Austria, officially the Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It borders Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Its capital and largest city is Vienna. Austria covers 83,870.95 square kilometres, and about 60% of its territory is mountainous and forms part of the Eastern Alps.[1] Austria had 9,215,956 inhabitants on 1 January 2026 according to final figures from Statistics Austria.[2]
Austria is a federal parliamentary republic consisting of nine federal provinces, known as Bundesländer. Legislative and executive responsibilities are divided between federal and provincial institutions.[3] The Federal President is the head of state, while the Federal Chancellor leads the federal government. As of September 2026, the president is Alexander Van der Bellen and the chancellor is Christian Stocker.[4][5]
The modern Austrian state developed from lands long associated with the Habsburg monarchy. Following the collapse of Austria-Hungary at the end of World War I, a republic was proclaimed in November 1918. Parliamentary democracy was dismantled in 1933, and Austria was incorporated into Nazi Germany in 1938. An independent republic was re-established after World War II, and Austria regained full sovereignty through the Austrian State Treaty in 1955. The country adopted permanent neutrality later that year.[6][7] Austria joined the European Union in 1995, became part of the Schengen Area in 1997 and has participated in the euro area since 1999.[8]
Name
The historical name from which the German name Österreich developed appears in a document from 996 in the form Ostarrichi. The term referred to territory in what later became Austria. The Babenberg dynasty had ruled the area from 976, before the Habsburgs acquired the Duchy of Austria in the late 13th century.[6]
The English name Austria developed through Latin forms of the country's name, while Österreich remains its German name.
History
Early history and Habsburg rule
Parts of present-day Austria were inhabited in antiquity by Celtic communities. The Celtic kingdom of Noricum was largely incorporated into the Roman Empire around 15 BC. Roman settlements included Vindobona, which developed on the site of modern Vienna.[6]
From 976, the Babenberg dynasty ruled a territory that became increasingly associated with Austria. The first known written appearance of Ostarrichi dates to 996. The Babenberg line ended in the 13th century, and the Habsburg dynasty gained the Duchy of Austria in 1282.[6]
The Habsburgs gradually assembled a large collection of territories across Central Europe. Their Austrian branch acquired the crowns of Bohemia and Hungary and played a central role in European politics for several centuries. During the 18th century, Maria Theresa and Joseph II introduced reforms affecting state administration, education, religion and the legal status of rural populations.[6]
Following the defeat of Napoleon, Vienna hosted the Congress of Vienna in 1814 and 1815, which reorganized much of the European political order. In 1867 the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy was established as a dual monarchy under Emperor Franz Joseph I.[6]
First World War and First Republic
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in June 1914 contributed directly to the crisis that led to the outbreak of World War I. Austria-Hungary fought as one of the Central Powers and disintegrated near the end of the war in 1918.[6]
On 12 November 1918, the Provisional National Assembly proclaimed a republic in the German-speaking territories of the former monarchy.[9] The Treaty of Saint-Germain in 1919 confirmed the country's separate statehood, and the name Republic of Austria was formally adopted.[10]
The new republic introduced universal suffrage without distinction by sex and developed a parliamentary political system.[11] Economic difficulties and increasingly severe political conflict affected the First Republic. In March 1933, Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss used a parliamentary procedural crisis to prevent the National Council from functioning. An authoritarian system subsequently replaced parliamentary democracy.[11]
Nazi rule and Second World War
In March 1938, German forces entered Austria and the country was incorporated into Nazi Germany in the event commonly known as the Anschluss. Austria ceased to exist as an independent state during Nazi rule.[12]
The Nazi regime persecuted Austrian Jews, Roma and Sinti, disabled people, political opponents, religious opponents and other targeted groups. Austrian citizens were among both the victims of Nazi persecution and those who participated in or supported Nazi institutions and crimes.[11]
Second Republic
Following the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, Austria was re-established as an independent republic but was occupied by the Allied powers. Democratic institutions were restored and parliamentary elections resumed.[6]
The Austrian State Treaty was signed in Vienna on 15 May 1955. It entered into force on 27 July 1955 and restored Austria's full sovereignty. The final occupation forces subsequently withdrew.[7] On 26 October 1955, the National Council adopted a constitutional law declaring Austria's permanent neutrality and committing the country not to join military alliances or permit foreign military bases on its territory.[7]
Austria became a member of the United Nations in December 1955 and joined the Council of Europe in 1956. It became a member of the European Free Trade Association in 1960 and developed progressively closer economic relations with the European Communities.[6]
Austria joined the European Union on 1 January 1995. It entered the Schengen Area on 1 December 1997 and became one of the original participants in the euro area on 1 January 1999.[8]
Geography
Austria is located in Central Europe and has no coastline. Its eight neighbouring countries are Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west.[1]
The country has an area of 83,870.95 square kilometres. Approximately 60% of the territory is mountainous and belongs to the Eastern Alps. Austria's highest mountain is the Grossglockner, which reaches 3,798 metres above sea level.[1]
The western and central regions contain extensive Alpine mountain systems and valleys. North of the Danube in Upper and Lower Austria lies part of the Bohemian Massif. Lower and more densely populated landscapes include the Alpine Foreland, the Vienna Basin and the Graz Basin.[1]
The Danube is Austria's most important major river. About 350 kilometres of its total 2,848-kilometre course lie within Austria. Lake Constance, which Austria shares with Germany and Switzerland, is the largest lake associated with the country, although only part of its shoreline belongs to Austria.[1]
Climate
Austria lies between oceanic and continental climatic influences. Western and northern areas are more strongly influenced by humid westerly weather systems, while the northeast and east have more continental conditions, including generally warmer summers and colder winters.[1]
Elevation causes substantial local variation. Alpine areas experience lower temperatures, heavier snowfall and shorter growing seasons than lowland areas. The eastern lowlands around Vienna and Burgenland are generally warmer and drier than the high Alpine west.
Government and politics
Austria is a federal parliamentary republic. Its constitution divides authority among federal institutions and the nine federal provinces. The political system also separates legislative, executive and judicial powers.[13]
The Federal President serves as head of state. The Federal Government consists of the Federal Chancellor, Vice Chancellor and federal ministers. The government is appointed by the Federal President but remains politically accountable to the National Council, which can withdraw confidence from the government or individual ministers.[14]
The Austrian Parliament has two chambers. The National Council has 183 members elected for five-year legislative periods and is the directly elected chamber.[15] The Federal Council represents the provinces. Its members are delegated by the provincial legislatures, and its total membership may change in response to population changes; it had 60 members in 2026.[16]
In the National Council election of 29 September 2024, the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) received 28.85% of votes, the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) 26.27%, the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) 21.14%, NEOS 9.14% and the Greens 8.24%. Voter turnout was 77.7%.[17]
Christian Stocker was sworn in as Federal Chancellor on 3 March 2025. His government was formed by the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS, with SPÖ politician Andreas Babler serving as Vice Chancellor.[18]
Administrative divisions
Austria consists of nine federal provinces (Bundesländer). Each province has its own legislature and government, while powers are distributed between provincial and federal authorities under the constitution.[3]
| Federal province | Capital |
|---|---|
| Burgenland | Eisenstadt |
| Carinthia | Klagenfurt |
| Lower Austria | St. Pölten |
| Upper Austria | Linz |
| Salzburg | Salzburg |
| Styria | Graz |
| Tyrol | Innsbruck |
| Vorarlberg | Bregenz |
| Vienna | Vienna |
Vienna is both a city and one of the nine federal provinces. It is also the seat of Austria's principal federal institutions.
Foreign relations and neutrality
Austria's international position has been shaped by its constitutional policy of permanent neutrality since 1955. The neutrality law commits Austria to maintaining its neutrality, avoiding membership in military alliances and not allowing foreign military bases on Austrian territory.[7]
Austria joined the United Nations in December 1955 and the Council of Europe the following year.[6] Since 1995 it has been a member of the European Union. It is also part of the Schengen Area and the euro area.[8]
Vienna is an important international diplomatic centre and hosts a range of international organizations and diplomatic missions.
Economy
Austria has a high-income economy with a substantial industrial base, a large services sector and close integration into European production and trade networks. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has described the country as having high per-capita income, established institutions, a significant manufacturing base and deep integration into European Union industrial value chains.[19]
According to the World Bank, Austria's gross domestic product at current prices was approximately US$579.47 billion in 2025, equivalent to about US$62,930 per person. Real GDP grew by 0.6% in 2025.[20] The economy had experienced a two-year downturn before returning to growth in 2025, with the OECD reporting a continuing recovery in 2026.[19]
Manufacturing remains important, including machinery, vehicles, chemicals and other processed and manufactured products. Services account for a large share of economic activity, while Austria's location and EU membership connect its businesses closely with neighbouring European markets.[19]
Tourism
Tourism is an important part of the Austrian economy and is distributed between major cities, cultural destinations, lakes and Alpine regions. Statistics Austria recorded 48.17 million arrivals at accommodation establishments in 2025 and 157.29 million overnight stays. The average recorded stay was 3.3 nights.[21]
Vienna, Salzburg and historic towns are major cultural destinations, while Tyrol, Salzburg, Vorarlberg, Carinthia and other Alpine areas attract visitors for skiing, hiking and mountain tourism.
Transport
Austria's location between western, central, northern and southeastern Europe makes it an important transport corridor. Road and rail routes cross the Alps through valleys, passes and tunnels and connect Austria with its eight neighbouring countries.
Rail transport is extensive. ÖBB-Infrastruktur, the infrastructure division of the Austrian Federal Railways, operates about 5,000 kilometres of railway lines and around 1,000 stations. It reports approximately 7,000 train movements on its network each day.[22]
Vienna is the country's principal international transport hub, while other important regional centres include Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Klagenfurt.
Demographics
Austria had a final recorded population of 9,215,956 on 1 January 2026, an increase of 18,743 compared with the beginning of 2025.[2] Population growth in recent years has been strongly influenced by international migration.
On 1 January 2026, 1,881,309 residents, or 20.4% of the population, were foreign citizens. About 2.11 million residents, or 22.9%, had been born outside Austria.[23]
Vienna is by far the largest city and the country's main metropolitan centre. Other major cities include Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Klagenfurt.
Languages
German is Austria's official language. Croatian, Slovenian and Hungarian also have official status in certain regions under provisions protecting minority-language communities.[24]
Austrian varieties of German are used throughout most of the country, alongside regional dialects. Other languages are spoken by immigrant communities and multilingual households.
Religion
Austria has historically been predominantly Roman Catholic, although religious affiliation has become more diverse and the proportion of people without a religious affiliation has increased.
A Statistics Austria survey for 2021 estimated that 55.2% of the population was Roman Catholic, 8.3% Muslim, 4.9% Orthodox Christian and 3.8% Protestant. About 22.4% reported no affiliation with a religion, denomination or religious community. Statistics Austria notes that the 2021 figures were derived from a voluntary sample survey rather than a traditional population census.[25]
Education
Compulsory school education applies to children who are long-term residents of Austria regardless of citizenship. It generally begins on 1 September following a child's sixth birthday and lasts for nine school years.[26]
Primary education normally covers the first four school years. Students then enter middle school or the lower level of an academic secondary school. The ninth compulsory year can be completed through several general or vocational educational routes.[26]
Austria also has a system of universities, universities of applied sciences and other higher-education institutions, with Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Linz and other cities serving as important academic centres.
Culture
Austria's culture reflects its Central European location, the history of the Habsburg lands and regional traditions that developed across the Alpine and Danube regions.
Music has been especially important to Austria's international cultural identity. Vienna became a major centre for European classical music during the Habsburg period. Composers associated with Austria and Vienna include Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss II and many others. Mozart was born in Salzburg in 1756 and moved to Vienna at the age of 25, spending the last decade of his life there.[27]
Austria contains a large number of historic urban centres, palaces, monasteries, archaeological sites and cultural landscapes. As of 2026, 12 properties in Austria were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, comprising 11 cultural properties and one natural property. They include the historic centres of Vienna and Salzburg, the Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn, the Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut cultural landscape, the Wachau cultural landscape and the Semmering Railway.[28]
Cultural institutions and events are concentrated particularly in Vienna, Salzburg, Graz, Linz and other regional centres, while local traditions remain prominent in rural and Alpine communities.
National symbols
The Austrian national flag consists of three equal horizontal bands of red, white and red. The colours have a long association with Austria and are legally defined as the colours of the Republic.
Austria's national anthem is Land der Berge. The anthem was introduced after the Second World War and has been regulated by federal law.[29]
Sport
Austria's Alpine geography has contributed to the importance of winter sports, including alpine skiing, ski jumping, snowboarding and luge. Hiking, cycling, football and other sports are also widely practised.
Innsbruck hosted the Winter Olympic Games twice, in 1964 and 1976. It later hosted the Winter Paralympics in 1984 and 1988 and the first Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2012.[30]
See also
- History of Austria
- Geography of Austria
- States of Austria
- Vienna
- Culture of Austria
- Economy of Austria
- European Union
- Central Europe
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Geography, Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Population at beginning of year/quarter, Statistics Austria. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Federal State of Austria, Austrian Parliament. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, Office of the Federal President. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Bundeskanzler Christian Stocker, Austrian Federal Chancellery. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 History, Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 1955 – Staatsvertrag und Neutralität, Austrian Parliament. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Austria – EU country, European Union. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 12. November 1918: Die Ausrufung der Republik, Austrian Parliament. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Die Geburt der Republik, Austrian Parliament. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 1918 bis 1945, Austrian Parliament. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Das Ende der Demokratie, Austrian Parliament. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Political System, Austrian Parliament. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ The Government, Austrian Parliament. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ The National Council, Austrian Parliament. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ The Federal Council, Austrian Parliament. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Wahl 2024: Endergebnis liegt vor, Austrian Parliament, 4 October 2024. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Regierungen seit 1945, Austrian Federal Chancellery. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Executive summary: OECD Economic Surveys: Austria 2026, OECD, 2026. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Austria – Data, World Bank. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Arrivals & overnight stays, Statistics Austria. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Rail network at a glance, ÖBB-Infrastruktur. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Population by citizenship/country of birth, Statistics Austria. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Amtssprache, Austrian Government Portal. Updated 1 January 2026. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Religious denomination, Statistics Austria. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Compulsory school education, Austrian Government Portal, updated 16 July 2026. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Mozart Highlights in Vienna, Austrian National Tourist Office. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Austria, UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Bundeshymne, Austrian Federal Chancellery. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Olympic city of Innsbruck, City of Innsbruck. Accessed 23 September 2026.