3 GeoFroggy

Country Name

Conventional long form: Republic of Austria

Conventional short form: Austria

Local long form: Republik Oesterreich

Local short form: Oesterreich

Administrative Divisions

9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria), Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria), Tirol (Tyrol), Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)

Independence

12 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed)

National Holiday

National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the passage of the law on permanent neutrality

Constitution

Several previous; latest adopted 1 October 1920, revised 1929, replaced May 1934 (authoritarian-corporate constitution), replaced by German Weimar constitution in 1938 following German annexation; latest reinstated 1 May 1945 (1920 constitution with 1929 revisions); amended many times, last in 2014 (2016)

Legal System

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court

International Law Organization Participation

Accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Citizenship by birth: no

Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Austria

Dual citizenship recognized: no

Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: Acting Presidents Doris BURES (SPOe), Karlheinz KOPF (OeVP), Norbert HOFER (FPOe) (since 8 July 2016)

Head of government: Chancellor Christian KERN (SPOe) (since 17 May 2016); Vice Chancellor Reinhold MITTERLEHNER (OeVP) (since 1 September 2014)

Cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor

Elections:

Election results: percent of vote

Legislative Branch

Description: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of the Federal Council or Bundesrat (62 seats; members appointed by state parliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 seats in proportion to its population; members serve 5- or 6-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

Elections: National Council - last held on 29 September 2013 (next to be held by September 2018)

Election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe 26.8%, OeVP 24.0%, FPOe 20.5%, Greens 12.4%, Team Stronach 5.7%, NEOS 5.0%, other 5.6%; seats by party - SPOe 52, OeVP 47, FPOe 40, Greens 24, Team Stronach 11, NEOS 9; note - currently

Judicial Branch

Highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Oberster Gerichtshof (consists of 85 judges organized into 17 senates or panels of 5 judges each); Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof (consists of 20 judges including 6 substitutes; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof - 2 judges plus other members depending on the importance of the case)

Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; judges serve for life; Constitutional Court judges nominated by several executive branch departments and approved by the president; judges serve for life; Administrative Court judges recommended by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; terms of judges and members determined by the president

Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (4); Regional Courts (20); district courts (120); county courts

Political Parties and Leaders

"Team Stronach" [Frank STRONACH]

Political Pressure Groups and Leaders

Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action

Flag Description

Three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red; the flag design is certainly one of the oldest - if not the oldest - national banners in the world; according to tradition, in 1191, following a fierce battle in the Third Crusade, Duke Leopold V of Austria's white tunic became completely blood-spattered; upon removal of his wide belt or sash, a white band was revealed; the red-white-red color combination was subsequently adopted as his banner

National Symbols

Golden eagle, edelweiss, Alpine gentian; national colors: red, white

National Anthem

Lyrics:

: undefined

Year

Government Type

  • Federal parliamentary republic

Capital

  • Name
    Vienna
  • Geographic Coordinates
    48 12 N, 16 22 E
  • Time Difference
    UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  • Daylight Saving Time
    +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Diplomatic Representation in the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Wolfgang WALDNER (since 28 January 2016)
  • Chancery
    3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
  • Telephone
    [1] (202) 895-6700
  • FAX
    [1] (202) 895-6750
  • Consulate(s) General
    Los Angeles, New York
  • Consulate(s)
    Chicago

Diplomatic Representation from the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Alexa Lange WESNER (since 22 October 2013)
  • Embassy
    Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
  • Mailing Address
    use embassy street address
  • Telephone
    [43] (1) 31339-0
  • FAX
    [43] (1) 3100682

International Organization Participation

  • ADB (nonregional member)
  • AfDB (nonregional member)
  • Australia Group
  • BIS
  • BSEC (observer)
  • CD
  • CE
  • CEI
  • CERN
  • EAPC
  • EBRD
  • ECB
  • EIB
  • EMU
  • ESA
  • EU
  • FAO
  • FATF
  • G-9
  • IADB
  • IAEA
  • IBRD
  • ICAO
  • ICC (national committees)
  • ICCt
  • ICRM
  • IDA
  • IEA
  • IFAD
  • IFC
  • IFRCS
  • IGAD (partners)
  • ILO
  • IMF
  • IMO
  • Interpol
  • IOC
  • IOM
  • IPU
  • ISO
  • ITSO
  • ITU
  • ITUC (NGOs)
  • MIGA
  • MINURSO
  • NEA
  • NSG
  • OAS (observer)
  • OECD
  • OIF (observer)
  • OPCW
  • OSCE
  • Paris Club
  • PCA
  • PFP
  • Schengen Convention
  • SELEC (observer)
  • UN
  • UNCTAD
  • UNESCO
  • UNFICYP
  • UNHCR
  • UNIDO
  • UNIFIL
  • UNTSO
  • UNWTO
  • UPU
  • WCO
  • WFTU (NGOs)
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WTO
  • ZC