INTRODUCTION TO AUSTRIA

Geography:
Austria, country in central Europe, south of the Czech Republic and west of Hungary. Its total area is 83,858 sq km (32,378 sq mi). The capital city is Vienna.

Land and Resources
The Alps cover most of Austria, except for the northern border region, which consists of rolling uplands, and the eastern border region, which includes part of the Danube basin. Broad valleys separate the major mountain ranges, which run from east to west. The highest peak, Grossglockner (3797 m/12,457 ft), lies in the Hohe Tauern range and contains the Pasterze Glacier, one of Europe's largest. Austria's principal river is the Danube Notable lakes include the Bodensee, which forms the western border with Liechtenstein and Switzerland, and Neusiedler Lake, near Hungary.

Deciduous trees, mainly beech, oak, and birch, are predominant in the lower altitudes; spruce, fir, larch, Austrian black pine, and stone pine extend to the timberline. During a very brief season in the higher altitudes, alpine plants, including edelweiss, gentians, primroses, buttercups, and monkshoods, come into brilliant flower.

Climate:
The Austrian climate varies with altitude. Spring and fall are mild, and summers are short with moderate temperatures. Cold, often severe, winters last about three months in the valleys, where they usually end with the arrival of the foehn, a warm, dry wind from the south accompanied by fog and sudden thaws that precipitate avalanches. The foehn is important to Austria's agricultural production, allowing early cultivation of the southern valleys.

Population:
The population of Austria (1997 estimate) is 8,132,505. About 96 percent of the people are ethnic Austrians. Minority groups include Croats, Hungarians, Slovenes, and Czechs. Some 56 percent of the population is urban, with more than one-quarter living in the five largest cities: Vienna, Graz, Linz, Salzburg, and Innsbruck. The official language is German. Seventy-eight percent of Austrians are Roman Catholics. Most of the rest are Reformed Lutherans, of various other Christian denominations, or Muslims. Education is free, and a national law requires school attendance between the ages of 6 and 15. Eighteen universities provide advanced degrees, or students may attend specialized colleges, technical universities, or adult education centers.