• Nem Talált Eredményt

Native name(s):

Republik Österreich

Capital city and population (million):

Vienna 1.6

Language(s):German + Hungarian and Croatian (in Burgenland), Slovenian (in Carinthia and Styria)

Country’s population (million): 8.2 Currency: 1 Euro = 100 cents Territory (sq kms): 87 871 Administrative division

Region: Bundesland Seat Region: Bundesland Seat

Burgenland Eisenstadt Steiermark (Styria) Graz

Kärnten (Carinthia) Klagenfurt Tirol Innsbruck

Niederösterreich (Lower Austria) Sankt Pölten Vorarlberg Bregenz Oberösterreich (Upper Austria) Linz Wien (Vienna, Capital City Region) Wien

Salzburg Salzburg

Geography

Half of the country’s territory is occupied by the high mountain ranges of the Alps, and one third is covered with hills. The rest is plains, along the north-east border (Burgenland) and along the river Danube’s valley in the north (Lower Austria). The main river is the Danube.

Economy

The traditional branch of the Austrian economy is mining salt (the name of the famous historical, touristic and musicians’ town of Salzburg also refers to it). Another resource for mining is magnezite needed for fireproof tiles and bricks. The magnezite deposits of Austria are significant in a global sense as well. The main source of energy production is hydroenergy, since 70 % of the country’s energy demand is covered by this pure, non polluting source of energy. The geographic environment of Austria (high mountains with rapid and abundent rivers) is very favourable for water-based energy production. However, Austria has to import crude oil and natural gas for energy supply.

Because of the mountainous regions wood and paper industry is traditionally well developed.

Metallurgy (steel and alauminium production) is based on imported iron and bauxite ore.

Engineering produces cars and electronic equipments.

Agriculture is not too important as far as cropland cultivation is concerned: it is limited to the small area of plains. Animal husbandry, cattle breeding and dairy industry have long traditions on the slopes of the hills and mountains.

The most important branch of economy is, however, tourism both in summer and winter. The many landscape beauties and winter sport facilities make Austria one of the most frequent touristic destinations in Europe. The capital city (Vienna) is the most important regional centre of Central Europe. It had been the seat of the large European empire of the Habsburg Dinasty for centuries, and today it is very rich in historical landmarks, famous buildings, monuments and cultural attractions.

Agriculture Industry Services

Austrian economy is shown to be well developed in the employment structure

Administration

Austria is a federal republic, with 9 regions (bundesland) fairly independent from the central government in local legislation and finances.

Society

The majority (85 %) of the Austrians are Roman Catholics. There are very few national minorities (Italians, Slovenians and Hungarians) living in Austria. The larger half of the population dwell in urban ares. The local Austrian population, with the exeption of Vienna which is an international and open city, is very closed, foreigners are not welcome to integrate easily. Yet, there is a large number of foreign employees coming mainly from the Balkan countries, South Europe (Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia, Albania and Turkey).

Landmarks

Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, the Opera House and the Burg (Royal Castle) = Famous and frequented historic imperial monuments in the heart of Vienna.

Prater = The Town Park and amusement park of Vienna.

Ice wine = Made from a type of white grapes picked after the first frosts, and grown in Burgenland in the north-east part of the country on the hills by Lake Neusiedler See (lake).

Wiener schnitzel = Pork chop fried in breadcrumbs, the most typical Austrian food.

Croissant = A kind of biscuit in the shape of a half Moon, in memory of the Battle of Vienna against the Turkish troops in the Middle Ages. (Half Moon is the national symbol of the Turks.) Also, coffee (brought to Europe by the Turks) spred from Vienna all over Europe, for the first cafés were opened here.

Dachstein = A high range of the Alps, the central peak of which is visited by tourists, travelling up by cable car. There is the ’Skywalk’ a frequented view-point, and several glaciers for skiers in summer, too.

New Year’s Concert = The Vienna Philharmonical Orchestra traditionally gives a concert on New Year’s Day that is broadcast all over the world. Austria is the land of classical music, with composers like the Strauss brothers, Mozart and Schubert.

Gross Glöckner = the highest (3797 m) peak in the Austrian Alps and a large glacier.

Hohe Tauern = High ~, the highest range of the Alps east of the Brenner Pass, includes the highest mountains in Austria.

Yodel = Traditional Alpine song of very rapid and high voices.

Edelweiss = Small white flower symbolizing the wildlife of the Alp Mountains.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Austria:

 The Historic Centre of Salzburg owes much of its Baroque appearance to Italian architects. It is a place of arts, especially music, as it used to be the residence of Mozart, the great Austrian composer of music.

 The Historic Centre of Vienna is rich in architectural ensembles, including Baroque castles and gardens, the late-19th-century Ringstrasse lined with grand buildings, monuments and parks.

 The Schönbrunn Palace was the residence of the Habsburg emperors and is full of outstanding examples of Baroque decorative art with its gardens and the site of the world’s first zoo from 1752.

 The Historic Centre of Graz and Schloss Eggenberg is an exemplary model of the living heritage of a Central European urban complex.

 The Wachau Cultural Landscape is a stretch of the Danube Valley between Melk and Krems, a landscape of high visual quality.

 The Hallstatt – Dachstein Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape as an Alpine region is an outstanding example of a natural landscape of great beauty which contains evidence of a fundamental human economic activity.

The Semmering Railway is a 41 km long mountain rail built between 1848 and 1854, with high standard of tunnels, viaducts and other works has ensured the continuous use of the line up to the present day.

 The Lake Neusiedl is the westernmost large alkali lake in Europe and has been the meeting place of different cultures in its varied landscape, which is the result of an evolutionary and symbiotic process of human interaction with the physical environment.

Belgium (Belgique / België)

National flag Official name Coat of arms