Austria

Table of Contents

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
- Drainage
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic groups
- Languages
- Religion
- Settlement patterns
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture and forestry
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Finance
- Trade
- Services
- Labour and taxation
- Transportation and telecommunications
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Local government
- Justice
- Political process
- Security
- Health and welfare
- Education
Cultural life
- Cultural milieu
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- Prehistory and Roman times
- Early Middle Ages
  - Germanic and Slavic settlement
  - Early Babenberg period
  - Later Babenberg period
- Late Middle Ages
  - Contest for the Babenberg heritage
  - Accession of the Habsburgs
  - Division of the Habsburg lands
  - Burgundian and Spanish marriages
- Reformation and Counter-Reformation
  - Acquisition of Bohemia
  - Advance of Protestantism
  - Rudolf II and Matthias
  - The Bohemian rising and the victory of the Counter-Reformation
  - Struggle with Sweden and France
- Austria as a great power
  - War of the Spanish Succession
  - Problem of the Austrian succession
  - New conflicts with the Turks and the Bourbons
  - Social, economic, and cultural trends in the Baroque period
- From the accession of Maria Theresa to the Congress of Vienna
  - War of the Austrian Succession, 1740–48
  - First reforms, 1748–56
  - Seven Years’ War, 1756–63
  - Reforms, 1763–80
  - Foreign affairs, 1763–80
  - Early reign of Joseph II, 1780–85
  - Late reign of Joseph II, 1785–90
  - Conflicts with revolutionary France, 1790–1805
  - Conflicts with Napoleonic France
- The Age of Metternich, 1815–48
- Revolution and counterrevolution, 1848–59
- Neoabsolutist era, 1849–60
- Constitutional experimentation, 1860–67
- Austria-Hungary, 1867–1918
  - Ausgleich of 1867
  - Domestic affairs, 1867–73
  - International relations: the Balkan orientation
  - Domestic affairs, 1879–1908
    - Political realignment
    - Political turmoil
    - Electoral reform
  - Foreign policy, 1878–1908
  - Last years of peace
    - Conflicts of nationality
    - Party rivalries
    - Conflict with Serbia
  - World War I
  - End of the Habsburg empire
- First Republic and the Anschluss
  - Early postwar years
  - Economic reconstruction and political strife
  - Authoritarianism: Dollfuss and Schuschnigg
  - Anschluss and World War II
- Second Republic
  - Allied occupation
  - Restoration of sovereignty
  - Austria in the European Union

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images, Videos & Interactives

Austrian village

The Alps, Tirol, Austria

Austria: Population composition by country of birth

Austria: Religious affiliation

For Students

Austria summary

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Austria: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

Austria welcomes JJ back home with cheers, hugs and roses after he wins the Eurovision Song Contest • May 19, 2025, 4:58 AM ET (AP)

Austria's JJ wins Eurovision Song Contest with pop-opera song 'Wasted Love.' Israel comes 2nd • May 17, 2025, 9:06 PM ET (AP)

Straka outduels Lowry to win Truist Championship at Philly Cricket for 2nd victory of the season • May 11, 2025, 7:44 PM ET (AP)

Bloody fingers are just part of the game in this traditional German sport • Apr. 28, 2025, 4:07 AM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Republic of Austria • Österreich • Republik Österreich
Head Of Government	Chancellor: Karl Nehammer
Capital	Vienna
Population	(2025 est.) 9,240,000
Currency Exchange Rate	1 USD equals 0.937 euro
Head Of State	President: Alexander Van der Bellen
Form Of Government	federal state with two legislative houses (Federal Council [61]; National Council [183])
Official Language	German
Official Religion	none
Official Name	Republik Österreich (Republic of Austria)
Total Area (Sq Km)	83,884
Total Area (Sq Mi)	32,388
Monetary Unit	euro (€)
Population Rank	(2025) 98
Population Projection 2030	9,113,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2025) 285.3
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2025) 110.2
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2024) 59.8% • Rural: (2024) 40.2%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022) 79.1 years • Female: (2022) 83.8 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: 100% • Female: 100%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2023) 502,501
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2023) 55,030

Photos and Videos

Austrian village

The Alps, Tirol, Austria

population density of Austria

Causes and start of World War I

Hungary's historic removal of the iron border

How do fish survive under icy lakes in winter?

Explore the mesmerizing Hallstatter See, a lake in Salzkammergut, Austria

Hiking a historic trail in the Carnic Alps

National anthem of Austria

See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

list of cities and towns in Austria list of presidents of Austria European Monetary Union Second Battle of Custoza First Battle of Custoza Austro-French Piedmontese War Napoleonic Wars French Revolutionary wars League of Nations Seven Years’ War United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

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Austrian composer

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Franz Joseph

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emperor of Austria-Hungary

Klemens von Metternich

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Austrian statesman

Maximilian I

Maximilian I

Holy Roman emperor

Pompeo Girolamo Batoni: portrait of Joseph II

Joseph II

Holy Roman emperor

Maria Theresa

Maria Theresa

Holy Roman empress

Leopold I

Leopold I

Holy Roman emperor

The Great Condé, engraving by Robert Nanteuil, 1662

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Eugene of Savoy

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Austrian general

Gentz, Friedrich

Friedrich Gentz

German political journalist

Friedrich Ferdinand, Graf von Beust.

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Ottoman vizier

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Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz

chancellor of Austria

Karl Lueger

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Charles VI

Holy Roman emperor

Felix, prince zu Schwarzenberg

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Map showing the countries of Europe with national capitals and surrounding bodies of water, including the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Black Sea.

Europe

continent

Schloss Schönbrunn, Vienna

Vienna

national capital, Austria

Salzburg

Salzburg

Austria

Dürnstein, on the Danube River in the Danube Gorge, Niederösterreich, Austria; ruins of a 12th-century castle stand above the town.

Niederösterreich

state, Austria

Tirolean Alps

Tirol

state, Austria

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Oberösterreich

state, Austria

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Quiz

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Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz

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Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz

Actual continental drift of plates. Thematic map.

Geography Fun Facts

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Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz

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Countries of the World

10:087 Ocean: The World of Water, two globes showing eastern and western hemispheres

You Name It!

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The Country Quiz

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List

Benedictine abbey of Melk, Austria.

20 Must-See Buildings in Austria