Austria is a German-speaking country in Central Europe, characterized by mountain villages, baroque architecture, Imperial history and rugged Alpine terrain. Vienna, its Danube River capital, is home to the Schönbrunn and Hofburg palaces. It has counted Mozart, Strauss and Freud among its residents. The country’s other notable regions include the northern Bohemian Forest, Traunsee Lake and eastern hillside vineyards.
Languages: The official language of Austria is German, which is spoken by the majority of the population. German is used in government, education, and the media, and it is the language of instruction in schools. In addition to German, there are also a number of regional languages and dialects spoken in Austria, including Croatian, Hungarian, Slovenian, and Czech, as well as various indigenous languages such as Romani and Minderheitensprache. Finally, English is also widely spoken in Austria, particularly in business and tourism.
Ethnic Groups: Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, Germans 0.9%, other or unspecified 2.4% (2001 census)
Belief Systems: Catholic 73.8% (includes Roman Catholic 73.6%, other Catholic 0.2%), Protestant 4.9%, Muslim 4.2%, Orthodox 2.2%, other 0.8% (includes other Christian), none 12%, unspecified 2% (2001 est.)
Demographics:
Population:8.45 million people (World Rank: 93rd) (2014 estimate)
Population Density:266 people/mi^2 (People per Square Mile) (World Rank: 108th) (2014 estimate)
Population Growth: 0.146 %/yr (World Rank: 200th) (2013 estimate)
Life Expectancy: 81.1 years (World Rank: 18th) (2013 estimate)
Median Age: 41.8 years (World Rank: 7th) (2010 estimate)
Sites for More Information:
Map of Austria
Worldatlas.com
Austria
World Factbook
Country Profile for Austria
United Nations
Austria - Country Profile
U.S. Library of Congress
Austria - General Information
Encyclopedia.com
Austria
Wikipedia.org
Culture and Tourism:
Traditional Musical Instruments of Austria
from lusmusik.com
Austrian recipes and food
Pintrest.com
Things to do in Austria
Outdoor Guide to Austria
Vienna Sight Running
Guided Running Tours Through Vienna
German Language Resources:
Learn German
Online resource for learning German
Government Related:
Austrian Embassy
in Washington D.C.
Austrian Government Websites
by Gunnar Anzinger
