National language in Austria. Full description of Austria

Austria has a temperate, transitional to continental climate, but since 70% of the country is occupied by the Alps, temperature fluctuations are inevitable. As an example: the Austrian winter in the plains is ridiculous for Russians -2 ° C and more noticeable -14 ° C in mountainous regions. Forecasters divide Austria into three zones: eastern, alpine and a region with a transitional Atlantic climate. The east of the country is characterized by dry, hot summers and harsh winters with little rainfall. The Alpine region is famous for prolonged rains and snowstorms. As for the rest of the regions, the weather is controlled by the Atlantic and continental air masses.

Winter in Austria is actually the high season and the busiest time of the year, thanks to snowboarding, skiing and tubing fans who storm the Alps with the first snow. For those who prefer warm relaxation to mountain extremes and invigorating frosts, it is more expedient to celebrate the New Year at thermal resorts, of which there are about 40. Tourists who have not had time to save up for a ski pass and a subscription to expensive spa complexes will have to warm their palms with a mug of fiery gluwine (he same mulled wine) at the Christmas markets of Vienna, Linz and.

At the end of April, the last adherents of "skiing" leave Austria, passing the baton to fans of museum excursions and ecotourism. This fact does not affect prices in any way, so if you are planning an acquaintance with the May landscapes of Tyrol or a bike tour in Styria, reconcile yourself to the fact that global savings will not work. When traveling along the alpine trails in spring, do not be too lazy to grab warm clothes as well - it blows seriously on the slopes.

In summer in Austria, the air warms up to +25 °C in the shade. Periodically there are downpours, which disappear by August. Summer is also an ideal time for relaxing on lake beaches, crazy rafting, eating national dishes at gastronomic festivals and tours of medieval cities. Shopaholics who didn’t have time to buy trendy outfits during Christmas sales are advised to save money until the summer – grandiose sales in Austrian malls start in July.

September in the homeland of Mozart and Commissar Rex is still a “walking” time: the air is warmed up to +17 ... +20 ° С, the weather is clear, and there is little rain. In the autumn, travelers head to Austria to indulge in leisurely hiking, take funny selfies at rural harvest festivals, and dine in provincial heurigers serving young wine and the Austrian variation of apple cider, the bridge. Fans of a livelier party should go to Vienna, to the local Oktoberfest, which, although not as rampant here as in neighboring Germany, is more organized.

Cities of Austria

All cities in Austria

Country history

The history of Austria dates back to the 4th century BC. e., when the Celtic tribes settled on the Danube territories and founded the kingdom of Norik here. Local leaders quickly made friends with Rome, which contributed to the Romanization of Celtic culture, language and architecture. In the 2nd century, the Sarmatians, Ost- and Visigoths became interested in Norik, so the inhabitants of the kingdom did not have time to repel the attacks of their invaders. As an example: in a little over a hundred years, the territories of modern Austria managed to visit Rugiland, part of the state of Odoacer and even the provinces of the Ostrogothic state and the Avar Khaganate.

In 805, the Austrian lands became part of the Frankish Empire, receiving the status of an Eastern Mark, subordinate to Bavaria. For over four hundred years this public education the Babenberg family ruled, with the extinction of which the Eastern Mark passed to the Czech king. In 1282, the first representative of the Habsburg dynasty, Rudolf II, reigned on the Austrian throne. By that time, Austria had managed to get out of the control of the Czech Republic and was already called a duchy.

The most successful period in the life of the country can be called the New Age, when Austria increased its military power, repulsed the encroachments of the Turks, and at the same time expanded its own possessions. For example, in 1699 the territories of Hungary, Transylvania, Croatia and Slovenia were ceded to the country. Further - more: in 1804, Austria declared itself an empire, and in 1867 acquired the status of a dual monarchy, called Austria-Hungary. The 20th century turned out to be not as successful for the descendants of the Celts as the previous eras: the First World War, the revolution and the forced need to part with the Hungarian, Croatian and Transylvanian territories, affected the economy.

In 1938, Hitler pulled off his famous Anschluss, as a result of which Austria became part of the Third Reich, and religious and nationalist persecution began for its population. It was possible to restore the once great empire in rights only after the end of the Second World War, and then only formally: until the middle of the last century, Austria remained divided into occupation zones. The declaration of independence of the state was signed in 1955 along with the declaration of neutrality. By the way, the Austrian authorities observe the last obligation very selectively and even amended the Constitution, allowing them to cooperate with the Bundeswehr.

mentality and language

A pronounced feature of the national character of the Austrians is their loyalty to traditions and the desire for status. If a local resident had an aristocratic ancestor at least in the tenth generation, he will notify everyone about it. In the "country of strudels and schnitzels" they are very cautious about innovations, as well as the recognition of various rights and freedoms. As a result: there are far fewer informals on the streets of Vienna than in the capitals of the rest European countries. At the same time, in everyday communication, the Austrians are quite open and friendly, so when traveling through the Alps and making contact with the locals, you can count on not only sparse instructions, but also heart-to-heart conversations.

Despite the fact that the Austrians and Germans speak dialects of the same language and continue to be neighbors, there is no smell of friendship between nations. It is not known whether this is a reaction to the Anschluss of 1938, or whether the proud people have harbored a grudge since the time of the Frankish Empire, but the fact remains: the Germans in Austria are treated so-so and even compose insulting jokes about Goethe's descendants. The Germans also do not lag behind their caustic neighbors, accusing the latter of having “appropriated” Mozart for themselves, but skillfully disowned the Fuhrer, who was born in Upper Austria.

As for communication, even if you speak Hochdeutsche (literary German) perfectly, it is unlikely that you will be able to achieve complete mutual understanding in Austria. And all because they communicate here in Wienerish, which, although formally considered a dialect of German, in reality is very different from it. To make it clearer: say hello to an Austrian with the standard "Guten Tag!" will not work - here they prefer the greetings "Gruess Goth!" and "Servus!". In large cities and tourist places, the Austro-Russian phrasebook is most likely not useful - the entire able-bodied population speaks English there. But if you are going to deviate from the mainstream routes, it is better to grab a dictionary.

Money

Austria is a member of the Eurozone, so monetary transactions in the country are carried out in euros (EUR). Despite the fact that there is no shortage of bank branches and exchange offices that convert foreign currency, it is better to come immediately with cash, since the commissions for such operations are tangible. Keep in mind that Austrian banks have a five-day working week. In addition, they are open on all days except Thursday, strictly until 15:00.

It is easy to cash out funds from an account in Austria - there are enough round-the-clock ATMs that accept Russian MasterCard and Visa cards, as well as Maestro and American Express in every relatively large settlement. They will take the "plastic" cash desks of shops, restaurants and gas stations, if we are talking about tourist locations or famous winter resorts. But in remote guesthouses and provincial heurigers, guests will be asked to pay with banknotes.

Attractions and entertainment in Austria

In Austria, it is difficult to single out top tourist places and regions, because in this regard, each city or resort pulls the blanket over itself. But such a feature can be an excellent reason to return to the country again, and then again and again! And so on until it is possible to collect and organize the impressions from all the objects that the descendants of Austrian composers and margraves are so proud of.

Architecture

The architectural heritage of Austria is a bit of Gothic, a little more pompous palace baroque and Viennese Art Nouveau tinged with romantic Biedermeier. Teleport to the past great empire Objects of temple architecture will also help: Vienna's Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral), Salzburg Cathedral, the ascetic-Gothic Maria am Gestade, St. Egidius' Cathedral, as well as dozens of modest but original provincial churches. If you like old legends, mystical atmosphere and monumentality in all its manifestations, take a look at the Austrian castles and fortresses, of which there are more than two dozen. For example, in Hochosterwitz hovering between heaven and earth, in the severely impregnable Hohensalzburg or in the postcard Kreuzenstein, in which Dominic Sena filmed his disastrous "Time of the Witches" with Nicolas Cage.

If the rough scope of medieval architecture leaves conflicting impressions, you can switch to the masterpieces of the imperial era: the Hofburg, Schönbrunn and Belvedere palaces (Vienna), the Innsbruck residence of the Habsburg Hofburg (not to be confused with the Viennese palace of the same name), Eggenberg Castle, which embodied in its exterior the concept of time and movement stars, as well as the Salzburg Mirabell Palace, whose story began with the scandalous relationship between Bishop Rathenau and a young merchant's wife. Modern Austrian architects also do not waste time, racing to design something unimaginable, asymmetric and space-scale like the Museum of Modern Art in Vienna (better known as MUMOK), the BTV bank building in or the office of the steel company in Linz. Moreover, almost all Viennese high-rise buildings built at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries are a complete challenge to the laws of physics and gravity.

Museums

In Austria, every museum is a luxurious palace ensemble, a house of a famous composer or a futuristic creation of modern designers. The undisputed leaders in this niche, both in terms of attendance and in terms of the wealth of funds, are the Hofburg, which contains the entire imperial history of the country, the Albertina, with its million collection of paintings and graphic paintings, and the Belvedere, filled with the works of the Impressionists and medieval sculptors. You can admire Brueghel, Cranach the Elder and Rembrandt, unknown to the general public, in the Ferdinandeum (), and it is better to take pictures against the backdrop of the first airplanes and sports cars in the demonstration pavilion with free entrance "Angar-7" ().

To see everything at once, and not move from district to district, welcome to the Museum Quarter of the Austrian capital, which brings together several art galleries and exhibition halls. If you are drawn to non-standard and magical expositions - you are in the "Crystal Worlds". The museum was founded by the manufacturer of Swarovski crystals and is located in the city of Wattens, inside a picturesque hill with a giant's head. The most controversial institutions include the Innsbruck Museum of Bells and the Anatomical Museum, as well as the Viennese Tower of the Lunatics, tours of which will provide controversial, but unforgettable impressions.

Full immersion in the horrors of World War II promises museum complex Mauthausen near Linz. Entrance to the former death factory has been free for everyone for many years. The Austrians have not forgotten about Mozart either, so if you want, go to Vienna to see what apartments the greatest composer of all time rented at the peak of his fame. Or settle in and visit the yellow mansion where Wolfgang Amadeus took his first steps. Continuing the musical theme, you can look into the house-museum of Johann Strauss - an apartment on the Praterstrasse in Vienna, where the musician wrote the immortal waltz "On the Beautiful Blue Danube".

Nature

The first place in the top five natural must-sees in Austria unconditionally belongs to the Hohe Tauern park. Snow-capped mountain peaks and ice fields through which wild chamois run, charming mini-waterfalls and emerald lawns with relict ferns - all this is just a small fraction of the riches of one of the oldest reserves in Europe. IN national park Donau-Auen is dominated by romantic views of the handsome Danube, on whose floodplain meadows deer graze, and beavers build their amusing constructions in the backwaters. To get rare shots of black storks, try to get into the Tayatal protected area, located on the border with the Czech Republic. Well, for romantic selfies against the background of limestone mountains and nimble rivers, the landscapes of Gezoise, the youngest park in the country, founded in 2002, are ideal.

Fans of relaxed meditations by the water surface should not ignore the Austrian lakes, of which there are more than a thousand in Mozart's homeland. Try, for example, to settle in Carinthia, on the banks of the turquoise Wörthersee, Langsee and Klopeinersee. Or rush to the salt mines and quiet blue lakes of the Salzkammergut, where visitors are treated to fresh catch from local fishermen in taverns. In a small but industrial Vorarlberg, it already smells like neighboring Switzerland - the region is located next to Lake Constance. And of course, do not miss the main natural phenomenon of the Alps - the green Grunersee lake, which floods the neighboring park in the summer season, and exposes part of its bottom in the winter.

All sights of Austria

Ski holidays

The fact that in Austria a fantastic "skiing" is known even to tourists who are far from sports. One of the most pleasant features of the alpine slopes is their diversity, so it is convenient to ride here both for beginners who have just started snowboarding, and for extreme people conquering black slopes. Technical equipment is a separate issue. Austrians who do not welcome squandering are investing in the Alps in full, so even a small village can show up with a dozen modern lifts and a sufficient number of snow cannons to keep the snow on the slopes until the end of April.

It makes no sense to list all the ski locations in Austria, especially since there is a trend towards enlargement - neighboring resorts are combined into common ski areas, where you can have fun with a single ski pass. The favorite place of the Austrian and foreign beau monde is the Ski Arlberg region, which ranks fifth in the list of the largest ski resorts of our time. It includes the villages of Zürs, St. Anton, Lech, Oberlech and Stuben, the routes of which are interconnected by 87 lifts. By the way, Arlberg is so far the only place in Austria where you can try your hand at heli-skiing.

The biggest track for night skiing should be looked for in Wilder-Kaiser-Brixental - the largest ski area in Tyrol. Here, in the Tyrolean Alps, other resort associations such as the Zillertal Arena, Sölden, Kirchberg and Mayrhoffen-Hippach are located. Skiers and snowboarders looking for trails in the surroundings are better off getting hold of a ski pass to the slopes of Saalbach-Hinterglemm-Leogang-Fieberbrunn. The area is famous for its ski schools and a wide range of winter activities, including horse sledding.

A good half of travelers go to the ski resorts of Austria not so much for sporting achievements, but because of après-ski, which is amazing in its thoughtfulness. Moreover, hanging out in local bars and clubs means not only drinking and dancing frenzy, but also interesting meetings. If you know the "fish" places, there is every chance to get a selfie with a world celebrity - the stars like to relax after "riding" in the cold no less than mere mortals. So, if you came to Mozart's homeland in order to light up in the company of media people, move closer to resorts such as Schladming (Styria), St. Anton, Mayrhofen and Ischgl (). By the way, about Ischgl: the location is located on the border with Switzerland, therefore, the owners of a ski pass operating on its territory are allowed to “cross the border” and drive along the slopes of the Swiss resort of Samnaun.

Spas and thermal resorts in Austria

Austria has a large number of mineral and thermal springs, and where there are healing springs, there are spa complexes. Often, you can take a steam bath in radon and carbon dioxide baths without leaving the ski resorts, such as, for example, in Bad Kleinkirchheim (Carinthia) or the Aqua-Dom balneocomplex in Sölden. In Bad Tatzmannsdorf, Burgenland, people not only bathe in mineral water, but also take it orally as part of a treatment course for gout, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus and other ailments. A whole cascade of thermal springs is located near the city of Bad Blumau (Styria), famous for its wellness center "Rogner Bad Blumau", built according to the sketches of the "fabulous architect" Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

The most southern of the mineral-thermal resorts in Austria is Warmbad-Villach. It is located in Styria, offering, in addition to hot pools and healing water, the proximity of ski slopes, as well as several music and theater festivals. Another Styrian commune where you can indulge in spa treatments is Bad Radkersburg. The pools here are moderately warm (about +25 °С), but they are super-carbonated, so interesting sensations during the bathing process are provided. The Austrian resorts also took care of young travelers - many aqua complexes have special small areas for children and water slides.

How to save money in Austria

It is possible and necessary to save money in the "land of waltzes, music and skiing", especially since each region and city issues discount cards for travelers. In Vienna, for example, there are as many as three of them - Vienna Pass, Wien-Karte and Flexi Pass. In, having a Salzburg Card in hand, you can ride cable cars and river boats for free, as well as get significant discounts on the excursion program. Most cards valid in the federal state of Salzburg can generally be obtained free of charge - discount coupons are issued to their guests by hotels in Zell, Flachau, Lungau and other popular places.

Summer lures tourists with guest tickets promising global savings when visiting museums and swimming pools. For an inexpensive acquaintance with Styria, about 9 tourist cards have been issued, covering natural and cultural attractions, the Salzkammergut, Murtal, Schladming-Dachstein and a number of other interesting locations. Lower and Upper Austria, Burgenland, Carinthia, Vorarlberg also offer tempting discounts on a variety of entertainment and gastronomic pleasures, from a free glass of wine in partner restaurants to visits to thermal complexes for a nominal fee.

Important: it is better to look for cards that provide financial benefits for getting to know the culture and nature of Austria in hotels, as well as tourist centers that support this program.

Where to stay

The most economical type of Austrian housing is boarding houses, in which the entire range of services, from cleaning to breakfast, is provided by the owner and his family members. The average cost of living in such places is 60-80 EUR. In hotels of the type bed & breakfast, located along busy roads, it will not work out cheaper than 100-120 EUR. As for the Austrian "fives", the discrepancy between the degree of stardom and the level of service and comfort of the premises is still noticeable even in the most status establishments.

Explorers of the rural hinterland can add a touch of pastoral flair to their vacation and retreat to alpine farms. The obvious advantages of such holidays are organic products straight from the garden, educational agricultural programs for children, the opportunity to contact with pets and join the culture of winemaking. Village joys cost from 15 to 35 EUR per person per day, so if you are ready to spend money on such downshifting, take a look at the urlaubambauernhof.at portal, which contains all the prettiest estates that accept guests from the stone jungle.

Within the boundaries of ski resorts, you can claim both standard hotel rooms and cozy chalets. Moreover, both there and there the costs will be fantastic: the amount of 500 EUR for a wooden cottage is positioned as a mega discount. Settling in a similar "dacha" near thermal springs costs about one and a half to two times cheaper, but also far from budgetary, so the bulk of those who arrived "on the waters" prefer guesthouses.

An option from the “when you don’t know what else to spend money on” category is apartments in historical buildings, for example, in Leopoldskron (), Raffelsberger (Wachau), Knappenstöckl (Halbturn) castles. Fans of non-standard design solutions can also come off in full: peasant barns, tree huts, ennobled Eskimo igloos are not so difficult to find. If the vacation budget began to melt faster than planned, it makes sense to go to hostels. True, you will have to spend the night in a dormitory, but for a modest 15-18 EUR, it is easier to put up with inconvenience.

It is recommended to book rooms in Austrian boarding houses and hotels in advance and with an eye to the season. In Tyrol, it's winter, when legions of visiting skiers come up to the icy slopes. In glamorous and historical Vienna and - a summer conducive to excursions and hiking. Keep in mind that in the "rush" months, accommodation prices skyrocket, and the number of vacancies is reduced to a critical limit, so if you dream of being in a slightly more budgetary Austria, get together in the Alps in June-August, and in the "musical heart of Europe - in late autumn.

Austrian cuisine

If you think that Austrian cuisine is based solely on schnitzels and strudel, then you are not far from the truth - flat cutlets and sweet rolls are really respected here. On the other hand, local cafes are full of less advertised dishes that instantly replenish calories spent on skiing and surprise taste buds. Among them are tafelspitz, regional variations of goulash, soups with pancake noodles, roast beef with onions, mushrooms and bacon, fried chicken, potato and meat grestl and other unpretentious but solid yummy.

For fans of fast carbohydrates, Austria is the promised land at all - confectionery and bakery races supply the population with amazing pastries. And we are talking not only about the immoderately praised Sacher, but also about the delicious Linz Torte, vanilla nockerl, delicate Kaiserschmarrn, spicy shtrizels and rum punchskrapfen. Eating flour delights, washing it down with melange, Einspenner or coffee-orange Maria Theresa, is supposed to be in cozy coffee houses. For example, in Landtmann, where Freud interpreted their strange dreams to the waitresses. Or in Central, where Zweig spotted his second-hand book dealer Mendel, and Trotsky molested the regulars with an offer to play a game of chess.

There are many gourmet restaurants in Austria, but the Heurigers and Schanigartens remain the most colorful catering outlets. The first are small taverns where you can taste the products of private winemakers. The latter are reminiscent of German bier gardens, where tables of visitors are taken out into the open air. True, according to the native gourmets, finding an old-school heuriger is becoming increasingly difficult - the owners of taverns rely on tourists, which entails high price tags, and with them - a decrease in the quality of food and drink. For the right gastronomy, it is better to go to peripheral places where you can still find bushenshanks - family restaurants with home-made wine and traditional specialties.

Austria is a country where the morning begins with gatherings over a cup of coffee, so coffee and pastry shops open their doors as early as 7 am. Lunch in city taverns is served from 12:00 to 14:00, so if you expect a good refueling of schnitzels, try to keep within this interval. Or pay tribute to street food - wurstel sausages, ham buns, baked chestnuts and fried potatoes. It is customary to dine in restaurants from 18:00 to 21:30, but if you intend to eat in the center of Vienna, you can stay late - here dinners stretch until 24:00. Night bars accept fun lovers until 01:00-02:00. The menu in tourist places is bilingual, that is, English-Austrian, however, at ski resorts popular with Russians, you can also find its variants on the “great mighty”.

Good to know: in many establishments in Austria, service is included in the bill, while no one will refuse a tip (trinkgeld). The standard amount of remuneration is 5-10% of the account.

Communication and Internet

There are many operators in the Austrian telecom market, but if you need a stable signal, please contact the A1 and T-Mobile offices. Those who are temporarily staying in cities should make friends with virtual operators, which have smaller reception areas, but lower prices, and also slip through hot promotions. It is convenient to purchase SIM cards in branded salons, grocery stores or at the post office, but all of them will be prepaid and require activation (a combination of numbers is entered). In addition, since 2019, all Austrian plates are registered, so be prepared to show your passport to the seller.

IN special occasions you can call home or call a taxi from a payphone. You will have to pay for communication with coins and phone cards, which can be found in the same place as the SIM cards themselves. By the way, if you like to save money, try to reschedule conversations for the evening - from 18:00 there is a reduced billing for calls. An internet package is easy to get along with a SIM card for calls. The main thing is to carefully read the conditions listed in the advertising booklet, because some companies have limited not only traffic, but also connection speed. Free Wi-Fi zones are available at train stations, cafes, shopping centers, as well as ski resorts.

shopping

Going to Austria for trendy new clothes is not only wrong, but rather inappropriate, because there are so many more seductive activities here. Gastronomy lovers will be the first to leave, because only convinced vegans can leave here without a package of ruddy waffles, hyperchocolate Sacher, marzipan Mozartkugel, apricot schnapps, icewein, coffee and cheese. However, local farmers also took care of supporters of a healthy diet - in any grocery department you will find 100% organic oil produced from giant pumpkins grown in Styria. Alpine salt, herbal tea and honey can also be considered as a reminder of a vacation, especially since such gifts are not very ruinous for a wallet.

Security

Law-abiding Austrians are very developed, so the maximum that can threaten a traveler is the possibility of losing the contents of their pockets, as well as cosmic fines for behavior and non-payment of tolls. As an example: driving with a hare, as well as racing on toll roads without a vignette and a receipt are punishable by a fine of 100-120 EUR. Smoking in public places is also an expensive pleasure, capable of freeing the bank account of an uninitiated tourist from several thousand euros.

Increased caution must also be observed in the Alps. Rockfalls, avalanches and landslides, although predicted by weather forecasters, sometimes take even such a prudent nation as the Austrians by surprise, therefore, when going hiking or snowboarding, always listen to the recommendations of guides and experienced climbers.

Customs and visa information

To overeat with strudel and walk around Schönbrunn, you will have to apply for a Schengen C-type visa. To obtain a coveted pass, a general Schengen package of documents is collected, attaching medical insurance with coverage from 30,000 EUR. There are no restrictions on the import of foreign currency, but amounts over 10,000 EUR are required to be declared.

Duty-free import applies to tobacco products (cigarettes - no more than 200 pieces, tobacco - up to 250 g, cigars - 50 pieces), alcohol (drinks with a strength of more than 22% - 1 l, less than 22% - 2 l, wine - 2 l , beer - 3 l) and medicines, if they have a prescription.

We allow the export of cigarettes (up to 1000 pcs.), Perfume (up to 250 ml), as well as wines and liquors in unlimited quantities. True, in the latter case, there is no point in being overly zealous - there are limits on alcohol from the Russian side. Objects of art and rarity at the Austrian customs will be allowed through only if there are certificates indicating that the purchased paintings and figurines are not part of the cultural heritage.

Transport

The most convenient and cheapest mode of transport for moving around Austria is trains. The trains run minute by minute, and you can get anywhere with them. For tourists traveling in the homeland of Mozart by rail, special Interrail Passes are issued, which can be purchased upon presentation of an identity card. Fans of nostalgic voyages on retro locomotives will be curious to appreciate the existing narrow-gauge railways of Zillertal, Murtau, Mariazell, Simmering and a dozen other old routes. Often in such tours to the past there are a lot of additional bonuses that vary depending on the region - somewhere passengers are allowed to “steer” a steam locomotive, and somewhere they trump luxurious imperial-style coupes.

Comfortable Flixbus and Eurolines buses travel around the main locations, resorts and between suburbs, where you can really use Wi-Fi and charge your smartphone. In winter, vehicles serving the mountainous regions of Austria also provide free transportation of sports equipment such as snowboards and skis. Taxis are available almost everywhere. Cars are equipped with meters, so drivers have no chance to cheat. In the summer months, it is also interesting to entertain yourself with a boat trip along the Danube (be sure to sail along the breathtaking Schlögen Loop) and lakes - Bodensee, Wolfgangsee, Zellersee and others.

In cities, buses, trams and, in some places, trolleybuses are engaged in transportation. There is a metro only in Vienna, electric trains are in it, and also in, and. Bicycles are also in demand - more than 1,000 km of bicycle paths have been laid in the capital of the state alone. You can rent a two-wheeled friend at hotels, bike shops, and also at CityBike parking lots. Proven places where you can organize an exciting bike trip are Styria (do not miss the country roads leading to wineries and the Mürztal riverbed), Upper Austria (paths trodden by Roman legionnaires), (Mozart Radweg cycle route) and Burgenland.

Rent a Car

To save money, it is recommended to book a car in advance. You can order a vehicle both in official representative offices and from intermediaries. At the same time, the age of the renter must be from 21 years old if a budget model is chosen, and from 25 years old if it is an expensive car. To conclude an agreement with a rental company, present an IDL (International Driving License) and a credit card (sometimes two if a luxury vehicle is rented).

Before signing the documents, study the section "Insurance". Serious offices include insurance against accidents, theft and civil liability to third parties in the price. Traffic rules in Austria are the same as in the rest of Europe. The speed limit in settlements is 50 km/h, beyond them – 100 km/h, on highways – 130 km/h. As for fines, there is no single tariff - each federal state has its own rates. In general, speeding, using a phone while driving (with a headset is allowed), and driving under the influence of alcohol are recognized as unreasonably expensive violations.

There are many highways in Austria, the movement on which is possible only after a monetary contribution has been made. A vignette pasted on glass (sold at gas stations) will suffice for most toll roads, but if you are planning to rush through the tunnels of Velbertauern, Gleinalm, Brenner, Katschberg, Tauern and Karawanke, you will need to part with a few more euros. You will also have to pay extra for the use of the Grossglockner, Maltatal, Timmelsjoch and Silvretta high-altitude roads. Some of them are listed as protected sightseeing and excursion routes, driving on which is allowed strictly in the summer months and in daylight.

, so those planning to storm snow-covered ski jumps and halfpipes should look for tickets from Austrian Airlines and Pobeda.

The official name is the Republic of Austria (Republik Osterreich, Republic of Austria). Located in the southern part of Central Europe. The area is 83.9 thousand km2. Population - 8.14 million people. (Estimated as of Ser. 2002). Official language- German. The capital is Vienna (1.6 million people). Public holiday - October 26 (since 1955). Monetary unit - euro (since 2002).

Member ok. 70 international organizations, incl. UN since 1955, EU since 1995, as well as the IMF, OECD, WTO, etc.

Sights of Austria

Geography of Austria

Coordinates extreme points countries: northern -15°1' east longitude and 49°1' north latitude; eastern - 17 ° 10 ' east longitude and 48 ° 0 ' north latitude; southern - 14°34' east longitude and 46°22' north latitude; western - 9°32' east longitude and 47°16' north latitude. The greatest length from north to south is 294 km, from west to east - 573 km. Austria has no access to the sea.

The total length of the borders is 2706 km. Austria borders 8 countries: Germany (466 km) and the Czech Republic (816 km) in the north, Slovakia (107 km) and Hungary (354 km) in the east, Slovenia (330 km) and Italy (430 km) in the south, Switzerland ( 166 km) and Liechtenstein (35 km) in the west.

Most of the country's territory is occupied by the Eastern Alps (62.8%). The highest peak is Grossglockner (3798 m). Along the Danube is a low-lying plain. In the east - the Styrian-Burgenland hilly plain.

Minerals: iron ore, oil, lead-zinc ores (Klagenfurt-Bleyberg), hard and brown coal (Styria, Upper Austria).

Podzolic and brown forest soils predominate, in the southeast - chernozem soils. In the mountains, stony, as well as mountain brown forest and mountain-meadow soils.

In Austria, different climatic zones coexist. In general, the country is characterized by a temperate continental climate, influenced by the Atlantic. In the foothills of the Carpathians, in the northern regions, the climate is more continental. The average temperature in July is approx. +19°C, January approx. 0°C. The average annual rainfall is 800 mm (much more in the western regions, 2100 mm in the mountains).

In Austria, the rivers of the Danube basin flow. The Austrian part of the Danube - 350 km, Mur - 348 km, Inn - 280 km. There are more than 500 relatively small lakes and two large ones on the territory of the country: on the border with Hungary - Neusiedler See (156.9 km2, the Austrian part - 135 km2), on the border with Germany and Switzerland - Constance (total - 538.5 km2) .

The country is rich in forests (47% of the entire territory). The Austrian flora is characterized by an oak-beech forest in the valleys, and at an altitude of more than 500 m - a beech-spruce mixed forest. Above 1200 m, spruce predominates, larch and cedar are found. Alpine meadows in the foothills.

The fauna is typical Central European. There are roe deer, hare, deer, pheasant, partridge, fox, marten, badger, squirrel. The surroundings of Lake Neusiedl are unique protected nesting sites for birds of various species. In the highlands of the Eastern Alps, the composition of the fauna is typically alpine.

Population of Austria

According to the 2001 census, the total population of Austria was 8.03 million people. There is almost no natural increase in the population in Austria: every year the number of births and deaths is almost the same. At the same time, both the birth rate and the death rate are declining in Austria: in 2001, 75.5 thousand were born, and 74.8 thousand died (by 9.3‰). A slight excess of births over deaths in last years provided at the expense of foreigners (+8.2 thousand against -7.5 thousand for the Austrians). Infant mortality 4.8 pers. per 1000 live births. Average life expectancy is 78.8 years, incl. 75.9 years for men and 81.7 years for women (2001). In 2001, there were 3,889,189 men and 4,143,737 women. 20% (including more than 7% - older than 75 years).

The ethnic composition of the population of Austria is homogeneous, approx. 98% are German-speaking Austrians. In addition, there are 6 recognized national minorities: Croats, Slovenes, Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians, Gypsies (a total of about 300 thousand people).

The number of foreigners according to the 2001 census is 707 thousand people. (8.8%), according to estimates - more than 760 thousand, of which 45% are citizens of the former Yugoslavia.

The spoken language is the Austrian dialect of German; There are many local dialects in the country.

According to the 2001 census, 73.6% of Austrians are Catholics, 4.7% are Protestants, 6.5% of the population belongs to other religious denominations (Islam - 4.2%, Orthodox Church - 2.2%, Judaism - 0.1 %; a total of 12 confessions are registered), 12% of the population do not identify themselves with any of the confessions (in 1991 there were only 8.6%).

History of Austria

During the era of the Great Migration of Peoples, the territory of Austria was invaded by various tribes, in clashes between which the foundations of the future national-territorial structure of the Austrian lands were laid. In the 6th c. German tribes (Bavarians) settle in western Austria, and Slavs (mainly Slovenes) settle in central and eastern Austria.

From the 10th c. in the Margraviate of Austria, the Bavarian dynasty of the Babenbergs established itself, making Vienna their residence. In 1156, under Margrave Henry II Jazomirgott, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa raised the status of a margraviate to a duchy, which was finally separated from Bavaria. This year is considered the year of the emergence of the Austrian state.

In 1246, the Babenberg dynasty ended, and after a short Czech rule, in 1278 the Austrian territories were captured by Rudolf I of Habsburg (originally from Swabia), who in 1282 transferred Austria and Styria to his two sons. This marked the beginning of the domination of the Habsburgs in Austria, which lasted until 1918. In the 14th century. Carinthia, Carniola and Tyrol were annexed to Austria. But until the end. 15th c. Austria remained fragmented into lands connected only by dynastic ties.

In the 16th century rapid economic development begins, primarily in the mining industry, controlled by the South German capital of the Fuggers and Hochstetters. At the same time, the offensive of the Ottoman Empire began in Southeastern Europe, and in 1529 the Turks laid siege to Vienna. In the 16-18 centuries. heavy Austro-Turkish wars are being waged. Violent forms took the clashes of supporters of the Reformation and counter-reformation. The anti-Habsburg Czech uprising of 1618-20 gave impetus to the all-European Thirty Years' War, which devastated all of Central Europe. In 1648, the Treaty of Westphalia was signed, according to which Austria ceded part of its territories to France. But in con. 17th-18th centuries Austria conquered vast new territories.

Maria Theresa (ruled 1740-80) introduced important economic and administrative reforms, strengthening the power of the center. The institution of the civil service was established, manufactories were encouraged, a policy of mercantilism and protectionism was pursued, the army and the general education system were reformed. Austria begins to acquire the glory of the "country of great musicians." The reform was continued by the son of Maria Theresa, Joseph II, but ran into strong resistance from the nobility.

The Napoleonic Wars turned into heavy military defeats, territorial losses and financial collapse for Austria. But by decision of the Congress of Vienna (1814-15), Austria regained part of what was lost. Economically backward feudal Austria under chancellor K. von Metternich became a stronghold of reaction in Europe.

From the beginning 19th century factory production is developing in the country, the first railway was built in 1822, and an agrarian reform was carried out in 1848. The foreign policy of Austria was unsuccessful. Having suffered defeat in the Austro-Prussian and Austro-Italian wars in 1866, Austria actually lost the status of a great European power. A multinational Austria-Hungary was formed in 1867, but this did not strengthen the position of the remaining purely reactionary monarchy. In foreign policy, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was under the complete influence of Germany.

After the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, thus starting World War I. The defeat in it led to the fall of the Habsburgs and the collapse of Austria-Hungary. November 12, 1918 Austria was proclaimed a republic. On October 1, 1920, the Constitution of the Republic was adopted, providing for federal structure states. But in 1929, changes were made to it, which soon led to authoritarian management.

In March 1938, the "Anschluss" took place - the annexation of Austria to Nazi Germany. How component Reich Austria took part in the 2nd World War. After its completion, Austria and Vienna, as a special district, were divided into four zones of occupation. In 1946–48, heavy industry was nationalized in the country, as well as three large banks. Since 1948, Austria has participated in the Marshall Plan.

On May 15, 1955, in Vienna, representatives of the four victorious countries and Austria signed the State Treaty on the restoration of an independent and democratic Austria. The occupation of the country was terminated, and on October 26, 1955, a law on the permanent neutrality of Austria was adopted. In the years " cold war» Vienna has become one of the centers of diplomatic efforts to defuse and establish cooperation between the West and the East. January 1, 1995 Austria became a member of the EU.

State structure and political system of Austria

Austria - democratic republic having a federal state structure. The Constitution was adopted by the Constitutional National Assembly on October 1, 1920. It enshrined the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens, the principles of equality, the rule of law, the separation of powers, and the separation of justice and administration.

Administrative division. The federation consists of 9 lands (the capital of the state, Vienna, is equated to the land).

The lands are divided into communities in which communal self-government is exercised.

The largest cities: Vienna, Graz (238 thousand people), Linz (203 thousand people), Salzburg (144 thousand people), Innsbruck (118 thousand people). The share of the urban population is 60%.

Principles government controlled. The constitution is based on the principle of representative democracy: all power comes from the people, who exercise it during elections and delegate it to the legislative, executive and judicial bodies.

Bills, which are mainly developed by the government, are discussed and adopted by the National Council by a majority vote with a quorum of 1/3 of the deputies (constitutional laws and regulations, as well as school laws - 2/3 of the votes).

With regard to the legislative process and management, they exercise multilateral control: political - the opposition, legal - the Constitutional Court of Justice, economic - the Accounts Chamber, for violations - the prosecutor's office.

The head of state is the federal president. He is elected for a term of 6 years (with the possibility of a single re-election) in popular direct equal elections by secret ballot.

The federal president performs mainly representative functions (primarily in the international legal sphere), accredits and appoints ambassadors, appoints and dismisses federal officials, incl. officers. Based on the results of parliamentary elections, he appoints the federal chancellor and, on his recommendation, other members of the government. He can dissolve National Council with the consent of the Bundesrat, dismiss the federal chancellor or the entire government (but not individual ministers), although in practice this has never happened. The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Federal President - Heinz Fischer (since July 8, 2004), former speaker of the National Council (parliament), who won the presidential election on April 25, 2004. His predecessors since 1945 were K. Renner, T. Körner, A. Scherf, F. Jonas, R .Kirchschleger, K.Waldheim, T.Klestil.

The highest body of legislative power and the body of popular representation is the bicameral Federal Assembly, consisting of the National Council (NC) and the Federal Council (Bundesrat). Joint meetings of the Federal Assembly are held when the president is sworn in and to decide whether to declare war. It may also call a referendum to remove the president.

Legislative functions are performed by the National Assembly (together with the Bundesrat), elected for 4 years in general direct elections by secret ballot. The leadership of the National Assembly is carried out by the President of the National Assembly, as well as the Second President of the National Assembly and the Third President of the National Assembly. These three presidents form the college and act as federal president when he is unable to do so.

Since February 2000, a "black-and-blue" coalition has been in power - the ANP and the APS. As a result of the November 24, 2002 elections, the parliament was formed with 183 deputies.

The second chamber of the Austrian Parliament is the Bundesrat. Its 64 members represent 9 federal states in proportion to their population (for example, Lower Austria - 12, and Vorarlberg and Burgenland - 3 each). Members of the Bundesrat are elected and delegated by the Landtags for 4 or 6 years. The Bundesrat can protest the law, and then the National Council votes again with a larger quorum. The president of the Bundesrat is elected in alphabetical order from each state for a period of six months. The supreme body of executive power is the federal government. Formed on February 28, 2003 from representatives of the ANP and the APS, the government consists of 11 federal ministries: social welfare, generations and consumer protection (Minister Vice-Chancellor H. Haupt, APS); foreign affairs; internal affairs; justice; national defense; finance; economy and labor; agriculture and forestry, environment and water management; health and women's affairs; transport, innovation and technology; education, science and culture.

The government is headed by the Federal Chancellor. He forms the cabinet and coordinates its work. When making decisions, the principle of unanimity applies. The chancellor must take into account the opinion of the vice-chancellor, whose role in the Austrian coalition government is great.

Since February 2000, Wolfgang Schüssel (ANP) has been Federal Chancellor. Among his predecessors, B. Kraisky (SPA, 1970–83) and F. Vranitzki (SPA, 1986–97) stand out.

Elections to all bodies of popular representation shall be universal, direct, free and equal by secret ballot. The right to vote is granted to all citizens who have reached the age of 18. Participation in presidential elections is mandatory. Elections to the National Assembly are held according to the proportional system (three-stage proportional system: 1 vote for a certain party list, inside the list - for a certain candidate in the regional and land constituencies). In the National Assembly there are parties that have won a regional mandate or received 4% of the vote throughout Austria. Citizens of other EU countries residing in Austria can also participate in local government elections.

The governments of the federal states are formed by the Landtags (land parliaments). They are led by Landeshauptmann (Prime Minister). The land government decides the most important issues as a collegiate body.

The main parties represented in the parliament: ANP (created in 1945 on the basis of the former Christian Social Party, chairman W. Schüssel), SPA (created in 1945 as the Socialist Party of Austria on the basis of the Social Democratic Party, since 1991 it is again called the Social Democratic Party , chairman A. Gusenbauer), APS (created in 1955 on the basis of the right-wing radical Union of Independents, chairman S. Riss-Passer), the recently created Green Party (chairman of Austria van der Bellen).

One of characteristic features Austrian political structure - a highly developed system of alliances and close cooperation between alliances of interests and the government.

The largest trade union organization is the Austrian Association of Trade Unions (AOP), founded in April 1945. It includes 16 branch trade unions. There is also the Federal Chamber of Labor.

Leading business organizations are the Economic Chamber of Austria and the Conference of Presidents of Agricultural Chambers.

If the AOP functions as a voluntary association, then membership in the chambers is mandatory. The chambers of labor include all workers and employees of the private sector, the chambers of commerce - all entrepreneurs (except agricultural, who are members of the agricultural chambers, and freelancers).

Austria has one of the most effective systems of social partnership, and it is not enshrined in the Constitution or in any law, but functions through the voluntary cooperation of unions.

Maintaining law and order and the rule of law are the main tasks of Austria's domestic policy. For many decades, the country supported social world(on the basis of a highly developed welfare state, but not least thanks to the system of social partnership and participation in management). Only in 2003, as a result of the planned pension reform, there were mass protests and strikes - for the first time in many decades.

Increasing in the 1990s the influx of refugees and immigrants led to the strengthening of right-wing radical and nationalist sentiments among a part of the Austrian society, which was expressed by the leader of the APS, J. Haider. The entry of his party into the federal government on February 4, 2000 caused a wave of protests at home and abroad and EU sanctions. On February 29, Haider resigned as chairman of the party. Nevertheless, the problem of right-wing radicalism has become one of the main ones for Austrian domestic politics.

The status of permanent neutrality and refusal to participate in military-political blocs set certain limits for Austria's foreign policy activity. This did not mean isolationism or "equidistance" from West and East, and did not prevent it from effectively integrating into the Western democratic community. In 1956 Austria became a member of the Council of Europe, and in 1960 - a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). 1970s were the highest point of the country's activity in the UN.

Even greater opportunities for using Austria's openness emerged after its accession to the EU in 1995. Since February 10, 1995, Austria has been participating in the NATO Partnership for Peace program. By signing the Amsterdam Treaty (1998), Austria actually agrees to participate in the common defense policy of the EU countries.

Central offices of a number of international organizations are located in Vienna, incl. IAEA, UNIDO, OPEC, and the OSCE Secretariat and Permanent Council.

Since the 1970s Austria pursued a policy of "active neutrality", promoting "diplomacy of contacts" (including between the leaders of the USSR and the USA), supporting political and military detente. In the 1980-90s. strengthened the European orientation of Austrian foreign policy. In the 1990s, the Austrian foreign policy in relation to the neighboring countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

The armed forces of Austria consist of ground and air forces. Their number is approx. 50 thousand people

Austria has diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation (renewed with the USSR in October 1945; first established on February 25-29, 1924; ceased in March 1938).

Economy of Austria

Austria is one of the most developed countries in Europe. GDP per capita in 2002 amounted to 24.7 thousand euros (in 1995 prices). This figure is constantly growing (in 1990 it was 20.1 thousand, in 1995 - 21.4 thousand euros), and in US dollars at current prices and at purchasing power parity in 2001 - 28.2 thousand (with an average of EU 25.5 thousand). Thus, Austria was ahead of Sweden, Great Britain, Italy, France, Germany, and was second only to Denmark, the Netherlands, Ireland and Luxembourg.

The volume of GDP in constant prices in 2002 amounted to 200.7 billion euros. GDP production per 1 employed person in 2001 (labor productivity) - 58.3 thousand euros.

The Austrian economy is comparatively different low level inflation (in 2002 - 1.8%) and unemployment (in 2000 - 3.7% of the able-bodied population, in 2002 - 4.3%). The consumer price index in 2002 to 1996 was 108.8, while in the EU as a whole it was 110.8.

Approximately 2.2% of GDP is produced in agriculture and forestry, 32.3% - in industry, energy and construction, 65.5% - in services, trade, transport and communications, banking and insurance systems.

The most important industrial sectors are engineering, food, chemical, pulp and paper, and metallurgical. In the automotive industry, the most important part is the production of engines (900 thousand units per year) and gearboxes, with the share of their exports over 90%. In the field of electronic technology, Austria has gained international recognition for its custom-made integrated circuits and chips. The production, mainly for export, of complex industrial equipment is becoming increasingly important.

The potential of hydroelectric power plants is constantly expanding, Austria is the largest producer of hydroelectric power in the EU. If in 1998 hydroelectric power plants produced 38.7 thousand GW (67.4% of all electricity produced in the country), then in 2000 - 43.5 thousand GW (70.5%). At the same time, in 2000 the country exported 15.1 GW and imported 13.8 GW.

Industrial production in 2002 increased by 32.9% compared to the level of 1995, with the largest increase observed in Carinthia (by 56.5%), while in Vienna it decreased by 3.6%. The growth in the production of investment goods over the same period was 56.5%, while consumer durables decreased by 0.5% (although in 2000 the index was 110.6). Clothing production fell by 2 times, but production in the tobacco industry increased by more than 2 times. The production index in mechanical engineering was 173.8, in electrical engineering - 203.0, in the production of vehicles and their components - 203.9. Especially rapid growth was observed in the production of office equipment and information processing devices - the index in 2002 to 1995 was 656, and in 2001 it was even higher - 699.

Despite the fact that the mountainous terrain is not suitable for agriculture, the use of modern farming methods makes it possible for Austria to provide 3/4 of the needs of the domestic agricultural market.

41% of the country's area is in agricultural use. Agricultural and forestry workers make up only 5% of the working population. IN agriculture there are strict regulations for the use of plant protection products and fertilizers. In Austria, 70% of enterprises using 90% of agricultural land participate in the national environmental program (on average in the EU - approx. 20%). More than 20 thousand farms produce environmentally friendly bio-products.

The length of railways is a little over 6 thousand km, of which more than half are electrified. The total length of highways is 133.4 thousand km, incl. more than 1600 km - high-speed roads. More than 4 million cars and approx. 350 thousand trucks. Inland waterways - 358 km. In passenger traffic, bus transport is the leader - 608 million people. in 2000, followed by rail - 183 million. In terms of freight traffic, road transport is more than 3 times higher than rail, but in terms of ton-kilometers, their indicators are approximately equal (in 2001, road - 17,556 million tkm, rail - 17,387 million tkm).

6 international airports: in Vienna, Salzburg, Graz, Innsbruck, Linz and Klagenfurt. The largest airline, Austrian Airlines, has 90 aircraft and carried 8 million passengers in 2000 (out of total number 15.6 million).

The length of oil pipelines is 777 km, gas pipelines - 840 km. Approx. 60 million tons of products.

Despite being landlocked, Austria has 10 merchant ships.

Communications are well developed in the country, approx. 30 companies. There are 4 million telephone points and 6 million mobile phones. Almost half of the population - 4 million people. - uses the Internet.

Austria is a highly industrialized country, but the majority of the population works in retail, banking, healthcare, education and tourism, the latter being one of the most profitable industries in the economy.

In 2002, the number of tourists amounted to 27.4 million, incl. 18.6 million - foreign. Gross tourism receipts in 2002 are estimated at 9.6 billion euros (which is almost 1.7 billion euros less than in 2001, although the number of tourists has increased).

In recent years, a number of important economic and political functions have been carried out to a greater or lesser extent by supranational state bodies (first of all, this applies to foreign trade and monetary policy). Nevertheless, at the national level, the Austrian government continues to implement important tasks economic and social policy.

A characteristic feature of the post-war development of Austria is the significant share of public sector enterprises in the industry. In 1986, the share of state-owned enterprises united in the Esterreichische Industriholding A.G. ("EIAG"), in the amount industrial production was approx. 30%, and in the total number of people employed in industry - 20%.

In 1987, the Austrian government adopted the EIAG "rehabilitation" program, aimed at the consistent privatization of promising and profitable enterprises and the elimination of inefficient industries. By 2000, the state retained only 2 enterprises in full ownership, and in the rest it retains equity participation, and the largest in the tobacco industry (more than 40%), in the Austrian Airlines company (39.7%), in the capital of the largest concerns in the black metallurgy (35-39%).

In economic policy in the 1990s. a line was drawn towards further reduction of the public sector, privatization, reduction of the direct participation of the state in economic activity, support for private entrepreneurship, shifting the center of gravity state regulation to improve the framework conditions for the activities of economic entities.

The coalition government of the ANP and APS, having proclaimed the slogan "govern in a new way", has outlined a program of reforms, which, to a certain extent, can lead to a gradual erosion of the social partnership system that has guaranteed social stability in society for decades.

The government pays great attention to the tasks of financial consolidation, reorganization of the country's budget, improvement of the financial situation of individual structures with direct or indirect participation of the state. The most important components of the government program are the implementation of the pension reform, which caused violent protests in the country, the consistent privatization of state property, the reform of the administrative and management sphere, the development of the national capital market, and the strengthening of the scientific potential of the economy.

Of particular importance is the comprehensive reform of the social security system. In Austria, social insurance is compulsory for all non-self-employed workers (except government officials). Employees and employers pay in equal shares numerous social contributions, from which the relevant social funds are formed: pension, medical, accident, unemployment insurance, contribution to compensation funds in case of bankruptcy of an enterprise, contribution to equalize the situation of families, assistance in housing construction and some others .

After 1999, the main functions of monetary regulation in connection with the formation of the Economic and Monetary Union were transferred to the European Central Bank (ECB). The National Bank of Austria is a member of the European System of Central Banks and implements policies formulated by the ECB. At the same time, the National Bank of Austria retains the functions of control over the payment turnover and the issuance of euro banknotes, and the management of its gold and foreign exchange reserves.

Credit institutions in Austria are very diverse. In terms of balance sheet value, the leading place is occupied by savings banks (38% of the total balance sheet value at the end of 2000), and in terms of the number of institutions and branches, Raiffeisenbanks (625 main institutions out of a total of 923 and 1,741 branches out of 4,556). In addition, there are joint-stock banks (second place in terms of balance sheet), construction savings banks, land mortgage banks, Volksbanks, and special banks. If in the 1980s the number of credit institutions grew, then in the 1990s it slightly decreased.

The share of GDP redistributed by the state is very large, although it has been declining slightly in recent years. If in 1990 total government spending, including social funds, amounted to 53.1% of GDP, then in 1993 it was 57.9%, but then decreased to 52.5% in 2000 and 52.3% in 2001.

The state budget deficit is practically constant (with the exception of 2001, when there was a surplus of +0.3% of GDP). But if in the beginning 1990s it fluctuated from -3 to -5.2%, then since 1997 it did not exceed -2.4%, and in 2002 it was -0.6%, i.e. the country complies with the Maastricht criteria for this indicator. However, the public debt, which until 1992 was less than 60% of GDP, then increased to 69.2% and now fluctuates at the level of 67-68% (or 146.5 billion euros, including 132.2 billion - federal debt) , exceeding the 60% limit set by the Maastricht Treaty.

Federal budget expenditures, according to preliminary data, in 2002 amounted to 61.8 billion euros, and revenues - 59.4 billion euros. Approximately 45% of income comes from taxes on income and property, 29.7% comes from turnover tax, 8% from excises. The main part of the expenditure is for the social sphere.

The government is implementing a tax reform in order to reduce the level of taxation of wages and other incomes of citizens and their families, while providing some tax benefits to entrepreneurs, as well as to simplify the tax system as a whole while tightening control over tax payments.

Austria has a developed system of social security and protection, which has two levels: compulsory insurance and state social help. While providing social stability and confidence, this system is nevertheless very expensive and requires - incl. and for demographic reasons, ever-increasing deductions. Therefore, if in 1990-2001 the total gross wages increased by 51%, then the net wages - by only 35% (at the same time, deductions in the form of payroll tax and social contributions doubled).

In 2001, the average nominal wage per 1 employee was 2,400 euros per month (gross), having increased by 41% compared to 1990 (net wages per 1 employee in 2001 amounted to 1,620 euros and increased compared to 1990 by 26.6 %).

A positive factor for the sustainability of the standard of living of the population is the low growth in prices for consumer goods and services; over the past 2 years, the price of tobacco products has increased the most (by 10.8%), and the least (by 1.1%) - for household electricity and home heating.

So far, unemployment in Austria is relatively low, but if the stagnation of the European economy drags on, it could rise significantly. The number of registered unemployed averaged 232.4 thousand people. The number of vacancies has decreased markedly. Among the unemployed, the proportion of people over 50 in 2002 was 48.4%. The number of job seekers for more than 1 year is only 5.5%, the average duration of registration at the labor exchange is 137 days.

An important role is played by external economic relations; Austria trades with 150 countries of the world.

Export of goods in 2002 was 77.3 billion euros (4.1% more than in 2001; in 2000 the growth was 15.6%, in 2001 - 6.5%). Cars, paper and cardboard, automobiles, ferrous metals are exported. Almost half of exports are consumer goods.

Import of goods in 2002 - 76.9 billion euros (2.2% less than in 2001; in 2000 the growth was 14.7%, in 2001 - 5%). Imports are predominantly finished products, with consumer goods accounting for half of the imports.

In 2002, there was a slight positive trade balance, while in previous years it was negative.

The vast majority of Austrian trade is with EU countries (60.2% of exports and 65.8% of imports). Germany is the main trading partner (its share in the trade turnover is 36.1%), followed by Italy, Switzerland, France, and Hungary by a wide margin. Trade with Eastern European countries is growing steadily: exports to these countries (excluding CIS countries) amounted to 13.5 billion euros (17.5%), while imports from them - 10.2 billion euros (13.2%).

Trade turnover between Austria and the Russian Federation has also been growing in recent years: from 1893 million euros in 2000 to 1985 million euros in 2002, however, imports from Russian Federation fell from 1,238 million to 1,032 million, and exports to the Russian Federation increased from 655 million to 953 million. The main exports from Austria to the Russian Federation are machinery, chemical products (primarily pharmaceuticals), paper and cardboard, steel pipes for oil production , energy carriers and metals are imported from the Russian Federation.

The balance of payments on current operations in Austria in 2002 was positive (both in goods and services). The balance of capital movements is more often negative or with a slight plus.

Foreign investment on the basis of reciprocity is granted national treatment in Austria. Established in 1983, the state specialized agency successfully supports the placement of foreign enterprises in Austria. The largest foreign investor is Germany (approx. 30% of investments).

Science and culture of Austria

The state system of school education in Austria was introduced as early as 1774; compulsory eight-year education was introduced in 1869, and nine years in 1962. After 4 years elementary school You can enroll in a primary school or a general education school of a higher level (gymnasium).

Universities in Austria provide both teaching and Scientific research. Access to the university is open to all residents of the country who have passed the matriculation examination. As in schools, university education is free for Austrians. Now there are 19 universities in Austria, incl. 7 - in Vienna. More than 220 thousand students study in them (the share of foreigners is more than 12%). In addition to universities, there are special higher schools, colleges, academies and other universities.

The Austrian Academy of Sciences, founded in 1847, is the largest non-university scientific institution in the country. She mainly does fundamental research. It includes the Institute for Comparative Behavior Research. K. Lorenz, International Institute applied system analysis, etc.

Altogether in Austria approx. 2,200 scientific institutions employing approximately 25,000 people. Austria is characterized by active participation in international scientific cooperation: it participates in more than 1000 research projects framework program of the EU.

Small Austria is a country of great scientists and entire schools, not only in the natural, but also in humanities. The Austrian school of economics is widely known (K. Menger, F. von Wieser, E. von Beem-Bawerk), liberal theorist L. von Mises, psychologist Z. Freud, economist J. Schumpeter, laureates Nobel Prize F. von Hayek and K. Lorenz.

In the field of culture, Austria is associated with music. However, it also has deep traditions in the field of literature. Even in the 12th-13th centuries. Austria became one of the centers of literary creativity thanks to Walter von der Vogelweide and the Nibelungenlied. In an era closer to us, the literary glory of Austria was created by S. Zweig, who lived in Prague (then in Austria-Hungary) R. M. Rilke and F. Kafka, R. Musil.

The country has many architectural monuments of different eras and styles, starting from the 11th century. But special meaning has a baroque, still reflecting the inner essence of the Austrians.

In the field of fine arts, artists G. Klimt, E. Schiele and O. Kokoschka gained world fame.

But music is still the most important of all the arts in Austria. The traditions of the "Viennese classics" - J. Haydn, W. A. ​​Mozart, L. van Beethoven - were continued and developed by F. Schubert, A. Bruckner, J. Brahms, G. Mahler, and already in the 20th century. in the new musical aesthetics - A. Schoenberg, A. Berg, A. Webern. In the 2nd floor. 19th century the Viennese operetta was developed (J. Offenbach, J. Strauss, F. Legar, etc.).

In 1869 the Vienna Opera theatre, which was led by G. Mahler, R. Strauss, K. Böhm, G. von Karajan. The Salzburg Music Festival, held since 1920, is of great cultural importance.

Austrian museums are famous, especially the Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Natural History Museum, the world's largest collection of Albertina graphics, the Austrian Gallery (in the Belvedere Castle) and many others.

Napoleon Bonaparte in 1799 proclaimed himself emperor of France and the Austrians were his implacable enemies at first.

In 1805, the famous battle of Austerlitz took place, which was also called the “battle of the three emperors”. The allied army of Austria and Russia suffered a crushing defeat from the French. Emperors Franz II and Alexander I fled the battlefield, Field Marshal Kutuzov was wounded.

However, Mikhail Illarionovich still had a chance to rehabilitate himself when the Austrian generals no longer indicated to him, and revenge was taken at Borodino.

Austria was forced to make peace with Napoleon with the loss of a large number of territories. Later, in 1811, an Austrian-French military alliance was concluded and Austria officially entered the war with Russia on the side of Napoleon.

The Austrians participated in the Patriotic War of 1812 with a corps of 30,000 men under the command of General Schwarzenberg. He proved to be a master at imitating violent activity.

After Napoleon's defeat in Russia in 1812, his defeats continued. In 1814, they lost all territories except France itself, and the combined army took Paris, and Bonaparte went into exile on the island of Elba.

It was in Vienna that a congress of representatives of European countries was held, where new borders on the continent were discussed. This meeting went down in history as the "Congress of Vienna", and according to its results, Austria returned all the lost lands. The Austrian Empire became big and strong again.

We got too carried away with wars and forgot about one thing important event which took place in January 1756. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg. This is the symbol of Austria, which is depicted on, and candies and liquor named after him are the most popular.

One of the most brilliant composers and performers of his time lived precisely in Austria, first in Salzburg, and then in Vienna. The great musician died at the age of 36 from an illness, and all the legends about the poisoning of his Salieri have no evidence.

The next historical event took place in 1848, when the real bourgeois revolution. The Austrian empire was not homogeneous, many regions had broad autonomies, parts of the empire began to adopt their own constitutions, and the country was close to collapse.

The situation was saved by Emperor Franz Joseph I, who, with the help of Russia, suppressed uprisings in Hungary, and, using cunning political moves, transformed Austrian Empire to a centralized state. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was very peculiar, the emperor was the sole ruler, but both parts of the empire had their own parliaments and even budgets. The empire was the absolute champion in the number of officials, which led to discontent among the population.

Kaiser Franz, aka Emperor Franz Joseph I was perhaps the most famous ruler of Austria. His reign lasted for 68 years. He became the first Austro-Hungarian emperor. The second and last was his cousin Charles I.

Unfortunately, this period of history cannot be called successful, the war with Prussia was lost in 1866, and Austria finally lost hope for the status of the leader of the German peoples.

The city of Vienna at this time, on the contrary, experienced a cultural dawn. It was during this period that the most interesting buildings appeared here: the building of the opera and the university.

In 1914, in the city of Sarajevo in Bosnia, a Serbian student Danilo Princip shot the heir to the Austrian throne Franz Ferdinand with a pistol. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia and World War I began. The peoples of the empire did not experience the joy of war. Czechs, Hungarians and Croats did not want to fight and die for Austria and willingly surrendered. This situation is especially interesting in the novel by Yaroslav Hasek "The Adventures of the Good Soldier Schweik".

According to the form of the state-territorial structure, Austria is a federation, which includes 9 lands.

The main legislative act of the country is the Constitution of 1920; in 1929 it underwent significant changes and since that time it has been called the "Federal Constitutional Law of 1920 as amended in 1929". Its action was terminated in 1934 with the establishment of the fascist regime in the country and restored in 1945. On May 1, 1945, the Constitution came into force again. According to the form of government, Austria is a parliamentary republic. The political regime is democratic.

One of the essential features of the Austrian Constitution is the fragmentation of the legal foundations. Along with the Federal Constitutional Law of 1920, a number of other constitutional laws are in force. In addition, constitutional provisions are contained in many ordinary laws. Such, for example, are the constitutional provisions of the 1965 Citizenship Law, the Law on Political Parties, on the Neutrality of Austria (the law declared Austria a zone of permanent neutrality and prohibited the entry into military alliances and the deployment of foreign military bases on the territory of Austria) Republic of Austria. Constitution and legislative acts. - M., "Progress", 1985.

The prescriptions of constitutional laws were subsequently included directly in the text of the Federal Constitutional Law of 1920. However, even today, the current Austrian Constitution is not a single act, but a series of constitutional acts and constitutional provisions incorporated into ordinary laws.

The constitution is divided into several sections that characterize the political structure and state system of Austria. There is also a section on general provisions. These provisions consolidate the status of Austria as a democratic state, declare the equality of citizens before the law, give descriptions of the state emblem and flag, etc. After Austria's accession to the European Union, clauses were added to this section that determine the procedure for Austria's participation in the EU bodies.

The President of the country is elected by direct popular vote for a six-year term. A majority vote is required for election; if no candidate obtains a majority, a second ballot is called with the participation of the two leading candidates. The President is given important powers of authority; he may issue decrees having the force of law.

The legislative power of the federation is exercised by a bicameral Federal Assembly. The main chamber - the National Council (Nationalrat) is elected in accordance with the principle of proportional representation on the basis of equal, direct suffrage by secret ballot. The Chamber consists of 183 members, its term of office is 4 years. The second chamber - the Federal Council (Bundesrat), which consists of 63 people - is the representative body of the lands. The most important issues of the chamber are discussed together. Such an event was called the Bundesversammlung.

The supreme administration of the country is entrusted to the Federal Government. It consists of the chancellor - the head of government, the vice-chancellor and other ministers, the number of which is not constant. The Chancellor is appointed by the Federal President, the other ministers by the President on the advice of the Chancellor. Only persons who have the right to be elected to the National Council are nominated for these posts.

Currently, the main source of law in Austria are legislative and other regulations. decisive role in legal regulation belongs in Austria to federal law. Issues of civil and criminal law, the judiciary and the judicial process are resolved exclusively by federal laws.

Ensuring the legality of the entire state administration is entrusted to the Administrative Court. The administrative court considers complaints against decisions of the governing bodies, against abuses of power that have caused damage to a citizen, and on other issues. The court accepts complaints only after the applicant has exhausted all the possibilities of appealing to the administrative authorities. The members of the Administrative Court are appointed from judges (at least 1/3 of the staff) and experienced civil servants, necessarily representing the various lands of Austria. Cases are considered, as a rule, in panels of 5 judges, sometimes - from 3 or 9.

The Supreme Court heads the system of general courts. It is the highest instance in civil and criminal cases, considers cassation complaints.

There are currently about 17 active political parties in Austria. However, the most significant are the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SDPA), the Austrian People's Party (ANP), the Austrian Freedom Party (APS).

Austria located in Central Europe. In the north it borders with Germany and the Czech Republic, in the east - with Hungary and Slovakia, in the south - with Italy and Slovenia, in the west - with Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Has no access to the sea. Most of the territory is occupied by the Alps and their foothills, highest point- Mount Grossglockner (3797 m).

The name Austria comes from the ancient German Ostarrichi - "eastern country".

Official name: Republic of Austria

Capital:

Territory area: 83.8 sq. km

General population: 8.3 million people (2009)

Administrative division: It consists of 8 federal lands and the capital district equated to them.

Form of government: Republic, with a federal state structure.

Head of State: President, elected for 6 years by popular vote.

Composition of the population: 90% of the population are Austrians. About 9% are from other countries: Yugoslavs (35%), Turks (20%) and Bosnians (10%). In addition, small groups of Croats, Hungarians (Burgenland), Slovenes (southern Carinthia), Czechs and Gypsies live in the country.

Official language: German. Most people working in the tourism industry understand and speak English. In the border areas they speak: Hungarian, Slovenian, Croatian, Czech, Italian.

Religion: 78% Roman Catholic, 5% Protestant, 4.5% other faiths, 9% undecided.

Internet domain: .at

Mains voltage: ~220 V, 50 Hz

Phone country code: 43

Country barcode: 900-919

Country Description

Austria is an Alpine country in the heart of Europe. Here you will find diverse landscapes, amazing animals and vegetable world. Austria is proud of its history, and today's eventful cultural life attracts tourists from all over the world. The Austrians greet their guests in a friendly way. Austrian hospitality has become a tradition.

Climate

The climate in Austria is temperate, mid-continental. On the northern slopes of the Alps, winters are characteristic of the continental climate, and summers are quite hot. In the south of the country the climate is almost Mediterranean. Snow in the mountains in some places lies 7-8 months a year.

There are three climatic zones on the territory of Austria:

East of Austria

The continental climate prevails here, which is characterized by a relatively small amount of precipitation (about 800 mm), warm, long summers (in mid-July - above + 19 ° C), rather cold winters, a significant difference between day and night, as well as summer and winter temperatures. .

West of Austria - intraalpine regions

The local climate, defined as alpine, is characterized by high rainfall, short summers and long winters.

Central Austria

Here the climate is transitional - moderately humid, Central European. The average temperature in mid-June is +14°С, +19°С.

The average January temperature is from -1°С to -5°С, in summer - +15°С, +18°С, in the south +25°С, + 27°С.

Geography

The Republic of Austria is a continental state located in the southern part of Central Europe and occupying part of the Eastern Alps and territories along the Danube River. The country is quite close to the Mediterranean region. In Austria, natural, climatic and vegetation zones are closely intertwined. Due to its geographical position, Austria has long been a crossroads transport routes connecting the most important European centers of economy and culture.

Austria is a federal state with an area of ​​83.858 sq. km, including nine federal states: Burgenland, Vienna, Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Carinthia, Vorarlberg.

Austria borders on Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia and Italy. The length of the state borders of Austria with these countries is 2,706 km, of which 816 km with Germany, 466 km with the Czech Republic, 107 km with Slovakia, 354 km with Hungary, 330 km with Slovenia, 430 km with Italy, 166 km with Switzerland and 35 km with Liechtenstein.

The highest mountain in Austria is Grossglockner (3797 m), the most important river is the Danube (about 350 km flows through Austria).

Flora and fauna

Vegetable world

The variety of relief and climate determines the richness of vegetation types. Vegetation zones in flat and hilly areas basically coincide with climatic ones. For Central European, widespread in Austria, oak-beech forests are characteristic, and above 500 m - beech-spruce forests. Above 1,200 m, spruce dominates, larch and European cedar pine occur.

Austria is one of the richest countries in Europe with forests, they cover about 46% of its territory. In many areas of the Alpine foothills, arable land has replaced forests. Especially on the northern alpine slopes, at an altitude of about 600 m, high mountain pastures - "alms" prevail. Pannonian vegetation is characterized by shrubs, mixed deciduous forest and heather steppe. To the east of the Neusiedler See in Burgenland, the specific flora of the saline steppe predominates.

Animal world

Austria is characterized by the Central European fauna: roe deer, deer, hare, pheasant, partridge, fox, bursuk, marten, squirrel. Typical representatives of the Alpine fauna are the chamois, the marmot, the mountain jackdaw and the newly introduced ibex. The fauna of the Pannonian lowland is characterized by an abundance of birds, in particular, in the coastal reeds of the only steppe lake in Central Europe Neusiedler See (purple heron, colonies of spoonbills and avocets).

Attractions

Culture and museums in Austria

Many museums in Austria are dedicated to famous musicians. These are two house-museums of Mozart in Salzburg, the house of Brahms in Mürzzuschlag and many memorials in Vienna, including four house-museums of Beethoven. Austria has a large number of architectural monuments - cathedrals, palaces, castles and monasteries. The main artistic treasures are collected in the museums of Vienna: Schönbrunn - the residence of the Austrian emperors, the Albertina Gallery and the Kunsthistorisches Museum. See all the sights of Austria, as well as excursions in Austria in the new catalogs of excursions and attractions.

Vienna: historic center

Here are: the square "Am hof" - "At the Court", the church "Am hof" or the Church of the Nine Angelic Choirs, the oldest church in Vienna - the Church of St. St. Stephen with the famous cathedral after which it is named, the Albertina Museum, which stores 200,000 original works of art and much more.

The summer residence of the Habsburgs is also among the must-sees. Like Peterhof and Versailles, this is an ensemble that combines architecture and nature, where the park becomes an extension of the palace. An exhibition of crews is open in Schönbrunn. The French park is adorned with mythological sculptures and topped by the Neptune Fountain at the foot of the hill. You can visit the summer palace theatre, as well as several museums and a zoo.

Prater

The symbol of the Prater and one of the symbols of Vienna is the Riesenrad, a giant ferris wheel built in 1896-97 by the English engineer Walter Basset for the Vienna World Exhibition. Rising in one of its carriages to a height of about 65 meters, you can capture the panorama of Vienna with your eyes. There is a lot of entertainment here for any age - the "road of horrors", a carousel, shooting galleries, modern attractions with breathtaking speed and upheavals in the air.

Boxing ring

On the boulevard, which has its own "ring-strassenstil", there interesting buildings: Neo-Gothic Rathaus - Vienna City Hall, Greek-style Parliament, the most famous drama theater in Vienna - Burgtheater, Vienna's musical Mecca - Staats Oper, where in February the most famous Austrian ball - Opernball, art-historical and natural-historical museums and several parks .

Hundertwasser House

There are almost no straight lines in the architecture of this house. Uneven floors and flights of stairs symbolize forest and mountain paths, while curved, unevenly plastered and painted walls resemble curtains. In the interior decoration of the walls and floors of the house, there are natural motifs in the form of applications, and earth is poured on all the flat elements of the building and plants are planted.

Underground lake Seegrotte - the largest underground lake in Europe

As a result of natural transformations in the south of Lower Austria, one of the most impressive natural monuments on Earth has arisen. This is the Seegrotte underground lake in the town of Hinterbruhl. And it all started in 1912. During blasting in the Hinterbrühl gypsum mine, more than 20 million liters of water were expelled from the so-called "water bag". Water rushed into the passages and adits. As a result of this "water exodus", the largest underground lake in Europe appeared. Work at the mine was stopped, the mine was closed. Only in the 30s. XX century, an international team of speleologists rediscovered the underground lake, describing the unique underwater world, the play of water and soil, which together created a breathtaking spectacle.

Admired by what they saw, the experts took the initiative and made it possible for everyone to discover this rare attraction. In 1932, access to the underground lake was opened for the first time, then as an overview of the mine. And from the very first day Seegrotte has become the number one attraction for tourists. Last year alone, 250,000 people from all over the world went there.

Ancient Austria - Carnuntum Archaeological Park

One of the most interesting sights in Austria is the Carnuntum Archaeological Park, located between Vienna and Bratislava. On the territory of the municipal districts of Petronell-Carnuntum and Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, at the intersection of ancient trade routes, right on the southern bank of the Danube, there was once the capital of the Roman province of Upper Pannonia - the city of Carnuntum. Here you will get acquainted with the history of Carnuntum, learn about the museums and annual performances taking place in this archaeological park.

Banks and currency

Since 01.01.2002 in Austria, as in all EU countries, the euro has been used as a means of payment, and shillings have lost the role of the national currency. Banknotes of denominations were put into circulation: 5, 10, 20, 50,100,200, 500 euros, coins of 1.2, 5.10, 20.50 cents, as well as 1 and 2 euros.

Austrian banking hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday (8:00-12:00 and 13:30-15:00), and on Thursday from 8:00 to 12:30 and from 13:30 to 17: thirty.

Useful information for tourists

There are 2 tourist seasons - summer (July-August) and winter (Christmas). Best time to visit Vienna - late spring and early autumn. The ski season lasts until mid-April. To use the ski lifts, you need to purchase single or one-day tickets (there are several categories) or more profitable “ski passes” for several days (for valid more than 10 days, a photo is required).

Tourist plastic cards provide free travel in any form of public transport, free (or cheaper) visits to museums and excursions, all kinds of discounts.

Free maps of Vienna, transport routes, excursion programs and brochures, including in Russian, can be obtained at the Vienna-Turismus office on Albertinaplatz.

Tipping is 5% of the order value, in large restaurants it is customary to leave 10% of the bill. The waiter will definitely return the change on the bill, and after that, in the same napkin, you need to give him a tip. You can leave small coins in the bar and cafe. Tipping is not given in street cafes. It is customary for a taxi driver to pay 10% over the counter, you can simply not take a change from change.