Miina Härma Gymnasium

Miina Härma Gymnasium

Republic of Austria

28.09.2003

When the Habsburg empire collapsed at the end of World War I in November 1918 one of the new established states on its territories was the Republic of Austria, covering most of those parts of the former empire in which people spoke German. This was the First Austrian Republic.

Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. This neutrality, once ingrained as part of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995. A prosperous country, Austria entered the European Monetary Union in 1999.

Austria's relations with the European Union were severely strained after some states imposed sanctions in protest. These were lifted some months later.

Austria is no longer the dominant political force it was in Central Europe under the Hapsburg dynasty. But it sits on the important Danube trade route and acts as a bridge between East and West.

Together with Switzerland, Austria forms Europe's neutral core. After annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and then Allied occupation, Austria's 1955 State Treaty declared the country "permanently neutral".

In a 1994 referendum, two thirds of voters supported EU membership, which has raised some questions over the country's neutrality.

The capital, Vienna, hosts a number of international organisations, including the OSCE Secretariat, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

Austria has a very rich cultural heritage. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart occupies a place of his own as composer of some of the best loved European classical music while the works of Franz Schubert enjoy great popularity too. In the world of philosophy and ideas, Siegmund Freud continues to provoke controversy while Ludwig Wittgenstein was one of the major influences in 20th century thinking. In fine art, the paintings of Gustav Klimt are widely admired.

The president of Austria is Thomas Klestil and the chancellor is Wolfgang Schuessel. Schuessel led his People's Party to its biggest electoral success in two decades at the polls in November 2002. However, the People's Party did not gain enough votes to form a government on its own and embarked on a complex round of coalition talks with the Social Democrats and Greens. These talks failed and in the end Schuessel turned again to the far-right Freedom Party.

Facts about the Republic of Austria:

Population: 8,188,207 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.2% (male 678,944; female 646,390)
15-64 years: 68.3% (male 2,827,736; female 2,768,480)
65 years and over: 15.5% (male 490,979; female 775,678) (2003 est.
Population growth rate: 0.22% (2003 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.17 years
male: 75.02 years
female: 81.48 years (2003 est.)
Ethnic groups: German 88%, non-nationals 9.3% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma), naturalized 2% (includes those who have lived in Austria at least three generations)
Religions: Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Austria
conventional short form: Austria
local short form: Oesterreich
local long form: Republik Oesterreich
Executive branch: chief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992)
head of government: Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4 February 2000); Vice Chancellor Herbert HAUPT (since 28 February 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year term; presidential election last held 19 April 1998 (next to be held in the spring of 2004); chancellor traditionally chosen by the president from the plurality party in the National Council; vice chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe
election results: Thomas KLESTIL reelected president; percent of vote - Thomas KLESTIL 63%, Gertraud KNOLL 14%, Heide SCHMIDT 11%, Richard LUGNER 10%, Karl NOWAK 2%
Railways: total: 6,024 km (3,641 km electrified)
standard gauge: 5,566 km 1.435-m gauge (3,524 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 34 km 1.000-m gauge (28 km electrified); 424 km 0.760-m gauge (89 km electrified) (2002)
Highways: total: 133,361 km
paved: 133,361 km (including 1,613 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1998)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 24
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 14 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
Military branches: Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)
Disputes - international: minor disputes with Czech Republic and Slovenia continue over nuclear power plants and post-World War II treatment of German-speaking minorities

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