Austria Travel Guide: Travellers Routes

Total Area:83,870 sq km                         Land Borders:Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy
Population: 8,192,880                               Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland
Life Expectancy: 79 years                       HIV % Total Poulation:0.3%
Ethnic Groups: Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or unspecified 2.4%
Languages:German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in Carinthia), Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official in Burgenland)
President:Heinz FISCHER                       GDP - Per Capita: $32,700

History Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. 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. Following the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995, some Austrians have called into question this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.



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Austria Travel Guide: Introduction A gem in the heart of Europe. In the winter ski, slalom and snow board to your hearts content, in the summer hike through the mountains or around any one (or several) of over 6000 alpine lakes. Not feeling sporty? City breaks to Vienna, Salzburg or innsbruck are a good option, for architecture choose between palaces, abbeys, castles or gothic cathedrals. Or if your prefer music try the Vienna boys choir, mozart, haydn or schubert peformed by some of the worlds finest orchestras and / or street buskers, or go traditional with yodelling.				Austria - Home Travel Information Tours & Safaris Accommodation Places To Visit Getting There & Around Travel Guides & Maps Back To Europe EURO 2008
Tours & Activities Day tours & Activities Europe Tours Winter Tours Summer Tours Accommodation Arlberg Axams Bad Aussee Bad Gastein Bad Ischl Bregenz Feldkirch Gerlos Graz Grunau im Almtal Innsbruck Kaprun Kirchdorf Kitzbuhel Klagenfurt Koetschach Mauthen Kremsmuenster Leogang Linz Mieming Obertraun Reutte Salzburg Schladming St Gilgen St Johann in Tirol Steinach am Brenner Vienna Voitsberg Zell am See Travel Information General Travel Information History Climate / weather Health Safety & Welfare Facts & Figures Travel Insurance Links Destinations Vienna Lower Austria Upper Austria Burgenland Carinthia Hohe Tauern National park Salzburgerland Styria Tyrol Vorarlberg	View Larger Map The German name for Austria is Osterreich which means "Eastern Empire". This refers to the time when Austria was part of the Holy Roman Empire. The highest mountain is Grossglockner, the "Great Bell".. In 1991 a mummified body from the Stone Age was found in the ice of the Otztal Alps between Austria and Italy. Tattoos, thought to have been for medical purposes (a form of acupuncture), were found on the body. In the sixteenth century the Austrian Empire included Austria, Belgium, Czecho-slovakia, Hungary, the Netherlands, Spain, Spanish American colonies and parts of Italy and former Yugoslavia. Famous Austrians Arnold Schwarzenegger, perhaps the most famous Austrian actor, started hos career as a bodybulder and is currently governor of the U.S. state of California Gustav Klimt, artist perhaps most famous for the Scream Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composer and musician Johann Strauss composer Ferdinand Porsche, designed the Volkswagen, peoples car. Adolf Hitler, who gained German citizenship in 1932 Josef Madersperger, invented the sewing machine in 1818 Sigmund Freud, psychiatrist, father of psychoanalysis Franz Klammer, Olympic alpine ski champion Niki Lauda, Formula One race car driver and aviation entrepreneur
	Facts & Figures Total Area:83,870 sq km Land Borders:Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy Population: 8,192,880 Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland Life Expectancy: 79 years HIV % Total Poulation:0.3% Ethnic Groups: Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or unspecified 2.4% Languages:German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in Carinthia), Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official in Burgenland) President:Heinz FISCHER GDP - Per Capita: $32,700 History Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. 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. Following the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995, some Austrians have called into question this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.

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Austria Travel Guide: Introduction