|RNature and climate:|N The European Alps dominates Austria. Grossglockner is the highest peak reaching 3797 m.a.s.l. In the north an east Danube River forms fertile plains. North of Danube a hilly land.
40% of the land is forested and 24% pasture and meadows.
Average temperature in January between -5 and -2°C in the lower parts and -10°C in the Alps. In July 20°C in the lowlands and 10°C in the Alps.
Percipitation between 600 and 800 in the lowlands and about 1000 mm in the Alps.
|RPeople:|N 99% Germans and small minorities of Slovenes and Croatians.
|REconomy:|N 56% of the labour force is occupied in services, 35% in industry and commerce and 8% in agriculture.
Austria have vast mineral resources of natural gas, iron ore, oil, magnesite, lead, copper and rocksalt. There are also vast resources of hydroelectrical power.
Close to 40% of the land is forested and forestry is very important.
Most important crops are grain, potatoes and beets, but austria is also known for it's wine and fruits.
Austria is highly industrialized and about 20% of the industry is controlled by state enterprises.
There is an extensive iron- and steelindustry as well as machinery, carmanufacturing, chemicals, electrical, optical, glassware, paper and textile manufacturing.
Tourism is a very important source of income.
Austria has been a member of EFTA since it's foundation in 1960 and joined the EU in 1995.
|RHistory:|N The area was early inhabited and became a meltingpot between cultures from the east and the west. Important finds have been made from times between 25000 and 20000 BC in Willendorf.
Salt extraction was the base for a highly developed culture between 1000 and 750 BC.
By 750 BC Celts expanded from this area into Central Europe.
15 BC Austria was incorporated into the Roman Empire and after the fall of Rome it was invaded by Huns, Lombards, Ostrogoths and Bavarians. In the 7th and 8th centuries the Franks had great influence and 788 AD Austria was incorporated in the empire of Charlemagne. The realm was greatly enlarged and was divided in a number of counties. In the last decades of the 9th century the area was conquered by Magyars. 955 Austria was reconquered by the Frankish Empire and in 976 it was enfeoffed to the house of Babenberg who reigned until 1246.
In 1276 Austria was conquered by Rudolph of Habsburg and it stayed in Habsburg possession until 1918.
The successors of Rudolph steadily enlarged the realm by conquest and martial diplomacy.
Charles V in 1519 inherited an empire consisting of most of Central Europe as well as the Netherlands and Spain with all their colonial possessions. In 1521 Charles gave the Austrian part of this empire to his brother Ferdinand who by marriage got Bavaria and Hungary in 1526.
During most of the 16th and 17th centuries the Osman emperors frequently made raids into Austria. In 1529 and 1683 Vienna was under siege, but it was never conquered.
The Habsburg power declined after the Thirty Years War 1618 to 1648. After the siege in 1683 Austria reconquered Hungary from the Turks. In 1806 Franz II abdicated as Holy Roman Emperor.
In 1848 there was a revolution and the emperor Ferdinand abdicated. When the revolutionary forces were split up the 18 year old heir of the crown, Franz Joseph, with help of Russian troops gained control. Franz Joseph reigned until 1916.
In the second half of the 19th century Austria was rapidly industrialized and the government was liberalized leading to universal suffrage in 1907.
From 1878 Boznia and Herzegovina was administrated by Austria and in 1908 it was incorporated in the realm. Austria planned to create a Slavic part of the dual monarchy. Many Serbs opposed to these plans and this lead to the murder of the crownheir Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914. Austria made this an excuse for declaring war with Serbia. This crises at the Balkan Peninsula started World War I.
After the Austrian defeat in 1918 the many national minorities started to constitute independent countries. The emperor abdicated and in early 1919 a temporary national assembly decided to unify the German-speaking part of Austria with Germany. This unification was stopped by the allied powers and instead a federation of nine "länder" was created.
A nazi-coupe in 1934 was defeated but in 1938 German troops invaded and Austria was made a part of Germany.
In 1945 the western part of Austria was conquered by American troops and the eastern part by Sovjet troops and after the war Austria was divided in one French, one British, one American and one Sovjet zone of occupation.
The administration was built on the constitution from 1920. A final peace treaty was signed in 1955 and the four occupying powers withdrew their forces and Austria pledged itself to a policy of permanent neutrality.
