Austria is known all over the world for its ski resorts. Here beginners and amateurs rest, professionals train. Excellent conditions for recreation and developed infrastructure every year more and more tourists are attracted to Austria. The cleanliness of the local lakes and the beauty of nature will amaze the most sophisticated travelers. Austria really has something to see - beautiful mountain landscapes, mysterious caves and, of course, the quiet streets of Vienna with cozy cafes and an exquisite menu.
A trip to Austria is a chance to get in touch with the innermost. A trip to Austria is an opportunity to get to know the country from the inside. The best way to travel around Austria is by train. A dense network of railways covers all the cities of the country. Particularly convenient, you can buy long-term tickets. This, by the way, is quite beneficial. There is also a specialized agency in Austria, which for a relatively small fee picks up a passing car for you to hitchhike from one city to another.
Geography
Republic of Austria (Republik Osterreich), a state in Central Europe, in the Danube basin. It shares borders with the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland. Area: 83849 km2. The capital is Vienna. Major cities are Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck. About 3/4 of the country's territory is occupied by the Eastern Alps and their foothills. Height up to 3797 m (Grossglockner). Mountain ranges are separated by deep longitudinal valleys. In the east of the country - the western part of the Middle Danube Plain, including the Vienna Basin. The climate of the plains and foothills is moderately continental and humid. Main rivers: Danube (350 km) and its tributaries: Inn, Drava, Morava. Large lakes- Constance and Neusiedler-Seewinkel. There are many glacial lakes in the highlands. About 1/2 of the territory of Austria is covered with forests: up to a height of 600-800 m, oak and beech forests alternate with fields, orchards and vineyards: up to 1400-1800 m - mainly coniferous forests, higher - shrubs, alpine meadows. The landscapes are protected in the nature reserves Neusiedlersee-Seewinkel, Karwendelgebirge and others.
Time
Lags behind Moscow by 2 hours. 
Climate
The climate in Austria is temperate. In the western regions of the country, the influence of the Atlantic is noticeable, and in the mountains and in the east it is more continental. The coldest month is January. In the flat areas in winter, the temperature is mostly slightly negative, in the east of the country - it does not drop below +10 degrees, and in the mountainous regions, frosts are noted down to -15 degrees. Summer in the east of Austria is hot, for example, in Vienna in July and August in the daytime the air warms up to +30 degrees. In the western regions, summer is warm - the daytime air temperature reaches +21 .. + 23 degrees, while at night it is noted up to +13 degrees. In the mountains in the summer months, the air temperature ranges from +25 degrees during the day to +10 degrees at night. Annual precipitation in the east of Austria is about 600 mm, and in the west - up to 2000 mm. They mainly fall in summer time... In high mountainous areas, the snow cover lasts up to 8 months a year. The water in local lakes warms up to +25 .. + 27 degrees in summer. The average maximum temperature in January in Vienna is approximately + 1 ° С, the average April temperature is + 15 ° С, in July there is up to + 25 ° С, and in October about + 14 ° С. In Salzburg and Innsbruck, temperatures are about the same as in the capital, with the exception of winter, when these alpine cities are somewhat cooler. Inland waters.
Language
The official language is German (with a characteristic Austrian pronunciation). In big cities and resort centers, in hotels, it will not be difficult to find a person who speaks English, but it is advisable to know at least a few German phrases. All announcements on trains and buses are made in German only.
Religion
Religion plays an important role in the life of every Austrian. The approach to freedom of religion guaranteed by the constitution is quite interesting: up to the age of 10, religious preferences are determined by the parents; from 10 to 12, a small citizen has the right to express his opinion, which must be taken into account; and after 12 years, he can freely choose the religion that he likes. Most of the population of Austria professes the Catholic religion, but in Austria 11 more confessions are officially recognized. According to the 2001 census, 73% of the population is Catholic, 4.7% is Protestant, 4.2% of Austrians are Muslims, and 2.2% are Orthodox Christians. 12% of the population do not belong to any of the official religious denominations. There are two archbishoprics in the country - Vienna and Salzburg, as well as 7 Catholic dioceses. Thirteen official holidays are celebrated in Austria, including ten church holidays.
Population
In 2003, the population of Austria was just over 8 million. About 9% of the population are foreigners. The bulk of the population lives in the lands of Upper and Lower Austria and Styria, as well as in the capital of Austria - Vienna, where almost 20% of the indigenous population is concentrated. In the highlands (Tyrol, Salzburg, Carinthia), the population density is significantly lower than in large cities.
The indigenous people of Austria are of mixed origin, typical of other European peoples. Yet the Austrians generally have the traits of the Alpine-Dinaric group.
The urban population is 56%, the population density is 97.6 people per sq. Km. Other ethnic groups also live in Austria. Six ethnic groups are officially recognized: Hungarians, Roma, Czechs, Slovaks, Croats, and Slovenes. In the south and east of the country (the states of Carinthia, Burgenland and Styria) there are Slavic minorities, whose representatives speak Slovenian and Croatian languages.
Electricity
The mains voltage in Austria is 220 volts. The electrical outlets are in accordance with the European standard.
Emergency phones
Major city codes:
Baden - 2252
Brand - 5559
Vienna - 1
Graz - 316
Salzburg - 662
Innsbruck - 512
Linz - 732
Ferlach - 4227
Fire department: 122
Police: 133
Ambulance: 144
Transportation of patients:
Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund. Tel .: 891 44
Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe. Tel .: 476 00-0
Service for the sick in Vienna. 717 18-0, 711 19-0
Red Cross. 17 74
Answering machine with a record of the schedule of duty of dentists (duty at night and on weekends): 512 20 78
Information about the nearest pharmacies (opening hours, address, night duty): 1550 (153 50)
Providing medical assistance in the event of a leak of toxic substances (reference): 406 43 43-0
First aid for animals - the central telephone number of the veterinary service: 531 16
Pharmacy inquiry - 15-50. If the pharmacy closest to you is closed, the address of the nearest open pharmacy should be on the door. If you need a doctor and do not speak German, contact the hotel staff or, in an emergency, the Russian consulate.
Connection
The country code is 42, when dialing a number within Austria, dial 0 before the area code, when entering international communication - 00. All Austrian localities have an automatic direct telephone connection with all European countries. Telephone booths (you can call both with coins and with Telefonkarte cards) are installed in post offices and on the streets (calls from post offices are cheaper). Telefonkarte phone cards (packed in plastic) are sold at tobacco kiosks or post offices. Calls on weekdays from 18.00 to 8.00 are 33% cheaper, significant discounts are also valid on weekends and holidays around the clock.
Currency exchange
Currency exchange is possible in banks and specialized exchange offices, as well as in most travel agencies and hotels (with a small surcharge for the exchange operation) and at the main post offices - in large cities they work daily and around the clock. In addition, dollars can be exchanged at ATMs, in which case only 10, 20 and 50 USD bills are accepted. Credit cards are accepted in almost all major stores, gas stations, restaurants, cafes and hotels.
For purchases over € 75, VAT can be refunded (approx. 13%). To do this, it is necessary to receive from the store a tax-free check filled out by the seller with the form “Tax Free for tourist Austria Tax-Free Shopping” or “Europa-Tax-Free Plakette”. The check stamped at customs must be sent to the store or department duty free... VAT refunds can be made in cash directly at customs or by check or bank transfer (some goods are subject to a commission). Banks are open on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8.00 to 12.00 and from 13.30 to 15.00, and on Thursday from 8.00 to 12.30 and from 13.30 to 17.30. Bank branches at airports and major train stations are open from 6.30 am to 10.30 pm, including on weekends.
Visa
TYPES OF VISA
Visa A(transit through the controlled area of the airport) - issued to persons whose purpose of visit is transit to third countries through the international airports of Austria. At the same time, this visa gives the right to stay in the controlled area of the airport during a transfer from one aircraft to another, but does not allow its holder to leave. transit zone and stay in Austria.
Visa B(transit visa) - issued to persons whose purpose of visit is to transit through the territory of Austria to third countries. This visa gives the right to stay in Austria for up to 5 days each time.
Visa C(short-term stay) - issued to persons whose purpose of visit is tourism, visiting relatives or friends, business trips. This visa entitles you to visit the countries of the Schengen area.
Visa D(national visa) - valid only on the territory of Austria and gives the right to stay in the country from 3 to 6 months without a temporary residence permit or residence permit. This visa entitles only to transit through other Schengen countries for up to 5 days, but not to stay in them.
Visa processing time
The usual time for consideration of applications and processing of documents in the consular department is from five working days from the date of payment of the consular fee to two weeks. In exceptional cases, it is possible to issue an urgent visa of category C - at least three days before the intended trip.
Consular fee
The consular fee for a tourist visa (category C) and a transit visa (category B) is 35 euros, for an urgent visa of category C - 70 euros, for a national Austrian visa (category D or D + C) - 75 euros. The consular fee is paid at the bank in rubles at the rate of the bank. To pay the fee, the consular department issues a payment notification when accepting documents. Upon receipt of ready-made visas, it will be necessary to present this notice with the bank's mark of the payment made. In case of visa refusal, the fee is not refundable.
The following categories of citizens are exempt from paying the consular fee:
... close relatives of citizens of the Russian Federation legally residing in Austria;
... close relatives of EU citizens;
... schoolchildren, university students, graduate students and accompanying teachers (provided that the purpose of the trip is to study);
... children under 6 years old.
Customs regulations
Citizens of foreign countries can bring with them for their personal consumption or as gifts, but not for commercial purposes: 200 pcs. cigarettes or 50 cigars, manila or thin cigars or 250 gr. tobacco (or any combination of them, the total weight of which should not exceed 250 grams.); 2 liters of wine or fruit liqueur or tincture with an ethyl alcohol content of not more than 22% or any combination thereof, but not more than 2 liters, as well as 1 liter of alcohol, the ethyl alcohol content of which does not exceed 22%, or 3 liters of beer and additionally 1 liter of other alcoholic beverages. Goods other than those mentioned above can be imported for a total amount of 175 euros per person. If these goods are not imported by air, but through the common border with Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, then the maximum amount is reduced to 100 euros. There are no restrictions on the import and export of foreign and local currency.
Holidays and non-working days
New Year- January 1st
Epiphany - January 6
Easter Monday
Labor Day - May 1
Ascension
Whit Monday
Corpus Christi
Dormition
National holiday of the Austrian Republic - October 26
All Saints Day - November 1
Conception of the Virgin Mary - December 8
Christmas Day - December 25
Saint Stephen's Day - December 26
Transport
Railway
As in Germany, trains of different classes run in Austria: high-speed and local. The lettering is slightly different:
ICE, IC / EC - high-speed trains, intercity and international
D - average between local and fast
E - fast local train
R - local train
The cost depends on the distance, class, number of people and whether the ticket is one way or there and back. As in Germany (and in any other European country, however), we must not forget what class your ticket is: the class is written on the carriage, on the doors of the carriage compartments, on the walls. One carriage can have first and second class compartments. The first class is not much different from the second: most often there is a compartment, fewer seats, maybe a table, and most importantly, there are simply fewer people. All trains have soft comfortable seats and a toilet in the carriage. It is also worth paying attention to whether smoking is allowed in the carriage - on the outside there will be a crossed out image of a cigarette or not. If you have heavy suitcases and do not want to drag them up the stairs to the platform, take a look around - there is a high probability that there will be an elevator nearby, which you can safely use.
Buses in Austria
Buses in Austria are very comfortable. The only thing to remember is that after 18 hours there may be no flights. The prices are less than for the train, but not significantly. For a one and a half hour trip, for example from Salzburg to Bad Ischl or from Zell am See to Krimml, you have to pay about 8.50 euros per person.
Buses on the same route may not stop at all stops depending on the time, so if you need intermediate stops, check the timetable carefully. And the 670 bus from Krimml to Zell am See runs either to the final stop (Zell am See), then to the Mittersill stop (halfway to Zell am See), where you need to change to the train.
Taxi
It is best to call by phone from the hotel or from the restaurant where you sat, and you can also find it at special parking lots at railway stations, in the center of large cities, at the airport (it is not accepted to "catch" a car on the street: even if you try, no one will stop) ... The cost of moving around the city is indicated on the counter + payment for boarding. When traveling long distances, it is better to negotiate the amount with the driver in advance.
Public transport in Vienna
Vienna has metro (U), trams, buses and trains (S). My transport system the city authorities are constantly modernizing: now two main stations in Vienna are being rebuilt at once, and elevators are being actively added to the metro. It should be noted that the excessive comfort in the form of elevators spoiled the Viennese residents: you can often see how hefty foreheads or vigorous girls, burdened with a maximum of a cell phone, quickly fill the elevator car, while an old woman with a stick does not have time to reach its door.
The most convenient transport is the metro. There are stops near almost all strategic tourist points. The tram is the second most convenient. Trams run both completely modern and old, similar to ours. I didn't have to use the bus, and somehow they didn't come across.
The ticket is bought either from the machine or from the driver. It needs to be punched in a small drawer at the entrance.
Tips
Tipping is 5% of the order value; in large restaurants it is customary to leave 10% of the invoice amount. The waiter will certainly return the change on the account, and after that, in the same napkin, you must leave a tip. Small coins can be left in the bar and cafe. Tipping is not given in street cafes. It is customary for the taxi driver to leave 10% over the counter, you can just leave a change from the change. In the hotel, if you decide to tip, the following general rules apply: boys helping to bring suitcases can be given 50 cents each, the maid receives a tip not less than about 3 euros per week.
The shops
Stores in Austria are allowed to trade from Monday to Friday from 6:00 to 19:30, and on Saturdays, trade in stores is allowed until 17:00. The actual opening hours of stores in Austria vary. Usually shops are open from 8.00 to 18.30, and some of them may be closed for a lunch break for 1-2 hours. There is no uniformity on this issue. Visitor centers and resorts may have special opening hours for shops. From Monday to Friday until 21.00, and on Saturday and Sunday - until 18.00. Shops at railway stations and airports are open during peak traffic hours (until about 23.00 hours).
One of the best souvenirs from Austria is a bottle of Yaga-te concentrate, which can be bought in any supermarket. It is enough to add four parts of ordinary boiling water to one part of the concentrate, and you get a classic New Year's national drink - "Yaga-te", that is, "hunting tea". And for lovers of stronger drinks - a classic souvenir from Austria - a bottle of schnapps (fruit moonshine). Real schnapps should be 38% ABV.
National cuisine
meat on the bone - dish No. 1 in Austria (up to 17 EUR);
Gluewein - a hot drink consisting of red wine and water (3: 1), cinnamon, spices; fundamentally differs from the Bavarian mulled wine in the absence of zest and the presence of water (up to 5 EUR);
river schnapps! The most pleasant and correct souvenir from Austria is a bottle of fruit moonshine - schnapps. Classic schnapps should be 38% ABV (deviations affect flavor). For a pungent sensation, put in a glass a piece of canned pear (if schnapps is pear) or peach (if schnapps is peach); plum schnapps are not placed in plum schnapps ... Also, you will find more expensive varieties of raspberry schnapps, schnapps from a bouquet of blackberries and wild apples, and so on;
a typical Austrian cocktail - Vodka Red Bull (vodka - redbull) - the Austrians themselves believe that the combination of Smirnov's table wine No. 21 with an energy drink gives the body a feeling of weightlessness and flight. It is difficult to say how it is with the flight, but it does not demolish the tower - it is checked: you can drink. (Between us: it is better to prepare vodka - a redbull on your own: buy Red Bull in any supermarket, get crystal stocks and ... 3: 1);
Germknoedl - a fluffy sweet roll with poppy seeds and sauce (vanilla or fruit);
wheat beer (Weizenbier - Weizenbier) - absolutely incomparable taste (up to 3 EUR);
apple pie (Apfel Strudel - apfel strudel) - Served hot in Salzburg and alpine villages: be careful (up to 9 EUR);
natural sweets "Mozartkugel" ("Mozartkugel") - an enchanting invention of the Salzburg confectionery "Fuerst" - the only place where these and other sweets are still made by hand (in fact, the "other sweets" include, first of all, the best invention of "Fuerst" - candies "I.-S. Bach"); "genuine" "Mozartkugel" is sold only in silver-blue packaging and contains more marzipan and cocoa than golden-red American counterfeits (from 0.9 EUR per item);
cinnamon pancakes (Strauben) are simply an exclusive Salzburg delicacy;
Mozart's favorite beer - Stiegelbreu (up to 2 EUR);
magic souffle Nockerln / Nockerln - sweet as love, tender as a kiss;
coffee, coffee and more coffee: "Merchant" - strong double espresso, "ferlengerter" - weaker, "melange" - coffee with milk and whipped cream, "Einspenner" - double mocha in a tall glass.
sights
Vienna symbol - St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom), patron saint of the Austrian capital, more than 800 years old. Under the catacombs are the ancient catacombs - the burial place of representatives of the Habsburg dynasty, its interior is simply mesmerizingly beautiful, and a Turkish cannonball is embedded in its spire, which fell into the cathedral during the Turkish siege of the city in the 16th century. Opposite the cathedral lies the beautiful Stephansplatz square and the postmodern glass building of the Haas House commercial center. On the walls of Stephansdom you can see the measures of length, size and weight, which were used to check the goods during the purchase in the Middle Ages, and from its observation deck you can see a magnificent view of the Danube and Vienna. Another symbol of Vienna departs from the square - the Graben street, "the heart of the city", on which such famous sights as the Peitzoile Column, the Sacher Hotel and the Peterskirche Church are concentrated. The most fashionable shops are also located here. It is interesting to get acquainted with the nearby Michalerkirche, San Marie am Gestade, Franciscanerkirche, the neo-Gothic Town Hall (1872-1883), one of the most beautiful squares in the world - Josefplatz, with the Palace Chapel and the Burgtheater located on it (1874-1888), the parliament building (1883), in front of which the statue of Pallas Athena rises, and the famous Vienna Opera (1861-1869) - the venue for the cult annual Opera Ball.
The pride of Vienna - beautiful parks
, various in their appearance and purpose. The Prater Park is considered the most "popular" park in Vienna (has been operating since the 18th century) and is famous for the largest Ferris wheel in the world (65 m) and excellent restaurants. The historic Augarten Park regularly hosts dozens of musical performances and symphony concerts. The famous Vienna Woods park, located in the vicinity of the capital, in the foothills of the Eastern Alps, is a whole forest area, with its own towns and hotels, resorts and thermal springs. Bounded on one side by the picturesque Danube Valley and vineyards, and on the other by the famous spa region of Baden and Bad Voslau, the Vienna Woods is a favorite vacation spot for Viennese and visitors alike.
Church of St. Ruprecht and the summer residence of the Habsburgs - Schönbrunn Palace, which has more than 1400 rooms and halls. Now it houses the Museum of Weapons, a collection of costumes and horse-drawn carriages "Wagenburg", a beautiful park with fountains, a greenhouse and a zoo. The palace of Prince Eugene of Savoy - Belvedere Castle (1714-1723) with the Gallery of Austrian Art of the 19th-20th centuries, located on a hill in the southeastern part of the city, is an excellent example of architecture. (the largest collection of Klimt, Schiele and Kokoschka) and the chambers of Archduke Ferdinand, the Karlskirche baroque church (1739) and Stadtpark, the University, the palace of Count Manfeld-Fondi and the Vatican Church.
Salzburg
Salzburg Lakes, Salzburg Cathedral (founded in the 8th century, rebuilt in 1611-1628), surrounded by three squares with the luxurious residence of the princes-archbishops, the Baroque Museum, Salt Mountains, the house in which Mozart was born, the palaces of Helburn with a magnificent park, decorated with fire fountains, and Mirabel, Geerfidegasse, Eisriesenwelt ("world of the ice giants") cave in Tennengebirge, south of Salzburg. Styria and Carinthia attract with a huge number of medieval castles and majestic nature. Innsbruck: Ambras Castle (16th century), ski resort. Kitzbühel is a resort located in the Tyrolean Alps.
Carnish is a famous sports center and resort located in the very south of Austria. Saalbach and Hinterglemm are the most popular ski resorts... Lech in Arlberg is a fashionable resort offering the highest level of service. Baden is a spa with healing hot sulfur springs, located 25 km south of Vienna, and has been popular with crowned heads and artists for a long time.
Most Popular ski resorts- Innsbruck, Kitzbühel, Badgastein, Baden bei Vin, Seefeld, Otztal, Zillertal, Saalbach-Hinterglemm, St. Anton, Zell am See-Kaprun, Galtür, Gaschurn, Stubaital, Santal Johannes, Pitztal, Pitztal , St. Wolfgang, Hintertux.
Resorts
Lakes of Carinthia- Werther See (resorts Sölden, Pertchach, Maria Werth, Krumpendorf), Klopeiner See (resort St. Kanzian), Milstetter See, Ossiacher See, Faaker See.
Salzkammergut lakes- Wolfgang See (resorts St. Wolfgang, St. Gilgen, Strobl), Mondsee, Traunsee, Uttersee and Hallstättersee.
Salzburgerland- Zeller See (resort of Zell am See).
Spa Sölden
The Otztal Valley is known for its highest mountain resorts in Austria. Sölden (1,377 m), Went (1,900 m), Obergurgl (1,930 m), Hochselden (2,050 m) and Hochgurgl (2,150 m) are the record-holders in terms of attendance and are the second most popular after Vienna.
Sölden is one of the best ski resorts in Austria. An absolute guarantee of natural snow.
The winter season is from December to April.
Glacier skiing - all year round.
Slopes, tracks, lifts:
Ski area - 1377-3250 m
Vertical drop - 1873 m
Total length of tracks - 150 km
Trails for beginners - 53 km
Intermediate trails - 63 km
Difficult tracks - 28 km
Ski route - 6 km
Illuminated trails - 4 km
Longest track - 13.5 km
Summer skiing on the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers
About 20 restaurants on the mountain.
Modern high-speed lifts, on the glacier almost all seats have protective caps.
The main ski areas in Sölden are Gaislachkogl (1377-3058 m), Giggijoch (1377-2885 m) and the Golden Gate on two Rettenbach glaciers (1377-3250 m) and Tiefenbach (2796-3250 m).
Spa Sankt Kanzian
St. Kanzian is located on the warmest lake in Austria (the water temperature heats up to +28 degrees).
There is everything for your active holiday: 65 tennis courts, a tennis hall, an 18-hole golf course, three surf schools, a diving school, minigolf, fishing, cycling, horse riding ...
St. Kanzian is never boring: weekly children's parties, lake parties with fireworks, daily dance and entertainment programs in all hotels. Klopeinersee - a town located on the shore of the lake - Klopeiner See.
It is surrounded on all sides by fields, meadows and mountain forest. Klopeinersee is the warmest bathing lake in Austria. The water temperature in summer reaches 26-28 degrees. The water in this lake is so clean that you can drink it.
Zell am See
Zell am See (757 m) and Kaprun (786 m) are located in the Pinzgau region of Salzburg and together make up the famous European Sports Region (ESR).
ESR is the most popular place recreation of a huge number of fans of both high-mountainous landscapes and slopes, and the unique alpine atmosphere that reigns here all year round.
The region offers what is most important for any skier, both beginner and professional. Residents of the region say: "We are not talking about snow, we guarantee it!"
The skiing season is from December to April.
Slopes, trails, lifts
Ski region map (202.1 kb)
The height of the resort is 726 m above sea level
Ski area - 750-2000 m
Vertical drop - 1250 m
Length of tracks - 75 km
Trails for beginners - 25 km
Intermediate trails - 25 km
Difficult tracks - 25 km
Longest piste - 6.2 km
Number of lifts - 28
The total capacity of the lifts - 39 695 people per hour
Cross-country skiing trails - 20 km
Toboggan runs - 4
Snowboard slopes -2
Fan Park -1
Halfpipes - 2
Snowboard
Kitzsteinhorn: fun park, half-pipe on the route from the Alpin Center to Langwiboden.
Schmittenhoch: halfpipe (100 m) under the Glocknerbahn lift.
Pertchach
Poertschach is a resort town on the northern shore of Lake Wörthersee in Carinthia. The resort is located on a small peninsula with three cozy bays, between Velden and Klagenfurt. Pertschach is famous for its flower-filled promenade and the Leonstein castle of the 14th century, which was visited by J. Brahms. This is beautiful place recreation and all kinds of sports: rowing, surfing, parasailing, tennis, golf, hiking and cycling. The abundance of fish in the local waters attracts a huge number of people who want to fish successfully. For over 50 years, Pertschach has been a kind of "tennis Mecca" - each hotel has one or two tennis courts, and the Seehotel Werzer-Astoria complex has one of the largest and best tennis centers in Austria, consisting of 11 magnificent courts.
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Economic and geographical characteristics of Austria
Introduction
The name of the country comes from the ancient German Ostarrichi - "eastern country". The name "Austria" was first mentioned in a document dated November 1, 996.
The Austrian flag is one of the oldest state symbols in the world. According to legend, in 1191, during one of the battles of the Third Crusade, the snow-white shirt of Leopold V of Austria was completely splattered with blood. When the Duke took off his wide belt, a white stripe formed on his shirt. The combination of these colors became his banner, and in the future, the flag of Austria.
The red color of the two stripes on the flag symbolizes the blood of the patriots shed in the struggle for the freedom and independence of the Austrian Republic. White is the symbol of the Danube River flowing from west to east.
1. Geographical position of the country
State in Central Europe. In the north it borders on the Czech Republic (362 km), in the north-east - with Slovakia (91 km), in the east - with Hungary (366 km), in the south - with Slovenia (330 km) and Italy (430 km) , in the west - with Liechtenstein (35 km) and Switzerland (164 km), in the north-west - with Germany (784 km).
Austria is mainly a mountainous country (70%): the average height above sea level is about 900 m. Most of Austria is occupied by the Eastern Alps, which in turn are subdivided into the North Tyrol Alps and the Salzburg Alps in the north; Zillertal and Karnik Alps in the south. The highest point is Mount Grossglockner (3797 meters), on which one of the largest glaciers in Europe is located - Pasterets.
2. Territory of the country. Its characteristics
The area of the country is 83 871 km².
Austria is divided into nine federal districts:
Vienna - the capital of Austria
Burgenland - capital: Eisenstadt
Carinthia - capital: Klagenfurt
Lower Austria - the capital of Sankt Pölten
Salzburg - capital: Salzburg
Styria - capital: Graz
Tyrol - capital: Innsbruck
Upper Austria - capital: Linz
Vorarlberg - capital: Bregenz
3. The nature of the country
3.1 Nature as a condition for the development of tourism
The Vienna Woods is one of the most striking sights of Austria, covered with a charming romantic halo. No wonder this wondrous corner of the earth was glorified in their immortal works by Johann Strauss and Franz Schubert, Beethoven and Mozart.
However, the green bushes of the Vienna Woods captivated not only musicians, poets and writers, royal persons also did not pass him by. Here the Empress of Austria, the wife of Franz Joseph, rested from the bustle of palace life; here the love tragedy of the heir to the throne Rudolph and his beloved Maria Vechera took place. For 100 years, historians have not been able to unravel the mystery of who killed this couple in love: perhaps Rudolph's intended wife, perhaps the crown prince himself, having become jealous of his Maria for an ardent neighbor, and then took his life and himself. Who knows ?!
By the way, the Vienna Woods only miraculously survived to this day. The fact is that in the distant 19th century, it could have been sold to a certain timber merchant. In those days, after the ruinous war with Prussia, the emptied Austrian state treasury had to be urgently replenished.
The ancient secular trees were not cut down solely by chance. Namely: the former officer of His Imperial Majesty, Herr Schöffel, who showed enviable persistence. This man launched a real wave of protest in the press, founding the Movement to Save the Vienna Woods. It took two years for the forest to be left alone and thus preserved for posterity.
By the way, the Vienna Woods is no less than 1000 years old! At least, this is what is written in the ancient letter, in which he was first mentioned. This letter is kept in the famous Knight's Library of the Vienna City Hall.
So, in the northern part of the Vienna Woods, on the picturesque hills just 10 km from Vienna, there is a small and very beautiful town of Stift Klosterneuburg. This ancient city is home to the most famous Augustinian monastery in Europe, built nearly 900 years ago. Connoisseurs of art will be amazed by the old enamel Verdun altar kept in the temple. Imagine it was created by the artist Nicolus Verdeni in the 12th century!
More than interesting South part Vienna Woods, namely: the city of Mödling. Thanks to its magnificent landscapes, excellent restaurants and heurigers (the so-called wine cellars) and, of course, architectural monuments, this is a favorite place for the residents of Vienna, not to mention the tourists. From a distance you can see the turret of the old Mödling fortress, which rises majestically on a hill. By the way, a beautiful panorama of the surroundings opens up from it. According to legend, robbers from the main road leading to Vienna once hid in this fortress, but by order of the emperor the fortress was destroyed and the robbers were left homeless. So the issue was simply resolved by theft ...
Yes, on the outskirts of the town, in the town of Hinterbrühl, there is the largest cave lake on the continent - 6200 sq.m. On a hot summer day, it is pleasant to ride a boat on it, and in winter you can warm up a little, since the temperature in the mine is always 9 degrees Celsius. By the way, in the 90s of the last century, the adits of this mine became the natural scenery of the Bastille in the Hollywood version of The Three Musketeers.
The Vienna Woods is amazing! He concentrated in himself a lot of curious things. Almost on the outskirts of Vienna in the town of Laxenburg it is interesting to look at the imperial summer palace Blue courtyard. Here you will also find an English park and the pseudo-Gothic castle of Franzensburg standing in the middle of the lake with a rich collection of works of art collected by Emperor Franz Joseph. Moreover, you can get to the island only by ferry, which is operated by a friendly woman, certainly dressed in a naval jacket with an almost admiral's cap on her head.
Well, if you want to improve your health, welcome to the foothills of the Vienna Woods, where the resort of Baden is located. Its healing waters and the authentic atmosphere of the Biedermeier palaces attract wealthy people from all over Europe. The oldest and largest casino in Austria is also located here. In Baden, the Hungarian composer Imre Kalman liked to spend the summer, as well as Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss and many other celebrities with whose images you can often meet in the narrow streets of the city. The young Russian Tsar Peter the First also spent four days in Baden.
3.2 Relief
1/4 of the surface is occupied by young folded-block and folded ridges of the Eastern Alps, united in sub-latitudinal chains. The axial zone of mountains with mountain-glacial relief forms in the west rises above 3300-3500 m (Grossglockner summit, 3798 m), in the east up to 2400 m.The snow border is on average 2500-2800 m.Some peaks are crowned with glaciers ( Pasterets, length 9 km). In the south and north, the axial chain of the Eastern Alps is bordered by lower ridges, characterized by a large steepness of slopes, strong dissection and development of karst. Along the northern periphery of the Alps, from the western border in the west to the Vienna Woods in the east, are the flysch lowlands. The Eastern Alps within Austria are generally characterized by large longitudinal valleys (with the rivers Inn, Salzach, Ens, etc.), and in the eastern foothills - hollows (Graz, Klagenfurt, etc.). In the east is the Styrian-Burgenland hilly plain, which descends to the Vienna Basin, which is part of the Central Danube Plain; in the north and north-east - hilly low mountains (400-900 m) Mühlviertel, Waldviertel, Weinviertel, etc., making up the southern border of the crystalline Czech massif. Between this massif and the Eastern Alps there is a flat strip (Infiertel and others) with several tiers of Danube terraces.
Geological structure and minerals
Near the southern borders of the country, along the Gail River, there is a main fault that separates the inner (axial) zone of the Alps (Rhaetian Alps, High and Low Tauern, Styrian Alps, etc.) from the southern slope of the Alps. The latter includes, within Austria, the northern slope of the Carnic Alps, which is composed of Paleozoic and Triassic rocks. The inner zone of the Eastern Alps is composed of ancient crystalline schists and Paleozoic rocks thrust over Triassic-Jurassic metamorphosed lustrous schists and basic volcanics protruding among the older rocks in the Engadine and Hohe Tauern. To the north, there is a strip of Paleozoic shales and sandstones (greywacke), and then Triassic and Jurassic limestones, forming numerous east-alpine covers, thrust northward to the next strongly narrowed zone of Cretaceous flysch. In the foothills of Austria, there is a part of the Pre-Alpine foredeep filled with Neogene molasses. On the left bank of the Danube are the Weinsberger Wald mountains, composed of Paleozoic granites and Precambrian crystalline schists, which form the outskirts of the Czech Massif. Eastern is confined to the territory of young depressions of the Vienna Basin (the Lesser Hungarian Depression and the Graz Basin), filled with strata of Neogene deposits.
The most important minerals: oil (23 million tons) and gas (20 billion cubic meters) (Vienna Basin), magnesite (Styrian Alps - Veich), brown coal (Styria, Upper Austria); there are deposits of iron (Mount Erzberg, in the Eisenertz region) and lead-zinc (Klagenfurt-Bleiberg region, etc.) ores, graphite, and salts. Mineral springs - Baden, Bad Ischl. However, among the minerals in Austria, there are very few of those whose importance would go beyond the borders of the country. The exception is magnesite, which is used for the production of refractories and, in part, for the production of metallic magnesium from it.
Comparatively high quality iron ores, but with a high metal content, are available in Styria (Erzberg) and a little in Carinthia (Hüttenberg). Non-ferrous metal ores are found in small quantities - lead-zinc in Carinthia (Bleiberg) and copper in Tyrol (Mitterberg). Of the chemical raw materials, only table salt is of practical importance (in the Salzkamergut), and of other minerals - graphite and feldspar. There are significant reserves of building materials - granite, marble, limestone, kaolin, etc. There is practically no coal. There are no commercial reserves of aluminum ore and alloying metal ores.
3.3 Climate
In Austria, two converged at once, and very different climatic zones, strongly dependent on the height. Wet weather prevails in the west, while in the south and east the climate is continental. Therefore, those who like to bask in the sun is best to go to Austria in May or June. Although the Austrians consider autumn the best time of the year, when there is no heat and it is still far from cold weather (they come only in January).
Summer is warm, sunny, the average temperature is + 20єС. As you go up, the temperature can reach zero at night. Winter is mild in the plains and cold in the mountains, the temperature in the plains drops to -2єC, and in the highlands to -14єC. Precipitation throughout the country varies from 500 to 3000 mm per year, depending on the height and relief.
3.4 The waters of the oceans and land
The main territory of Austria is located in the Danube basin, the far west belongs to the Rhine basin. The Danube flows through Austria for 350 km. Its largest tributaries are the Inn (with the Salzach), Ens, Drava and Morava. Mountain rivers are characterized by a steep fall, fast flow, and have significant energy resources. They are characterized by an alpine runoff regime with a summer flood and a pronounced winter low-water period. There are about 580 lakes in Austria, mainly of glacial origin. They are especially numerous in the northern foothills of the Alps (Atter, Thrawn, etc.). On the border with Germany and Switzerland there is a large Lake Constance (total - 538.5 km?), On the border with Hungary - Lake Neusiedler See (156.9 km, the Austrian part - 135 km). Mountain part Austria is distinguished by an abundance of clean fresh water, concentrated in addition to glaciers and rivers in numerous alpine lakes. In the hot summer months, violent melting of snow begins in the mountains, which leads to large floods, including on the Danube, the level of which sometimes rises by 8 - 9 m. Alpine rivers also determine the Danube regime: it is especially abundant in the summer, when lowland rivers are usually shallow. Danube tributaries - Inn, Salzach, Ens, Drava - are fraught with large reserves of energy, but all of them are not navigable and are only partially used for timber rafting. There are many lakes in the country, especially in the northern foothills of the Alps and in the south, in the Klagenfurt Basin. They are of glacial origin, their pits are plowed up by ancient glaciers; the lakes are generally deep, with cold, clear water.
3.5 Natural areas, vegetation and fauna
The Alps are a forest region. However, the modern picture of their soil and vegetation cover is extremely variegated. This is the result, on the one hand, of natural conditions and the manifestation of altitudinal zonality; on the other hand, it is a consequence of a very profound change in natural conditions under the influence of man. The Alps are a classic example of the altitudinal zonation of the oceanic sector of the temperate zone.
The Austrian flora is characterized by an oak-beech forest in the valleys, and at an altitude of more than 500 m - a mixed beech-spruce forest. Above 1200 m, spruce prevails, larch and cedar are found. Alpine meadows in the foothills. Vegetation zones on the territory of Austria replace one another in the following order: broad-leaved (oak, beech, ash) forests in the Danube Valley (though heavily thinned out) are replaced by a mixed forest of foothills. Above 2000 - 2200 m, they are replaced by coniferous (mainly spruce-fir, partly pine) forests. Mountain forests are one of the national treasures of Austria. On the vegetation map of Central Europe, the Austrian Alps appear as the only large green island. Among the small Western European states, only Finland and Sweden surpass Austria in forest area. There are especially many industrially exploitable forests in Upper (mountain) Styria, for which it is called the “green heart of Austria”. Apparently, it is no coincidence that the color of the flag of the land of Styria and its folk costumes are green. During the German occupation of World War II, the Austrian forests suffered enormous damage. Above the forests and sparse dwarf shrubs, there are subalpine (matt) and alpine (alma) meadows.
The lower belt of the Alps, up to an altitude of 1000 m, is very diverse in climate and vegetation, its conditions are close to those of the neighboring plains. In the south, you can feel the influence of the Mediterranean and you can find subtropical types of soil and vegetation. In the west, oak, chestnut and beech forests rise on the slopes on brown forest soils, in the north there are less thermophilic mixed forests on podzolic soils, and the forest-steppe approaches the Alps from the east. This lower belt, the most populated and significantly changed its natural vegetation cover, is called the cultural belt of the Alps.
On the high altitude climatic conditions become more monotonous. To an altitude of about 1800-2200 m, in a zone of moderate temperature and abundant precipitation, a belt of forests rises on mountain burozems and podzolic soils. The composition of forests varies with height, as well as with the location and exposure of the slopes. In humid places, on the shady northern slopes, a beech forest is widespread, often with an admixture of spruce. Higher, drier and sunny slopes are covered with beautiful spruce and fir forests. Forests have been cleared in many areas. On deforested slopes, soil erosion processes, avalanche activity and other phenomena that cause great damage are increasing. The modern upper border of the forests in the Alps, as a result of the annual grazing in the subalpine belt, is greatly reduced and almost never depends on natural conditions.
Above the forest belt lies the subalpine belt, where shrub vegetation with lush subalpine meadows and individual oppressed trees. The growth of trees is impeded by the short growing season, strong winds, sharp fluctuations in temperature and humidity. This belt is most favorable for the growth of herbs that achieve exceptional splendor and beauty. For the alpine belt itself at an altitude of 2500-3000 m, there is a complete absence of woody vegetation, a predominance of low-growing, rarely growing perennial grasses and the spread of swamps. It gradually turns into a belt of eternal snow and ice, where sometimes you can find a typical representative of the flora of the Alps - a dwarf silver edelweiss.
Environment much of Austria is not yet under the threat of pollution as in most other industrialized countries in Europe. First of all, this applies to the Alps with their sparse population and generally insignificant industry in relation to this vast territory.
The fauna of Austria is typical Central European. In the high-mountainous regions of the Eastern Alps, the composition of the fauna is typically Alpine. There are more wild animals in the Alps than in the neighboring densely populated areas of Europe. This is especially true of mountain ranges, where many animals find refuge, displaced by humans from the plains and low-mountain areas. Many animals of the Alps spend the winter in the forest zone, and in the summer they rise to graze in high-mountain meadows; others live permanently in one belt or another.
But the destruction of forests, the plowing of open spaces led to the complete or partial extermination of some of the previously widespread species of the animal world in Austria. In the forest zone, mainly in nature reserves (Hohe Tauern, Grossglockner, etc.), rare species of animals in Europe have survived: red deer, elk, roe deer, brown bear, wild boar, mountain eagle. Alpine marmot, chamois, stone goat are found in high-mountainous regions. In the steppe region near Lake Neusiedler See - a purple heron.
In mountain forests, mainly in reserves, ungulates live - red deer, chamois, mountain sheep, mountain goats, and from birds - wood grouse, black grouse, partridge. On the plains, where almost all the land has been cultivated, large wild animals have long been gone. But foxes, hares, and rodents are still found here.
4. Population of the country
4.1 Characteristics of the country's population
The population of Austria is 8.404 million people (2011), in the largest cities: Vienna (1,539,848 people), Graz (237,810 people), Linz (203,044 people), Salzburg (143,978 people), Innsbruck (118,112 people). The average population density of the country is about 94 people per sq. Km.
4.2 Peoples, races, confessions
According to the census, the largest ethnic group - German-speaking Austrians - make up 88.6% of the country's population.
In addition, there are 6 recognized national minorities: Croats, Slovenes, Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians, Gypsies (about 300 thousand people in total). Many Slovenes traditionally live in Carinthia, in the south of the country, Croats and Hungarians in Burgenland, and Czechs and Slovaks have long settled in Vienna. Many Austrian citizens consider themselves not only Austrians, but, by origin from one province or another, also Styrians, Tyroleans, etc.
5. History of the country
1st century BC NS. - the conquest by the Romans of the Celtic tribes of the Boyi, Tavrisks and Ozeriates inhabiting the territory of today's Austria and the entry of this territory into the province of Noric (formed in 15 BC) and Pannonia (formed in 10 AD, then divided into Upper Pannonia, which included part of present-day Austria, and Lower Pannonia). The border between the provinces ran west of the town of Vindobona (Vienna), located in Pannonia.
VI - VIII centuries - migration to this region of the Bavarian and Slavic tribes
· 788 - the territory was included in the empire of Charlemagne.
803 - Creation of the Avar mark by Carl the Great
976 - name change to the Eastern Mark
1156 - Austria is separated from Bavaria into an independent duchy of the German Reich, subordinate to the emperor
1276 - the beginning of the reign of the Habsburgs, who in 1438-1806 were kings, and then emperors of the Holy Roman Empire
· 1284 - the Spanish king Alfonso X the Wise calls this country - Austria, "which, they say, is now called Astarrica."
1359 - under Rudolf IV (ruled 1358-1365) the rulers of Austria receive the title of archduke
1526 - the accession of Croatia and the Czech Republic to Austria
1529 - Turks unsuccessfully besiege Vienna
1683 - the second siege of Vienna by the Turks and the complete defeat of the Turkish army by the Polish-Austrian-German troops
1687 - annexation of Hungary and Transylvania
1713 - regaining control over Italy and the Spanish Netherlands
1740-1748 - War of the Austrian Succession; Maria Theresa cedes Silesia to Prussia
1772 - Accession of Galicia
1792-1795 - wars with France
1804 - Franz J. received the inherited title of Emperor of Austria
1804-1867 - Austrian Empire
1805 - Battle of Austerlitz
1806 - Holy Roman Emperor becomes Austrian Emperor
1866 - Austro-Prussian War
1867-1918 - Austria-Hungary
The Austrian Republic was formed in November 1918 after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Then the German Austrian Republic was proclaimed, which was to become part of Germany. However, after the conclusion in 1919 of the Saint-Germain Peace Treaty of Austria, reunification with Germany was prohibited, and the Republic of Austria became an independent state.
1934 - Austrian Civil War
1938 - Accession to the Third Reich
After World War II, Austria temporarily lost its independence, being divided into four zones of occupation between France, the USA, Great Britain and the USSR. Vienna, the capital of Austria, was also divided into 4 zones between the victorious powers, although it was in the Soviet occupation zone.
Negotiations on the restoration of independence began in 1947, but it was not until 1955 that Austria again became fully independent under the State Treaty of May 15, 1955. In October of the same year, the law on the permanent neutrality of Austria was adopted, which it still observes.
1995 - membership in the European Union
2000 - Wolfgang Schüssel takes over as chancellor
· 2004 - Heinz Fischer becomes President. In 2010 he was re-elected for a second term.
2008 - Werner Faymann (Social Democratic Party) takes over as Chancellor
· June 29, 2009 - Werner Faymann (Austrian Chancellor) consulted with the main political parties in Austria on the so-called "Austrian Conversations": management reform, school reform.
6. Country culture
6.1 Language as a component of culture
The main official language is German. The spoken and official language of the Austrians differs significantly from the official German language in Germany. The spoken Austrian dialects are close to the Bavarian dialect of Germany and the German language of Switzerland.
98% of the Austrian population speaks German... English is the second leading language, English is fluently spoken by the majority of the population, as well as by the majority of people working in the tourism industry.
6.2 Religion in tourism
The largest religious organization in Austria is the Roman Catholic Church. The state supports the Church: there is a 1% church tax in the country, which all citizens of the country are obliged to pay. The Roman Catholic Church in 2000 had 5,651,479 adherents (72.1% of the population). The second largest is the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg and Helvetian Confession (ECAiGI), which unites two autonomous Churches (Lutherans and Reformed). Lutherans and Reforms finally received the right to freely practice their beliefs only in 1781, and fully equal in rights with Catholics - another century later.
According to the relevant organizations' own data, there are 299 communities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Austria with 33,099 who attended their meetings of Witnesses in 2010 (of which 20577 were baptized according to the rite of Jehovah's Witnesses), 5,000 Greek Catholics (2000), 3889 Mormons (2000) , 47 Seventh-day Adventist congregations with 3596 believers, 19 Baptist congregations with 1130 active adherents (2010; the total number of Baptists is 1.5-2 times higher), 8 Mennonite congregations with 360 believers.
6.3 Art as a component of culture
The overwhelming majority of works that are usually attributed to Austrian literature are written in German, although, of course, authors who wrote in other languages also lived on the territory of the Holy Roman and Austro-Hungarian Empires. Frau Ava was the first poet to write in German in the early Middle Ages. The Minnezang and the heroic epic are usually referred to as German medieval literature. The representative of romanticism, which was also influenced by Biedermeier and classicism, in Austrian literature in the first half of the 19th century was Franz Grillparzer. Realism and naturalism in Austrian literature is represented by the names of Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, Ferdinand von Saar, Ludwig Anzengruber and Peter Rosegger. Austrian literature really reached the world level at the beginning of the 20th century. Among the most famous writers of this period are Franz Kafka, Robert Musil, Stefan Zweig, Joseph Roth.
Austrian literature can only boast of a Nobel laureate. She became Elfrida Jelinek in 2004.
Austrian fine arts gained worldwide fame at the turn of the 20th century, when Vienna, thanks in part to the activities of the Vienna Secession, became one of the main centers of Jugendstil. The three greatest Austrian artists of this period - Gustav Klimt (Art Nouveau, Jugendstil), Egon Schiele and Oskar Kokoschka (Expressionism), each of whom opened a new direction in the visual arts. In the second half of the 20th century, the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism (close to Surrealism) appeared. Its founder was Albert Paris Gutersloh, and one of the most prominent representatives was Edgar Ene. Contemporary artists include Gottfried Helnwein and Arnulf Rainer. The work of Friedensreich Hundertwasser is widely known with his abstract decorative works. Hundertwasser also made significant contributions to architecture, decorating many of the most common buildings in bright colors.
Austria is home to many famous composers such as Joseph Haydn, Michael Haydn, Franz Schubert, Anton Bruckner, Johann Strauss Sr., Johann Strauss Jr. and Gustav Mahler. Also known are members of the Second Viennese School, such as Arnold Schoenberg, Anton Webern and Alban Berg. Most of Mozart's career was spent in Vienna. Composer Ludwig van Beethoven spent most of his life in Vienna.
The current Austrian national anthem was written by Mozart and selected after World War II, replacing the previous anthem written by Joseph Haydn.
Austria is also home to the notable jazz musician, keyboardist Josef Zawinul. Pop and rock musician Falco, world famous in the 1980s, was also Austrian. He was glorified by the song "Rock Me Amadeus", dedicated to Mozart. Drummer Thomas Lang was born in Vienna in 1967. He has collaborated with artists such as Jeri Halliwell and Robbie Williams.
Ballet art in Austria originated in the 16th century, when court performances with dances were arranged. The first dance masters at the Viennese court were the Italians F. Legnano and C. Negri, as well as C. Beccaria, S. and D. Ventura. Equestrian ballets, masquerades were staged, dances were included in drama and opera performances. At the same time, itinerant troupes developed folk dance traditions. Composer J. Schmelzer wrote music for many dance performances from the middle of the 17th century. In the 1670s. professional dancers appeared in the Viennese court troupe, headed by the composer A. Draghi.
The main ballet school functions at the Vienna State Opera (since the 1760s). Luke also had her own school. In Laxenburg at hand. R. Chladek operates a branch of the dance school of E. Jacques-Dalcroze.
Among the researchers of ballet are F. Derra de Moroda, the author of books and textbooks on dance (in 1952-67 she had her own school); among critics G. Brunner, L. G. Schüller, A. Oberhauser.
From the 11th to 12th centuries, mysteries and liturgical dramas were staged in Austrian monasteries and abbeys. The Austrian theater began to take shape in the 16th century with the formation of the multinational Austrian state. In the 16th century, countless wandering theatrical troupes moved around Austria, performing comic scenes, acrobatic and dance performances.
In the 17th century, the art of Italy had a great influence on the Austrian theater. At the beginning of the 18th century, in 1712, the first permanent theater was created in Vienna. The experience of German folk theater and Italian comedy was used to stage the performances, consolidating the principle of improvisation on the stage.
The history of the circus in Austria begins earlier, with the artistic families of the Schnellers and Picards, hereditary artists, comedians and riders. In the 30s of the XX century, Ene Schneller founded his own circus, in which his children grow up and receive a profession. During the Second World War, the circus business had to be abandoned, but with the accession of peace, the troupe again began to travel around the country. However, the circus did not last long: soon the government seized their modest property from the family, leaving the Schnellers only a couple of carriages and two horses. Pikard is reborn in 1989. Led by Erne Schneller.
The most famous museums in the country are Cultural and Historical (Vienna), Kunsthistorisches, Natural History, Vienna Historical Museum, Albertina Museum. There are numerous house-museums associated with the life and work of great people - house-museums of W. Mozart, L. Beethoven, J. Haydn, F. Schubert, I. Strauss, I. Kalman.
6.4. Traditions and folk art as a component of culture.
Vienna is not only the capital of Austria, but also the recognized capital of the waltz, and the Vienna Ball is one of the most famous events in the social life of Europe. This is an annual event that starts on December 31st and continues until Lent. The ball season opens on New Year's Eve in Vienna's Hofburg Palace, where the Imperial Ball is held.
During the season, about 300 balls are held in the city. Practically every profession organizes its annual ball: chimney sweeps, journalists, pharmacists, florists, cabbies, coffee vendors, musicians and students. Each ball has its own name and traditions. But the most important ball in all of Europe is the Vienna Opera Ball, which is usually held in mid-February at the Vienna State Opera (hence the name of the ball).
The history of the Vienna Ball began in the first half of the 19th century, when balls were held during Maslenitsa (the period from January 1 to Lent). Their number reached 250 daily! Everyone danced: both aristocrats and common people. At the end of the 19th century, Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth gave the "Court Ball" exclusively for high society. However, in 1899, after the death of his wife, Emperor Franz Joseph, experiencing loss, canceled the ball. The tradition was restored a few years later, when in 1921 the Opera Ball came to replace the Court Ball. The Opera Ball began its existence much earlier. At first, it was held in the redoubt halls of the imperial palace, and when the building of the opera house was built in 1869, the ball moved there. The new ball had its own differences: firstly, the ladies had to wear masks, and secondly, they themselves invited the gentlemen to dance. This created an atmosphere of mystery and play and brought immense popularity to the ball.
Since then, the rules have changed, but the ball always follows the established order. The ball opens with a polonaise, in which up to 200 couples take part. Couples are selected by a special committee of renowned Viennese dance teachers. The main selection criterion is the ability to dance, namely, to perform a right-hand and left-hand turn. The committee also approves the requirements for the costumes of the participants.
There are a number of required elements here. The participant's hair should be decorated with a crown (models change every year). A bunch of flowers is also an obligatory element of a ball gown. Men must wear tailcoats or uniforms. After the polonaise performed by the debutants, the ballet troupe of the Opera appears on the floor. Then the beginners dance again, who now demonstrate the ability to perform the left-sided waltz.
And only after that the main organizer of the ball - the dancemaster - invites all the participants of the ball to the dance floor. This is how the main action begins, and everyone is immersed in the atmosphere of great music, dance rhythms, casual conversations and light buffets. The ball attracts the European elite, celebrities, famous politicians and people of art. The Vienna Ball welcomes up to five thousand participants. The event is served by about a thousand specialists - musicians, cooks, and even tailors and shoe makers.
The main national holiday is October 26 - the day of the adoption of the law on permanent neutrality, formed in 1955.
In Austria, in 1999, the largest truffle was found and entered in the Guinness Book of Records - very rare delicious and, as a result, expensive mushrooms in Europe.
Austria is not only a country of mountains, but also a land of gourmets. Their neighbors - Hungary, Czech Republic, Italy, and the Balkans - had a particular influence on the development of Austrian cuisine. Confirming its reputation, Austrian gastronomy meets the highest standards. The key to success is quality, which is inextricably linked with the traditions of the noble cuisine ("Hofkьche"). In addition to Viennese schnitzel and Sachertorte, Austrian cuisine has many other specialties. Immerse yourself in a world of culinary delights and try one of the local delicacies: peasant bran bread, dumplings, fragrant country ham or delicate pancakes. Traditional dishes are donuts filled with apricot marmalade or cream and apple strudel.
There is a Mehlspeisen bakery that bakes cream cakes and all kinds of pastries.
Food is not everything; a good dinner is followed by a good sip of wine. The highest quality of Austrian wines is recognized all over the world. And for those who don't like wine, they can round off their meal with an excellent local liqueur.
6.5 Popular culture
Over 20 daily newspapers are published in Austria. Their one-time circulation is about 3 million copies. TV and radio broadcasting is carried out by the state-owned ORF company. National News Agency - Austrian Press Agency (APA). Since January 1996, the Russian-language edition "New Vienna Journal" has been published monthly in Vienna. Such Russian-language editions are known as the Sootechestvennik newspaper, a monthly Russian-language newspaper that publishes detailed information about the life of the Russian-speaking diaspora in Austria.
Argumenty i Fakty Evropa is the leading Russian weekly newspaper and the absolute leader among the Russian press abroad. "AiF" in Austria is published in Russian, has regional supplements, a wide correspondent network and representative offices abroad.
7. Political conditions for tourism development
Austria is a union state with nine independent states. The current constitution was adopted in 1920 and reintroduced in 1945.
The head of state is the Federal President, who is elected for a 6-year term. The government is headed by the Federal Chancellor. Members of the government are appointed by the president.
The Austrian Parliament is a bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung), which consists of the Federal Council and the National Council. Geographically located in Vienna. Parliament can be dissolved either by presidential decree or by a vote of no confidence in the lower house of parliament.
Federal Council - Bundesrat (64 seats). The deputies are elected by the Landtags - the parliaments of the states. The lands are represented by a different number of deputies (from 3 to 12), depending on the population. The term of office of a member of the Bundesrat is 4 or 6 years, depending on the term of office of the Landtag that elected them.
National Council - Nationalrat (183 seats). The deputies are elected according to the proportional-list system. The term of office is 5 years.
The Austrian Constitutional Court is the world's first separate constitutional court (1920). Formed by the president on the proposal of the government and both chambers. It also has the authority to resolve disputes between the Länder (or Länder and the federal center), as well as to impeach senior officials.
Since October 26, 1955, Austria's foreign policy has been built taking into account the international legal status of permanent neutrality. Neutrality made it possible to expand the country's foreign policy opportunities and room for maneuver. During the Cold War, neutral Austria played the role of a "bridge" between West and East. Although Austria's neutrality was conceived along the lines of the Swiss, in practice it developed on its own. During the reign of Chancellor Bruno Kreisky, he was the basis of Vienna's almost "pacifist" foreign policy. Since the end of the 80s, neutrality began to adapt to the new international conditions, and in 1995 Austria became a member of the European Union. Its foreign policy began to lose independence and increasingly "dissolve" in the general course of the EU. In the late 1990s, many Austrian politicians raised the issue of abolishing the country's neutrality and the expediency of NATO membership. However, the country's population and opposition parties were skeptical about these ideas. At present, official Vienna proceeds from the premise that neutrality should not be a frozen institution, but should be adapted to changing conditions. However, as before, the Austrian Federal Constitutional Law on Neutrality of 26.10.1955 is the current law. According to its norms, Austria will not take part in any wars, will not allow the presence of any foreign troops on its territory, and will not enter into any military treaty.
8. Economy and infrastructure of the country. Tourism as a branch of the economy. Its influence on the economy of the country
Austria is one of the leaders among the EU countries in terms of quality of life, the volume of GDP in current prices in 2010 amounted to 284 billion euros. GDP per capita in 2010 was 33.85 thousand euros. GDP production per 1 employed in 2010 (labor productivity) - 77.6 thousand euros.
The Austrian economy is distinguished by a relatively low level of inflation (in 2002 - 1.8%) and unemployment (in 2000 - 3.7% of the working-age population, in 2002 - 4.3%). The consumer price index in 2002 to 1996 was 108.8, while in the EU as a whole - 110.8.
Approximately 2.2% of GDP is produced in agriculture and forestry, 32.3% - in industry, energy and construction, 65.5% - in services, trade, transport and communications, in the banking and insurance system ... One third of the volume of industrial production falls on the state sector of the economy.
Advantages: wide production base. Strong industry, especially chemical and petrochemical, electrical engineering, textile industry, woodworking. Skilled workforce. Tourism as an important source of currency.
Weaknesses: almost no natural resources. Dependence on imported raw materials, primarily oil and gas. Delay in moving towards increased competition and deregulation.
Austria is a country of traditional active, cultural and “green” tourism. Tourism is an important part of the Austrian economy, accounting for almost 9% of the Austrian gross domestic product.
Today tourism is the main source of income for Austria, covering the traditionally negative trade balance. The dynamics of tourism development, spending on it and the balance of tourism balance have common features with similar indicators in Switzerland: in 1964-1990, tourism spending grew at an outstripping pace and increased 28 times, tourism revenues increased 11 times, a positive tourism balance - 6 times.
The tourist surplus during the post-war decades is for Austria the most important source of covering the trade deficit. But in the 1970s and 1980s, financial receipts from tourism tended to decline.
The development of tourism in Austria is caused by the following factors: the availability of rich recreational resources; developed infrastructure; economic and political stability; lack of significant own raw materials and fuel resources; trade deficit; good geographical location.
Austria completely switched to the euro, like many other European countries. The euro replaced the Austrian schilling, which has been produced since 1924. Austria is one of the 12 richest countries in the world, with a very high standard of living. February 28, 2002 went down in history as the day when national banknotes were withdrawn from circulation in most EU countries.
There are exchange offices at every airport and railway station. However, it should be borne in mind that they work from 08.00 to 22.00. Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 8.00 to 15.00. Break from 12.00 to 13.30. On Thursday, banks are open from 8.00 to 17.30. Break at the same time. In large cities, special exchange offices are open for tourists. They can always be seen by the Exchange sign. Credit cards- Eurocard, Master - Card, Visa.
It is prohibited to export items of historical or artistic value without special permission. Persons over 17 years old can import 200 pieces. cigarettes or 500 cigars or 250 g of tobacco, as well as 2.25 liters of wine or 3 liters of beer and additionally 1 liter of other alcoholic beverages. In addition to the above, other goods may be imported for a total of US $ 200 per person. It is advisable to declare the import of cash over USD 10,000.
10-15% of the restaurant bill (if service is not included in the price), in other cases, including in a taxi - 5-10%. Porter services at the train station and at the airport are charged at a flat rate, and the hotel porter is 10 shillings per piece of baggage.
9. Student assessment of the current state and prospects of tourism development in the country
Austria natural religion culture economy
Austria is a country of alpine peaks, mountain lakes, meadows and cool forests. The great composers Mozart, Schubert, Haydn, Brahms, Gluck, Mahler and the world-renowned waltz king Strauss drew inspiration from this extraordinary country.
Austria has long been famous for its ski resorts. From now on, Austria and alpine skiing are inseparable concepts, therefore it is in this country that great athletes-skiers are raised.
Winter Austria from time immemorial has become a favorite vacation spot for many. There are resorts for the most refined taste - from fashionable and prestigious to youth sports, from popular all over the world to little-known, from crowded to secluded.
All ski resorts in Austria are famous for their excellent conditions for sports, both in winter and in summer. After all, it is in the summer, at the most fertile time of the year, that you can see how steep ski slopes turn into the famous alpine meadows with fragrant herbs and delicate wildflowers.
In addition, the resorts of Austria are also amazing opportunities for treatment, exciting excursions and just a relaxing holiday. The cordiality and hospitality of the Austrians is amazingly combined with the meticulous ability to organize the impeccable service of the guests.
The Austrian Alps are a snow-white paradise for skiers. The steep slopes of alpine peaks drowned in emerald forests, glaciers dotted with river valleys and downhill slopes (a skier's dream!), Mesmerizing beauty of transparent lakes with clear water, hilly plateaus and endless valleys.
And also Austria - these are traditional villages, taverns with national flavor and excellent cuisine, charming mountain houses that retain the charm of antiquity, slopes with impeccably equipped slopes, picturesque slopes - for every taste and skill, sophisticated lift systems and, of course, His Majesty's service - as always, at the highest level, successfully attracting tourists from all over the world.
Austria is definitely a country of year-round recreation. Despite the fact that many people associate Austria with winter tourism, sightseeing, cultural and historical buildings of the country with the richest traditions and glorious musical taste can be easily combined with any time of the year.
And yet the most striking sights of Austria - the snow-covered streets of Salzburg and the sparkling spiers of the cathedrals and palaces of imperial Vienna - make the most powerful impression.
Therefore, if you dream of traveling to Austria, but you are a little embarrassed by the winter season, then believe me that it is impossible to think of a better time to relax in this Alpine country.
Unrivaled Vienna, proudly bearing the honorary title of the musical capital of not only Europe, but also the world, and the most famous cities and the resorts of Austria are never so delightful as a snow-covered, but not too frosty winter, which is found, perhaps, only in the local European latitudes.
Especially beautiful at this time is romantic Salzburg - the city where the famous Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born, spent his childhood and adolescence.
When you walk along the streets of this town sparkling with snow, you feel the persecuting and completely indescribable smell of coffee and the freshest pastries, and with every cell you feel the presence and spirit of one of greatest people in a world that all Austria is proud of, you suddenly realize that miracles do exist in the world.
Because only in a real fairy tale can there really exist such a gloomy, but insanely romantic Hohensalzburg castle, towering over the city, such narrow winding and thoroughly imbued with the spirit of the Middle Ages and such tiny coffee shops for a couple of tables, where you will be served a cup of incredibly thick hot chocolate or a glass of traditional mulled wine.
You will feel that life is beautiful also when you think that you have such sights of Austria as world famous architectural masterpieces ahead of you, historical monuments and the palaces of Vienna immersed in luxury.
But here everything already depends on you and your preferences, because for someone Vienna and shopping on the famous Ringstrasse boulevard are completely inseparable, and for someone the memory of a whole day spent in the Baroque Hofburg, where one of the most large-scale Viennese balls.
But Austria does not exist alone - do not forget about the skiing traditions of this strange little Alpine. Indeed, ski resorts and cities, which are also no less significant attractions in Austria, deserve a separate description. The famous Innsbruck, Sölden, Tyrol, Bad Gastein, Kaprun are only a small part of the world famous ski resorts and complexes. Moreover, at each of Austrian resorts excellent skiing conditions, well-developed infrastructure and exciting night life.
Almost all regions (lands of Austria) will be interesting for people of all ages and hobbies. Whatever goal you pursue when going on vacation to Austria, whether it be cultural or sports events, relaxation or acquaintance with the secrets of Austrian cuisine, be sure that the result will meet your wildest expectations, Austria and all its nine regions will simply not let you get bored!
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Plan. 1. Business card 2. EGP of Austria 3. Historical background. 4. Economy of the country. 5. Nature 1) Relief 2) Climate 3) Natural resources 4) Mineral resources 5) Animal world 6) Environment 6. Population. 1) Ethnic composition 2) Demographic situation 3) Population distribution structure 4) Religion 5) Education 6) Mass media 7) National holidays 8) Taxation. 7. Economy. 8. Geography of foreign economic relations Political and economic situation in Austria. Austria is a small country located in the center of Europe and consists of 9 federal states: Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Burgerland, Styria, Carinthia, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Vienna and Salzburg. The city of Vienna - the capital of Austria - is administratively equated to the lands. The division of the country into lands has developed historically: almost each of the lands is a former independent feudal possession. In fact, modern Austria is a centralized state. Austria is landlocked. Here, on an area of 84 thousand square meters. km is home to about 11 million people, i.e. less than in Greater London. The geographical position of Austria contributes to its communication with other European countries, of which it directly borders on the family: in the east - the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, in the west - Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the Principality of Liechtenstein. This provides Austria with favorable transport and geographical conditions for mutually beneficial trade with neighboring countries. The territory of Austria is elongated in the form of a wedge, strongly narrowed in the west and widened in the east. This configuration of the country resembles, according to some, a bunch of grapes. The largest cities are Vienna, Graz, Linz and Salzburg. The location in the center of Europe makes Austria the crossroads of a number of trans-European meridional routes (from the Scandinavian countries and states of central Europe through the Brenner and Semmering Alpine passes to Italy and other countries). Serving the transit of goods and passengers gives Austria a certain amount of income in foreign currency. Besides, how easy it is to install the software physical map , the state borders of Austria for the most part coincide with natural boundaries - mountain ranges or rivers. Only with Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia (on a small stretch), they pass almost on flat terrain. When our compatriot, heading to Austria by train, crosses the Czech-Austrian border in the northeastern corner of the country, he is somewhat disappointed. Where is Alpine Austria? Around, as far as the eye can see, a treeless, plowed plain, flat as a table. Here and there green islands of orchards and vineyards, brick houses and lonely trees on the borders and along the roads flicker. Plains and hilly lowlands extend from here far to the south along the entire border with Hungary and occupy 20% of the territory. But upon reaching Vienna, we find ourselves in a more typical Austrian natural environment: mountains, the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald) - the northeastern outpost of the mighty Alps and the high-hilly wide and open Danube valley, which rises noticeably in the western direction. If you climb one of the peaks of the Vienna Woods, for example, Kahlenberg (“Bald Mountain”), then far in the north and north-west in the blue haze beyond the Danube you can see the low, wooded, granite ridge of Šumava, only some peaks of which rise several above 700 meters. This ancient hill occupies 1/10 of the country's territory. Undoubtedly, the Alps are the dominant landscape in Austria, they (together with the foothills) occupy 70% of the country's area. These are the Eastern Alps. So it is customary to call the part of the Alpine mountain system, lying to the east of the Upper Rhine valley, along which the state border with Switzerland passes here. What is the difference between the Eastern and Western Alps? To the east of the Rhine fault, the alpine ridges take a latitudinal direction, begin to fan out, as it were, and descend. The Eastern Alps are wider and lower than the Western ones, they are more accessible. There are fewer glaciers here, and the largest of them are about half the size of Switzerland. In the Eastern Alps there are more meadows and especially forests, and the Eastern Alps are much richer in minerals than the Western ones. If you cross the Alps from north to south, it is easy to see that the geological structure and composition of the rocks composing them are located symmetrically relative to the axial zone. This zone is the highest and most powerful group of ridges covered with glaciers and snows, among which the Hohe Tauern stands out with the highest point of the country - the double-headed peak Glosglockner (“Big Bell”), reaching 3997 m; Ötztal, Stubai, Zillertay Alps. All of them, together with the ridges adjoining from the west and east, are composed of hard crystalline rocks - granites, gneisses, crystalline schists. Most great glacier - Pasterce - has a length of about 10 km and an area of 32 km 2. To the north and south of the axial zone there are ridges composed of solid sedimentary rocks, mainly limestones and dolomites: the Lichtal Alps, Karwendel, Dakhshtein, Hochshvat and other ridges of the Northern Limestone Alps up to to the aforementioned Vienna Woods in the extreme northeast. Unlike the peaked peaks of crystalline ridges, limestone mountains are giant blocks with more or less flat, slightly sloping surfaces and almost steep or even overhanging slopes. The years are mostly bare, there are sinkholes of soil, caves and other forms of karst relief, formed by thawed rainwater in soluble limestone and dolomite. The peripheral zone of the Alps is formed by the low with soft outlines of the peaks and slopes of the Predalps, composed of loose sedimentary rocks. And within Austria, this zone is well expressed in the north, but in the south it is absent. One of the peculiarities of the Alps is that they are dissected by deep and wide transverse valleys, thanks to which the deep parts of the Alps are relatively easily accessible, and the low, comfortable passes allow you to easily cross the country from north to south in a number of places. Thus, the famous Brenner Pass has a height of 1371 m, and the Semmering Pass - 985 m. It is no coincidence that railways have long been laid across the Alpine passes, and some of them have no tunnels. Historical reference. In ancient times and in the earlier Middle Ages, many different tribes passed through the lands of modern Austria, located at the crossroads of important trade routes, the main of which was the route along the Danube. Some of them have left their mark on the ethnogenesis of the Austrian people; a noticeable influence on the formation of the Austrian Ethnic community was exerted by the Celts who settled here in the 5th-6th centuries BC. The conquest of the Austrian lands by the Romans, which began in the 2nd century BC, led to a gradual romanization of the local Celtic population. Administratively, these lands were included in different Roman provinces: Pannonia - in the east, Noricum - in the center, Rezia - in the West. The settlement of its lands in centuries by Germanic (Bavars, Alemanni) and Slavic (mainly Slovenes) tribes was of great importance for the history of Austria. On the basis of the predominantly Germanic tribes of the Bavars and Alemans who merged with some Slavic tribes and with the remnants of the Celtic and other tribes of the early Middle Ages, the Austrian ethnic community was formed. In the 7th-8th centuries, the lands of present-day Austria did not yet form a single whole, but were included in various European states: western and northern (with a Germanic population) - into the Bavarian Duchy, eastern (with a Slavic population) - into the Slavic state of Carantania. At the end of the 8th century, both of these states were incorporated into the Frankish empire of Charlemagne, and after its partition in 843 they became part of the German East Frankish kingdom. In the 7th-10th centuries, the lands of modern Austria were subjected to devastating raids by nomads, first by the Bavars (VIII century), and then by the Hungarians (IX-X centuries). In the second half of the 10th century, on the territory of modern Upper and Lower Austria, the Bavarian Oriental mark was formed, which began to be called Ostarrichi (Austria). It later became the core of the Austrian state. In the XII century, Austria, like many other European states, became part of the "Holy Roman Empire". In the 15th century, almost all of its modern lands were included in the Austrian state, with the exception of Salzburg and Burgenland. However, this political association was still unstable, its borders often changed, the regions included in the state were connected only by dynastic ties. In the XII-XV centuries, Austria was one of the economically prosperous countries in Europe. The development of feudalism in Austria was distinguished by some peculiarities. Until the 15th century, the feudal dependence of the peasants was much weaker in it than in neighboring countries ; enslavement of the peasants took place here more slowly due to long-term displacement of the population and the raids of nomads. In the mountainous cattle-breeding regions, especially in Tyrol, a free peasantry remained, united in rural communities. In the 15th century, Austria became not only the economic, but also the political center of the "Holy Roman Empire", and its dukes - the Habsburgs - were emperors. Against the background of the general economic and political upsurge, the culture of medieval Austrian cities flourishes, first of all Vienna, then Graz and Linz. The foundation of the University of Vienna in 1365 was of great importance. In the 16th century, Austria led the struggle of the countries of southeastern Europe against the Turkish invasion. Taking advantage of the weakening in the wars with the Turks of the Czech Republic and Hungary, Austria included most of their territories in its possessions, starting from that time on turning into a multinational state. During this period, the country's economy is increasingly strengthening and developing. In the mining industry (mining of iron and lead ores in Tyrol, Styria, Upper Austria), the emergence of capitalist relations began in the 16th century. The first manufactories appeared in the production of velvet, silk, and luxury goods. In the 17th-18th centuries, the Austrian Habsburgs continued to expand their possessions: the entire territory of Hungary, almost all of Croatia and Slavia, the Southern Netherlands, some regions of Italy, and a number of Polish and Ukrainian lands were annexed to Austria. In terms of its area, Austria began to occupy the second place in Europe after Russia. In the 18th-19th centuries, feudal-absolutist Austria was a stronghold of Catholic reaction in Europe. She initiated the intervention against revolutionary France, and later participated in all anti-French coalitions, led the struggle against the revolutionary movement in Europe. The defeat of Napoleonic France in the European wars of the early 19th century further strengthened Austria's external position. By decision of the Congress of Vienna in 1814-1815. she not only returned the lands conquered by Napoleon, but also gave the region of Northern Italy in exchange for the southern Netherlands. In the second half of the 19th century, Austria lost its hegemony in European affairs. The struggle with Prussia for supremacy among the German states ended with the defeat of Austria in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. The creation of the union of German states (1867) took place under the auspices of Prussia and without the participation of Austria. In 1867 Austria became a dualist monarchy of Austria-Hungary. The Austrian and Hungarian ruling classes formed an alliance to exploit and suppress the resistance of other peoples. At the end of the 19th century - the beginning of the 20th century, changes took place in Austria's foreign policy: having failed to achieve hegemony among the German states that were united by Prussia in 1871, Austria launched an offensive in the Balkans, which led to aggravation of relations with Russia and rapprochement with Germany. In 1882, the so-called Triple Alliance was concluded between Austria-Hungary, Germany and Italy, which came out in the First World War of 1914 against the Entente countries. In 1918 the Austro-Hungarian monarchy split into three states - Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary: in addition, part of its lands became part of Romania, Yugoslavia and Poland. In 1938, the troops of Nazi Germany occupied Austria. The entire economy of the country was subordinated to the military needs of Germany. In World War II, Austria participated as part of Germany. In March 1945, Soviet troops crossed the Austrian border. On April 13, they entered Vienna, and shortly thereafter, the Soviet Army and allied forces liberated the entire country. After the defeat of Nazi Germany, by agreement between the USSR, the USA, England and France, the entire territory of Austria was temporarily divided into 4 zones of occupation. Initiated by Soviet Union in 1955, the State Treaty for the restoration of an independent and democratic Austria was signed and the occupation ended. In the same year, the Austrian parliament passed a law on the permanent neutrality of Austria. Economics of a country. Austria is one of the most developed countries in Europe. In recent years, the country's economy has been developing at an accelerated pace. The largest foreign investor is Germany (about 30% of investments). Industrial production increased by 4.6% in 1995 and reached 334.5 billion shillings. The leading industries are mechanical engineering, metallurgy, as well as the chemical, pulp and paper, mining, textile and food industries. One third of the volume of industrial production is accounted for by the state sector of the economy. Austria has a productive agriculture. Almost all types of agricultural products necessary to provide for the population are produced. The most important branch of agriculture is animal husbandry. Foreign tourism is one of the most profitable sectors of the Austrian economy. Annual receipts from foreign tourism amount to over 170 billion shillings. Austria trades with more than 150 countries around the world. About 65% of exports and 68% of imports go to the countries of the European Union. The main trading partners are Germany (40%), Italy, Switzerland. The share of Russia is only 1.5%. The country's gold and foreign exchange reserves in 1994 amounted to 218 billion shillings. In terms of per capita income, Austria ranks 9th in the world. The rise in prices for consumer goods in 1995 was 2.3%. The unemployment rate was 6.5%. NATURE. 1.Relief. The main thing that determines the natural features of almost not the entire territory of Austria is the Alps. Their white-headed peaks are visible from everywhere in the country. Almost ѕ of the country is occupied by the Eastern Alps, which are lower and wider than the Western ones. The border between them coincides with the western border of Austria and runs along the valley of the upper Rhine. The Eastern Alps have fewer glaciers, more forests and meadows than the Western ones. The highest point of Austria - the Großglockner mountain in the Hohe Tauern - does not reach 4 thousand meters. (3797 m). From the highest peaks flows down the largest glacier of the Eastern Alps - Pasierce - over 10 km long. Other peaks of the ridge granite-gneiss zone of the Ötztal, Stubai, and Zillertal Alps are also covered with snow and ice. In this crystalline zone, the so-called alpine landforms are most pronounced - sharp ridges, steep-walled valleys plowed out by glaciers. To the north and south of the ridge zone is the famous ice - Eisriesenwelt (world of ice giants) in the Tennengebirge mountains, south of Salzburg. The names of the mountain ranges themselves speak of the inhospitableness, wildness of these places: Totes-Gebirge (meter-high mountains), Hellen-Gebirge (hellish mountains), etc. The limestone Alps to the north pass into the Predalps, which descend in steps to the Danube. These are low, rolling mountains, overgrown with forest, in some places their slopes are plowed up, and wide sunny valleys are quite densely populated. If it is appropriate to compare the geologically young Alps with the Caucasus, then the mountains lying on the other, left side of the Danube, resemble the Urals. These are the southern spurs of Šumava, part of the ancient Bohemian massif, almost to the ground destroyed by time. The height of this border elevation is only 500 meters, and only in a few places it reaches 1000 meters. Areas with calm relief, flat or hilly lowlands occupy only about 1/5 of the country's area. This is, first of all, the Danube part of Austria and the adjacent western edge of the Middle Danube plain. The overwhelming majority of the population lives here and is the "center of gravity" of the entire country. 2. Climate. Large contrasts of relief - from lowlands to snowy mountains - determine the vertical zoning of the climate, soils, and vegetation. Austria has vast areas of fertile land, warm and rather humid (700-900 mm of precipitation per year) "grape" climate. This word is everything: a rather warm, long summer with an average temperature of + 20 degrees in July and a warm sunny autumn. On the plains and foothills, relatively mild winters with an average January temperature of 1-5 degrees. However, most of the Alpine part of the country is "deprived" of warmth. With a rise for every 100 meters, the temperature drops by 0.5 - 0.6 degrees. The snow line is located at an altitude of 2500-2800 meters. Summers in the high mountains are cold, damp, windy, and often sleet. In winter, there is even more precipitation here: giant thickets of snow accumulate on the mountain slopes, which often for no apparent reason break down and rush down in avalanches. crushing everything in its path. A rare winter goes by without casualties; dwellings, roads, power lines are destroyed ... And sometimes in the middle of winter the snow suddenly disappears. This was the case, for example, in the days of the "White" Olympics at the beginning of 1976 in the vicinity of Innsburg. Usually snows are "driven away" by warm southerly winds - hair dryers. 3. Natural resources. The mountainous part of the country is distinguished by an abundance of clean fresh water. It accumulates in the form of snow and glaciers for most of the year, only to rush down to the Danube in summer with thousands of roaring streams, filling the lake basins along the way. Alpine rivers also determine the regime of the Danube: it is especially abundant in the summer, when plain rivers usually become shallow. Danube tributaries - Inn, Salzach, Ens, Drava - are fraught with large reserves of energy, but all of them are not navigable and are only partially used for timber rafting. There are many lakes in the country, especially in the northern foothills of the Alps and in the south, in the Klagenfurt Basin. They are of glacial origin, their pits are plowed up by ancient glaciers; the lakes are generally deep, with cold, clear water. This type is in the vast Lake Constance, partly owned by Austria. Vegetation zones on the territory of Austria replace one another in the following order: broad-leaved (oak, beech, ash) forests in the Danube Valley (though heavily thinned out) are replaced by a mixed forest of foothills. Above 2000 - 2200 m, they are replaced by coniferous (mainly spruce-fir, partly pine) forests. Mountain forests are one of the national treasures of Austria. On the vegetation map of Central Europe, the Austrian Eastern Alps appear as the only large green island. Among the small Western European states, only Finland and Sweden surpass Austria in forest area. There are especially many industrially exploitable forests in Upper (mountain) Styria, for which it is called the “green heart of Austria”. Apparently, it is no coincidence that the color of the flag of the land of Styria and its folk costumes are green. During the German occupation of World War II, the Austrian forests suffered enormous damage. Above the forests and sparse dwarf shrubs, there are subalpine (matt) and alpine (alma) meadows. In the hot summer months, violent melting of snow begins in the mountains, which leads to large floods, including on the Danube, the level of which sometimes rises by 8 - 9 m. Nevertheless, the Alps, as "moisture collectors", are of invaluable importance for Austria: the deep rivers flowing from them, especially the Inn, Ens, Salzach, Drava, serve as the richest sources of inexhaustible water energy. In addition, Austria has large reserves of clean fresh water, concentrated in addition to glaciers and rivers in numerous alpine lakes (the predominance of lakes in the Salzkammergut area). In addition, Austria owns the southeastern part of the large and deep Lake Constance on the western outskirts of the country and almost entirely the shallow lake Neusiedlersee on its eastern outskirts. 4. Mineral resources. In Austria, the set of minerals is quite diverse, but among them there are very few of those whose value would go beyond the borders of the country. The exception is magnesite, which is used for the production of refractories and, in part, for the production of metallic magnesium from it. Magnesite occurs in the Styrian, Carinthian and Tyrolean Alps. There are very few energy minerals. These are very modest deposits of oil (23 million tons) and natural gas (20 billion cubic meters) in Lower and partly in Upper Austria. Even with the Austrian production scale, these reserves are projected to be depleted within two decades. The reserves of brown coal are somewhat larger (in Styria, Upper Austria and Burgenland), but it is of poor quality. Comparatively high quality iron ores, but with a high metal content, are available in Styria (Erzberg) and a little in Carinthia (Hüttenberg). Non-ferrous metal ores are found in small quantities - lead-zinc in Carinthia (Bleiberg) and copper in Tyrol (Mitterberg). Of the chemical raw materials, only table salt is of practical importance (in the Salzkamergut), and of other minerals - graphite and feldspar. 5. Fauna In mountain forests, mainly in reserves, ungulates live - red deer, chamois, mountain sheep, mountain goats. From birds - wood grouse, black grouse, partridge. On the plains, where almost all the land has been cultivated, large wild animals have long been gone. But foxes, hares, and rodents are still found here. 6. Environment The environment in most of Austria is not yet under the threat of pollution as in most other industrialized countries in Europe. First of all, this applies to the Alps with their sparse population and generally insignificant industry in relation to this vast territory. The Austrian authorities, interested in attracting foreign tourists to the country, are taking some measures aimed at limiting environmental pollution, but not enough. The democratic public and academia in Austria are sounding the alarm about the unacceptable level of industrial waste pollution of the Danube downstream Vienna and the rivers Mura and Mürz. Reserves play an important role in the system of nature conservation measures. There are 12 of them in Austria with a total area of 0.5 million hectares. They are found in all natural zones - from the steppe surroundings of Lake Neusiedler See to the high Tauern. Most of the nature reserves are located in the Alps. POPULATION. 1. Ethnic composition. The population of Austria is relatively homogeneous in terms of ethnicity: about 97% of its population are Austrians. In addition, in Austria, in certain regions of Styria, Carinthia and Burgenland, small groups of Slovenes, Croats and Hungarians live, and in Vienna there are also Czechs and Jews. Many Austrian citizens consider themselves not only Austrians, but, by origin from this or that province, also Styrians, Tyroleans, etc. Austrians speak the Austro-Bavarian dialects of the German language, which differ significantly from the literary one. Literary German is used mainly in writing or on official occasions, as well as in conversations with foreigners. Under the influence of local dialects, his vocabulary and grammar also acquired some originality. 2. Demographic situation. One of the main features of the Austrian population is the cessation of its growth since the beginning of the 70s. This is explained by a large drop in the birth rate. If it were not for the markedly increased average life expectancy, which in 1990 reached 75 years, the demographic situation would have been even more unfavorable. The fall in the birth rate is associated with the difficult material situation of the majority of the Austrian population, as well as with the consequences of the Second World War. A small natural increase has been preserved even in the less developed western alpine lands, as well as in the countryside. Austrian experts predict that the population in the country will not change significantly until 2000, however, a decrease in the proportion of young ages and an increase in the proportion of the elderly threaten to reduce the labor force. 3. Population distribution structure The country's territory is populated very unevenly. With an average density in the country of 90 people per 1 sq. Km, it ranges from 150-200 or more people in the eastern regions adjacent to Vienna, to 15-20 in the Alps. In most of the country's territory, the rural population lives in farms and separate yards - the lack of convenient land affects. Due to the harsh living conditions, the proportion of the Alpine population is constantly decreasing, and there is a flight from the mountains - "bergflucht". Above 1000 m above sea level, 2% of the country's population constantly lives. 77% of the population lives in cities (with a population of more than 2 thousand people), but Austria does not impress the traveler as an urban country. The fact is that more than a quarter of the city dwellers are concentrated in the largest city in the country - Vienna. Half of the entire urban population lives in small towns with a population of up to 100 thousand people. Thus, large cities with a population of 100 to 250 thousand are not typical for this country. There are only four of them Graz, Linz, Salzbkrg and Insburg. The functions of these cities, not to mention Vienna, are varied, which cannot be said about the mass of small towns, which for the most part are "unambiguous". They are dominated, as a rule, by one or two industrial sectors. The rapid growth in the number of urban residents is associated with an increase in the share of non-agricultural occupations of the economically active population. In 1990, in industry, including construction and handicrafts, its share was more than 41%, and in agriculture and forestry - about 12% (against 33% in 1960), in transport and communications - 7%. 4. Religion. According to an international study of values, conducted in 1990-91, 44% of Austrians visit churches and other houses of worship once a month and more often (8th out of 27 countries in Europe and North America). If we combine the data of these international studies in 1990-91 and 1995-97, then Austria will take 23rd place out of 59 countries in the world in terms of church attendance once a week and more often (30% of Austrians attended churches in 1990-91 with this regularity). At the same time, during the 1991 poll, only 6.1% of Austrians stated that they do not believe in God (another 8.3% believe in God, but do not believe in life after death). (On the territory of Austria, Christianity began to spread from the end. Religious organizations The largest religious organization is the Roman Catholic Church of the III century). The state supports the Church: there is a 1% church tax in the country, which all citizens of the country are obliged to pay. The Roman Catholic Church in 2000 had 5,651,479 adherents (72.1% of the population). The second largest is the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg and Helvetian Confession (ECAiGI), which unites two autonomous Churches (Lutherans and Reformed). Lutherans and reformists finally received the right to freely profess their beliefs only in 1781, and fully equal in rights with Catholics - a century later. 5. Education. Compulsory education in Austria starts at the age of six and lasts for 9 years. Education in public schools and higher education are free. There are 18 universities, 12 universities. The University of Vienna (founded in 1365) is the oldest existing university in German-speaking countries. 6. Mass media. Over 20 daily newspapers are published in Austria. The one-time circulation is about 3 million copies. Television and radio broadcasting is carried out by the state-owned company ERF. National Information Agency - Austrian Press Agency (APA). 7. National holidays. The Ascension of Christ, the Second Day of the Trinity, the Feast of the Body of Christ, the Dormition of the Virgin (15.8), the National Day of the Austrian Republic (26. 10), the feast of All Saints (1.11): St. Virgin Mary (8.12), as well as Christmas (25 and 26.12). 8. Taxation. Austria, like most Western European countries, has a rather complex, multi-tier taxation system, with most of the taxes collected through the Federal Tax Service. Local taxes are not very significant. Austrian law divides all individuals and legal entities into taxpayers with unlimited and limited tax liability. Unlimited liability means that tax is paid on all income received both domestically and abroad. This responsibility is borne by individuals with a permanent residence in Austria, as well as companies with a registered office or management bodies in Austria. Accordingly, limited tax liability is borne by individuals residing abroad and corporations that do not have any governing bodies or legal address in the country. In this case, certain types of income received in Austria are subject to taxation, for example, income from activities carried out through permanent establishments or branches. The main types of taxes: 1) on investments; 2) for income; 3) corporate; 4) for entrepreneurial activity; 5) property; 6) from turnover (value added); 7) for real estate; 8) inheritance and donation. Household. 1. General information After the formation of Austria as an independent state in 1918, during the 1920s and 1930s, it experienced a severe economic and political crisis. Having lost its peripheral possessions - the industrial Czech Republic and the agricultural territories of Hungary, as well as burdened with huge expenses for the maintenance of the numerous bureaucratic apparatus that previously ruled a huge empire, and now left out of work, Austria could not adapt to new conditions for a long time. During the years of the Anschluss, the German monopolies controlled thousands of Austrian enterprises and sought to establish the exploitation of Austria's natural resources in the interests of Germany. Numerous hydroelectric power plants, enterprises of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, chemical plants were built. After the Second World War, the former German property passed into the hands of the state in Austria, which was in the interests of the Austrian people. At the present time, the main enterprises of heavy industry and banks have been nationalized in Austria. State-owned enterprises mainly produce electricity, cast iron and steel, aluminum, mines iron ore, brown coal, oil and natural gas, refines oil, produces nitrogen fertilizers, artificial fibers, and some mechanical engineering products. Mainly enterprises of the light and food industries, as well as a group of industries related to the harvesting, processing and processing of wood, remained unnationalized. Foreign capital plays a significant role in the Austrian economy. Entire industries are under his strong influence, and in some cases even under his control: electrical, electronic, petrochemical, magnesite, and the production of certain types of equipment. Foreign capital limits the economic independence of Austria, in particular, it inhibits the development of the public sector. Austria is one of the economically developed countries with a relatively rapidly developing industry. Although the world economic crisis of 1974-1975 did not spare Austria either. but here it began a little later. The economic development of Austria is also favorably influenced by the fact that, as a neutral state, it has relatively low military expenditures. In the post-war period, the industrial development of Austria made significant headway. Now Austria belongs to the industrial countries, and although in terms of the cost of production, industry surpasses agriculture by about 7 times, Austria satisfies its needs for basic agricultural products by 85% at the expense of its own production. Austria's dependence on the external market is reflected in the fact that it imports the missing raw materials for energy and exports surplus products of the manufacturing industry. The main industrial and agricultural region of the country is the Danube lands. Here, on 1/5 of the territory of Austria, are its vital economic centers. The rest of the country, especially in the high-mountainous part of the Alps, is dominated by almost unpopulated areas, still little connected with the outside world and with each other. As in many Western European countries, Austrian industry is characterized by uneven development of individual industries. Some critical manufacturing industries are absent altogether, such as aircraft manufacturing, while others are not very significant - these include the automotive industry and the manufacture of electronic equipment. 1. Mining, heavy, light industries The mining industry, due to the poverty of minerals, plays an extremely insignificant role in the economy, with the exception of magnesite, which is of export importance. In these industries, Austria has excess capacity, and a significant part of their production is exported to Western European countries. 2. Fuel Industry One of the weakest points of the Austrian economy is its fuel industry. Austria imports all the necessary bituminous coal, more than half of brown coal, about 4 oil, almost half of natural gas. Since the beginning of the 70s, the cost of imports of primary energy sources began to exceed their production within the country. Especially high costs are associated with the transportation of oil and gas. Oil and natural gas account for about 60% of all energy consumption, while solid fuels and hydroelectric power account for 20% each. The country produces less than 2 million tons of oil per year, and its production is gradually decreasing. However, the oil is relatively shallow and of high quality. The main deposits are located northeast of Vienna. Near the capital, in the city of Schwechat, at the only large oil refinery, almost all oil refining is concentrated. From abroad (mainly from Arab countries) it is received through the Trieste-Vienna oil pipeline, which runs along the southeastern outskirts of Austria outside the Alps. Parallel to it, but in the opposite direction, a gas pipeline has been laid from Russia, through which Russian gas goes to Austria and Italy. 3. Power Engineering More than half of electricity is produced at numerous hydroelectric power plants, but the importance of hydropower is decreasing, and the production of electricity at thermal power plants is growing faster. Hydroelectric power plants are mainly built on alpine rivers in the west of the country, from where part of the electricity is transmitted to the eastern regions, part is exported and only a little is consumed locally. 4. Ferrous metallurgy One of the most important branches of the Austrian industry is ferrous metallurgy. Smelting of pig iron and steel far exceeds the needs of the country, and most of the ferrous metal is exported. Most of the pig iron is smelted in Linz, Upper Austria, the rest in Leoben. Steel production is roughly equally divided between Linz and the Styrian region. Austria is the birthplace of a new, more efficient technological steelmaking, namely oxygen-converter, which is increasingly replacing the open-hearth process. The needs of metallurgical plants are covered only by 3 of the local ore. All alloying metals and metallurgical coke are imported from abroad. 5. Non-ferrous metallurgy In non-ferrous metallurgy, only the production of aluminum is of great importance. The development of this industry in Austria, which does not have bauxite in its depths, is associated with the use of cheap electricity from numerous hydroelectric power plants on the Inn River. Here, in Ranshofen, near Braunau, one of the largest aluminum smelters in Western Europe was built. Other non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises do not even cover the domestic needs of the country. Only a little copper and lead are smelted from the local ore. 6. Mechanical engineering Although mechanical engineering forms the core of all Austrian industry, it is less developed than in other Western European countries, as a result of which Austria imports more mechanical engineering products than it exports. Machine-building enterprises, as a rule, are small: many of them employ no more than 50 people. Machines and apparatus for the light and food industries, some types of machine tools, and equipment for the mining industry are produced in large quantities. Locomotives and small sea vessels are also produced. The largest center for mechanical engineering is Vienna. 7.Lumber_complex.Also typical for Austria is a complex of industries, including the harvesting of wood, its processing and the production of pulp, paper and cardboard. The significance of the timber industry complex goes far beyond the borders of the country. Forest products account for about a third of the country's total exports. Large areas of timber harvesting are carried out in the mountainous regions of Styria, and mainly its primary processing is also carried out here. 8.Agriculture In Austria, agriculture is quite developed. At present, the yield of the main grain crops - wheat and barley - exceeds 35 kg / ha, the productivity of dairy cows reaches 3 thousand kg of milk per year. More than 2 agricultural products are provided by animal husbandry. This is facilitated by the fact that natural meadows and pastures occupy more than half of the total agricultural area. In addition, about a quarter of the arable land is sown with forage crops. And another part of the feed is imported. All this allows keeping 2.5 million head of cattle. Recently, the production of meat and milk covers the entire effective demand of the population. The cultivated area is small. There are lands that are not constantly cultivated. These are the so-called egarten (transporation). They are used alternately as arable land, then as a pasture. Egarten is characteristic of the Alpine regions. The main agricultural crops - wheat, barley and sugar beets - are cultivated mainly where there is a warm climate and fertile soils - in often Danube Austria and on its eastern flat-hilly outskirts. Rye, oats and potatoes are also sown here. But their crops are spread even more widely - they are also found in the foothills of the Alps and in the mountain valleys, on the Šumava plateau. Outside the mountainous regions, vegetable growing, fruit growing and especially viticulture are widespread. The grapes are grown only in the warm regions of the northeastern and eastern outskirts of the country. 9. Transport The network of communications in Austria is quite dense and not only on the plains, but also in the mountains, which is facilitated by the significant dissection of the Eastern Alps by deep transverse and longitudinal valleys. But, despite the deep dissection of the relief, nevertheless it was necessary to go to the construction of numerous road engineering structures: tunnels, bridges, viaducts. In Austria, there are over 10 tunnels, each more than a kilometer long. The Arlberg Road Tunnel is the longest, with a length of 14 km. The construction of mountain railways and highways contributed to the development of forest, hydropower and other resources of mountain regions. The main modes of transport in Austria are rail and road. About 1 of the total length of railways is electrified. Electric plots are located mainly in the mountainous part of the country, where cheap electricity from local hydroelectric power plants is used and where there are many steep climbs. Electric vehicles are also the most important international directions, including to Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and transalpine roads. In other directions, diesel traction prevails. From Vienna, as the largest railway junction, the most important highways diverge in a ray-like manner. The main of them departs in a westerly direction, linking the Danube and Alpine lands. In the northwest direction from this trans-Austrian highway there are roads to the countries of the former Czechoslovakia and Germany. Of great importance is the Semmering Main Line extending from Vienna to the southwest, which connects the capital with Upper Styria and Italy. The main highways are connected by two high mountain lines crossing the Alps from north to south (Linz - Leoben and Salzburg - Villach). Automobile transport successfully competes with rail transport in the transportation of both goods and especially passengers. Now, only intercity buses carry twice as many passengers as by rail. Over the past decades, several sections of new motorway-type highways have been built, the most important of which is the Vienna-Salzburg highway. The design of the highway network is similar to that of the railways. The only navigable river in Austria is the Danube. It is navigable along the entire Austrian stretch of 350 km. It is especially full of water in summer, when mountain snows and glaciers melt. Nevertheless, river transport accounts for less than a tenth of the country's total cargo turnover. The largest port in Austria is Linz, where metallurgy consumes a huge amount of coal and coke, iron ore and other raw materials imported mainly by river. Vienna is more than twice behind it in terms of cargo turnover. Geography of foreign economic relations. The Austrian economy cannot develop without close ties with foreign countries, and its import of goods and capital exceeds their export. But the services provided to foreign partners are superior to the services received from them. First of all, we are talking about tourism, which plays an important role in the country's economy. Foreign trade of Austria has a negative balance, that is, the value of imports of its goods exceeds exports. Raw materials and semi-finished products occupy a significant place in Austria's exports: timber and products of its partial processing, ferrous metals, products of the chemical industry, and electricity. Some types of machinery and equipment are exported from finished products, river ships... Small quantities of food are exported. Mostly finished products are imported, and primarily consumer goods, while the import of machinery and equipment, automobiles, and consumer and industrial electronics is of somewhat lesser importance. Oil, natural gas, coal and coke, ferrous and non-ferrous metal ores, and chemical raw materials are imported in large quantities. Food and flavoring goods, tropical agriculture products, and a lot of fodder are also imported. In general, more than 85% of Austria's foreign trade is oriented towards the world capitalist market. Germany takes the first place in exports, and especially in imports of Austria. Austria's policy of state neutrality is a good basis for further development foreign economic relations with all countries of the world.
Austria - a small country located in the center of Europe, consists of 9 federal states: Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Burgerland, Styria, Carinthia, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Vienna and Salzburg. The city of Vienna - the capital of Austria - is administratively equated to the lands.
The division of the country into lands has developed historically: almost each of the lands is a former independent feudal possession. In fact, modern Austria is a centralized state.
Austria is landlocked. Here, on an area of 84 thousand square meters. km is home to about 11 million people, i.e. less than in Greater London.
The geographical position of Austria contributes to its communication with other European countries, of which it directly borders on the family: in the east - the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, in the west - Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the Principality of Liechtenstein. This provides Austria with favorable transport and geographical conditions for mutually beneficial trade with neighboring countries.
The territory of Austria is elongated in the form of a wedge, strongly narrowed in the west and widened in the east. This configuration of the country resembles, according to some, a bunch of grapes.
The largest cities are Vienna, Graz, Linz and Salzburg.
The location in the center of Europe makes Austria the crossroads of a number of trans-European meridional routes (from the Scandinavian countries and states of central Europe through the Brenner and Semmering Alpine passes to Italy and other countries). Serving the transit of goods and passengers gives Austria a certain amount of income in foreign currency.
In addition, as it is easy to establish from a physical map, the state borders of Austria for the most part coincide with natural boundaries - mountain ranges or rivers. Only with Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia (on a small stretch), they pass almost on flat terrain.
When our compatriot, heading to Austria by train, crosses the Czech-Austrian border in the northeastern corner of the country, he is somewhat disappointed. Where is Alpine Austria? Around, as far as the eye can see, a treeless, plowed plain, flat as a table. Here and there green islands of orchards and vineyards, brick houses and lonely trees on the borders and along the roads flicker. Plains and hilly lowlands extend from here far to the south along the entire border with Hungary and occupy 20% of the territory. But upon reaching Vienna, we find ourselves in a more typical natural environment for Austria: mountains, the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald) - the northeastern outpost of the mighty Alps and the high-hilly wide and open Danube valley, which rises noticeably in the western direction. If you climb one of the peaks of the Vienna Woods, for example, Kahlenberg (“Bald Mountain”), then far in the north and north-west in the blue haze beyond the Danube you can see the low, wooded, granite ridge of Šumava, only some of the peaks that rise slightly above 700 meters.
This ancient hill occupies 1/10 of the country's territory.
Undoubtedly, the Alps are the dominant landscape in Austria, they (together with the foothills) occupy 70% of the country's area. These are the Eastern Alps. So it is customary to call the part of the Alpine mountain system, lying to the east of the Upper Rhine valley, along which the state border with Switzerland passes here. What is the difference between the Eastern and Western Alps? To the east of the Rhine fault, the alpine ridges take a latitudinal direction, begin to fan out, as it were, and descend. The Eastern Alps are wider and lower than the Western Alps, they are more accessible. There are fewer glaciers here, and the largest of them are about half the size of Switzerland. In the Eastern Alps, there are more meadows and especially forests, and the Eastern Alps are much richer in minerals than the Western ones.
If you cross the Alps from north to south, it is easy to see that the geological structure and composition of the rocks composing them are located symmetrically relative to the axial zone. This zone is the highest and most powerful group of ridges covered with glaciers and snows, among which the Hohe Tauern stands out with the highest point of the country - the double-headed peak Glosglockner (“Big Bell”), reaching 3997m; Ötztal, Stubai, Zillertay Alps. All of them, together with the ridges adjoining from the west and east, are composed of hard crystalline rocks - granites, gneisses, crystalline schists. The largest glacier - Pasterets - has a length of about 10 km and an area of 32 km 2.
To the north and south of the axial zone, there are ridges composed of hard sedimentary rocks, mainly limestones and dolomites: the Lichtal Alps, Karwendel, Dakhshtein, Hochshvat and other ridges of the Northern Limestone Alps up to the aforementioned Vienna Woods in the extreme northeast. Unlike the peaked peaks of crystalline ridges, limestone mountains are giant blocks with more or less flat, slightly sloping surfaces and almost steep or even overhanging slopes. The years are mostly bare, there are sinkholes, caves and other forms of karst relief, formed by melt rainwater in soluble limestones and dolomites.
The peripheral zone of the Alps is formed by the low with soft outlines of the peaks and slopes of the Predalps, composed of loose sedimentary rocks. And within Austria, this zone is well expressed in the north, but in the south it is absent.
One of the peculiarities of the Alps is that they are dissected by deep and wide transverse valleys, thanks to which the deep parts of the Alps are relatively easily accessible, and the low, comfortable passes allow you to easily cross the country from north to south in a number of places. So, the famous Brenner Pass has a height of 1371m, and the Semmering Pass - 985m. It is no coincidence that railways have long been laid through the Alpine passes, some of them without tunnels.
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