especially diverse and colorful is the alpine flora: edelweiss, gentian, alpine carnation, arnica, alpine rose, heather and much more.

The northern edge of the Alps is especially dominated by grassland; typical in the Pannonian region are the scrub forest, mixed deciduous forest and the steppe moors. East of Lake Neusiedl one finds a specific salt steppe flora.

Austria's nature parks, that stretch across 3 percent of the country, document the diversity of the landscape with its in part unique natural landscapes, such as the rain and virgin forests.

If you would like to learn more about Austria or if you are planning to visit Austria
this link might be useful for you:
http://www.austria.info/xxl/_site/uk/_ar.../home.html