Full official form of the name of the state: Republic of Austria

Austria flag

Coat of arms of austria

Form of government: Federal Republic

Membership in international organizations: Austria is a member of the UN (since 1955) and is a member of a number of UN specialized agencies (UNESCO, UNIDO, WHO, FAO, IFAD, ILO, ICAO, ITU, UPU, WIPO, WMO, IAEA, IBRD, IFC, IMF, MAP, etc. .). Austria is a member of the EU, WTO, OECD, OSCE, CE, CEI, EBRD, Interpol and other organizations

Square: 83,879 km² (114th in the world)

The border: total length 2562 km
* in the north with 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 northwest with Germany - 784 km

Population: 8 401 940 people (2011, census) (94th in the world)

Population density: 101.4 people / km² (80th place in the world)

Capital: Vienna

: 9 lands

Official language: German

Currency: Euro

Internet domain:.at

Timezone:(UTC + 1, summer UTC + 2)

Telephone code:+61

OKSM codes: AU (alpha-2) AUS (alpha-3) 040 (numeric code)

Geographical position

Austria is a small country located in the center of Europe. She has no outlet to the sea. Here, on an area of ​​84 thousand km² in 2011, 8.4 million people lived. Austria shares borders with 8 countries. The total length of the borders is 2,562 km.

The territory of Austria is elongated in the form of a wedge, strongly narrowed in the west and widened in the east. The greatest length from north to south is 294 km, from west to east - 573 km. The configuration of the country resembles, according to some, a bunch of grapes.

Coordinates of extreme points of the country

• northern- 15 ° 1''E. d. and 49 ° 1 's. NS.;
• eastern- 17 ° 10''E and 48 ° 0 's. NS.;
• southern- 14 ° 34''E d. and 46 ° 22 's. NS.;
• western- 9 ° 32''E d. and 47 ° 16 's. NS.

Landscape

Austria is both an alpine and a Danube country. Most of the country's territory is occupied by the Eastern Alps (62.8%), the highest peak is Grossglockner (3798 m). Downstream of the Danube is a low-lying plain. In the east - the Styrian-Burgenland hilly plain. In addition, Austria is located at the “crossroads of Europe”: through its alpine passes there are routes from countries lying north of Austria to the countries of the Mediterranean basin, and from countries lying to the west of it - to the Danube (Balkan) countries. The most densely populated and economically developed regions of Austria are located in the east.

Climate

In Austria, different climatic zones... In general, the country is characterized by a temperate continental climate influenced by the Atlantic. In the foothills of the Carpathians, in the northern regions, the climate is more continental. The average temperature in July is about + 19 ° С, in January it is about 0 ° С. The average annual rainfall is 800 mm (much more in the western regions, in the mountains 2100 mm).

Rivers and lakes

In Austria there are rivers Danube basin. The Austrian part of the Danube - 350 km, Mur - 348 km, Inn - 280 km. There are more than 500 relatively small lakes and two large ones: on the border with Hungary - Neusiedler See (156.9 km², the Austrian part - 135 km²), on the border with Germany and Switzerland - Constance (total - 538.5 km²).

Soil

Podzolic and brown forest soil, in the southeast - chernozem. In the mountains there are stony, as well as mountain brown forest and mountain meadow soils.

Minerals

Iron ore, petroleum, lead-zinc ores (Klagenfurt-Bleiberg), bituminous and brown coal (Styria, Upper Austria).

Flora and fauna

The country is rich forests(47% of the entire territory). 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.

Fauna- typical Central European. There are roe deer, hare, deer, pheasant, partridge, fox, marten, badger, squirrel. The surroundings of the Neusiedler See lake are unique protected nesting places for birds of various species. In the high-mountainous regions of the Eastern Alps, the composition of the fauna is typically Alpine.

Political system

Austria is a democratic republic with a federal state structure... The Constitution was adopted by the Constitutional National Assembly on October 1, 1920. It enshrines the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens, the principles of equality, the rule of law, the separation of powers, as well as the separation of legal proceedings and administration.

Principles of public administration. The constitution is based on the principle of representative democracy: all power comes from the people, who exercise it during elections and delegate it to the legislative, executive and judicial bodies.

Bills, which are mainly developed by the government, are discussed and adopted by the National Council by a majority of votes with a quorum of 1/3 of the deputies (constitutional laws and regulations, as well as school laws - 2/3 of the votes).

In relation to the legislative process and management, multilateral control is exercised: political - the opposition, legal - the Constitutional Court of Justice, economic - the Accounts Chamber, for violations - the prosecutor's office.

Head of state

Head of state- federal president. He is elected for a term of 6 years (with the possibility of one-time re-election) in direct, equal popular elections by secret ballot.

The federal president mainly performs representative functions (primarily in the international legal sphere), accredits and appoints ambassadors, appoints and dismisses federal officials, including officers. Based on the results of parliamentary elections, he appoints the Federal Chancellor and, on his recommendation, other members of the government. He can dissolve the National Council with the consent of the Bundesrat, dismiss the Federal Chancellor or the entire government (but not individual ministers), although in practice this has never happened. The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Federal President - Heinz Fischer (since July 8, 2004), former speaker of the National Council (Parliament), who won the presidential election on April 25, 2004.

Heads of state (presidents)

Legislature

The highest legislative body and the body of people's representation- a bicameral Federal Assembly, consisting of the National Council (NA) and the Federal Council (Bundesrat). Joint meetings of the Federal Assembly are held when the President is sworn in and to decide on the declaration of war. It can also call a referendum to dismiss the president.

Legislative functions are performed by the National Assembly (together with the Bundesrat), elected for 4 years in direct general elections by secret ballot. The President of the National Assembly, as well as the second President of the National Assembly and the third President of the National Assembly carry out the leadership of the National Assembly. These three presidents form a collegium and act as federal president when he is unable to do so.

Representation of political parties in the National Council

The second chamber of the Austrian parliament is the Bundesrat. Its 64 members represent 9 federal states in proportion to their population (for example, Lower Austria - 12, and Vorarlberg and Burgenland - 3 each). Members of the Bundesrat are elected and delegated by the Landtags for 4 or 6 years. The Bundesrat can challenge the law, and then the National Council votes again with a larger quorum. The President of the Bundesrat is elected in alphabetical order from each Land for a period of six months.

Representation of political parties in the Federal Council

Elections to all organs of popular representation are universal, direct, free and equal by secret ballot. All citizens who have reached the age of 18 are granted the right to vote. Participation in the presidential elections is compulsory. Elections to the National Assembly are held according to a proportional system (three-tier proportional system: 1 vote for a specific party list, within the list - for a specific candidate in the regional and land constituencies). The National Assembly hosts the parties that have won a regional mandate or received 4% of the votes throughout Austria.

Executive power

Supreme body of executive power- federal government. Formed on February 28, 2003 from representatives of the ANP and the APS, the government consists of 11 federal ministries: Social Security, Generations and Consumer Protection (Minister Vice-Chancellor H. Haupt, APS); foreign affairs; internal affairs; justice; national defense; finance; economics and labor; agriculture and forestry, environment and water management; health and women's affairs; transport, innovation and technology; education, science and culture.

The government is headed by the Federal Chancellor. He forms the cabinet and coordinates its work. When making decisions, the principle of unanimity applies. The chancellor must take into account the opinion of the vice chancellor, whose role in the Austrian coalition government is great.

Heads of government (federal chancellors)

	The consignment	Innings
Bruno Kraisky
Fred Zinovac	Socialist Party of Austria
Franz Vranitsky	(until 1991 - Socialist Party of Austria)
Victor Klima	Social Democratic Party of Austria
Wolfgang Schussel	Austrian People's Party
Alfred Gusenbauer	Social Democratic Party of Austria
Werner Fayman	Social Democratic Party of Austria

Judicial branch

Administrative divisions

The Austrian federation consists of 9 states, which have their own parliament (Landtag), constitution and government. The lands of Lower Austria and Upper Austria lie on both sides of the Danube, and Salzburg, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Carinthia and Styria are wholly or mostly in the Alps; Burgenland is located on the outskirts of the Middle Danube Lowland in the east of the country. The city of Vienna - the capital of Austria - is administratively equated to the lands.

Population

Cities

The largest cities: Vienna, Graz (238 thousand people), Linz (203 thousand people), Salzburg (144 thousand people), Innsbruck (118 thousand people). The share of the urban population is 60%.

National composition

Ethnic composition The population of Austria is homogeneous, about 98% are German-speaking Austrians. In addition, there are 6 recognized national minorities: Croats, Slovenes, Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians, Gypsies (about 300 thousand people in total).

According to the 2001 census, the number of foreigners is 707 thousand. (8.8%), according to estimates - more than 760 thousand, of which 45% are citizens of the former Yugoslavia.

Languages

Colloquial- Austrian dialect of German; there are many local dialects in the country. Slovenian is the official language in Carinthia, and Croatian and Hungarian in Burgenland.

Demography

2001 census total population Austria amounted to 8.03 million people. There is almost no natural population growth in Austria: the number of births and deaths is almost the same every year. At the same time, both the birth rate and the death rate are decreasing in Austria: in 2001, 75.5 thousand were born, and 74.8 thousand died (9.3 ‰ each). A slight excess of births over deaths in recent years is provided at the expense of foreigners (+8.2 thousand versus -7.5 thousand for the Austrians). Infant mortality 4.8 people. per 1000 live births. average life expectancy 78.8 years, including 75.9 years for men and 81.7 years for women (2001). In 2001 there were 3,889,189 men and 4,143,737 women. The number of residents 60 years and older is growing: their share is about 20% (including more than 7% - over 75 years old).

Religious denominations

According to the 2001 census, 73.6% of Austrians are Catholics, 4.7% are Protestants, 6.5% of the population belongs to other religious denominations (Islam - 4.2%, Orthodox Church - 2.2%, Judaism - 0.1 %; a total of 12 denominations are registered), 12% of the population do not consider themselves to be any confession (in 1991 there were only 8.6%).

Political parties, trade unions and other public organizations

Austria is a country with a multi-party system. So, at the moment there are more than 15 large political parties in the republic, the most influential of which are the Austrian People's Party (ANP), the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPA; until 1991 - the Socialist Party of Austria), the Austrian Freedom Party (APS), " Union for the Future of Austria ”and“ Greens ”.

Since Austria is a parliamentary republic, the role of the legislature in determining the political course of the country is quite large. In fact, the winning party or coalition of parties gets the opportunity to realize their ideas through the formation of a cabinet of ministers. In addition, political parties in Austria also perform such typical functions for such organizations, such as aggregation and articulation of the interests of groups of citizens, political socialization, replacement of the ruling elite and the introduction of new leaders into politics.

Despite the multiparty system, in the second half of the XX century. in Austria, in fact, there was a so-called. the system of "two and a half" parties, within which two powerful parties - in this case, the ANP and the SPA - for a long time staffed governments with only ministers from their ranks within the framework of a bipartisan coalition (in 1970-1983, the government was formed only by the SPA), and only sometimes resorted to an alliance with the Austrian Freedom Party (the SPA and the APS coalition in 1983-1987, the ANP and APS in 2000-2007, where the Union for the Future of Austria has also participated since 2003). In January 2007 and December 2008, the coalition governments re-formed the SPA and the ANP.

Such a system is typical for many parliamentary republics that are developed democracies, and experts tend to consider such a party system one of the most stable and stable. In addition to Austria, a similar practice has been established in Europe, for example, in the Federal Republic of Germany.

The Law on Party Funding was adopted in 1975. It provides parties whose representatives form the composition of the National Council with budgetary support to participate in elections to national representative bodies and the European Parliament, as well as for public campaigns and the work of party research organizations. In addition to the fixed rate, additional funds are allocated in proportion to the number of votes received in the last elections (if the party received 1% or more). The spending of the funds provided is carried out under the strict control of the relevant state bodies.

Political parties

Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPA). It emerged in 1945 as the successor to the Social Democratic Labor Party of Austria, which existed since 1889. Until 1991 it was known as the Socialist Party of Austria. After the Second World War, the party defends the principles of democratic socialism, advocates preserving social guarantees for the population, increasing benefits and subsidies. She also supports Austria's neutrality. Party supporters have traditionally included workers as well as part of the middle class. Chairman - A. Gusenbauer

Austrian People's Party (ANP). It was formed in 1945 on the basis of the Christian Social Party, which arose at the end of the 19th century. At times, on a national scale and quite often in individual lands, the ANP takes over the socialists. In the second half of the XX century. it was supported mainly by farmers and entrepreneurs, who advocated the early accession of Austria to the European Community, and then to the European Union. The ANP members define the orientation of their party as progressive-centrist. The ANP is located in the central part of the political spectrum in Austria, with a tendency to shift to the right. It consists of three unions: the Economic Union, which unites industrialists and merchants, the Peasant Union and the Union of Workers and Employees. Chairman - V. Schussel.

Austrian Freedom Party (APS). It was created in 1956 on the basis of the right-wing radical Union of the Independent. The APS ideology was characteristic of right-wing populist parties, and its supporters included mainly those who had previously supported Hitler's Nazi regime. In the 1960s and 1970s, the party's ideology began to gradually change, becoming less radical (albeit remaining right-wing). At the end of the XX century. The party under the leadership of Jörg Haider found itself at the center of Austrian political life and gained scandalous notoriety in Europe, but a short-term triumph did not allow it to gain practical influence on the life of the country and soon ended in a decline in popularity and a split. Chairman - S. Riess-Passer.

"Green"- an ecological party advocating for the protection of the environment. It emerged in the political arena in 1986 under the name Green Alternative - Freda Meissner-Blau's List. Chairperson - A. van der Bellen.

Union for the Future of Austria Is a right-wing party founded in 2005 by Jörg Haider after leaving the Austrian Freedom Party. Advocates for limiting immigration and social orientation of the economy.

In Austria, there is also a neo-Nazi National Democratic Party, which practically does not play a noticeable role in the political life of the country.

Economy
Austria is one of the most developed countries in Europe. GDP per capita in 2002 amounted to 24.7 thousand euros (in 1995 prices). This indicator is constantly growing (in 1990 it was equal to 20.1 thousand, in 1995 - 21.4 thousand euros), and in US dollars at current prices and at purchasing power parity in 2001 - 28.2 thousand (with an average of EU 25.5 thousand). Thus, Austria was ahead of Sweden, Great Britain, Italy, France, Germany, and was second only to Denmark, the Netherlands, Ireland and Luxembourg.

The volume of GDP in constant prices in 2002 was 200.7 billion euros. GDP production per 1 employed in 2001 (labor productivity) - 58.3 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 it was 110.8 (see Tables 3, 4).

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.

Industry

The most important industrial sectors are engineering, food, chemical, pulp and paper, metallurgy. In the automotive industry, the most important part is the production of engines (900 thousand units per year) and gearboxes, with the share of their export being St. 90%. In the field of electronic technology, Austria has won international recognition for its bespoke integrated circuits and chips. The production, mainly for export, of complex industrial equipment is gaining more and more importance.

The potential of hydroelectric power plants is constantly expanding, Austria is the largest producer of hydropower in the EU. If in 1998 the hydroelectric power station produced 38.7 thousand GW (67.4% of all electricity produced in the country), then in 2000 - 43.5 thousand GW (70.5%). At the same time, in 2000 the country exported 15.1 GW and imported 13.8 GW.

Industrial production in 2002 increased to the level of 1995 by 32.9%, with the greatest growth observed in Carinthia (by 56.5%), while in Vienna it decreased by 3.6%. The growth in the production of investment goods for the same period amounted to 56.5%, and consumer durables decreased by 0.5% (although in 2000 the index was 110.6). The production of clothing fell 2 times, but the production in the tobacco industry increased more than 2 times. The production index in mechanical engineering was 173.8, in electrical engineering - 203.0, in the production of vehicles and their components - 203.9. Particularly rapid growth was observed in the production of office equipment and devices for information processing - the index in 2002 to 1995 was 656, and in 2001 it was even higher - 699.

Agriculture

Despite the fact that the mountainous terrain is not very suitable for agriculture, the use of modern farming methods gives Austria the opportunity to meet 3/4 of the needs of the domestic market. agricultural products.

Agricultural use accounts for 41% of the country's area. Agriculture and forestry workers make up only 5% of the working population. In agriculture, there are strict standards for the use of plant protection products and fertilizers. In Austria, 70% of enterprises using 90% of agricultural land participate in the national environmental program (on average in the EU - about 20%). More than 20 thousand peasant farms produce environmentally friendly biological products.

Transport and communications

The length of the railways is slightly more than 6 thousand km, of which more than half is electrified. Total length highways- 133.4 thousand km, including more than 1600 km - high-speed roads. More than 4 million cars and about 350 thousand trucks are registered. Inland waterways - 358 km. Bus transport is the leader in passenger transportation - 608 million people. in 2000, followed by rail - 183 million 17 387 million t-km).

6 international airports: Vienna, Salzburg, Graz, Innsbruck, Linz and Klagenfurt. The largest airline, Austrian Airlines, has 90 aircraft and in 2000 carried 8 million passengers (out of a total of 15.6 million).

The length of oil pipelines - 777 km, gas pipelines - 840 km. In 2001, about 60 million tons of products were pumped through pipelines.

Despite being landlocked, Austria has 10 merchant ships.

The country is well developed connection, about 30 companies operate on the communication services market. There are 4 million telephone points and 6 million mobile phones. Almost half of the population is 4 million people. - uses the Internet.

Services sector

Austria is a highly industrialized country, but the majority of the population works in retail, banking, healthcare, education and tourism, with the latter being one of the most profitable industries in the economy.

In 2002, the number of tourists was 27.4 million, including 18.6 million - foreign. Gross receipts from tourism in 2002 are estimated at 9.6 billion euros (less than in 2001 by almost 1.7 billion euros, although the number of tourists has increased).

In recent years, a number of important economic and political functions, to a greater or lesser extent, are carried out by supranational state bodies (first of all, this applies to foreign trade and monetary policy). Nevertheless, at the national level, the Austrian government continues to carry out important tasks of economic and social policy.

Monetary and financial systems

After 1999, the main functions of monetary regulation in connection with the formation of the Economic and Monetary Union were transferred to the European Central Bank (ECB). The National Bank of Austria is part of the European System of Central Banks and implements the policy formulated by the ECB. At the same time, the National Bank of Austria retains the functions of controlling the payment turnover and issuing Euro banknotes, and managing the gold and foreign exchange reserves that it still has.

Credit institutions in Austria are very diverse. Savings banks (38% of the total balance sheet amount at the end of 2000) occupy the leading place in terms of balance sheet amount, and Raiffeisenbanks (625 main institutions out of a total of 923 and 1741 branches out of 4556) in terms of the number of institutions and branches. In addition, there are joint-stock banks (second in terms of balance sheet amount), construction savings banks, land mortgage banks, Volksbanks, and special banks. If in the 1980s. the number of credit institutions was growing, but in the 1990s it slightly decreased.

The share of GDP redistributed by the state is very large, although it has been declining slightly in recent years. If in 1990 total government spending, including social funds, amounted to 53.1% of GDP, then in 1993 - 57.9%, but then dropped to 52.5% in 2000 and 52.3% in 2001.

The state budget deficit is practically constant (except for 2001, when there was a surplus of + 0.3% to GDP). But if at the beginning. 1990s it fluctuated from 3 to 5.2%, then since 1997 it did not exceed 2.4%, and in 2002 it was equal to 0.6%, i.e. the country meets the Maastricht criteria for this indicator. However, the public debt, which before 1992 was less than 60% of GDP, then increased to 69.2% and now hovers at the level of 67-68% (or 146.5 billion euros, including 132.2 billion - federal debt), exceeding the limit of 60% established by the Maastricht Treaty.

Federal budget expenditures, according to preliminary data, in 2002 amounted to 61.8 billion euros, and revenues - 59.4 billion euros. About 45% of income comes from taxes on income and property, 29.7% comes from turnover tax, 8% from excise taxes. The bulk of the spending is on the social sector.

Standards of living

The government is carrying out a tax reform in order to reduce the level of taxation of wages and other incomes of citizens and their families, while providing some tax incentives to entrepreneurs, as well as to simplify the tax system as a whole, while simultaneously tightening control over tax payments.

Austria has a developed social security and protection system with two levels: compulsory insurance and state social assistance. While providing social stability and confidence, this system is nevertheless very expensive and requires - including for demographic reasons - constantly growing contributions. Therefore, if in 1990-2001 the total gross wages increased by 51%, then the net wages - by only 35% (at the same time, deductions in the form of payroll tax and social contributions doubled).

In 2001, the average nominal wage per employee was EUR 2,400 per month (gross), an increase of 41% compared to 1990 (net wages per employee in 2001 amounted to EUR 1,620 and increased by 26.6% compared to 1990 %).

A positive factor for the sustainability of the standard of living of the population is the low rise in prices for consumer goods and services; over the past 2 years, the most (by 10.8%) increase in the price of tobacco products, and the least (by 1.1%) - for household electricity and heating of houses.

So far, unemployment in Austria is relatively low, but if the stagnation of the European economy is delayed, it could grow significantly. The number of registered unemployed averaged 232.4 thousand people. The number of vacancies has dropped markedly. Among the unemployed, the share of people over 50 years old in 2002 was 48.4%. The number of job seekers for more than 1 year is only 5.5%, the average duration of registration at the labor exchange is 137 days.

International trade

External economic ties; Austria trades with 150 countries around the world.

Export goods in 2002 77.3 billion euros (4.1% more than in 2001; in 2000 the growth was 15.6%, in 2001 - 6.5%). Machines, paper and cardboard, automobiles, ferrous metals are exported. Almost half of the exports are consumer goods.

Import goods in 2002 - 76.9 billion euros (2.2% less than in 2001; in 2000 the growth was 14.7%, in 2001 - 5%). Mostly finished products are imported, with consumer goods accounting for half of the imports.

In 2002, there was a slight positive trade balance, while in previous years it was negative.

The vast majority of Austrian trade is with the EU countries (60.2% of exports and 65.8% of imports). The main trading partner is Germany (its share in the turnover is 36.1%), followed by Italy, Switzerland, France, and Hungary. Trade with Eastern European countries is growing steadily: exports to these countries (excluding the CIS countries) amounted to 13.5 billion euros (17.5%), and imports of them - 10.2 billion euros (13.2%).

Austria's trade with Russia has also been growing in recent years: from € 1,893 million in 2000 to € 1985 million in 2002, however, imports from Russia fell from € 1,238 million to 1,032 million, while exports to Russia increased from € 655 million. up to 953 million. Mainly from Austria to the Russian Federation are exported machines, chemical products (primarily pharmaceutical goods), paper and cardboard, steel pipes for oil production, imported from the Russian Federation energy carriers and metals.

The balance of payments on current transactions in Austria in 2002 was positive (both for goods and services). The balance of capital flows often develops negatively or with a slight plus.

Foreign investments on the basis of reciprocity in Austria are granted national treatment. Established in 1983, a state-owned specialized agency successfully supports the placement of foreign enterprises in Austria. The largest foreign investor is Germany (about 30% of investments).

Domestic policy

Maintaining law and order and the rule of law are the main tasks domestic policy Austria. For many decades, social peace has been maintained in the country (based on a highly developed welfare state, but not least thanks to a system of social partnership and participation in governance). Only in 2003, as a result of the planned pension form, there were mass protests and strikes - for the first time in many decades.

Growing up in the 1990s. the influx of refugees and immigrants led to the strengthening of right-wing radical and nationalist sentiments among a part of Austrian society, which was expressed by the leader of the APS J. Haider. The entry of his party into the federal government on February 4, 2000 sparked a wave of protests at home and abroad and EU sanctions. On February 29, Haider resigned as party chairman. Nevertheless, the problem of right-wing radicalism has become one of the main issues for Austrian domestic politics.

Economic policy

A characteristic feature of the post-war development of Austria is a significant share in the industry of public sector enterprises. In 1986, the share of state-owned enterprises united in the concern "Esterreichische Industriholding AG" ("EIAH"), in the volume of industrial production was about 30%, and in the total number of employed in industry - 20%.

In 1987, the Austrian government adopted the EIAH “reorganization” program aimed at the consistent privatization of promising and profitable enterprises and the elimination of ineffective industries. By 2000, the state retained full ownership of only 2 enterprises, and in the rest retains its share participation, with the largest share in the tobacco industry (more than 40%), in Austrian Airlines (39.7%), in the capital of the largest corporations in black metallurgy (35-39%).

In economic policy in the 1990s. a line was pursued to further reduce the state sector, privatize, reduce direct participation of the state in economic activities, support private entrepreneurship, shift the center of gravity of state regulation to improving the framework conditions for the activities of economic entities.

The coalition government of the ANP and the APS, proclaiming the slogan “to govern in a new way,” outlined a reform program that, to a certain extent, could lead to a gradual erosion of the system of social partnership, which had guaranteed social stability in society for decades.

The government pays great attention to the tasks of financial consolidation, reorganization of the country's budget, improvement of the financial situation of individual structures with direct or indirect participation of the state. The most important components of the government program are the implementation of the pension reform, which caused violent protests in the country, the consistent privatization of state property, the reform of the administrative and managerial sphere, the development of the national capital market, and the strengthening of the scientific potential of the economy.

Social politics

Comprehensive reform is of particular importance social security systems... In Austria, social insurance is compulsory for all dependent workers (except government officials). Employees and employers pay in equal shares numerous social contributions, from which the corresponding social funds are formed: pension insurance, medical insurance, against accidents, against unemployment, a contribution to compensation funds in case of bankruptcy of an enterprise, a contribution to equalize the situation of families, assistance in housing construction and some others. ...

International relationships

The status of permanent neutrality and refusal to participate in military-political blocs established a certain framework for Austria's foreign policy activity. This did not mean isolationism or "equidistance" from West and East, and did not prevent her from effectively integrating into the Western democratic community. In 1956 Austria became a member of the Council of Europe, and in 1960 - a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The 1970s were the highest point of the country's activity in the UN.

Even greater opportunities for using Austria's openness appeared after its accession to the EU in 1995. Since February 10, 1995, Austria has been participating in NATO's Partnership for Peace program. By signing the Amsterdam Treaty (1998), Austria actually agrees to participate in the common defense policy of the EU countries.

Vienna, like other cities in Austria, is often chosen as a place for international meetings. So, for many years, starting from 1975, negotiations were held here on mutual reduction armed forces and weapons in the countries of Central Europe. In June 1979, in Vienna, the USSR and the USA signed the Treaty on the Limitation of Offensive Arms (SALT-2). At present, Vienna is home to the central offices of a number of international organizations, including the IAEA, UNIDO, OPEC, as well as the Secretariat and the Permanent Council of the OSCE.

Since the 1970s, Austria has pursued a policy of "active neutrality", promoting "diplomacy of contacts" (including between the leaders of the USSR and the United States), supporting political and military detente. In the 1980s and 90s, the European orientation of Austrian foreign policy intensified. In the 1990s, Austrian foreign policy intensified in relation to the neighboring countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

Resources of influence on the international environment and international processes

Austria has a medium environmental impact potential.

The population of Austria is 0.129% of the total population of the Earth. German is the official language in Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Belgium. It also has official status in the Opolskie Voivodeship (Poland), Sopron (Hungary), Trentino-Alto Adige (Italy). German is spoken in at least 15 other countries. The Austrian German language itself is spoken only in Austria and South Tyrol (Trentino-Alto Adige).

Austria participates in a number of organizations, including the EU.

The share of Austria in the financing of the UN in 2008 amounted to 18,277,780 US dollars, or 0.887% of contributions from all participating countries (the United States - 22%).

Austria's quota in the IMF in 2008 amounted to 0.86% of the total quota, the "weight" in decision-making - 0.86% of the total number of votes (for the United States, these figures were 17.09% and 16.79%, respectively).

Austria is a member of the Paris Club of creditor countries.

Weight of Austria in the world economy

Relations with Russia

Diplomatic relations between the USSR and the first Austrian Republic were established in February 1924 and ended in March 1938 after the annexation of Austria by the Third Reich. In October 1945, diplomatic relations were restored at the level of embassies, which in 1953 were transformed into embassies.

Relations between the Russian Federation and Austria are developing positively. Political contacts are maintained at a high level, inter-parliamentary ties are developing.

The legal framework of Russian-Austrian relations includes both the agreements of the Soviet period, adapted to the new conditions, and agreements concluded after 1991.

The main document in the field of bilateral trade and economic relations is the intergovernmental Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation of November 8, 1993. According to the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, in 2007 trade with Austria amounted to 5.19 billion US dollars (Russian exports - 2.74 billion US dollars). dollars, imports - 2.46 billion dollars).

The bulk of Russian exports are energy resources, mainly natural gas (over 90% of Austrian gas imports), oil and oil products. There are supplies of non-ferrous metals, timber, cellulose, pharmaceutical and chemical products, optics. The share of machinery and equipment in Russian exports to Austria remains extremely insignificant.

Finished products prevail in Russian imports from Austria, among which machinery and equipment, including metallurgical, control and measuring and medical devices, occupy an important place. Important items of Russian imports are ferrous metals and products from them, medicines, foodstuffs, chemical products, clothing and footwear, paper and cardboard.

The accumulated volume of Austrian investments in Russia amounts to USD 2 billion. More than 1200 Austrian firms operate on the Russian market (150 have representative offices in Russia) and approx. 500 companies with Austrian capital. Nearly 80% of Austrian investment is in the non-manufacturing sector, including the provision of commercial intermediaries, consulting and information services... The rest of the joint ventures are engaged in metallurgy, mechanical engineering, pulp and paper, woodworking, medical and food industries, and construction.

Russia and Austria grant each other most favored nation treatment in trade within the scope of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The Austrian side supports Russia's intention to join the WTO and OECD.

Military establishment

Military establishment Austria is composed of the Ground and Air Force.

According to the report "Military Balance 2008", prepared by the International Institute of Strategie Studies (International Institute of Strategie Studies), the number of the armed forces of Austria in 2007 was 39 600 people. The ground forces were armed with 114 MBT, 112 BMP, 458 armored personnel carriers and 684 artillery systems. The Air Force is to receive 15 European-made EF-2000 Typhoon multifunctional fighters by the end of 2009 Austria's military spending as a percentage of GDP is below world level.

Military expenses

Based on materials WikiKnowledge

Austrian republic

Austria located in Central Europe. In the north it borders with Germany and the Czech Republic, in the east - with Hungary and Slovakia, in the south - with Italy and Slovenia, in the west - with Liechtenstein and Switzerland. It has no outlet to the sea. Most of the territory is occupied by the Alps and their foothills, the highest point is Mount Großglockner (3797 m).

The name of Austria comes from the ancient German Ostarrichi - "eastern country".

Capital

Square

Population

8151 thousand people

Administrative division

Consists of 8 federal states and the metropolitan area equated to them.

Form of government

Republic, with a federal state structure.

Head of state

Supreme Legislature

Bicameral Parliament (National Council and Federal Council), term of office - 4 years.

Supreme executive body

The government is headed by the Federal Chancellor.

Big cities

Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck.

Official language

German.

Religion

80% are Catholics, 9% are Protestants, 3% are Orthodox, 2% are Muslims.

Ethnic composition

88.5% - Germans, 1.5% - Croats, Slovenes, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Italians, 10% - Turks, Bosnians, Serbs.

Currency

Euro = 100 cents.

Climate

Moderate, transitional to continental, highly dependent on altitude. The winter is mild, with frequent snowfalls, the coldest winter month is January, the temperature in the valleys drops to - 2 ° С, in the mountainous regions - to - 14 ° С. Snow lies in the mountains for 7-8 months. Summers are warm and sunny, the hottest months are July and August, the temperature is about + 20 ° С. Precipitation ranges from 600 mm per year in the east of the country to 2000 mm per year on the western and southwestern slopes of the Alps.

Flora

Deciduous forests are located up to a height of 600-800 m - oak, beech, hornbeam, ash; at an altitude of 1400 m appear conifers; Alpine meadows begin at a height of 2000 m.

Fauna

In deciduous forests there are rare species of animals in Europe - red deer, elk, roe deer, brown bear. In the alpine part - ibex, chamois, alpine marmot, alpine ptarmigan.
Rivers and lakes. Danube rivers (tributaries: Inn, Ens, Drava, Mur and Morava), Rhine; 580 lakes, mainly of glacial origin, including Neusiedler See, Lake Constance.

sights

In Vienna - the famous Vienna Opera and Burgtheater, a collection of the Academy of Fine Arts, a collection of jewels of the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere Park, the world's oldest zoo (1732); in Salzburg - House-Museum of Mozart, fort of the XI century, in Graz - Museum of Forensic Science, castle of the XI century; Cathedral of the Knights of the Teutonic Order of the XIII century; in Innsbruck - the Fürstenburg castle, the Hofburg imperial palace of the XIV-XVIII centuries.

Useful information for tourists

There are 2 tourist seasons - summer (July-August) and winter (Christmas). The best times to visit Vienna are in late spring and early autumn. The ski season lasts until mid-April. To use the lifts, you must purchase one-time or one-day tickets (there are several categories) or more advantageous "ski passes" for several days (for valid more than 10 days, a photograph is required). Tourist plastic cards provide free travel in any type of public transport, free (or cheaper) visits to museums and excursions, all kinds of discounts. Free maps of Vienna, transport routes, excursion programs and brochures, including in Russian, can be obtained from the Vienne-Thurismus office on Al-bertinaplatz. 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 hand him a tip. Small coins can be left in the bar and cafe. In street cafes, tips are not given. It is customary for a taxi driver to pay 10% over the counter, you can simply not take a change from the change.

Austria ( official name Austrian Republic) is a state in the center of Europe with its capital Vienna. The five largest cities in the country, besides Vienna, also include Graz, Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck. The area of ​​the country is 83 879 km², the population is 8 857 960 people (as of October 2018).

Austria is a parliamentary republic headed by a federal president elected for a term of 6 years. Geographically, Austria consists of 9 federal states: Burgenland, Vienna, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Styria.

In Austria, German is spoken, which is both lexically and grammatically different from German in Germany. In addition, the numerous dialects spoken by the inhabitants of the alpine regions are very difficult to understand.

The Austrian flag is one of the oldest symbols of statehood in the world. According to legend, it was created with the light hand of Leopold V of Austria in 1191 during one of the battles of the Third Crusade.

The name of the country comes from the ancient German word Ostarrichi - "eastern country", and Austria as a proper name was first mentioned in the annals of 996.

Austria is 70% a mountainous country, located, on average, at 900 meters above sea level. Most of the country 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 (3,797 meters) with one of the largest glaciers in Europe - Pasteursee.

Despite its relatively small size, this European country is a popular tourist destination. Austria is a must-see for all self-respecting skiers and lovers of other winter sports, fans of active types of tourism and ecotourists, because the country has a large number of national natural parks.

Current time in Vienna:
(UTC +2)

Customs regulations

Personal items required during travel can be imported duty-free. Persons who have reached the age of 18 can import duty-free for personal consumption 200 cigarettes (or 50 cigars, or 250 g of tobacco), as well as 2 liters of wine or 3 liters of beer and an additional 1 liter of other alcoholic beverages.

Major holidays

• January 1 - New Year
• January 6 - Day of the Three Saints
• May 1 - Easter Monday (public holiday)
• August 15 - Ascension, Spirits day, Assumption
• October 26 - National Day
• November 1 - Feast of All Saints
• December 25 - Christmas
• December 26 - St. Stephen's Day

How to get there

By plane

The main international airport is Vienna. During the ski season, charter flights to Salzburg and Innsbruck are organized. In addition, you can use the airports of neighboring Schengen countries - Munich, Milan or Venetian.

It is most convenient to fly to almost any city in Austria by Austrian Airlines, which operates flights from several cities in Russia - from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov and Sochi. You can read about how to get to Vienna.

By train

A non-stop carriage from Moscow travels 33 hours through Poland and the Czech Republic. With a transfer, you can travel through Slovakia or Hungary. You can also travel with a transfer through Poland and Germany to the Salzburg and Innsbruck area, but such a transfer will not be cheaper than a flight.

By car

Distances from Vienna by road: Moscow - 1950 km, Berlin - 635 km, Paris - 1265 km, Zurich - 765 km, Prague - 280 km, Munich - 445 km, Bratislava - 65 km, Budapest - 245 km.

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Climate and weather in Austria

Here two climatic zones converged at once. In the west, humid weather prevails, in the south and southeast, 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 themselves consider autumn to be the best time of the year, when there is no heat and the cold weather is still far away. They come only in January, and they can be called cold only conditionally: below -2 C ° it rarely happens here, with the exception of mountainous regions.

Cities and regions

The Austrian Republic was created after the First World War on the ruins of the multinational Austro-Hungarian Empire and nine German-speaking lands, which separated from the German principalities in the Middle Ages. Thus, the historical predecessor of Carinthia was the Duchy of Carinthia; Styria - Duchy of Styria, Tyrol - County Tyrol. Vorarlberg was part of the County of Tyrol until 1918, Vienna - part of Lower Austria until 1921. Burgenland was created from four ethnically Germanic regions of Hungary that were ceded to Austria in the 1920s. Salzburg until 1803 was an independent principality within the Holy Roman Empire. And Upper and Lower Austria were once semi-independent principalities of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Today Austria consists of 9 federal states (Bundesland). Each federal state has its own elected legislature - Landtag (Landtag), government (Landesregierung) and governor (Landeshauptmann).

Tyrol is a federal state in the west of Austria, the capital and largest city of which is Innsbruck. The land covers an area of ​​12,648 km² and is considered the third largest land in Austria. It is in Tyrol that the highest point in Austria is located - Mount Grossglockner (3 797 m). Tyrol, in turn, is divided into two parts: North Tyrol and East Tyrol, separated, which is remarkable, by a strip (20 km wide) - the territory of the federal state of Salzburg. Tyrol borders the Austrian lands of Salzburg, Carinthia and Vorarlberg, and also neighbors Germany, Switzerland and Italy. The origin and mentality of the Tyroleans is close to the people of Bavaria - this has developed historically. So, in ancient times, Tyrol was inhabited by the Retes and Illyrians, in the XI-XII centuries its territories were part of the Holy Roman Empire, since 1363 Tyrol was ruled by the Habsburgs, and since 1805 (Napoleonic Wars) Tyrol belonged to Bavaria. In 1919 (according to the Saint-Germain Peace Treaty), Tyrol was divided between Austria and Italy. This division continues to this day.

Innsbruck is the European capital of winter sports. For example, the 1964 Winter Olympics and the 1976 Winter Olympics were held here. Next year, 2012, the Youth Winter Olympic Games will be held in Innsbruck. Innsbruck offers many attractions, including the Hovkirche court church (16th century), the Golden Roof, the City Tower, Ambras Castle, the Ferdinandeum Ethnographic Museum with a collection of Gothic paintings, the Alpine Zoo with a circular panorama and the Museum of Tyrolean Art.

In the town of Wattens, not far from Innsbruck, in an underground cave, there is the Swarovski Crystal Museum - the famous Swarovski Crystal Worlds, and in the town of Stans - the interesting Renaissance Trazberg castle with an armory. However, in Tyrol there are a huge number of beautiful old castles and fortresses. Also, the land of Tyrol is famous for its mountain lakes, the largest of which is Achensee, located between the Karwendel and Rofan mountains. The lakes Pillersee and Schwarzsee (near Kitzbühel) are very beautiful, and the largest lake in East Tyrol is Tristacher See at the foot of the Dolomites.

Vorarlberg is a federal state located in the west of Austria, with its capital in Bregenz and the largest city of Dornbirn. Vorarlberg, which occupies 2601 km² of the territory of Austria (eighth in terms of area among the Austrian lands), borders Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and also neighbors the Austrian federal state of Tyrol.

In the Roman era, Vorarlberg was part of the province of Rezia in the Roman Empire, and since the time of the Great Nations Migration, Germanic tribes have settled on these lands.

Among the sights of Bregenz, it is worth mentioning the town hall, the St. Martinsturm tower (17th century), the Vorarlberger Landsmuseum with a collection of paintings by Austrian artists, the zoo-safari park on Mount Pfander, many ancient castles, abbeys and monasteries of the 11th-19th centuries. The landscapes of Vorarlberg attract many tourists to this region: the picturesque Lake Constance and many mountain sports complexes are located here.

Vienna is both the capital of Austria and one of the nine federal states of the country. Located in the eastern part of the country, it is surrounded on all sides by the territory of another land - Lower Austria. Since its area is only 415 km², Vienna is the smallest federal state in Austria.

Styria is a federal state in the southeast of Austria with the capital and largest city of Graz. This land is the second largest in Austria (16 391.93 km²), it is adjacent to the lands of Carinthia, Salzburg, Upper Austria, Lower Austria and Burgenland, and also has a state border with Slovenia in the south. Almost the entire territory of Styria is indented by mountain ranges. The famous ski center Schladming is located here. Also, this region is famous for a wide variety of thermal springs; the local resorts of Blumau, Bad Aussee, Bad Waltersdorf, Loipersdorf are popular.

Ancient castles and monasteries are scattered throughout Styria. So, the most interesting are the Baroque fortress Riegersburg, the Kornberg castle (Schloss Kornberg) (XIII century), Herberstein castle (XIII-XVII centuries), Eggenberg palace (1635) in the Graz region. It is worth visiting the pilgrimage church Mariazell (1157) with a treasury, a silver altar (1727) and a miraculous statue of the 13th century, the former abbey of the Cistercian order in Neuburg an der Mürz (1350-1612), the oldest Austrian monastery of the Cistercian order in the Rhine (1129).

Salzburg is a federal land located in the very center of Austria, with the capital and largest city of Salzburg. The territory of Salzburg (7154 km²) is the sixth largest among the federal states of Austria. Salzburg borders Tyrol, Carinthia, Styria, Upper Austria and Bavaria (Germany).

Salzburg is famous for its rich culture and annual music festivals.

It is necessary to visit the Hohensalzburg Fortress (1077-1861), Salzburg Cathedral (VIII century, rebuilt in 1611-1628), Mirabell Castle and Park, Salzburg Residence, the oldest monastery of St. Peter in Austria (696) and the catacombs ... Among the museums are the Salzburg Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Toy Museum, and two Mozart House-Museum.

In the land of Salzburg, you can also see the interesting Helbrunn Palace (1615) - in the vicinity of the city of Salzburg, which is considered one of the best examples of gardening art in the world. In Tennengebirge, south of Salzburg, is the Eisriesenwelt Cave ("the world of the ice giants"). In Werfen, be sure to visit the Hohenwerfen fortress (1077) and the ice caves, and in Hallein - the salt mines.

The land of Salzburg attracts tourists with its natural resources: here is the Flachgau lake region with beautiful mountain lakes Obertrumer See, Mattsee, Wallersee, Zeller See, Fuschlsee and Wolfgangsee.

Since 1920, Salzburg has hosted famous music festivals that attract music lovers from all over Europe: Mozart Week (last week of January), Easter Festival, Salzburg Trinity Festival, concerts in the Hohensalzburg fortress (from Easter to the end of October), concerts in the palace ( all year round), Salzburg Festival (late July - late August), Culture Days in Salzburg (October), Pre-Christmas concerts (December).

Carinthia is a federal state located in the south of Austria with its capital in Klagenfurt. Carinthia's land area is 9536 km², making it the fifth largest Austrian land. Carinthia neighbors Salzburg, Styria and Tyrol, as well as borders with Slovenia and Italy.

Carinthia is a mountainous Alpine region, bordered by rocky chains, in the center of which is the Podravsk Basin (along the Drava River) with the Zolfeld, Krapfeld and Lurnfeld valleys. The Alps in Carinthia are divided into 2 chains: Central and Calcareous. The first, by the way, includes the famous Grossglockner Mountain with a huge glacier (3796 m).

Numerous ancient castles and fortresses, palaces and parks are scattered throughout Carinthia. Local attractions include Portia Castle on the Drau River, Landkron over Lake Osiacher See and the main Carinthian fortress, Hochosterwitz Castle. Among the examples of temple architecture, the Dominican monastery of Frisach with a basilica (XIV century), the Benedictine abbeys of St. Paul im Lavantal (1091), Ossiach (1028) and Millstatt (1060-1068) will be interesting.

The following museums are worth visiting: the Maria Saal Open Air Museum of Wooden Architecture, the Elli Riel Puppet Museum in Treffen, the private Porsche Automobile Museum - more than 30 copies of the legendary brand dating from the 50s of the XX century - in Gmünd.

The nature of Carinthia is magnificent. In the western bay of Wörthersee, among the covered wooded alpine slopes, Velden is located - one of the best lake resorts in the country with the most modern recreation infrastructure. No less popular are the resorts of Pertchah with the center water entertainment, Warmbad Filiach with thermal springs and a national park (20 hectares), picturesque Krumpendorf and Maria Werth.

For tourists who prefer active holidays, Carinthia provides many opportunities: from cycling routes along rivers, sailing on large lakes, exciting rafting on turbulent mountain rivers, to ski slopes and ice rinks on frozen lakes.

Lower Austria is a federal state in northeastern Austria with the capital and largest city of Sankt Pölten. Lower Austria covers an area of ​​19,178 km² and is the largest land in Austria. Lower Austria is adjacent to the Austrian federal states of Upper Austria, Burgenland, Styria and the capital of Austria, Vienna, which is located in the center of Lower Austria, and is completely surrounded by it. Lower Austria also borders the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

The territory of Lower Austria is divided from west to east by the Danube River, which also determined the geographical features of this region. Territories south of the Danube are mountainous, to the north - flat, located on a granite plateau.

Lower Austria is a river region. In addition to the Danube, the main waterway of Lower Austria, many other rivers flow through the territory of the land: Enns, Ibbs, Erlauf, Melk, Traisen, Schwechat, Fish, Light Camp, Krems, Klamm, March, Thaya and Leinsitz, through which (through the Elbe) , Austria is connected with the Baltic Sea.

The territory of Lower Austria abounds in ancient castles, fortresses and palaces, ancient monasteries and abbeys, parks and forest parks, vineyards. By the way, “wine routes” in Lower Austria have recently become quite common among tourists.

Upper Austria is a federal state located in the north of Austria, the capital of which and the largest city is Linz. It has external borders with the Czech Republic and Germany, and neighbors the Austrian lands of Lower Austria, Salzburg and Styria. This land - the fourth largest among the Austrian lands (11,980 km²) - is also divided into two parts by the Danube River.
Most of the territory is occupied by mountains and hills. From north to south, in the territory of Upper Austria, the hilly low mountains of the Mühlviertel, the Infiertel plain, the Eastern Alps with the highest mountain Dachstein (2995 m) replace each other.

Upper Austria is one of the most popular tourist regions in the country. Ski, water, equestrian and hiking types of tourism are widely developed. The main tourism centers are located in the area of ​​the Salzkammergut lakes. The resorts of St. Wolfgang, Schallerbach, Hallstatt, Kalkalpen National Park, Sauwald district, etc. are also popular.

On the territory of the state of Upper Austria there are a large number of historical and cultural attractions - castles, palaces and fortresses. It is also worth mentioning such historical monuments as the monasteries in Mondsee (748) and Engelszell (1293), the Benedictine abbeys of Lambach (1056) and Kremsmünster (777).

Burgenland is the easternmost and least populated federal state of Austria. The capital of the land is the city of Eisenstadt. Burgenland ranks seventh in terms of territory among the Austrian lands - 3966 km², it stretches from north to south for 166 km, while at the narrowest point - in the area of ​​the city of Siegraben - it is only 5 km. Burgenland is adjacent to the lands of Lower Austria and Styria, and has borders with Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia.

The land border with Hungary passes right through Lake Neusiedlersee - the largest lake in Austria, around which the Neuwidlersee-Seewinkel National Park is formed, a popular destination for ecotourists and surfers, as well as bird watchers. Surrounded by thickets of reeds, salt ponds and marshes, the lake is a habitat for a large number of rare birds. Southwest of Lake Neusiedler, there are many ancient castles and monasteries, including the Baroque palace in Halbturn (1711), the monasteries in Loretto (1651) and in Güssing, the Burg Schlaining fortress (1272).

Cities

The capital of Austria, a city-museum, filled with magnificent monuments of architecture of every imaginable style, and the old city center in December 2001 was even inscribed on the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List. At the same time, Vienna is a modern metropolis, which houses the headquarters of various organizations such as OPEC and the OSCE. It is in Vienna that one of the three UN headquarters in the world is located, and the International Vienna Center (UNO-City) houses the IAEA, UNODC, and industrial development organizations.

The Austrian capital is also the country's economic center. Here are concentrated enterprises of the metalworking and electrical industries, precision engineering plants, factories for the production of food, clothing and footwear. Vienna is also home to the head offices of the largest Austrian banks, insurance companies and firms, twice a year, significant international economic fairs are held in the city.

Undoubtedly, the architectural treasures of Vienna are worth paying close attention to. On your own or with a guide, but it will take more than a couple of days to get acquainted with all the significant sights of Vienna. First of all, this is St. Stephen's Cathedral - a symbol of Vienna and Austria, the main attraction of the city. In addition, you should definitely visit the Hofburg - a grandiose architectural ensemble that unites 18 buildings and 19 palaces built in different time and designed in various architectural styles.

Innsbruck is a world-famous Austrian city, a "mecca" of ski tourism. It is in the region of Innsbruck that such wonderful resorts as Akzamer Lycium, Schlick-2000 (Fulpmes), Nordpark, Kyutai, Glungeser, Igls and Patcherkofel, Oberperfuss and the Stubai Glacier are located. In total, 280 kilometers of excellent trails with 81 lifts are laid in the skiing region, free ski buses run between the villages and the same Innsbruck Gletcher ski pass with different variations operates in all resorts in the Innsbruck region.

The city itself is quite ancient - the official city status and Innsbruck received its name in 1239, before that there were small settlements here. Subsequently, the city became the seat of the imperial court of the Habsburg dynasty.

The fourth largest city in Austria, the capital of the province of the same name, in which such famous ski villages as Zell am See and Schuttdorf, Kaprun, Saalbach and Hintergleem, Bad Gastein and Bad Hofgastein, Obertauern, Schladming and others are located. So in the high season, the flow of tourists to Salzburg is simply huge.

In addition to the excellent skiing opportunities around the city, Salzburg itself attracts many guests, largely thanks to its most famous "son" - Mozart. The house where the famous composer was born and raised has survived in Salzburg. The historic center retains the unique flavor of the old European city - there are many small streets and squares (Waagplatz and Altermarkt). Salzburg's main cathedral is St. Rupert's Cathedral. Also, tourists often visit the palaces of Hellbrunn and Mirabell.

Klagenfurt is the capital of the South Austrian federal state of Carinthia, and at the same time a fairly large tourist center, since those who want to ride on the slopes of southern Austria most often stay at the airport of this particular city. And not far from Klagenfurt, by the way, there are such wonderful and popular ski resorts as Bad Kleinkirchheim and Nassfeld.

Today Austria is one of the leaders in receiving tourists, skiers and snowboarders. The ingredients for success are simple: a short flight, great slopes and a variety of accommodation options - from luxurious five-star hotels with spas and thermal springs to budget apartments. Thus, this alpine country can satisfy the needs of different categories of tourists in love with the mountains. You can read more about the ski resorts in Austria in our article "Overview of the ski resorts in Austria". And below we list the most interesting skiing regions in the country.

Fulpmes	Fügen	Hintertux	Hopfgarten
St. Anton	Serfaus	Zel am Ziller	Hinterglemm
Neustift	Obergurgl	Hochgurgl	Zurs
Gerlos	Seefeld	Sölden	Lech
Akzamer Litsum	Westendorf	Sportwelt Amade	Galtyur
Mayrhofen	Schuttdorf	Zell am See	Schladming
Eagles	Kappl	Kirchberg	Kitzbuehel
Bad Gastein	Söll	Bad Kleinkirchheim	Ischgl
Dachstein West	Lammerthal	Bad Hofgastein	Nassfeld
Obertauern	Kaprun	Saalbach

What to see

Austria is the 113th largest country in the world, however, despite its modest size, it remains one of the most popular tourist destinations. So, fans of almost all types of tourism - from cultural to sports - will find something interesting for themselves in Austria. And not only in Vienna.

The main attractions of Vienna are listed below, and by following the links you can go to a page with detailed information about the object of interest to you, where, along with a description, you will find contact information, opening hours, travel methods and cost of entry, as well as the location of the object on the map. If you are interested in the sights of Austria as a whole, without dividing into cities, there is a special section for this.

Vienna attractions

Vienna museums

Innsbruck

• Museum "Swarovski Crystal Worlds"

Salzburg

• Salzburg Cathedral

• St. Peter's monastery and the catacombs
• The house where Mozart was born, and the house of the Mozarts
• Dachstein caves
  

Graz

Bad Ischl

Where to go in Austria

sights

Museums and galleries

Entertainment

Parks and recreation areas

Leisure

Transport

Wellness holiday

Private guides in Austria

Russian private guides will help you to learn more about Austria.
The project Experts.Tourister.Ru is registered.

Treatment in Austria

Austria is famous for its medical traditions, established in the Vienna Medical School, which have migrated to the modern highly developed healthcare system. The country trains professional personnel, whose skills are highly valued at the international level.

Traveling around the country

All major types of transport are well developed in Austria: air, rail, road, water, public transport in cities.

Trains

To travel around Austria, as well as to neighboring European cities, you can use the railway. The total length of the country's railways is 6399 km.
Trains with an interval of 1-2 hours pass through each more or less large city located on the main routes.

There are trains in Austria different classes: express and local. They are designated by letters:

• ICE, IC / EC (EuroCity) - high-speed intercity and international trains
• D - average between local and fast
• E - fast local train
• R - regular local train

The cost of tickets depends on the distance, class, number of people and whether a ticket is purchased one way or both. The class of the carriage is indicated on the carriage itself, on the doors of the carriage compartments, on the walls. One carriage may have first and second class compartments. Regardless of the class, all carriages have soft comfortable seats and a bathroom. Trains traveling at night have sleeper and compartment cars. In Austria, there are also trains with car platforms that run between the main major cities of the country.

On regional and express trains, the ticket price is the same. In trains of the EuroCity type, the ticket price is the highest, it is noticeably higher than in trains of other categories. However, a sufficient number of discounts are also provided on the Austrian railways: they are offered to holders of travel passes, people traveling to a certain area, the elderly, groups of tourists, there are discounts for those traveling over 70 and more than 200 km. Children under 6 years old can travel by train for free, children from 6 to 15 years old - with a 50% discount. There is no need to punch train tickets. Ticket availability is checked by controllers.

For exact information on ticket prices, contact ticket offices, travel agencies, car clubs, or on the website of the Austrian National Transport Company (Österreichische Bundesbahnen, ÖBB).

Bus

Buses in Austria are very comfortable. Bus lines are operated by public companies (eg Postbus) and private businesses. In total, there are more than 2000 routes, the movement of which takes place strictly according to the schedule. Buses in Austria play a supporting role in relation to trains. There are no long-distance routes, only suburban ones. The main function of buses is to transport passengers to railway stations.

The average fare is a few euros, but if your trip is combined with a train transfer, then you should buy a single ticket from start to finish - it will be cheaper than buying tickets for the bus and train separately. Timetables for individual bus lines can be found on the websites of the Austrian National Transport Company and the state carrier Postbus. In order to obtain the necessary information, select the required federal land, then go to the sections Fahrplanauskunft / Linien OEBB-Postbus (on the first site) or Fahrplanauskunft / Fahrplandownload (on the second). Bus fares are cheaper than trains, but not much.

International passenger transportation is carried out by about 200 companies - Austrian and European, among which the main ones are Europebus, Eurolines, Busabout, Berlin Linien Bus, Gulliver's. For holders of tourist plastic cards, there is a flexible system of discounts. Night buses (from 00.30 to 04.00) cost from 2 euros, travel cards are not valid. The fine for travel without a ticket is 40 euros plus the fare.

Automobile

Driving in Austria is right-hand. The total length of highways in Austria is 200,000 km, all of them are paved. There are roads three types: Autobahn, federal roads and local roads. The maximum permitted speed on the autobahn is 130 km / h, on federal roads - 100 km / h, on local roads - 90 km / h. The speed of movement in the city is 50 km / h.

The use of seat belts is compulsory. The headlights must be on at any time of the day. Children up to 1.5 m tall require a special car seat. Information on road conditions and traffic is constantly available on the English-language Blue Danube Radio on 102.5 FM. Road traffic becomes especially busy during the winter holidays and holidays (December and February), during the Easter and summer holidays (July and August), so drivers should be especially careful during this period.

Safety barriers have been installed on almost all mountain roads. Remember it is important to downshift in time on slopes! Also, on narrow mountain roads, the well-known rule of preferential passage does not apply: in the mountains, the driver of the car who has the best opportunity for this passes the oncoming car. On snowy roads in Austria, a must-have winter tires... Studded tires are only allowed to be used from November 15th until the first Monday after Easter. Chains are sometimes permitted and can be rented from one of the 100 rental locations of two Austrian car clubs (OAMTS and ARBO).

There is a toll on Austrian roads. After paying the toll, the driver receives a receipt (sticker label), which is attached to the windshield in the center or on the left. The amount of the duty for one year is 72.60 euros for cars (including cars with a trailer - a dwelling house weighing up to 3.5 tons) and 29 euros for motorcycles. Tourists who come to Austria by car for up to two months will have to pay a tax of 21.80 euros, for 10 days - 7.60 euros.

A fine of 119.91 euros has been established for evasion of toll payment. Toll payments can be made at post offices, gas stations and tobacco kiosks. When traveling in Austria with a car rented in another country, you need to purchase a special card to travel on the Autobahn (about 10 euros per week).

Taxi

Taxis in the big cities of Austria are equipped with meters (taximeters). As a rule, in Austrian cities there are fixed prices for using a taxi, the fare depends on the distance. When traveling outside cities, you should agree on the price with the taxi driver in advance. When traveling to airports, a certain amount is usually added to the fare.

Hitchhiking is easy enough, but voting is prohibited on expressways. It is better to do this before entering the highway, and always with a sign. If you need to get from one city to another by passing car, it is better not to vote on the highway, but to contact the specialized agency "Mitfahrzentrale" - for a small fee it will find a car.

Bike

Bicycles can be rented at 160 train stations and returned to the rental office at another station. There are many cycling routes in Austria, in particular many of them run along the Danube River and from the Black Forest in Germany to Vienna.

Water transport

Austria, being in the center of Europe, and not having its own access to the sea, nevertheless, has a small merchant fleet, numbering 8 vessels (weighing more than 1000 registered tons): 6 cargo carriers and 2 container ships. Access to the sea is carried out from the port of Vienna and further through Rotterdam (Netherlands) via the Rhine-Main-Danube canal. In addition to the port of Vienna, all other ports of Austria are located in the Danube basin: Enns, Krems an der Donau, Linz. Navigation on the Danube is possible from mid-April to the end of October.

In addition, water transport operates on the large lakes of Austria - from May to September. For more information on river and lake shipping in Austria, as well as for the timetable of motor ships and the cost of trips, visit the websites Schifffahrt.at and Ddsg-blue-danube.at

Air Transport

There are 55 airports in Austria. You can fly directly from Russia to Austria with the following airlines: Austrian Airlines, NIKI, S7 AirLines, Aeroflot, Transaero, Lauda Air. International flights operate from Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Linz and Salzburg.

Domestic passenger services are carried out by a subsidiary of the Austrian national carrier Austrian - Tyrolean Airways (usually small regional aircraft), as well as by Austrian Airlines itself. Domestic flights start at 89 euros round trip excluding taxes. There are six flights a day from Innsbruck to Vienna, five from Klagenfurt and four from Salzburg. However, depending on the season, the number of flights may vary.

Transport in Vienna

Public transport in Vienna is called the Wiener Linien and consists of electric trains (S-Bahn), underground (U-Bahn), trams (Strassenbahn) and buses (Autobus). All transport runs strictly on schedule. If you are going to move around in the Austrian capital on your own, we recommend reading our material "Transport in Vienna", where you will find information about tickets, prices and all types of transport in the Austrian capital.

Communication

The official language is German.

In big cities and resort centers, in hotels, it will not be difficult to find a person who speaks English, but knowing at least a few German phrases will greatly facilitate contact with local residents. All announcements on trains and buses are made in German only.

In any case, we recommend that you study and take with you our Russian-German phrasebook - a useful thing when traveling around the cities and resorts of Austria. By using local words and phrases, you will generate sympathy and respect from the indigenous population.

Kitchen

Austria is renowned for its unusually simple yet tasty and satisfying food. There are also a number of truly Austrian gastronomic delights that cannot be described. However, you should definitely try the following dishes.

• Meat on the bone - dish number 1 in Austria (price - about 20 EUR).
• Gluewein is 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 (costs about 5 EUR).
• Wheat beer (Weizenbier) - absolutely incomparable taste (about 5 EUR).
• Apple pie, or Strudel (Apfel Strudel) - in Salzburg and alpine villages is served very hot: be careful (about 10 EUR).
• Natural sweets "Mozartkugel" - an enchanting invention of the Salzburg confectionery "Fuerst" - the only place where these and other sweets are still made by hand; “Other sweets” include, first of all, the best invention of “Furst” - candies “I. S. Bach "; genuine "Mozartkugel" is sold only in silver-blue packaging and contains more marzipan and cocoa than golden-red counterfeits (from 1 EUR per item).
• Pancakes with jam (Plinsen) are simply an exclusive Salzburg delicacy.
• Mozart's favorite beer is Stiegelbreu (about 3 EUR).
• Coffee, coffee and more coffee: "Merchant" - a strong double espresso, "Ferlengerter" - weaker, "Melange" - coffee with milk and whipped cream, "Einspenner" - a double mocha in a tall glass.

Purchases

Since February 28, 2002, the euro is considered the only accepted means of payment in Austria. Banking hours in Austria: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday - 8.00-12.30, 13.30-15.00. Thursday - 8.00-12.30, 13.30-17.30. The rest of the time you can change money at machines (the rate is tolerable) and exchange offices. Exchange offices at railway stations are open until 22:00.

Shops in Austria are normally open Monday through Friday from 07:00 to 19:00, and on Saturday until 17:00. At the same time, the actual opening hours of stores varies: most of them are open until 18:00 or until 18:30. Lunch at the store can last 1-2 hours. In resorts and tourist centers, shops can be open until 21:00, and landside establishments - until 23:00. Every first Saturday of the month, Austrian shops are open until 17.00.

If the store has a sign "Ausverkauf", you can count on lower prices. In grocery stores "Hofer", "Spar", "Billa" prices are lower than in the rest. Tobacco products in Austria are sold only in special licensed kiosks or vending machines.

Foreign tourists permanently residing outside the EU, when purchasing goods in the amount of 75 euros or more, can receive a VAT refund if these goods are exported and the necessary customs formalities for export are fulfilled. To get a refund of approximately 13% of the price, you should: in shops that have the eloquent sign "Tax Free Shopping" or the silver-black-blue sign "Europa-Tax-Free Plakette", when buying, you must take a check "Tax-free -Scheck "along with the envelope. This check is completely filled in by the seller.

A refund of value added tax is made at the airport if you have a corresponding receipt, which is presented along with the goods when passing through customs control at the airport of departure. A check with a customs officer's mark must be presented in a special window TAX ​​REFUND. Money will not be refunded without a customs mark. The money can be returned directly at the points of payment at airports, railway stations and border points indicated on the "Tax-free-Kuvent" envelope.

For most art, collectibles, books and food, the refund minus commission is 6-8% of the purchase amount.

If you are going to shop mainly in the Austrian capital, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the material "", from which you will learn about shopping areas, Christmas markets and much more.

Connection

Post offices open Monday through Friday from 08:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 18:00. The main post offices are open 24/7. At the post office you can change currency, buy a telephone card, receive or send a money order.

TTelephones of Austria included in the automatic telephone communication established by direct dialing both with settlements in Austria and with all European countries. You can call Russia from any telephone booth (it is not recommended to call from the hotel for reasons of economy).

Calls to Russia: 007 - city code - subscriber number

Each of the Austrian cities has its own code, before which you need to dial "0" if you call from Austria itself. The area codes are in the telephone booth.

To pay for telephone calls, it is more convenient and economical to use telephone cards. The card can be 50, 100 and 200 units. The price of a card in shillings is practically equivalent to the number of units indicated on it.

We strongly recommend that you avoid coin machines: rounding of calls in them is not in your favor. Almost all phone calls are 33% cheaper on weekdays from 18:00 to 08:00, on weekends from 18:00 Friday to 08:00 Monday.

Roaming in Austria can also be used (there are agreements with all major Russian telecom operators), but this pleasure is not cheap. It is better to get acquainted with the prices in the office or on the website of your operator.

Internet in Austria, as in any other European country, is quite common. In almost every village you will find internet cafes, and in cities you will find Wi-Fi networks in public areas and hotels.

Emergency phones in Austria

There is no need to dial the area code before these phone numbers

Security

Avalanches

In the mountains of Austria, especially in the west of the country, avalanches are observed. Alpine skiing tourists need to make sure of the safety of the chosen route. Information and forecasts about avalanches can be found on the Internet at.

Insurance

It is recommended to purchase medical insurance that provides for the provision of medical care abroad, including the evacuation of the patient by air if necessary. It is also recommended that you purchase insurance covering cases such as loss of luggage or theft of your credit card. For alpine skiing enthusiasts, extended insurance is required. Remember that drinking alcohol leads to an admission of the case

Crime

Austria is known as a country with a low crime rate. However, in recent years, the number of such crimes as pickpocketing, theft of bags and other personal property has increased. Caution should be exercised in touristy areas, especially at Vienna's two main train stations.

Where to stay

Austria Accommodation

At the height of the tourist season, we recommend that you receive information about hotel accommodations in advance and make reservations on time. This is especially true for months such as July and August, as well as during the period of Easter and Christmas. Booking imposes an obligation on both the hotel and the guest (travel agency). In case of non-use of the reservation, a claim for damages is possible (debiting the first night from the bank card). All Austria accommodation facilities are classified and their categories (from * to *****) are strictly controlled.

Classification of Austrian hotels and other accommodation facilities

***** luxury hotels

**** first class hotels

*** high class hotels, guesthouses and inns

** hotels, guesthouses and inns with an average level of service

* simple hotels, guesthouses and inns

For a fee, you can also rent a room in private houses, relax in a peasant's yard, at a youthful tourist base. If you can get information about hotels in Austria on our website, then information about the classification and cost of other types of accommodation can be obtained from the offices of the Austrian National Tourist Office, as well as from the tourism councils of federal states and cities.

The Alps occupy 62% of the territory of Austria. The Central Alps have areas covered with snow and ice all year round, such as the Otztal Alps in Tyrol, bordering Italy, Hohe Tauern in East Tyrol and Carinthia. The most high mountain Austria - Grossglockner in Carinthia. Its height is 3797 m.

Austria is located in the central European temperate zone, but thanks to the Alps, the country can be distinguished by many climatic zones. The weather in Austria is always very varied. In summer, for example, you can go skiing here, and then go down to the valley and swim in the warm lake. It is impossible to predict what winter and summer will be like. Sometimes the snow on low-lying ski resorts (including Kitzbühel) melts very early, and the hot summer makes you think you are in Italy.

Population

Austria is one of the most sparsely populated countries in Western and Central Europe. In the Alps, the population density is only 93 people per 1 km². More than 90% of the population are ethnic Austrians, 4% are from the former Yugoslavia. Three out of four Austrians are Catholics, one in twenty is Muslim. The population of Austria is aging rapidly - the average age in the country is 40 years.

Austrian cities

A quarter of the total population of Austria lives in Vienna or its suburbs (2 million)... In, and has 220,000 inhabitants, and in Linz - 185,000.

All cities in Austria

Economy

Austria's gross national product is one of the highest in Europe.

The main profit comes from tourism, banking and forestry.

The fall of the Iron Curtain has opened up new opportunities for investment in Eastern Europe.

Territory

In size, the Republic of Austria is slightly larger than the American state of Maine or Scotland. The area of ​​the country is 83 870 km³.

Austria landmarks

All sights of Austria

Country of resorts

Austria has a huge number of resorts ranging from Bad Hall in Upper Austria to the Salzkammergut, from the magnificent Gasteiner Ache valley to Zolebad Hall in Tirol. People from all over the world come to Austrian resorts to improve their health and pamper themselves. A spa vacation can be combined with golf, hiking, skiing and sightseeing excursions. Or with a wine tasting - Baden bei Vin, located in the Vienna Woods, surrounded by hundreds of vineyards and dozens of wine taverns (Heurigen).

Various mineral waters - ferrous, mineral-salt, water from radioactive and sulfuric sources, which also contain iodine or bromine, go to Finnish saunas, steam baths (Dampfbaden) and hot pools. These waters are used for drinking and bathing, inhalation or medical wraps. The Tyrolean Center for Treatment and Rehabilitation Bad Hering offers the first cold chamber in Austria, where the temperature drops to 120 ° below zero. The so-called cryotherapy relieves pain and improves appearance.

Austria also offers a wide range of esoteric treatments, from sea salt massages and lymphatic drainage to salt water bathing accompanied by relaxing oriental music. In Bad Eisenkappel, located in the southwestern Austrian province of Carinthia, you can soak up the bubbling dark water or take advantage of the chocolate wrap (cocoa butter protects the skin from wrinkles).

Baden bei Vin lies between wooded hills and the vast vineyards of the Vienna Woods. Wienerwald and its sulfur springs were appreciated by the ancient Romans. Exquisite villas, manicured parks and promenades make this city a favorite vacation spot for politicians and artists. This town was especially popular in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Bad Gastein, nestled among the Salzberg Tauern mountains, has become the most famous health resort in Austria, offering a wide variety of treatments. There are villas and modern hotels located above a natural amphitheater created by the foamy and turbulent Gasteiner Ache river. The mountain sun and the purest air enhance the effect of radioactive thermal waters.

Several Austrian resorts offer special treatments for children and even babies. The Baths of the Sonnenterme Lutzmannsburg (www.sonnentherme.at) is the longest water slide in Europe. There is also a "children's world" and a children's steam room. Baths of Oberlaa (www.oberlaa.at) children are also accepted in the center of Vienna. There are special especially clean children's pools, babysitting services are offered.

Burgenland

www.thermenwelt.at

Gastein Valley

www.badgastein.at
www.badhofgastein.at
www.hoteldorf.com

Lower austria

www.baden-bei-wien.at/english.htm

Salzkammergut

www.thermenhotei-badischl.at

Styria

www.thermeniand.at

History

44-49 million years ago The Alps rose from the bottom of the huge sea of ​​Tethys.

30,000 years ago Stone Age people settled in the Tischoferhöle cave near the Kaiser Mountains in Tyrol.

2000-700 BC NS. The Celts give the name to the Alps (in Celtic the word "alp" means "mountain" or "sublime place").

15 BC-500 AD The Romans take over Austria. The Roman provinces of Noricum and Rezia appear.

550 AD After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Germanic Bavarian tribes (bavarians) and the Alemanni invade Austria.

1273 An Austrian nobleman from the Habsburg family becomes Holy Roman Emperor.

493 Maximilian I - Holy Roman Emperor. Innsbruck becomes the center of the European empire.

1519 Maximilian's grandson, Charles V (reigned 1519-1556), ruled over Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, part of Italy, Spain and part of the New World.

1529 The Turks besiege Vienna. The beginning of a two-century conflict. Austria conquers Hungary.

1556 Charles V retires to a monastery and divides his kingdom between his son (by King Philip II of Spain) and brother (By Ferdinand I of Austria).

1683 The Turks besiege and almost conquer Vienna. They manage to reflect their pressure. In the same year, the first Viennese coffee house was opened.

1805 Napoleon defeats the Austrian army at Austerlitz and forces the Holy Roman Emperor Franz II to renounce the imperial crown. Napoleon marries the daughter of Franz II, Maria Louise.

1815 Congress of Vienna.

1816 Salzburg becomes part of Austria.

1866 Prussia defeats the Austrian army. Austria is losing influence on the development of the German states.

1914 Austria firing the first shot of the First World War. The reason for the war was the assassination of the heir to the Habsburg throne

1919 After the defeat in the First World War, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was divided into separate democracies. Austria becomes a small landlocked country.

1921 Adolf Gitler (1889-1945) , Austrian by origin, creates the German National Socialist Workers' Party (members of this party were later called Nazis).

1938-1945 German troops invaded Austria on March 11, 1938, without encountering any resistance. Austria became part of the German Reich after the Anschluss (annexation) held on March 13. From 1939 to 1945 the Austrians served in the German army. Not only Hitler but also other Austrians, including Ernst Kaltenbrunner, played a prominent role in the Holocaust. In Lower Austria, the Mauthausen and Gusen concentration camps were organized, which were considered the most ominous in the Third Reich.

1945-1955 After the liberation of Austria, its territory was temporarily occupied by the troops of the USSR, USA, Great Britain and France. After their departure, Austria remains one of the poorest countries in Europe. But in just a generation, Austria managed to enter the ten richest countries in the world.

1964 and 1976 Innsbruck has hosted the Winter Olympics twice in 12 years.

1987 The United States puts the name of Austrian President Kurt Waldheim on a wanted list of "subversives, terrorists and criminals." The explanation for this is Waldheim's Nazi past.

1995 Austria is part of the European Union.

2000 The right-wing Freedom Party gains seats in the Austrian parliament. This party campaigned under the slogan "Uberfremdung" ("Too Many Foreigners")... One of the reasons for its success is disillusionment with the ruling political parties, corroded by corruption.

2004 Leftist politician Heinz Fischer becomes President of the Republic of Austria. Austrian-born Arnold Schwarzenegger is elected governor of California.

2006 Austria celebrates 250 years since the birth of Mozart. The country is literally covered by "mozartomania".

Politics

V early XXI e. The Austrian Republic is a stable federal republic with a constitution based on the principles of representative democracy and the rule of law. Despite its small size, the federal structure of Austria is similar to that of Germany or the United States. Austria is divided into 9 federal states, including the equivalent capital of the country. These are Vienna, Upper Austria, Burgenland, Lower Austria, Styria, Carinthia, Salzburg, Tyrol and Vorarlberg.

Today Austria is a small but prosperous state, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which ceased to exist in 1918. Attempts to form a stable democracy between the two world wars completely failed. In 1938, the country adopted National Socialist totalitarianism. After the defeat of National Socialism in 1945, Austria gradually, step by step, began to move towards democracy.

In 1948 the Iron Curtain was erected and Vienna became a refuge for those who fled after the suppression of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, the Prague Spring of 1968, for the Jews who left the Soviet Union. In the summer of 1989, Austrian Foreign Minister Alois Mok and his communist Hungarian colleague Gyula Horn cut the barbed wire together at the border post separating Western and Eastern Europe. This act was not only symbolic: 700 residents of East Germany went to the West and were not shot. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, tens of thousands of East Germans fled the country and the Berlin Wall came down, ending the Cold War.

In 1995 Austria joined the European Union. The federal government has transferred some of the powers to supranational institutions of power. However, Austria's relations with the European Union deteriorated markedly after the right-wing Freedom Party formed a coalition government in 2000. The leader of the party, Jörg Haider, the son of a Nazi, repeatedly emphasized the "good sides" of the Nazi regime. He came to the polls with the slogan "Austria for the Austrians", very attractive to people disenchanted with the country's two main political parties, corroded by corruption. Other EU members have responded to this choice with diplomatic sanctions. However, Austria’s relations with other states returned to normal after an independent commission issued a report, which stated that incidents of violence against refugees and other foreigners "in Austria are much less common than in many other EU countries." Two years later, the Freedom Party failed to achieve such success in the elections.

In 2006, the Greens performed successfully, gaining 21 seats in parliament. Environmental issues were discussed very actively during the elections. The election result confirmed the importance of the decision environmental issues Austrian Republic. Today Austria gets 20% of its energy from renewable sources.

The culture

Culture plays a huge role in the life of Austria. Emperors, kings, princes, prince-bishops and dukes in power have over the centuries created and collected the greatest cultural heritage country. Even small towns sometimes amaze tourists with exquisite art collections. Post-war prosperity and significant cultural subsidies support this remarkable tradition.

Origins

Despite the fact that the Romans controlled Austria for five centuries, there are practically no significant Roman ruins left in the country. Only Carnunt is of interest (just below Vienna along the Danube), Theurnia (Carinthia) and Agunt (near Linz, in East Tyrol)... The construction boom, which left its mark on the life of the country, began in the 10th century. with the construction of vaulted churches and monasteries, similar to Melk. The great gates of St. Stephen's Cathedral belong to the same period. (Stephansdom) in Vienna.

Gothic and Renaissance

Hall churches are characteristic of the late Gothic style in Austria (Hallenkirchen)... The nave and side chapels are of the same height and are separated only by columns. Examples of such churches are the Augustinian Church and St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. In general, late Gothic architecture remained rather gloomy. In Austria, you will not find examples of the fiery Gothic that France is so rich in. But Gothic painting and sculpture have undergone major changes. The suffering of Christ was portrayed in a very humane way - just remember the magnificent altarpiece by Michael Pacher in the Church of St. Wolfgang.

The influence of the Renaissance in Austria was weak. Salzburg was a rare exception. The Prince-Archbishop tried to build a "new Rome" at the foot of the Alps. The most significant examples of Renaissance sculpture are the statues surrounding the tomb of Maximilian I in Innsbruck.

Baroque and Rococo

The baroque style originated in the middle of the 17th century. and immediately overshadowed everything that existed before him. A construction boom began in Austria. Interior decorators have received many orders. Any community with money invested in the rebuilding of Gothic and Romanesque churches in the Baroque style. The Baroque style is characterized by passion, sensuality and theatricality. In baroque palaces, mirrors were widely used, creating the illusion of infinity. Collegium Church in Salzburg, built by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach (1656-1723) , has become the quintessence of a new style. In the Rococo style, decorative ornaments inherent in the Baroque reached their peak. Buildings and interiors were now decorated with garlands, medallions and floral motifs. In Austria, the Rococo was called the "Baroque of Maria Theresa".

Neoclassicism and Art Nouveau

After the extinction of the Rococo era, the pendulum swung in the opposite direction. The lush, decorative style was replaced by strict neoclassicism, which was based on columns and porticoes. In 1887, a group of Viennese artists, led by Gustav Klimt, left the conservative Academy of Fine Arts to create a completely new direction in art, called "Jugendstil". Smooth, fluid Art Nouveau motifs and the more geometric English Arts and Crafts Movement became the basis of the new trend. The Vienna Secession Artists' Association held its first exhibition in 1898. In the same year, the construction of the new Secession building was completed. This building is considered the first example of 20th century architecture in Europe.

Festivals and Holidays

The Austrian calendar is full of local holidays and festivals. Patriotic and religious. Very often, a procession is included in the program of the holiday, the participants of which wear folk costumes. And the holidays are always accompanied by delicious food and abundant libations. Some local festivals are Christian in nature, but it is clear that they have their roots in pagan traditions.

January February

(Fasching) begins in January, but its main events fall on the week before Lent, that is, in February. Throughout the country, costume parades, fireworks, fairs, and street performers are held. The carnival in Vienna is especially active. "Processions of ghosts" take place in Imst (Schemenlaufen - every four years), Telfse (Schleicherlaufen - every five years) and Nasseraite (Schelleriaufen - every three years).

March, April

Palm Sunday processions.

May June

On May 1-2, the Gauderfest beer festival is held in the Tyrolean city of Zell am Ziller (Gauderfest)... Men in traditional leather pants compete in toe wrestling (this is an indispensable attribute of beer festivals) and also in who drinks more beer or sniffs tobacco.

July August

Police holidays are celebrated in Tyrol (Schiitzen) and firefighters (Feuerwehrfeste).

September October

In the fall, a holiday is held in honor of the return of cattle from alpine pastures (Viehscheid or Almabtrieb)... Such festivals are held throughout the country, but they are especially striking in Pfunds and St. Johann in Tyrol.

Wine festivals are held in villages located in the Danube Valley, Styria and Burgenland.

November December

(Christkindlmarkt) open throughout the country during the Nativity Fast. Markets are most often arranged in front of cathedrals. In the evenings, local choirs and brass bands perform Christmas carols. In the markets, you can buy Christmas tree ornaments made of wood and straw or woolen products. Join the locals who, regardless of the cold, crowd around eating sausages (Bratwurst) or potato pancakes (Reiberdatschi) drinking mulled wine (Gliihwein)- hot wine with spices and (optional) rum.

Concerts are held in most churches on the eve of Christmas and after the holiday.

Many villages and towns show nativity scenes and nativity scenes (Krippen).

Saint Martin's Day. Children with paper lanterns and candles go into houses and sing songs, receiving candy for it (a tradition reminiscent of American Halloween)... The celebration ends with a traditional roast goose meal.

Public holidays

Date changes annually - Ascension of the Lord

May June (date changes annually)- Spirits day

June (date changes annually)- Feast of Corpus Christi

October 26 - National Day of the Republic of Austria, the anniversary of the signing of the declaration of neutrality

Weekend routes

Burgenland. Step into Eisenstadt, the capital of the federal state of Burgenland. Start your tour of the city from the Esterhazy Castle. Haydn's house has been converted into a museum open to the public. The great composer is buried in the Bergkirch (mountain church) located outside the city. Stop at the quarries of Saint Margaret, where you can see artists from around the world at work. Go to the Passion of the Lord show in summer. Admire the Renaissance and Baroque houses in Rust, whose rooftops are home to storks. In the small town of Neusiedl, stroll along the embankment of the lake of the same name.

Explore Altstadt (Old city) , literally stuffed with churches, palaces, museums, fountains and shops. Take the funicular up to the Salzburg Fortress. Explore the local museum and attend a concert at the Golden Hall Experience the Austrian respect for death at St. Peter's Cemetery, one of the world's oldest and most beautiful cemeteries.

Walking for two days

Danube. Travel from Vienna to Salzburg along the Danube Valley. Cruise from Krems to Melk and cycle back on Europe's most popular bike path through beautiful valleys, wine-growing villages and majestic monasteries.

Grossglockner. Traveling along this alpine alpine road can be combined with driving along the Velbertauernstrasse (B108)- and you will have an excellent circular route. This road passes through the Hohe Tauern National Park and is surrounded by classic mountain landscapes. From here, there are magnificent views of the rugged Dolomites. This route will allow you to get acquainted with the mountainous world of East Tyrol.

Cruise through the Oetztal and neighboring valleys. Take a break from the car and again experience the admiration of the mighty forces of nature that created this beauty at the end of the last ice age. Visit the Stubai Falls, the highest in Tyrol, and visit the tiny mountain village of Rofenhof (2014 m), - the highest mountain village in Austria, whose inhabitants do not leave their homes all year round.

Travel along the Ringstrasse, the magnificent boulevard ring around Vienna's historic center. Leave a full day at the museums and the Hofburg (Imperial Palace). Dedicate half a day to Schönbrunn. Spend an evening at the Opera and the next in the MuseumsQuartier, where DJs host courtyard parties surrounded by contemporary art.

Excursions for a week

Valleys Kitzbühel and Ziller, Krimml waterfall. Combine your exploration of the Kitzbühel and Ziller valleys with a guided tour of the federal state of Salzburg. Visit the foot of the highest waterfall in Europe, the Krimml Ride the cable car in Zell am See or the Penkenbahn gondola from Mayrhofen to the Zillertal Alps. Be sure to take the mountain toll road to reach Hirschbichlalm. Escape the ubiquitous tourists in the wild Wildschönau Valley in the heart of Kitzbühel.

Innsbruck and the Lower Inna Valley. Visit Innsbruck, Kufstein Castle, Rattenberg, the historic center of Hall and the open-air museum in Kramsach. Take the old-fashioned train up to Achensee. Walk through the picturesque Wolfsklamm Gorge, which takes you to the St. Georgenberg Monastery. Explore the Alpbach Valley, home to the most beautiful, according to the Austrians, Alpine village in the country.

Salzkammer lakes. Visit Salzburg and then cruise through turquoise lakes and historic villages like Hallstatt. Spend a couple of days in a small historic town - Gmunden or Bad Ischl. Whenever possible, take advantage of alternative modes of transport - 19th century ferries, vintage trains and breathtaking cable cars that take you to the alpine peaks.

When to go

If you are not going skiing, then the best time to travel to Austria is in late spring and early autumn. May, September and the first half of October are the driest months of the year. The weather is wonderful, there are few tourists, it is very easy to find a place in the hotel. Wine festivals and harvest festivals are held throughout the country in autumn. The largest amount of precipitation falls in April and November. The amount of rainfall depends on the height. In some areas of the Alps, the average rainfall exceeds 200 cm per year, and in the plains around Lake Neusiedler See - only 60 cm.

Summer is ideal for climbers. Daylight hours at this time are very long (light until 21.00)... It is good to explore the remote mountains of the Hohe Tauern reserve this time of year (largest in Central Europe) and admire (or storm it) the highest mountain in Austria, Großglockern. Of course, you need to be careful at high altitudes.

From June to August, thunderstorms are frequent here, and even snowstorms occur above 2000 m. Summer is the peak tourist season in Salzburg and Vienna, but the opera houses are closed during this time and you will not get a chance to hear the Vienna Boys' Choir or see the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. On the roads of the Salzkammergut (Lake District) traffic jams occur. In some cities, parking is difficult to find.

In winter, most tourists come to Austria to ski. In normal years, snow lies in the valleys from December to March, and in the mountains from November to May. In most areas above 2500 m, the snow does not melt at all. Naturally, sightseeing at this time is associated with certain inconveniences. The days are short, the parks are empty, the fountains are closed. Museums close earlier, and some attractions, such as castles and caves, are generally closed. In another respect, however, winter is the ideal time to visit Salzburg and Vienna. There are almost no tourists, the opera and concert seasons are in full swing. Both cities are very beautiful under the snow, especially around Christmas and New Years Eve.

Transport

Public transport

Vienna is divided into 23 districts called Bezirke. The public transport system in the Austrian capital is considered one of the best in Europe. There are electric trains, trams and buses in the city. S-Bahn is a high-speed underground train; U-Bahn - underground, and Strassen-bahnen - trams. For convenience, it's a good idea to purchase Tageskarte (day pass) or Wochenkarte (weekly pass)... These tickets give you the right to use any public transport. Night buses run from 0.30 to 5.00, when trains and metro do not work. The same ticket is valid for tram, bus and metro. It is often more convenient to leave your car in the parking lot and use public transport for sightseeing in major cities. There are combination tickets in Innsbruck, Salzburg and Vienna, which can be bought from tourist offices (valid 1-3 days)... They give the right to unlimited use of city public transport, free or discounted visits to museums and other attractions.

Austria has an excellent rail system. For timetables, visit www.oebb.at or call the Central Information Desk (tel .: 05-17-17)... At most stations, you can always order a timetable and print it out for yourself. Bicycles can be rented at some local train stations and can combine train travel with cycling.

The Eurails "Austria pass is the best way to travel for North American tourists who intend to only visit Austria. For visits to neighboring countries, it is better to purchase the Eurail Selectpass, which allows you to travel 15 days over two months in three, four or five neighboring countries. For a grand tour of Europe, buy an Eurailpass valid in 18 countries For all the possibilities, check out www.raileurope.com (tel .: 888-382-72-45).

Automobile

On autobahns, the speed is limited to 130 km / h, on class B roads - 100 km / h, and in cities - 50 km / h. Compliance with speed limits is strictly monitored, and very significant fines are charged for violations. Austria has very strict blood alcohol limits. Only 0.5 mg of alcohol is allowed per ml of blood (in the UK, for example, the figure is 0.8 mg)... Always wear seat belts in both the front and rear seats. Be sure to also turn on the headlights at any time of the day. You must have a tax sticker on the autobahns. These stickers are sold at border gas stations in neighboring countries, at car rental agencies and at OAMTS offices. (Osterreichischer Automobil, Motorrad und Touring Club)... You will also have to pay at the entrance to the high alpine roads. Toll roads are the Brenner and Gerlos passes, the Felbertauernstrasse and Grossglockner roads.

River transport

Danube cruises operate from early April to late December (Donau Schiff Wurm & Kock, www.donauschiffahrt.de)... The boat is the best way to experience the thousands of Austrian lakes. On large lakes (Achensee, Bodensee, Wolfgangsee and Uttersee) ferries operate. Some of them were built in the 19th century.

Accommodation

The Austrian authorities assign categories to hotels and guesthouses based on the strictest criteria and regular checks. However, the classification does not determine the category of the hotel. Except for the luxurious ones, the standards are practically the same for everyone else. Most of the rooms are absolutely clean and comfortable. Hotel service is always good and often cordial. The room rate includes all taxes and duties, as well as, with rare exceptions, breakfast. Prices are often quoted pro person (per person, pay attention to the abbreviation pp), so you should check the price of a double room.

Gasthof is something like an inn or a boarding house. These hotels are often family run. Guests are served by the owner himself and his family members. Many of these hotels have a Gasthaus, Gaststcitte or Weinslube where you can sip local beer or wine and sample local cuisine. There are not always TVs and telephones in the rooms, but in most of these hotels the rooms are always equipped with bathrooms. Small guesthouses may not have a restaurant (but breakfast is served anyway), and the most inexpensive rooms are equipped only with a washbasin, and the rest of the amenities are located in the corridor.

Private houses

Private houses and farms are quite a comfortable and inexpensive way to stay in Austria. But in order to find such a placement, you will have to overcome the language barrier. Host guests check in at the local tourist office and the staff will be happy to reserve a seat for you. Where rooms are rented, you will see signs for "Frem-denzimmer" or "Zimmer Frei". Rooms in private houses are clean and usually have a bathroom and toilet. In most homes, rooms are rented for a minimum of three nights, with an additional charge for shorter stays. A weekend bed and breakfast room can be booked through www.privatvermieter.at.

Farm weekend

If you are ready to spend three nights in one place, then you can arrange yourself a weekend at the farm. This is a great way to get to know the locals and their way of life. Information can be obtained from Urlaub am Bauernhof (Brixnerstrasse, 7, A-6020 Innsbruck. Tel .: 0512-56-18-82. Fax: 0512-56-73-67).

Campsites

There are a huge number of campgrounds in Austria. It is prohibited to pitch a tent outside the campsite. Information can be obtained from the Osterreichischer Camping-Club (OCC) (Schubertring, 1-13, 1010 Wien. Tel: 01-711-99-27-51. Fax: 01-71-99-27-54. Www.campingclub.at).

Hostels

Austrian hostels (Jugendherberge) accept people of all ages. Many hostels have several double or family rooms, but these need to be booked in advance, (www.oejhv.or.at).

Room rates

During festivals, trade fairs and at the peak of the ski season, prices for accommodation almost double, and it is difficult to find a room. On the other hand, in cities on weekends and during the low season, prices go down. This decline is especially noticeable in the Alps.

Food and drink

Austria is not the place for those peiuwi to go on a diet. More than 300 dishes of pork and sausages are prepared in Tyrol. Due to imperial history, Austrian cuisine includes national dishes from different territories - whether we are talking about Hungarian goulash or Italian ravioli (Schlutzkrapfen)... Vienna schnitzel is just one of three dozen varieties of breaded veal cutlets. And coffee in Austria is prepared in 40 different ways. Thirst is best quenched with the excellent Griiner Veltiner Riesling or dessert wines. And Austrian beer is not inferior to wines in quality.

Food

Many Austrian hotels serve breakfast that will keep you full until the evening. A typical breakfast consists of coffee or tea, fruit juices, chopped boiled and smoked ham, liverwurst, cheeses, hard eggs, yoghurts, jams and several types of bread. Gabelfriihstuck is a hot snack served towards noon. As a rule, these are sausages or sausages. The main meal of the day is lunch. Jause is like an afternoon snack, with cakes, sandwiches and coffee served. In the evening, Austrians usually dine at home. The typical dinner is quite modest and usually consists of sandwiches.

The main dish of Austrian cuisine is dumplings, Knodel. They are made from potatoes, stale bread (Semmelknodel) or with liver (Leberknodel)... Dumplings are often served in clear broth like Markknodelsuppe, which is made from bone marrow. Spatzle (Nockern in Tyrolean) are thin dumplings that resemble noodles. Germknodel - steamed dumplings topped with vanilla or sweet fruit sauce. Tafelspitz is a beef stew served with horseradish. Hirsch and Wildschwein (venison and wild boar meat) most often served on the table in autumn and winter. Such meat is stewed or cooked with forest mushrooms. On Saint Martin's Day (In November) and for Christmas, the Austrians bake a goose with herbs, apples and red cabbage. Wiener Schnitzel is a veal cutlet (Kalb) or pork (Schwein), doused in a mixture of milk and eggs, breaded and stewed in a skillet. If there is a purely national dish in Tyrolean cuisine, it is Tiroler Grostl - a kind of peasant stew made from pork, veal and / or beef, onions, marjoram and potatoes.

Portions in Austria are reminiscent of medieval feasts. Think twice before choosing the 3-course Tagesmenu (appetizer, main course and dessert)... Fish is the only exception to the highly fatty Austrian cuisine. Fresh trout, carp or pike can be ordered in cafes and restaurants. Fish is prepared in two ways: either boiled (blau), or lightly stewed and breaded (Mullerin)... As fast food in Austria, sausages and sausages are offered. They are sold on street counters, served in pubs and eateries. There are a lot of sausages and sausages in Austria. Weisswurst is made from veal and served with sweet mustard. Blutwurst - blood sausage. Bratwurst are pork sausages that are grilled or pan-fried and served with bread and medium mustard. Naturally, such dishes will not please vegetarians, but there is something for them in Austria. There are always a lot of huge fresh salads on the menu (ask to serve salad without Speck - no bacon)... Many dishes are prepared with mountain cheeses such as Ktisespatzle (noodles with melted cheese and caramelized onions)... Austrian bread is a gourmet's delight. Even in the most ordinary church bakery, you will be offered a dozen varieties - from simple rolls to loaves of wholemeal flour from three to six varieties.

There are many gourmet restaurants in Austria, offering both national, traditional dishes and the highest achievements of international cuisine. Neue Kuche, for example, is the Teutonic response to French new cuisine. Gaststatte, Brduhaus, Weinstube are not restaurants. Purely national dishes are served here - Gutbiirgerliche Kuche. In them, just like in cafes or bars, you can just drink and eat nothing. It is enough to order only beer or coffee. In the Gaststatte, people are often seated at shared tables if all of the individuals are already occupied. As a matter of etiquette, first ask if you can sit down. Foreigners often break taboos by sitting at tables with Stammtisch signs. This should not be done, since such tables are intended for patrons, and other visitors should not sit at them. Austrian cafes fall into two categories: sophisticated, trendy places with ultra-modern décor, and elegant, pre-war cafes, Kaffeehaus, where Austrians come for coffee and pastries - Kaffee und Kuchen. At some butcher shops and bakeries there is a "standing cafe" - Steh-cafe, where at high tables, without sitting down, you can have a snack on hastily... Imbiss is another spot for a light bite to eat. Here they eat either standing or sitting at plastic tables.

Beverages

The main hot drink in Austria is coffee. Drinking coffee at Kaffeehaus or Cafe Konditorei is an old tradition, a great opportunity to chat with friends or read a newspaper taken from a wooden shelf. Coffee in Austria is prepared in a variety of ways: a large espresso with the addition of milk or cream (ein grosser Brauner), coffee with milk (Melange), small, very strong espresso (ein kleiner Mokka)... Coffee is often served with dessert or sweets - strudel or the famous decadent Sachertorte. (Sachertorte)... Tea is most often in the form of regular boiling water with a tea bag on a saucer. Tap water (Leitungwasser) can be drunk almost everywhere. Water comes to Vienna from the mountains. Still, many Austrians prefer bottled water. Beer is the most traditional Austrian drink. During the spring Gauderfest in Tyrol, beer flows like water during the famous Oktoberfest in Munich. Pilsner is the most popular, but there are many other varieties in different shades. (Hell means amber, Dunkel means dark brown) and fortress - be careful with beer with the suffix "-ator" in its name. Weiienbier or Weissbier (wheat beer) especially popular in summer. This beer is often served with a slice of lemon. Radler is a refreshing blend of beer and lemonade.

The main wine-growing regions of Austria are Burgenland, Wachau and Styria. The number of white wines significantly exceeds the number of reds, due to the relatively northern location of Austria. Cheap Austrian wines are labeled as Tafelwein or Landwein. Qualitcitswein is the next level, followed by Pradikatswein and Qualitcitswein Kabinett. The Spatlese and Auslese brands are made from grapes harvested much later, resulting in a naturally sweet wine with a unique aroma. Traditional restaurants in wine regions typically serve local Offene Weine wines (with glasses and decanters)... People sharing a meal are not required to order a decanter of the same wine. They can order the wines of their choice by the glass: achtel (0.125 L) or viertele (about 0.25 l)... This wine is served in a large glass or small decanter. In autumn they drink young, freshly made wine (Sturm) and in summer it's time for Schdrle - wine mixed with mineral water or soda.

Entertainment

Entertainment in Vienna is not limited to symphony concerts and balls. If you want to waltz, remember that the season in Vienna runs from December to March. But the clubbing life in Vienna is in full swing all year round. There are many bars here that are open until late, or even until the morning. There are also many bars, clubs and discos in Salzburg and Innsbruck. At major ski resorts night life is in full swing. There is entertainment for every taste - from discos to folklore concerts.

The Staatsoper and the Volksoper are the two main opera houses in Vienna. Shows are held here every day, with the exception of July and August. The Vienna Boys' Choir can be heard every Sunday as well as on religious holidays (January 1 - end June; mid September - December 31)... Tickets for cheap standing places are usually sold shortly before the start of the show. In the theater, you can put a sweater or tie a scarf on the balcony rail to “reserve” your seat and then go down to the buffet. Spanish Riding School gives performances on Sundays (early March - late June; September - late October).

In the coffee houses of Vienna and Salzburg, fierce disputes continue to this day - just as in the days when Trotsky and Freud took part in them. Another Viennese tradition - balls - is still alive today. Vienna is a huge ballroom from December 31st until Ash Wednesday. Viennese Balls cater to all tastes, from the famous Opera Ball to the Bad Taste Ball. In order not to be ashamed, you can sign up for short-term courses, where you will be taught the basics of the waltz.

The so-called Bermuda Triangle (Bermuda Dreieck) (south of the Danube Canal, near the church of St. Ruprecht) full of bars and clubs. Some of these establishments play live music. Most of the bars are open until 4:00 or even until the morning, and on weekends the bars do not close at all. The Volks Garten is located in the palace park. There are several concert venues, a garden bar and a dance floor open to all winds.

In the homeland of Mozart, Salzburg, music festivals are held almost every month. The festivities culminate in a five-week grand festival of opera, theater, church music, folk music, symphony concerts and Austrian Puppet Theater performances (from late July to late August)... The best way to experience the atmosphere of the Hohensalzburg fortress is to go to one of the almost nightly chamber music concerts (www.mozartfestival.at)... Concerts take place in the Golden Hall or in the Prince's Chambers, a wood-paneled room built in 1500. Salzburg hosts many concerts of jazz and rock music. For the schedule of concerts, performances, music festivals and other events, visit www.salzburginfo.at.

In Innsbruck, classical music concerts are held in the Ambras Palace in summer, and medieval brass bands perform on the Golden Roof balcony. Tyrolean Evenings are concerts of folk dances, yodels and brass music. The opera and ballet season at the Landesteatre lasts all year round.

Fun after skiing

After a long, busy day on the slopes, skiers from all over the world fill the bars and clubs of many Austrian alpine resorts. Many towns and villages turn into a miniature globe for two months. There are a large number of clubs, bars, restaurants and eateries operating throughout. In Mayrhofen or Kitzbühel, you will find entertainment for all tastes. In numerous pubs you can sing in chorus; Germans and residents of other German-speaking countries love to come here. There are traditional English pubs, jazz clubs, blues or techno clubs in the resorts.

Casino

The entrance to the casino is free, but you must show your ID at the entrance. Although Vienna cannot be confused with Las Vegas, it is here that two of the largest poker rooms in Europe are located - the Concord Card Casino and Poker World. For more traditional entertainment, take the train to the spa town of Baden bei Win (Baden-bei-Wien)... "Baden Casino" (www.casinos.at) is located in a restored palace, richly decorated with frescoes, gilding and crystal. There are fountains in the garden. The casino has an excellent restaurant.

Purchases

Austrians and visitors alike love to shop. Vienna's pedestrian Karntnerstrasse is crowded even on days when temperatures drop below freezing. Locals cannot deny themselves the pleasure of walking past the luxurious shop windows and admiring the goods offered by the numerous department stores and boutiques.

The most popular Austrian souvenirs are embroidery, knitwear, traditional coats and jackets, Tyrolean hats, dresses (Dirndls), quilts, hand-painted porcelain, wood carvings, dolls, woolen and leather goods, crystal.

Art lovers will be delighted to drop by the magnificent antique shops and frequently held auctions. The Dorotheum, the famous Viennese auction house, operating since 1707, is the largest in Central Europe.

Local markets sell handicrafts and the freshest picnic products right on the street. Check out the flea markets that are open on Saturdays. Here you can find the most unusual gifts for family and friends.

Christmas markets are an old tradition in Austria. They work in most cities. Christmas markets sell handmade Christmas tree decorations, mountain cheese (Bergkcise), candles (Kerzen), carved wooden figurines on religious themes (Schnitzfiguren), strong alcohol (Obstbrand, Schnaps), crystal (Kristallglas), smoked ham (Schinkenspeck) and jewelry made of semi-precious stones (Halbedelsteinen).

Folk costumes (Trachten) are not cheap and are never sold in souvenir shops. There you can only buy cheap fakes from China or Korea. If you want to buy a real Tyrolean hat, shawl (Schultertuch), the dress (Dirndl) or leather pants (Lederhosen), go to the local tailor.

Most goods and services include value added tax. In theory, guests from non-EU countries can get this tax back if their purchases in one store exceed 75 euros. In practice, it is quite difficult to obtain this refund. Pay attention to the Tax-Free Shopping signs in the shop windows and ask the sellers to fill out the necessary documents. Before leaving Austria, you will be stamped at customs, and then you can receive money at a special cash desk at the airport or at the border checkpoint. It is impossible to receive a refund without correctly completed documents. You may also be asked to produce purchased items for which tax is refunded.

Sports and recreation

Austria is one of the most athletic countries in the world. Alpine slopes make it easy to find skiing, golfing and swimming in Austria on the same day. Local guides and travel companies can help you climb or jump from a mountain, raft down one of the many mountain streams, or simply fly like a bird.

Air sports

In Austria, you can practice a variety of air sports - from gliding and paragliding to hot air ballooning. The best conditions are created here for hot air balloon flights over the Alps, the Alpine lakes of the Salzkammergut and the steppes in the vicinity of Lake Neusiedl. Paragliding conditions are also top-notch. If the wind permits, an experienced paraglider can fly from one mountain to another.

Cycling

Cycling is very popular in the Inna and Danube valleys. Austria has many scenic mountain bike trails. There are excellent trails in the Hohe Tauern National Park and in the Tyrolean Alps.

Golf

Most of Austria's 150 golf courses have been built in the last 15 years. Golf Club Zell am See is located at the foot of the 3000-meter Kitzsteinhorn mountain. Mondsee Golf Club is located on the shores of the lake of the same name at the foot of Drachenwand. The Gold Egg, an 18-hole course, sits between dairy farms.

Mountaineering and hiking

In Austria, mountaineering and hiking are just as popular as downhill skiing. Long treks often include overnight stays in mountain huts. Thousands of kilometers of flat and mountain trails are clearly marked. You will always find a detailed map of any area. In Tyrol, trails on maps show different colors depending on their complexity. Ski slopes are marked in the same way. In blue the easiest ones are shown, in red - trails of moderate difficulty, and in black - those where climbing skills may be required.

Very often, the best way to start the hike is to take the cable car. Many dangers await tourists in the mountains - from sunburn (they are especially dangerous in the snow) and altitude sickness (the first symptoms are headache, nausea and dizziness) before hypothermia (decrease in body temperature)... Ticks are found in mountain forests. If you notice a tick on the body, do not pull it out, but grease it with oil or sprinkle it with salt. The insect will fall off by itself. You can swim in Alpine rivers, but drinking water from them is not always safe. Boil this water for ten minutes or use Potable Aqua iodine tablets.

Austria is a paradise for skiers. There are slopes for every taste - from the simplest to the most difficult. On some high-altitude glaciers you can ski all year round (e.g. on the Stubai Glacier in Tyrol)... When planning a vacation, find out in advance. Lesser known resorts can cost you half the price of internationally renowned and popular resorts. Winter activities include ice skating and horse-drawn sleigh rides and local curling.

Water sports

Water sports include swimming, scuba diving, sailing, surfing, water skiing and rowing.

Most of the rivers and lakes are clean enough to swim in. Swimming in such places is free, but entrance to many lake beaches is paid. At the lake resorts, you can rent a rowing boat, sailing boat or motorboat. You can go rafting on the mountain streams in the Alps. Isel and Drau in East Tyrol and Lammer and Salzach in the federal state of Salzburg are especially suitable for this purpose. Fishing permits can be obtained through the local tourist office.

Osterreichischer Alpenverein (Austrian Alpine Club).
www.bergsteigen.at

Hiking

www.wanderdoerfer.at

www.europasportregion.info

Water sports

Alpinschule Club Monte, Salzburg.
www.montee.com

Oesterreichischer Kanuverband.
www.kanuverband.at

Osttirol Adventures (canoes and kayaks).
www.osttiroi-adventures.at

www.fischwasser.com

www.radtouren.at

Golf

Gold Egg.
www.seehof-goldegg.com

Mondsee Golf Club
www.goifclubmondsee.at

Osterreichischer Golf-Verband (Austrian Golf Club)
www.golf.at

Zell am See Golf Club at Kaprun.
www.europasportregion.at/golfclub

Balloons and paragliding

OAEC, Osterreichischer Aero-Club (Austrian flying club).
www.aerociub.at

Children

Austria can inspire any child. Go on a river walk along the Danube, admire the wonderful dancing horses, listen to the Vienna Boys' Choir, taste the legendary chocolate cake - your child will not be bored. Austria has excellent conditions for children of all ages. The hotels offer cribs and babysitting services, and teenagers can take a ski instructor course.

Accommodation

Most hotels and guesthouses are happy to accept families with children. There is a special association of family hotels (Kinderhotels)... Most of these hotels are located in the countryside. (one in Vienna)... Some have swimming pools and spas, others have winter ski schools, and a few hotels are located directly on farms. All these hotels have developed programs designed for parents and children of different ages. There are babysitters, toys and baby care items. English is not spoken everywhere, so check in advance. www.babyhotel.at www. kinderhotels.co.uk

Nutrition

In pubs and cafes, children are welcome in the same way as the adults who accompany them. But not everywhere is smoking banned. There are special highchairs almost everywhere.

Transport

In Austria, children under 13 must sit in the back seat of a car (if any)... For children under four years of age, it is better to use special safety seats. If you rent a car, please bring a child seat with you, as the rental companies charge an additional fee for this service.

In Vienna, children under 15 can use public transport free of charge during school holidays, Sundays and public holidays. On all other days, you can buy a cheap children's ticket from tobacco kiosks or ticket machines.

Things to do

Austria has many castles, museums and zoos that children love so much. There are cable cars, steam locomotives and ferries. Many ski resorts host special family weekends. There are schools for children on the slopes (check if instructors speak English)... Skilled babysitters can keep your kids entertained while you ride. Among the hundreds of museums in Vienna, there are some that will also interest children. Besides the amusement fair (www.prater.at), kids will love Minopolis (www.minopolis.at) and the house of butterflies (www.sehmetterlinghaus.at) where it is sometimes too crowded. In Innsbruck, go to the Alpine Zoo (Alpenzoo) and an arsenal at Ambras Castle. These are just two of the many different types of entertainment. To introduce children to opera, head to the Salzburg Puppet Theater and then relax among the fountains in the Helbrunn Castle Park. Easy mountain hikes, salt mines (Hallstatt), ice caves (Dachstein)- great fun and a great introduction to the basics of geography.

Arrival

By plane

Regular flights between Moscow and Vienna are operated by Aeroflot and Austrian Airlines. Flight duration Moscow - Vienna is 3 hours 20 minutes. Every half hour between Vienna Schwechat Airport and Central Station (area 3) trains run. Travel time is 16 minutes.

Customs regulations

EU citizens can bring almost unlimited quantities of goods into Austria for personal consumption (within reason: if you're driving a truckload of whiskey, customs may have questions)... Citizens of other countries can bring with them 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 1 liter of strong alcohol (more than 22 °) or 2 liters of wine, 500 g of coffee, 50 g of perfume or 0.25 liters of cologne.

Electricity

Mains voltage - 220 V, 50 Hz. Plugs are European type, with two round pins.

Currency

The official currency of the country is Euro. In Austria, you can pay with debit and credit cards at gas stations, chain hotels, expensive restaurants and tourist shops. But, to the surprise and embarrassment of many foreign tourists, elsewhere they only accept cash.

Opening hours

Opening hours are established by law and in accordance with tradition. The situation in Austria is highly controversial. Large shops open early and close on weekdays at 20:00 and on Saturdays at 17:00. These shops are closed on Sundays. Small shops in Austria close on weekdays at 18.00. They have a lunch break. On Saturdays, these shops are open until 13.00, and on Sundays they are closed. (Some shops are open longer on Saturdays.) During the hours when other shops are closed, some groceries and small items can be bought at train stations in big cities. Banks are open from Monday to Wednesday and Friday 8.00-12.30 and 13.30-15.00, Thursdays 8.00-12.30 and 13.30-17.30 (head offices do not close for lunch)... Tourist offices are open 9.00-18.00 on weekdays and until 13.00 on Saturdays (such bureaus work longer in tourist centers)... Gas stations on the Autobahn are open around the clock. Restaurants usually open at 11:00 and close around 23:00. Many restaurants are closed during the day. In traditional taverns, food is served during the day (durch-gehend means "open during the day") or late at night.

Passports and visas

Austria is part of the Schengen area. To enter the territory of Austria, Russian citizens need a passport valid for at least three months from the date of entry, as well as a Schengen visa. If you purchase a tourist voucher, the travel agency will undertake all the work on obtaining a visa. Otherwise, you will have to contact the Austrian embassy yourself.

mail

The post office in Austria works from Monday to Friday 8.00-18.00, and on Saturdays 8.00 / 9.00-12.00. The post offices provide different services, so immediately check if you are on the right line. At the counter with the Briefmarken sign, they sell postage stamps, and the Rakete counter - they receive parcels. You can also exchange money at the post office. Major post offices have public telephones and faxes that accept calling cards.

"Mozart" with a telephone

Telephones

Payphones in Austria work with cards - you can buy them at tobacco kiosks or at the post office. A prepaid phone card for international calls can be used both on a pay phone and in a hotel (but at the hotel it will cost you much more)... Austria has an excellent mobile communication system. Of course, it is better to choose the most favorable terms of communication even before departure. The international code of Austria is 43. For a phone call from Austria to Russia, dial 007 + the code of the corresponding city (Moscow - 495)+ subscriber number.

Time

Austria lives according to Central European time, which is 2 hours behind Moscow time (when it is noon in Moscow, 10 a.m. in Austria)... At the end of March, Austria switches to summer time, and at the end of autumn to winter.

Toilets

At autobahn gas stations and public restrooms, you must leave 50 cents to the attendant. Men's toilets are designated Herren, women's - Damen. Outside the tourist centers, you can always go to a cafe to use the toilet.

Tourist information

There are tourist offices in almost every Austrian city and in many villages. They are usually located at or near the main train station, as well as in the market square. In such a bureau you will find city maps showing parking spots. Here you can find a room (sometimes there is a small fee for this)... This is especially convenient for those who want to stay in a guesthouse or a private house.

Information for the disabled

Many museums, theaters, cinemas and public buildings have wheelchair ramps. More and more trams are equipped with special devices. Tourist offices are eager to help disabled tourists find a suitable hotel, public toilet, etc. Large chain hotels always have all the amenities. Disabled parking is free in blue zones. To do this, it is enough to have an international invalid sticker on the car.

Language

The official language in Austria is German (with characteristic English pronunciation)... However, most hotels, restaurants and sports shops that sell or rent sports equipment have English-speaking staff. Here are some useful German words and phrases to help you feel more relaxed.

Emergency help

Accidents

If you have a serious accident in Austria, you must wait for the police to arrive. Emergency services in Austria work very efficiently and arrive on the scene quickly, even by helicopter if necessary.

Car breakdown

If a breakdown occurs, you should roll the car off the road if possible. Then set up an emergency triangle 100 m behind the machine. If you are on the Autobahn, find the emergency number (they are spaced 2 km apart), pick up the handset and wait for the operator to answer. You can also dial 120. You will have to pay for evacuation and spare parts. However, if you are a member of a car club in your country, you will be able to receive documents for reimbursement of expenses incurred in Austria.

Crime

Crime is not a serious problem for Austria. Vienna is considered one of the safest European capitals. Just be guided common sense: lock your car, avoid dark streets and questionable areas, keep an eye on your purse and wallet. It is best to carry the bag not on your shoulder, but in front of you, and keep your wallet in a belt bag. If a burglary has occurred, report it to the police immediately. You will need an official report to get insurance. By law, you must have an ID with you at all times (passport).

Insurance

When leaving your own country, you must have travel insurance. However, citizens of EU countries can get free emergency care in public hospitals. For this, citizens of the European Union and citizens of other countries residing in the EU must have a European insurance card EHIC, which replaced the old E111 from January 2006. We also advise you to stock up on travel or private health insurance.

Drivers must have civil liability insurance (American Express and other credit card companies provide this insurance if you rent a car with their card and provide insurance policy)... The driver also needs personal insurance to cover medical expenses. (such insurance is usually included in the road trip) and liability insurance that will protect you from claims brought against you (in most car rental companies there is an additional charge for such insurance).

Pharmacy

In Austria, pharmacies are called Apotheke. The nearest pharmacy may not always be open, but there will certainly be a duty officer nearby who works around the clock. The addresses and phone numbers of the nearest open pharmacies are usually posted on the doors of everyone else. Seeing the "open" sign, you will have to ring the bell to be admitted and served.

Emergency telephone numbers

Emergency services (Rettungsdiens): 144
Ambulance (Arztenotdienst): 141
Fire Service (Feuerwehr): 122
Police (Polizei): 133
Snow information: www.lawine.at
Mine rescuers (Bergrettung): 140
Austrian Auto Club (OAMTS - Osterreichischer Automobil, Motorrad und Touring Club): 120
Austrian Automobile Association (ARBO - Auto, Motor und Radfahrerbund Osterreichs): 123