Austria, map of Austria

August 08, 2007

Brief information about the country

Оfficial name: Republic of Austria

Location: A state in the centre of Europe. It borders on Czech republic in the north, in the north-east — on Slovakia, in the east — on Hungary, in the south — on Slovenia, Italy and Swiss, in the west — on Lichtenstein, Swiss and Germany.

Сapital city: Vienna

Big cities: Graz, Linz, Saltsburg, Innsbruck.

The area: 83 871 sq.km.

Population: 8,26 mln. people. The largest ethnic group - German-speaking Austrians - around 88,6 % of the population.

Climate: Moderate, semi-continental. The average temperature in January -1 up to -5 С, аnd in Summer 15-18 С, and in the South –up to 25-27 С. In the highlands snow lies up to 7-8 months.

Official language: German

Political structure: Federative republic. There are 9 federal areas in Austria: Burgenland (administrative centre - Eisenstadt), Vienna, Upper Austria - Oberosterreich (Linz), Saltsburg (Saltsburg), Каrnten (Кlagenfurt), Niederosterreich (Sankt-Poeltic), Tirol (Innsbruck), Forarlberg (Bregenz), Steiermark (Graz). The head of the country is the president, elected for 6 years. The government is led by the chancellor. The members of the government are appointed by the president.

Austria is a member of the EU from the 1st of January 1995. And it is included into the Schengen zone as well.

Time: 2 hours behind the Moscow time.

How to get there: There are flights from Moscow to Vienna with the «Аeroflot» airlines and Аustrian Airlines. There is a train from the Byelorussian train station to Vienna.

Currency: Euros (the exchange rate on the 2nd of August 2007: 1 Euro = 34,9774 Rubles)

Religion: 73,6% of Austrians - Catholics, 4,7% - Protestants, 6,5% of the population refers to another religious confessions.

Holidays:
1 anuary - New Year
6 January - Three Hallowers
1 May - Easter Monday
15 August - Ascension, Whit Monday, Assumption
26 October - National Day
1 November - Halloween
25 December - Christmas
26 December - St. Stephan’s day

Map of Austria