GeoFroggy

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Background

Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies, Austria's 1955 State Treaty declared the country "permanently neutral" as a condition of Soviet military withdrawal. Neutrality, once ingrained as part of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question since the Soviet collapse and Austria's increasingly prominent role in European affairs. A prosperous country, Austria joined the European Union in 1995 and the euro monetary system in 1999.

Location

Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Area Comparative

Slightly smaller than Maine

Maritime Claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

Temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers

Natural Hazards

Environment Current Issues

Some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe

Environment International Agreements

Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography Note

Landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

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Map Reference

Europe

Irrigated Land 1993

40 sq km

Area 2000

Total

83,858 sq km
Land

82,738 sq km
Water

1,120 sq km

Coastline

0 km

Geographical Coordinates

47 20 N, 13 20 E

Land use 2000

Arable Land
17%
Permanent Crops
1%
Permanent Pastures
23%
Forests And Woodland
39%
Other
20%

Terrain

In the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Elevation

Lowest Point: Neusiedler See 115 m
Highest Point: Grossglockner 3,798 m

Land Boundaries

Total
2,562 km
Czech Republic
362 km
Germany
784 km
Hungary
366 km
Italy
430 km
Liechtenstein
35 km
Slovakia
91 km
Slovenia
330 km
Switzerland
164 km

Natural Resources

Iron ore
Oil
Timber
Magnesite
Lead

Coal
Lignite
Copper
Hydropower

Austria