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Travel Review of Austria
General Information for Tourists and Visitors Geography Austria is a predominantly mountainous, landlocked Central European country, with an area of 32,367 mi2/83,855 km2, a size somewhat larger than the U.S. state of Maine. Austria borders no fewer than eight other countries: Italy, Switzerland, the Principality of Liechtenstein, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia (former Yugoslavia). The capital, Vienna, lies on the Danube (Donau) River, partly surrounded by the hills of the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald). Austria is divided into nine federal provinces (Bundesländer): Vienna (Wien) Lower Austria (Niederösterreich) Upper Austria (Oberösterreich) Salzburg (Salzburg) Carinthia (Kärnten) Tyrol (Tirol) Vorarlberg (Vorarlberg) Styria (Steiermark) Burgenland (Burgenland) Population Austria's population is growing toward eight million, with about 1.54 million people, approximately 20 percent of the total population, living in Vienna (on one half of one percent of the country's area). Ninety two percent of Austrians are German-speaking and the country has a diverse ethnic mix. It includes six officially recognized ethnic groups: Croats, Czechs, Hungarians, Roma/Sinti, Slovaks and Slovenes. Austria also has a significant number of immigrants from other countries, many of them refugees from the former Yugoslavia. Although about 78 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, there are 11 other officially recognized religions in Austria. Climate Austria enjoys a Central European climate that varies considerably from the Alpine region to the eastern plain. Summers can be hot, humid and long; cold winters bring snow and ice. The average annual precipitation ranges from 700 mm - 2,000 mm, depending on altitude and location. Snow on the mountains in spring and autumn is not uncommon, and Vienna itself can be quite windy at any time of year. Government & Politics Austria is a democratic, federal republic governed under the constitution of 1920 and subsequent reform and amendments thereof, which provide a clear division of power among the legislative, executive and judical branches of government. The legislative power rests with the Austrian Parliament that consists of the National Council (Nationalrat) with 183 members elected by popular vote according to proportional representation for a four-year term, the Federal Council (Bundesrat) with, at present, 64 members chosen by the provincial legislature (Landtag) in proportion to the population of each province, and the Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung), made up of both councils. Executive power is exercised by the federal president (Bundespräsident), who is elected every six years by popular vote, and by the government, which is headed by the federal chancellor (Bundeskanzler), the vice chancellor (Vizekanzler) and the council of ministers (Ministerrat). The judical system is composed of three supreme courts: the Supreme Constitutional Court (Oberster Verfassungsgerichtshof), the Supreme Administrative Court (Oberster Verwaltungsgerichtshof) and the Supreme Judical Court (Oberster Gerichtshof). |
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