Moving to Austria: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

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Population

8,967,982

Population Growth Rate

0.3%

Population Distribution

the northern and eastern portions of the country are more densely populated

nearly two-thirds of the populace lives in urban areas

Urban Population

• population: 59.5% of total population rate of
• urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change

Population in Major Urban Areas

1.975 million VIENNA (capital)

Population: Male/Female

• male: 4,392,898
• female: 4,575,084

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Age Structure

• years: 14.1% (male 648,639/female 616,334) 15-64
• years: 64.7% (male 2,904,587/female 2,898,339) 65 years and
• over: 21.2% (male 839,672/female 1,060,411)

Median Age

• total: 44.9 years
• male: 43.6 years
• female: 46.3 years

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

9

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

9.9

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

1.52

Gross reproduction rate

1

Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49

79%

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 12-49

79%

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

58.7%

Mean Age for Mother's First Birth (age 25-49)

29.7

Mother's mean age at first birth

29.7

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

• birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14
• years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64
• years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and
• over: 0.79 male(s)/female total
• population: 0.96 male(s)/female

Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

3.5

Ethnic Groups

Austrian 80.8%, German 2.6%, Bosnian and Herzegovinian 1.9%, Turkish 1.8%, Serbian 1.6%, Romanian 1.3%, other 10%

Language Note

German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in southern Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3%

Nationality Noun

• noun: Austrian(s)
• adjective: Austrian

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

5.1%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

• total: 16 years
• male: 16 years
• female: 16 years

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Life Expectancy at Birth

• population: 82.7 years
• male: 80.1 years
• female: 85.4 years

Infant Mortality Rate

• total: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

• total: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births

5

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

5.29

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

7.3

Health Expenditures - percent of GDP

11.5%

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.1%

Tobacco Use

• total: 26.4%
• male: 27.7%
• female: 25%

Alcohol consumption per capita

• total: 11.9 liters of pure alcohol
• beer: 6.3 liters of pure alcohol
• wine: 3.7 liters of pure alcohol
• spirits: 1.9 liters of pure alcohol other
• alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

• improved: urban: 100% of population
• rural: 100% of population
• total: 100% of population

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

• improved: urban: 100% of population
• rural: 100% of population
• total: 100% of population

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Economic Overview

Austria is a well-developed market economy with a skilled labor force and a high standard of living.

It is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's, but also to the United States, its third-largest trade partner.

Its economy features a large service sector, a sound industrial sector, and a small, but highly developed agricultural sector.

Austrian economic growth strengthen in 2017, with a 2.9% increase in GDP.

Austrian exports, accounting for around 60% of the GDP, were up 8.2% in 2017.

Austria’s unemployment rate fell by 0.3% to 5.5%, which is low by European standards, but still at its second-highest rate since the end of World War II, driven by an increased number of refugees and EU migrants entering the labor market.

Austria's fiscal position compares favorably with other euro-zone countries.

The budget deficit stood at a low 0.7% of GDP in 2017 and public debt declined again to 78.4% of GDP in 2017, after reaching a post-war high of 84.6% in 2015.

The Austrian government has announced its plans to balance the fiscal budget in 2019.

Several external risks, such as Austrian banks' exposure to Central and Eastern Europe, the refugee crisis, and continued unrest in Russia/Ukraine, eased in 2017, but are still a factor for the Austrian economy.

Exposure to the Russian banking sector and a deep energy relationship with Russia present additional risks.

Austria elected a new pro-business government in October 2017 that campaigned on promises to reduce bureaucracy, improve public sector efficiency, reduce labor market protections, and provide positive investment incentives.

Industries

Construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$47,900.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

1.4%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$4,611,200,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$47,900.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

1.4%

GDP - official exchange rate

$387,300,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• Consumption: 52.7% Government
• Consumption: 20% Investment in Fixed
• Capital: 22.8% Investment in
• Inventories: 0.4% Exports of Goods and
• Services: 53.1% Imports of Goods and
• Services: -49%

GDP by Sector- agriculture

1.3%

GDP by Sector- Industry

28.1%

GDP by Sector- services

70.6%

Industrial Growth Rate

1.4%

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Inflation Rate

0.9%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

0.9214

Currency Name and Code

Euro (EUR)

Fiscal Year

Calendar Year

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

1.8%

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Labor Force

3,944,000

Unemployment Rate

6.1%

Major Industries

Construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism

Agriculture Products

• Grains, potatoes, wine, fruit
• dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry
• lumber and other forestry products

Population Below Poverty Line

4%

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Labor Force By Occupation- agriculture

0.7%

Labor Force By Occupation- industry

25.3%

Labor Force By Occupation- services

74%

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Annual Budget

$187,300,000,000 (USD)

Public Debt (% of GDP)

85.8%

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

-1.4%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

48.4%

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Full Country Name

Republic of Austria

Country Name

Austria

Local - Long

Republik Oesterreich

Local - Short

Oesterreich

Etymology- history of name

• the name Oesterreich means "eastern realm" and dates to the 10th century
• the designation refers to the fact that Austria was the easternmost extension of Bavaria, and, in fact, of all the Germans
• the word Austria is a Latinization of the German name

Independence

• no official date of independence: 976 (Margravate of Austria established)
• 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded)
• 6 January 1453 (Archduchy of Austria acknowledged)
• 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed)
• 30 March 1867 (Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy established)
• 12 November 1918 (First Republic proclaimed)
• 27 April 1945 (Second Republic proclaimed)

National Holiday

National Day (commemorates passage of the law on permanent neutrality), 26 October (1955)

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Government Type

federal parliamentary republic

Constitution

• history: several previous; latest adopted 1 October 1920, revised 1929, replaced May 1934, replaced by German Weimar constitution in 1938 following German annexation, reinstated 1 May 1945
• amendments: proposed through laws designated "constitutional laws" or through the constitutional process if the amendment is part of another law; approval required by at least a two-thirds majority vote by the National Assembly and the presence of one-half of the members; a referendum is required only if requested by one-third of the National Council or Federal Council membership; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote; amended many times, last in 2020

Legal System:

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: President Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (since 26 January 2017)
• head of government: Chancellor Christian STOCKER (since 3 March 2025)
• cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the chancellor and appointed by the president election/appointment
• process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); chancellor appointed by the president but determined by the majority coalition parties in the Federal Assembly; vice chancellor appointed by the president on the advice of the chancellor most recent election
• date: 9 October 2022
• election results: 2022: Alexander VAN DER BELLEN reelected in first round; percent of vote - Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (independent) 56.7%, Walter ROSENKRANZ (FPO) 17.7%, Dominik WLAZNY (Beer Party) 8.3%, Tassilo WALLENTIN (independent) 8.1%, Gerald GROSZ (independent) 5.6% 2016: Alexander VAN DER BELLEN elected in second round; percent of vote in first round - Norbert HOFER (FPOe) 35.1%, Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (independent, allied with the Greens) 21.3%, Irmgard GRISS (independent) 18.9%, Rudolf HUNDSTORFER (SPOe) 11.3%, Andreas KHOL (OeVP) 11.1%, Richard LUGNER (independent) 2.3%; percent of vote in second round - Alexander VAN DER BELLEN 53.8%, Norbert HOFER 46.2% expected date of next
• election: 2028

Legislative Branch:

• Description: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of: Federal Council or Bundesrat (61 seats - currently 60; members appointed by state parliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 seats in proportion to its population; members serve 5- or 6-year terms) National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
• Elections: Federal Council - last appointed in 2021 National Council - last held on 29 September 2019 (next to be held by 23 October 2024)
• Election Results: Federal Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP 42.6%, SPOe 31.2%. FPOe 16.4%, The Greens 8.2%, NEOS 1.6%; seats by party - OeVP 26, SPOe 19, FPOe 10, The Greens 5, NEOS 1; composition as of August 2023 - men 31, women 29, percent of women 48.3% National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP 37.5%, SPOe 21.2%, FPOe 16.2%, The Greens 13.9%, NEOS 8.1%, other 3.1%; seats by party - OeVP 71, SPOe 40, FPOe 31, The Greens 26, NEOS 15; composition as of January 2024 - men 108, women 75, percent of women 41%;
• Note: total Federal Assembly percentage of women 42.6%

Judicial Branch:

• office: Supreme Court judges nominated by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; judges serve for life; Constitutional Court judges nominated by several executive branch departments and approved by the president; judges serve for life; Administrative Court judges recommended by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; terms of judges and members determined by the president
• subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (4); Regional Courts (20); district courts (120); county courts

Regions or States:

9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland) Burgenland, Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria), Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria), Tirol (Tyrol), Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Karl NEHAMMER]
• Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Herbert KICKL]
• The Greens - The Green Alternative [Werner KOGLER]
• NEOS - The New Austria and Liberal Forum [Beate MEINL-REISINGER]
• Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Andreas BABLER]

Suffrage:

16 years of age; universal

Citizenship Criteria:

• birth: no citizenship by descent
• only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Austria dual citizenship
• recognized: no residency requirement for
• naturalization: 10 years

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Capital Name

Vienna

Capital - geographic coordinate

48 12 N, 16 22 E

Capital Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Daylight Savings Time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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International Organization Participation:

• ADB (nonregional member)
• AfDB (nonregional member)
• Australia Group
• BIS
• BSEC (observer)
• CD
• CE
• CEI
• CERN
• EAPC
• EBRD
• ECB
• EIB
• EMU
• ESA
• EU
• FAO
• FATF
• G-9
• IADB
• IAEA
• IBRD
• ICAO
• ICC (national committees)
• ICCt
• ICRM
• IDA
• IEA
• IFAD
• IFC
• IFRCS
• IGAD (partners)
• ILO
• IMF
• IMO
• Interpol
• IOC
• IOM
• IPU
• ISO
• ITSO
• ITU
• ITUC (NGOs)
• MIGA
• MINURSO
• NEA
• NSG
• OAS (observer)
• OECD
• OIF (observer)
• OPCW
• OSCE
• Paris Club
• PCA
• PFP
• Schengen Convention
• SELEC (observer)
• UN
• UNCTAD
• UNESCO
• UNFICYP
• UNHCR
• UNIDO
• UNIFIL
• UNTSO
• UNWTO
• UPU
• Wassenaar Arrangement
• WCO
• WFTU (NGOs)
• WHO
• WIPO
• WMO
• WTO
• ZC

International Law Organization Participation:

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Victoria Reggie KENNEDY (since 12 January 2022)
• Embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, 1090, Vienna
• Mailing Address: 9900 Vienna Place, Washington DC 20521-9900
• Telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0
• FAX: [43] (1) 310-06-82
• Email: ConsulateVienna@state.gov
• Website: https://at.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Petra SCHNEEBAUER (since 19 APRIL 2023)
• Chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
• Telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700
• FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
• Email: washington-ob@bmeia.gv.at
• Website: https://www.austria.org/
• Consulate(s) General: Los Angeles, New York, Washington consulate(s): Chicago

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Geographic Location

Europe

Geographic Coordinates

47 20 N, 13 20 E

Total Area

32,383 Square Miles 83,871 Square Kilometers

Land Area

31,832 Square Miles 82,445 Square Kilometers

Water Area

551 Square Miles 1,426 Square Kilometers

Land Boundaries

1,592 Miles 2,562 Kilometers

Border Countries

The Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km, Switzerland 164 km

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Terrain

In the west and south mostly mountains (Alps)

along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Highest Point

3,798 Meters

Highest Point Location

Grossglockner 3,798 m

Lowest Point

115 Meters

Lowest Point Location

Neusiedler See (Lake Neusiedl) 115 m

Natural Resources

Oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower

Irrigated Land

452 Square Miles 1,170 Square Kilometers

Time Zone

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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Climate

Temperature extremes in Vienna vary between summer highs of 95°F and - 4°F in winter.

October may be damp and rainy, and light snowfalls occur in November and December.

Snow, sometimes heavy, and frost can occur from January until mid-March.

April, May, and early June offer pleasant spring weather, and summers are often delightful.

Vienna sometimes becomes uncomfortably hot in July and August, especially in the city's center, but the suburbs, particularly those which are elevated, are pleasant.

The city is subject to rapid and marked changes in atmospheric pressures with accompanying winds.

One such wind, the foehn, carries warm air from the south.

It has a special meaning for the Viennese since many people blame it for peculiar human behavior.

The average annual precipitation in Vienna is 21.02 inches.

The mountainous regions have long, cold winters with heavy snowfall and bright, crisp days.

The Danube Basin usually has less snow, is damper, and therefore has more gray and overcast days than the higher altitudes.

Terrain

In the west and south mostly mountains (Alps)

along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Location

Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Total Area

32,383 Square Miles 83,871 Square Kilometers

Border Countries

The Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km, Switzerland 164 km

Environment - Current Issues

• Some forest degradation is caused by air and soil pollution
• soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals
• air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe

Environment - International Agreements

Party To: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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Exports

$141,900,000,000 (USD)

Imports

$138,600,000,000 (USD)

Major Exports

Machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs

Major Imports

Machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products, natural gas

foodstuffs

Top Export Partners

Germany 29.4%, United States 6.4%, Italy 6.1%, Switzerland 5.7%, France 4.4%, Slovakia 4.2%

Top Import Partners

Germany 41.5%, Italy 6.3%, Switzerland 6%, Czech Republic 4.2%

Export Partners

Germany 29.4%, United States 6.4%, Italy 6.1%, Switzerland 5.7%, France 4.4%, Slovakia 4.2%

Import Partners

Germany 41.5%, Italy 6.3%, Switzerland 6%, Czech Republic 4.2%

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Country Description

Austria is a highly developed, stable democracy with a modern economy.

Tourism is an important pillar of the Austrian economy and facilities are widely available.

Safety & Security

Austria remains largely free of terrorist incidents; however, like other countries in the Schengen area, Austria’s open borders with its Western European neighbors allow the possibility of terrorist groups entering and exiting the country with anonymity.

U.S. citizens are reminded to remain vigilant with regard to their personal security and to exercise caution.

Austrian intelligence experts have registered increased radicalization of immigrant Muslim individuals and of small conspiratorial groups, as well as intensified use of the Internet as a propaganda and communications platform.

Every year, a number of avalanche deaths occur in Austria's alpine regions.

Many occur when skiers/snowboarders stray from designated ski slopes.

Leaving designated slopes to ski off-piste may pose serious risks and may delay rescue attempts in case of emergency.

Skiers and snowboarders should monitor weather and terrain conditions, and use available avalanche rescue equipment.

Avalanche beepers (transceivers) are the most common rescue devices and, when properly used, provide the fastest way of locating an avalanche victim, usually enabling authorities to begin rescue operations within minutes.

Climbing, hill walking, and mountaineering involve a level of risk with a danger of personal injury or death.

While the number of people requiring rescue in Austria remains steady each year, there has been a marked increase in air evacuations since July 2013.

Alpine rescuers are increasingly concerned about the growing number of people participating in mountaineering activities without proper preparation and planning; people participating in these activities should closely monitor weather and terrain conditions and contact local tourism offices or mountain guide associations for information on trails that are tailored to individual skill levels.

Also, it is recommended to buy special leisure insurance.

More information, including safety tips, is available on the Austrian Alpine Club website http://www.alpenverein.at/portal/service/mitgliedschaft/index.php To call for an emergency, dial 144 (Austrian Red Cross) or the European emergency number 112.

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Crime

Austria has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe, and violent crime is rare.

However, crimes involving the theft of personal property do occur.

As such, most crimes involving U.S. citizens are crimes of opportunity, involving theft of personal belongings.

Travelers are also targets of pick-pockets who operate where tourists tend to gather.

Some of the spots where such crimes are most frequently reported include Vienna’s two largest train stations, the plaza around St.

Stephen’s Cathedral, and the nearby pedestrian shopping areas (in Vienna’s First District).

The U.S.

Embassy receives reports of theft and pick-pocketing on public transportation lines, especially on those lines coming into and out of the city center.

Secure your personal belongings and always take precautions while on public transportation and in public places such as cafes and tourist areas.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available.

Not only are the bootlegs illegal to bring back into the United States, but by buying them, you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While traveling in Austria, you are subject to its laws.

While you are overseas you do not enjoy the same rights and privileges that you have in the U.S.

If you do something illegal in your host country, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

It is very important to know what is legal and what is not, since foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own.

Criminal penalties also vary from country to country.

There are also some things that may be legal where you are traveling but illegal in the United States.

If you engage in sexual conduct with children or use or disseminate child pornography in a foreign country, you can be prosecuted in the United States.

Persons violating Austrian laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.

Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking illegal drugs in Austria are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Arrest Notifications: Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements with certain countries, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Austria, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the U.S.

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Medical Facilities

There are an adequate number of hospitals available in Austria.

Local hospitals will not settle their accounts directly with American insurance companies.

You must pay the bill to the local hospital and later claim a refund from the insurance carrier in the United States.

Medicare payments are not available outside the United States.

The Austrian Medicine Import Act generally prohibits the import of prescription drugs into Austria, with two exceptions: Travelers residing outside the European Union are allowed to carry with them (as part of their personal luggage) drugs and medicines, but only a quantity the individual requires during the course of the stay; and, Travelers, while staying in Austria, may receive drugs and medicines for their personal use by mail.

The quantity is limited to the length of their stay in Austria and must never exceed three packages.

We recommend you have either a prescription or written statement from your personal physician that you are under a doctor’s care and that the medicine is necessary for your physical well-being while traveling.

Public health in Austria is excellent.

Community sanitation in Vienna meets or exceeds that of most U.S. cities.

Disease incidence and type are similar to the rest of Europe and the United States.

At the present time, air pollution is not a major health problem in Vienna.

Traffic Safety

While in Austria, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

Road conditions in Austria are generally excellent.

During the winter, however, roads in alpine areas may become dangerous due to snowfall, ice, or avalanches.

Some mountain roads may be closed for extended periods and tire chains are often required.

Be extra careful during the heavily traveled vacation periods (i.e., December-February, Easter, and July-August).

Be alert when you drive through autobahn construction zones, particularly on the A-1 East/West Autobahn.

Reduced lanes and two-way traffic in these zones have resulted in several deadly accidents in recent years.

Traffic information and road conditions are broadcast on the English-language channel, fm4, located between 91 and 105 FM depending on the locale.

A U.S. driver’s license alone is not sufficient to drive in Austria.

You must also get an international driver’s permit (obtainable in the U.S. from the American Automobile Association and the American Automobile Touring Alliance) or by an official translation of the U.S. driver’s license, which can be obtained at one of the Austrian automobile clubs (OEAMTC or ARBOE).

This arrangement is only acceptable for the first six months of driving in Austria, after which all drivers must obtain an Austrian license.

Austria requires all vehicles using the autobahn to display an “Autobahn Vignette” highway-tax sticker on the inside of the vehicle’s windshield.

The sticker may be purchased at border crossings, gas stations in Austria, and small “Tabak” shops located in Austrian towns.

The fine for failing to display a valid autobahn vignette on the windshield of your car is EUR 120 (approx. $ 150 08/2013 exchange rate) if paid in cash and “on the spot”.

For more information, please see http://www.asfinag.at/maut/vignette Austrian autobahns have a maximum speed limit of 130 km/hr, although drivers often drive much faster and pass aggressively.

The use of hand-held cell phones while driving is prohibited.

Turning right on red is also prohibited throughout Austria.

The legal limit for blood alcohol content in Austria is .05 percent and penalties for driving under the influence tend to be stricter than in many U.S. states.

It is mandatory for cars on Austrian motorways and highways to leave an emergency corridor, even when no emergency vehicle is approaching.

When traffic stops, create an emergency corridor in between the far-left lane and all others to the right; vehicles should also be using the shoulder.

For more information, please click here.

Failure to comply carries a fine of EUR 2,180 (approx.$ 2,700) Between November 1 and April 15, the use of winter tires is mandated by law.

All-season tires comply if they carry the “M S” mark and have at least 4 mm of tread.

In addition, local police may require snow chains in heavy snow.

Failure to comply with the law results in a substantial fine and the suspension of the cited vehicle's use.

Insurance is deemed void if a vehicle that is involved in an accident between November 1 and April 15 is not fitted with winter tires.

Tourists driving rented vehicles must ensure that the vehicle is equipped with the proper tires and pay close attention to the provisions of their rental contract.

Many contracts prohibit drivers from taking rented vehicles into eastern European countries.

Drivers attempting to enter countries listed as “prohibited” on the car rental contract may be arrested, fined, and/or charged with attempted auto theft.

Austrian police are authorized to hold the rented vehicle for the car rental company.

Emergency roadside help and information may be reached by dialing 123 or 120 for vehicle assistance and towing services (Austrian automobile clubs), 122 for the fire department, 133 for police, and 144 for an ambulance.

The European emergency line is 112.

Austrian Federal Railroads (Österreichische Bundesbahnen) offer excellent railroad service to all major towns of t

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Airports - total

52

Airports with Paved Runways

24

Heliports

1

Railways

3,976 Miles 6,399 Kilometers

Roadways- total

77,366 Miles 124,508 Kilometers

Roadways- paved

77,050 Miles 124,000 Kilometers

Waterways

222 Miles 358 Kilometers

Ports and Terminals

Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

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Pipelines: Gas

2,943 Miles 4,736 Kilometers

Pipelines: Oil

412 Miles 663 Kilometers

Pipelines: Refined Products

98 Miles 157 Kilometers

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Telephones

3,253,000

Cell Phones

9,768,000

Internet Users

4,277,000

Internet Country Code

.at

Internet Hosts

3,226,000

Broadcast Media

Austria's public broadcaster, Osterreichischer Rundfunk (ORF), was the main broadcast source until commercial radio and TV service was introduced in the 1990s; cable and satellite TV are available, including German TV stations

Telephone System

• Assessment: Highly developed and efficient
• Domestic: Fixed-line subscribership has been in decline since the mid-1990s with mobile-cellular subscribership eclipsing it by the late 1990s; the fiber-optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet services are available
• International: Country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 15; in addition, there are about 600 VSATs (very small aperture terminals)

13 facts — expand for details.

Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

65,670,000,000

Electricity Exports- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

18,760,000,000

Electricity Imports- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

19,540,000,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

68,850,000,000

Natural Gas Consumption - Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

9,000,000,000

Natural Gas Exports- Cubic Meters (cu m)

34,750,000,000

Natural Gas Imports- Cubic Meters (cu m)

42,560,000,000

Natural Gas Production- Cubic Meters (cu m)

1,906,000,000

Natural Gas Reserves- Cubic Meters (cu m)

10,820,000,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

210,700

Oil Imports- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

139,000

Oil Production- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

17,810

Oil Reserves- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

85,000,000

2 facts — expand for details.

Anthem History

After the first world war and the dissolution of Austria-Hungary, Austria's ties to Germany became stronger, and the melody of Austria's anthem was now being used in Germany as well, and Austria was eventually annexed by Germany in 1938.

On 9 April 1946, the Austrian Federal Government announced a competition for the text of a new national anthem.

It was to be "a song of hymn-like character paying tribute in words and music to the new Austrian federal state and its people both at home and abroad." The old anthem, now being used by Germany, could not be used because of its association with the Nazi regime.

An agreement was soon reached on the melody; popular belief is that it is a work from Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, but study has shown that it was not.

They believe that evidence points instead to his contemporary Johann Holzer.

Minister of Education Felix Hurdes persuaded his mother, the writer --herself the granddaughter of a Croatian national poet--to submit an entry for the competition.

However, she was busy working on a new novel, had little time to spare for her entry, and Education Minister Hurdes had to jog her memory several times.

When her unaffected, affecting lines did finally reach the jury--made up of literary figures, musicians, and politicians--they awarded her text the highest points.

The text was never published in the official Legal Gazette but appeared in the 22 March 1947 issue of the Die Presse newspaper.

Two weeks earlier the anthem had been played on the radio.

It established its popularity relatively fast, although the melody was considerably more complex than that of the former anthem.

When Education Minister Hurdes reported to the cabinet on the outcome of the competition, the cabinet passed a motion--at the instigation of the Federal President--that in the course of the State Treaty negotiations Austria should insist that "Germany be prohibited from using the Haydn anthem because it is a long-standing Austrian cultural asset."

Anthem Lyrics

Land der Berge, Land am Strome, Land der Äcker, Land der Dome, Land der Hämmer zukunftsreich!

Heimat bist du großer Söhne, Volk begnadet für das Schöne, Vielgerühmtes Österreich, Vielgerühmtes Österreich!

Heiß umfehdet, wild umstritten, Liegst dem Erdteil du inmitten Einem starken Herzen gleich.

Hast seit frühen Ahnentagen Hoher Sendung Last getragen, Vielgeprüftes Österreich, Vielgeprüftes Österreich.

Mutig in die neuen Zeiten, Frei und gläubig sieh uns schreiten, Arbeitsfroh und hoffnungsreich Einig laß in Bruderchören, Vaterland, dir Treue schwören.

Vielgeliebtes Österreich, Vielgeliebtes Österreich.