4 GeoFroggy

Economy Overview

Austria is a well-developed market economy with skilled labor force and high standard of living. It is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's, but also the US’, its third-largest trade partner. Its economy features a large service sector, a sound industrial sector, and a small, but highly developed agricultural sector.

Austrian economic growth strengthen in 2017, with a 2.9% increase in GDP. Austrian exports, accounting for around 60% of the GDP, were up 8.2% in 2017. Austria’s unemployment rate fell by 0.3% to 5.5%, which is low by European standards, but still at its second highest rate since the end of World War II, driven by an increased number of refugees and EU migrants entering the labor market.

Austria's fiscal position compares favorably with other euro-zone countries. The budget deficit stood at a low 0.7% of GDP in 2017 and public debt declined again to 78.4% of GDP in 2017, after reaching a post-war high 84.6% in 2015. The Austrian government has announced it plans to balance the fiscal budget in 2019. Several external risks, such as Austrian banks' exposure to Central and Eastern Europe, the refugee crisis, and continued unrest in Russia/Ukraine, eased in 2017, but are still a factor for the Austrian economy. Exposure to the Russian banking sector and a deep energy relationship with Russia present additional risks.

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

Agriculture Products

grains, potatoes, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber and other forestry products

Industries

construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and paper, electronics, tourism

Industrial Production Growth Rate

6.5% (2017 est.)

Labor Force

4.26 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force by Occupation

Agriculture: 0.7%

Industry: 25.2%

Services: 74.1% (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2017: 5.5%

2016: 6%

Population Below Poverty Line

3% (2017 est.)

Household Income or Consumption by Percentage Share

Lowest 10: 2.8%

Highest 10: 23.5% (2012 est.)

Distribution of Family Income Gini Index

2015: 30.5

2014: 30.5

Budget

Revenues: 201.7 billion (2017 est.)

Expenditures: 204.6 billion (2017 est.)

Public Debt

2017: 78.6% of GDP

2016: 83.6% of GDP

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2017: 0%

31 December 2010: 0%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2017: 1.57%

31 December 2016: 1.86%

Stock of Narrow Money

31 December 2017: $271.4 billion

31 December 2016: $214 billion

Stock of Broad Money

31 December 2017: $271.4 billion

31 December 2016: $214 billion

Stock of Domestic Credit

31 December 2017: $555.4 billion

31 December 2016: $483.7 billion

Market Value of Publicly Traded Shares

31 December 2015: $96.08 billion

31 December 2014: $96.79 billion

31 December 2013: $117.7 billion

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

31 December 2017: $21.57 billion

31 December 2016: $23.36 billion

Debt External

31 December 2017: $630.8 billion

31 March 2015: $679.3 billion

Stock of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

31 December 2017: $294.1 billion

31 December 2016: $158.9 billion

Stock of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

31 December 2017: $339.7 billion

31 December 2016: $214.7 billion

Exchange Rates

Currency: euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:

Year

GDP Official Exchange Rate

  • $417.4 billion 2017 est.

Taxes and Other Revenues

  • 48.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus or Deficit

  • -0.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Fiscal Year

  • calendar year

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

  • 2017
    $441 billion
  • 2016
    $428.1 billion
  • 2015
    $422 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

  • 2017
    3%
  • 2016
    1.5%
  • 2015
    1.1%

GDP Per Capital

  • 2017
    $50,000
  • 2016
    $49,000
  • 2015
    $48,900

Gross National Saving

  • 2017
    27% of GDP
  • 2016
    26.2% of GDP
  • 2015
    25.5% of GDP

GDP Composition by end Use

  • Household consumption
    52.1% (2017 est.)
  • Government consumption
    19.5% (2017 est.)
  • Investment in fixed capital
    23.5% (2017 est.)
  • Investment in inventories
    1.6% (2017 est.)
  • Exports of goods and services
    54.2% (2017 est.)
  • Imports of goods and services
    -50.7% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition by Sector of Origin

  • Agriculture
    1.3% (2017 est.)
  • Industry
    28.4% (2017 est.)
  • Services
    70.3% (2017 est.)

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

  • 2017
    2.2%
  • 2016
    1%

Current Account Balance

  • 2017
    $7.859 billion
  • 2016
    $8.313 billion

Exports

  • 2017
    $156.7 billion
  • 2016
    $149.5 billion

Exports Partners

  • Germany
    29.4%
  • US
    6.3%
  • Italy
    6.2%
  • Switzerland
    5.1%
  • France
    4.8%
  • Slovakia
    4.8%

Exports Commodities

    Machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, manufactured goods, chemicals, iron and steel, foodstuffs

Imports

  • 2017
    $158.1 billion
  • 2016
    $142.3 billion

Imports Partners

  • Germany
    41.8%
  • Italy
    5.8%
  • Switzerland
    5.5%
  • Czech
    Republic
  • Netherlands
    4.2%

Imports Commodities

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