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Where is Austria
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A landlocked country in central Europe, Austria, though small, is a country of startling contrasts. Its geographical diversity spans from the Austrian Alps in the west to the Danube Basin in the east. It borders the Czeck Republic and Germany to the north, Hungry and Slovakia to the east, Italy and Slovenia to the south, and Liechtenstein and Switzerland to the west. Predominantly a mountainous country, Austria has nearly half of its population covered with forests.

Once a world power as the center of the famed Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was relegated to a minor republic after it faced defeat in World War I. It was occupied by Nazi Germany in 1938. Its subsequent annexation by the victorious Allies in 1945 made the country’s future uncertain, which became clear in 1955 under the State treaty. The treaty recognized Austria's independence. Today Austria is a parliamentary representative democracy consisting of nine federal states. Apart from Switzerland, Austria is the other European country that has declared their everlasting neutrality.

Austria’s former position as a centre of world power has contributed a lot to its rich culture and history. One of its claims to fame is that the country has been home to many famous musicians, poets, writers, scientists, physicists, psychologists and economists. Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Anton Bruckner, Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss, Sr., Johann Strauss, Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern are some of the composers who were born in Austrai. Austria has also been birthplace of the world famous psychologist Sigmund Freud.

Travel overview
Austria offers some of the most spectacular travel destinations in the world. The present capital Vienna once served as the centre of the Habsburg power that ruled the country for well over 600 years. The city is home to many architectural structures including the Hofburg (Imperial Palace) and the adjoining Augustinian Church. Other attractions in the city of Vienna include Belvedere Palace, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Sigmund Freud Museum.
Salzburg, the city of Mozart, is a serene abode surrounded by high mountains. A visit to the 11th-century Hohensalzburg Castle, the Museum of Fine Arts, and St. Peter's Abbey in the city is absolute must. Pay a visit to interesting Hellbrunn Palace located four kilometres to the south of Salzburg.
Among the off-the-beaten-track destinations in Austria Wels and Steyr find a place of prominence. Explore the beauty of Rust and Gurk along with the Eisriesenwelt Caves whose claim to fame lies in that they are the largest accessible ice caves in the world. Another fascinating place is Bad Ischl, the famous spa, the leisurely refuge of the Austrian Emperors during their holidays in the Upper Austria.
Austria attracts the tourists round the year. While the ideal time for sightseeing is summer you can enjoy skiing at the slopes of the Alps during winter. The Arlberg region with St. Anton or Upper Austria with Radstadt has some of the best skiing resorts in Austria. You can enjoy a stay in the snow, skiing or hiking at the Gemuetlichkeit up in the Alps.

Capital: Vienna
Location: Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia
Climate: temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters
Total Area: 83,870 sq km
Total Population: 8,199,783
Population Growth Rate: 0.077%
Sex Ratio: 0.953 male(s)/female
Literacy: 98%
Ethnic Groups: Austrians, former Yugoslavs (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks, Turks , German
Irrigated land: 40 sq km
Languages: German, Slovene, Croatian, Hungarian
Time Zone: UTC+1
Currency: euro
Neighbouring countries: Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland
Type of govt.: federal republic
Head of Govt.: Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer
Major Political Parties: Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe; Austrian People's Party or OeVP; Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe; Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe; The Greens

Participation in International Organizations: ACCT (observer), AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Major Agricultural Products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber

Natural Resources & Minerals: oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower

Industry & Transport: construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism
Airports: 55
Railways: 6,011 km
Roadways:
133,718 km
Waterways: 358 km
Major Trade Partners: Germany, Italy, US, Switzerland, France
Exports: $133.3 billion
Imports: $134.3 billion

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