Austria. Political and economic situation of Austria Traditions and rules of behavior in the country

The division of the country into lands has developed historically: almost each of the lands is a former independent feudal possession. In fact, modern Austria is a centralized state.

Austria is landlocked. Here on an area of 84 thousand square meters. km live about 11 million people, i.e. less than in Greater London.

The geographical position of Austria facilitates its communication with other European countries, of which it directly borders seven: in the east - the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, in the west - Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and the Principality of Liechtenstein. This provides Austria with favorable transport and geographical conditions for mutually beneficial trade with neighboring countries.

The territory of Austria is elongated in the form of a wedge, greatly narrowed in the west and expanded in the east. This configuration of the country resembles, according to some, a bunch of grapes.

The largest cities are Vienna, Graz, Linz and Salzburg.

Its position in the center of Europe makes Austria the crossroads of a number of trans-European meridional routes (from the Scandinavian countries and central European states through the Alpine passes of Brenner and Semmering to Italy and other countries). Servicing the transit transport of goods and passengers provides Austria with certain income in foreign currency.

In addition, as can be easily determined from a physical map, the state borders of Austria for the most part coincide with natural boundaries - mountain ranges or rivers. Only with Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia (for a short distance) do they pass on almost flat terrain.

This ancient hill occupies 1/10 of the country's territory.

Undoubtedly, the Alps are the dominant landscape in Austria; they (together with the foothills) occupy 70% of the country's area. These are the Eastern Alps. This is the customary name for the part of the Alpine mountain system lying east of the Upper Rhine valley, along which the state border with Switzerland passes here. What is the difference between the Eastern Alps and the Western Alps? To the east of the Rhine fault, the Alpine ridges take a latitudinal direction, begin to fan out and descend. The Eastern Alps are wider and lower than the Western Alps and are more accessible. There are fewer glaciers here, and the largest ones are about half as long as those in Switzerland. The Eastern Alps have more meadows and especially forests, and the Eastern Alps are much richer in minerals than the Western Alps.

If you cross the Alps from north to south, it is easy to notice that the geological structure and composition of the rocks composing them are located symmetrically relative to the axial zone. This zone is the highest and most powerful group of ridges covered with glaciers and snow, among which the Hohe Tauern stands out with the highest point of the country - the double-headed peak Glossglockner (“Big Ringer”), reaching 3997m; Ötztal, Stubai, Zillertai Alps. All of them, together with the adjacent ridges from the west and east, are composed of hard crystalline rocks - granites, gneisses, crystalline schists. The largest glacier - Pasterce - has a length of about 10 km and an area of 32 km2.

To the north and south of the axial zone lie ridges composed of hard sedimentary rocks, mainly limestones and dolomites: the Lichtal Alps, Karwendel, Dachstein, Hochschwat and other ridges of the Northern Limestone Alps up to the aforementioned Vienna Woods in the extreme northeast. In contrast to the peaked peaks of crystalline ridges, limestone mountains are giant blocks with more or less flat, slightly inclined surfaces and almost vertical or even overhanging slopes. The years are mostly bare and contain sinkholes, caves and other forms of karst landform formed by melted rainwater in soluble limestones and dolomites.

The peripheral zone of the Alps is formed by low, softly contoured peaks and slopes of the Pre-Alps, composed of loose sedimentary rocks. And within Austria, this zone is well defined in the north, but absent in the south.

One of the features of the Alps is that they are dissected by deep and wide transverse valleys, due to which the deep parts of the Alps are relatively easily accessible, and low, convenient passes make it possible to cross the country from north to south in a number of places without much difficulty. Thus, the famous Brenner Pass has a height of 1371m, and the Semmering Pass - 985m. It is no coincidence that railways have long been laid through the Alpine passes, some without tunnels.

There is an airport in the capital of each state. The main marinas are located in Linz and near Vienna. The largest cities are Vienna, Graz, Linz and Salzburg.

Austria, whose territory is elongated in the form of a wedge, strongly tapering to the west, occupies little space on the map. Its area is 83.8 thousand km2. It facilitates its communication with other European countries, of which it directly borders seven. The most important in terms of economic potential and the most densely populated eastern part of the country borders the Czech Republic and Slovakia, in the north with, in the southeast with. This provides Austria with favorable geographical conditions for mutually beneficial trade with neighboring countries. In the west, Austria borders on and is closely connected with it. In the northwest and south it is adjacent to and.

Its position in the center of Europe makes Austria the crossroads of a number of trans-European meridional routes (from the Scandinavian and central European states through the Alpine passes of Brenner and Semmering to Italy and other countries). Servicing the transit transport of goods and passengers provides Austria with certain income in foreign currency. In addition, as can be easily determined from a physical map, the state borders of Austria for the most part coincide with natural boundaries - mountain ranges or. Only with Hungary, and (for a short distance) they pass through almost flat terrain.

When our compatriot, heading to Austria by train, crosses the Czech-Austrian border in the north-eastern corner of the country, he is somewhat disappointed. Where is alpine Austria? All around, as far as the eye can see, is a treeless, plowed plain, as flat as a table. Here and there you can see green gardens and vineyards, brick houses and lonely trees on the borders and along the roads. and hilly lowlands extend from here far to the south along the entire border with Hungary and occupy 20% of the territory. But having reached Vienna, we find ourselves in a more typical natural environment for Austria: mountains, the Vienna (Wienerwald) - the north-eastern outpost of the mighty Alps and a sublime, hilly, wide and open valley, rising noticeably in a westerly direction. If you climb one of the peaks of the Vienna Woods, for example, Kahlenberg (“Bald Mountain”), then far to the north and northwest in the blue haze beyond the Danube you can see the low, ridged, forest-covered granite ridges of Sumava, only some of the peaks of which rise several above 700 meters. This ancient hill occupies 0.1 of the country's territory. Undoubtedly, they are dominant in Austria; they (together with the foothills) occupy 70% of the country’s area. These are the Eastern Alps. This is the customary name for the alpine part lying to the east of the valley along which the state border passes here. What is the difference between the Eastern Alps and the Western Alps? To the east of the Rhine fault, the Alpine ridges take a latitudinal direction, begin to fan out and descend. The Eastern Alps are wider and lower than the Western Alps and are more accessible. There are fewer glaciers here, and the largest ones are about half as long as those in Switzerland. The Eastern Alps have more and especially forests, and the Eastern Alps are much richer than the Western Alps.

If you cross the Alps from north to south, it is easy to notice that the geological structure and composition of their constituents are located symmetrically relative to the axial zone. This zone is the highest and most powerful group of ridges covered with glaciers and snow, among which the Hohe Tauern stands out with the highest point of the country - the double-headed peak Glossglockner (“Big Ringer”), reaching 3997 m; Ötztal, Stubai, Zillertai Alps. All of them, together with the adjacent ridges to the west and east, are composed of hard crystalline rocks - granites, gneisses, crystalline schists.

The largest - Pasterze - has a length of about 10 km and an area of 32 km 2. To the north and south of the axial zone lie ridges composed of hard sedimentary rocks, mainly limestones and dolomites: the Lichtal Alps, Karwendel, Dachstein, Hochschwat and other Northern Limestone ridges Alps up to the Vienna Woods mentioned above at the extreme
northeast. In contrast to the peaked peaks of crystalline ridges, limestone mountains are giant blocks with more or less flat, slightly inclined surfaces and almost vertical or even overhanging slopes. The years are mostly bare, and there are sinkholes, caves and other forms of karst formed by melted rainwater in soluble limestone and dolomite.

The peripheral zone of the Alps is formed by low, softly contoured peaks and slopes of the Pre-Alps, composed of loose sedimentary rocks. Within Austria, this zone is well defined in the north, but absent in the south. One of the features of the Alps is that they are dissected by deep and wide transverse valleys, due to which the deep parts of the Alps are relatively easily accessible, and low, convenient passes make it possible to cross the country from north to south in a number of places without much difficulty. Thus, the famous Brenner Pass has a height of 1371 m, and the Semmering Pass - 985 m. It is no coincidence that roads have long been built through the Alpine passes, some without tunnels.

1. Business card

2. EGP of Austria

3. Historical background.

4. The country's economy.

5. Nature

3) Natural resources

4) Minerals

5) Fauna

6) Environment

6. Population.

1) Ethnic composition

2) Demographic situation

3) Population distribution structure

4) Religion

5) Education

6) Media

7) National holidays

8) Taxation.

7.Housekeeping.

8. Geography of foreign economic relations

Political and economic situation in Austria.

Austria is a small country located in the center of Europe, consisting of 9 federal states: Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Burgerland, Styria, Carinthia, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Vienna and Salzburg. The city of Vienna - the capital of Austria - is administratively equal to the lands. The division of the country into lands has developed historically: almost each of the lands is a former independent feudal possession. In fact, modern Austria is a centralized state.

Austria is landlocked. Here on an area of 84 thousand square meters. km live about 11 million people, i.e. less than in Greater London. The geographical position of Austria facilitates its communication with other European countries, of which it directly borders on seven: in the east - the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, in the west - Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and the Principality of Liechtenstein. This provides Austria with favorable transport geographical conditions for mutually beneficial trade with neighboring countries.

The territory of Austria is elongated in the form of a wedge, greatly narrowed in the west and expanded in the east. This configuration of the country resembles, according to some, a bunch of grapes.

The largest cities are Vienna, Graz, Linzi Salzburg.

Its position in the center of Europe makes Austria the crossroads of a number of trans-European meridional routes (from the Scandinavian countries and central European countries through the Alpine passes of Brenner and Semmering to Italy and other countries). Servicing the transit transport of goods and passengers provides Austria with certain income in foreign currency.

In addition, as can be easily established from a physical map, the state borders of Austria for the most part coincide with natural boundaries - mountain ranges or rivers. Only with Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia (for a short distance) do they pass on almost equal terrain.

When our compatriot, heading to Austria by train, crosses the Czech-Austrian border in the north-eastern corner of the country, he is somewhat disappointed. Where is Alpine Austria? All around, as far as the eye can see, is a treeless, plowed plain, as flat as a table. Here and there you can see green islands of gardens and vineyards, brick houses and lonely trees along the borders and along the roads. Plains and hilly lowlands extend from here far to the south along the entire border with Hungary and occupy 20% of the territory. But having reached Vienna, we find ourselves in a more typical natural environment for Austria: mountains, the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald) - the northeastern outpost of the mighty Alps and the sublime, hilly, wide and open Danube valley, rising noticeably in a westerly direction. If you climb to one of the peaks of the Vienna Woods, for example, Kahlenberg (“Bald Mountain”), then far to the north and north-west in the blue haze beyond the Danube you can see the low undulating, forest-covered granite ridges of Sumava, only some of the peaks of which rise slightly above 700 meters. This ancient hill occupies 1/10 of the country's territory.

Undoubtedly, the Alps are the dominant landscape in Austria; they (together with the foothills) occupy 70% of the country's area. These are the Eastern Alps. This is the common name for the part of the Alpine mountain system lying east of the Upper Rhine Valley, along which the state border with Switzerland passes. What is the difference between the Eastern Alps and the Western Alps? To the east of the Rhine Fault, the Alpine ridges take on a latitudinal direction, begin to fan out and descend. Eastern Alps and lower than Western Alps, they are more accessible. There are fewer glaciers here, and the largest ones are about half as long as in Switzerland. The Eastern Alps have more meadows and especially forests, and the Eastern Alps are much richer in mineral resources than the Western Alps.

If you cross the Alps from the north to the south, it is easy to notice that the geological structure and composition of the constituent rocks are located symmetrically relative to the axial zone. This zone is the highest and most powerful group of ridges covered with glaciers and snow, among which the Hohe Tauern stands out with the highest point of the country - the double-headed peak Glossglockner (“Big Ringer”), reaching 3997 m; Ötztal, Stubai, Zillertai Alps. All of them, together with the adjacent ridges from the west and east, are composed of hard crystalline rocks - granites, gneisses, and crystalline schists. The largest glacier - Pasterce - has a length of about 10 km and an area of 32 km2.

To the north and south of the axis zone lie ridges composed of hard sedimentary rocks, mainly limestones and dolomites: the Lichtal Alps, Karwendel, Dachstein, Hochschwat and other ridges of the Northern Limestone Alps up to the aforementioned Vienna Woods in the extreme northeast. In contrast to the peak-shaped peaks of crystalline ridges, limestone mountains are giant blocks with more or less flat, slightly inclined surfaces and almost vertical or even overhanging slopes. The years are mostly bare, and there are sinkholes, caves and other forms of karst relief formed by melted rainwater in soluble limestones and dolomites.

One of the features of the Alps is that they are dissected by deep and wide transverse valleys, due to which the deep parts of the Alps are relatively easily accessible, and low, convenient passes make it possible to easily cross the country from north to south in a number of places. Thus, the famous Brenner Pass has a height of 1371 m, and the Semmering Pass - 985 m. It is no coincidence that railways have long been laid through the Alpine passes, some without tunnels.

Historical reference.

In ancient times and the early Middle Ages, many different tribes passed through the lands of modern Austria, located at the crossroads of important trade routes, the main of which was the route along the Danube. Some of them left their mark

in the ethnogenesis of the Austrian people; the Celts, who settled here in the 5th-6th centuries BC, had a noticeable influence on the formation of the Austrian ethnic community.

The conquest of Austrian lands by the Romans, which began in the 2nd century BC, led to the gradual Romanization of the local Celtic population. Administratively, these lands were included in different Roman provinces: Pannonia in the east, Noricum in the center, Raetia in the West.

Of great importance for the history of Austria was the settlement of its lands in the centuries by Germanic (Bavarians, Alemannics) and Slavic (mainly Slovenes) tribes. On the basis of the predominantly Germanic tribes of the Bavarians and Alemanni, merging with some Slavic and remnants of Celtic and other tribes of the early Middle Ages, the Austrian ethnic community was formed.

In the 7th-8th centuries, the lands of present-day Austria did not form a single whole, but were part of various European states: western and northern (with a German population) - in the Bavarian Duchy, eastern (with a Slavic population) - in the Slavic state of Carantania. At the end of the 8th century, both of these states were included in the Frankish Empire of Charlemagne, and after its division in 843 they became part of the German East Frankish Kingdom.

In the 7th-10th centuries, the lands of modern Austria were subjected to devastating raids by nomads, first the Bavarians (8th century), and then the Hungarians (9th-10th centuries).

In the second half of the 10th century, on the territory of modern Upper and Lower Austria, the Bavarian East Mark was formed, which began to be called Ostarrichi (Austria). It subsequently became the core of the Austrian state.

In the 12th century, Austria, like many other European states, became part of the “Holy Roman Empire”.

In the 15th century, almost all of its modern lands were included in the Austrian state, with the exception of Salzburg and Burgenland. However, this political union was still unstable, its borders often changed, and the regions included in the state were connected to each other only by dynastic ties.

In the XII-XV centuries, Austria was one of the economically prosperous countries in Europe. The development of feudalism in Austria was distinguished by certain features. Until the 15th century, the feudal dependence of the peasants was much weaker in it than in neighboring countries; the enslavement of the peasants occurred more slowly here due to long-term population movements and raids by nomads. In the mountainous pastoral areas, especially in the Tyrol, a free peasantry remained, united in rural communities.

In the 15th century, Austria became not only the economic, but also the political center of the “Holy Roman Empire,” and its dukes, the Habsburgs, became emperors. Against the backdrop of general economic and political growth, the culture of medieval Austrian cities flourished, first of all Vienna, then Graz and Linz. The founding of the University of Vienna in 1365 was of great importance.

In the 16th century, Austria led the struggle of the countries of southeastern Europe against the Turkish invasion. Taking advantage of the weakening of the Czech Republic and Hungary in the wars with the Turks, Austria included most of their territories into its possessions, beginning from that time to turn into a multinational state.

During this period, the country's economy is increasingly strengthened and developed. In the mining industry (mining of rugelez and lead in Tyrol, Styria, Upper Austria), the emergence of capitalist relations began already in the 16th century. The first manufactories appeared in the production of velvet, silk, and luxury goods.

In the 17th-18th centuries, the Austrian Habsburgs continued to expand their possessions: the entire territory of Hungary, almost all of Croatia and Slovenia, the Southern Netherlands, some regions of Italy, and a number of Polish and Ukrainian lands were annexed to Austria. In terms of area, Austria began to take second place in Europe after Russia.

In the 18th-19th centuries, feudal-absolutist Austria was a stronghold of the Catholic reaction in Europe. She was the initiator of the intervention against revolutionary France, and later participated in all anti-French coalitions and led the fight against the revolutionary movement in Europe.

The defeat of Napoleonic France in the European wars of the early 19th century further strengthened Austria's external position. By decision of the Congress of Vienna in 1814-1815. Not only were the lands conquered by Napoleon returned to her, but the region of Northern Italy was also given to her in exchange for the southern Netherlands.

In the second half of the 19th century, Austria lost its hegemony in European affairs. The struggle with Prussia for supremacy among the German states ended with the defeat of Austria in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. The creation of the union of German states (1867) took place under the auspices of Prussia and without the participation of Austria.

In 1867, Austria became the dualist monarchy of Austria-Hungary. The Austrian and Hungarian ruling classes entered into an alliance to exploit and suppress the resistance of other peoples.

At the end of the 19th century - the beginning of the 20th century, changes occurred in Austria's foreign policy: having failed to achieve hegemony among the German states that were united by Prussia in 1871, Austria launched an attack on the Balkans, which led to a worsening of relations with Russia and rapprochement with Germany. In 1882, the so-called Triple Alliance was concluded between Austria-Hungary, Germany and Italy, which acted in the First World War of 1914 against the Entente countries.

In 1918, the Austro-Hungarian monarchy broke up into three states - Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary: in addition, part of its lands became part of Romania, Yugoslavia and Poland.

In 1938, troops of Nazi Germany occupied Austria. The entire economy of the country was subordinated to the military needs of Germany. Austria participated in World War II as part of Germany.

In March 1945, Soviet troops crossed the border into Austria. On April 13, they entered Vienna and soon after, the Soviet Army and allied forces liberated the entire country.

After the defeat of Nazi Germany, according to an agreement between the USSR, the USA, England and France, the entire territory of Austria was temporarily divided into 4 occupation zones.

On the initiative of the Soviet Union, in 1955, the State Treaty on the restoration of an independent and democratic Austria was signed and the occupation was ended. In the same year, the Austrian parliament passed a law on the permanent neutrality of Austria.

A country's economy.

Austria is one of the most developed countries in Europe. In recent years, the country's economy has been developing at an accelerated pace. The largest foreign investor is Germany (about 30% of investments). Industrial production increased in 1995 by 4.6% and reached 334.5 billion shillings.

The leading industries are mechanical engineering, metallurgy, as well as chemical, pulp and paper, mining, textile and food industries. One third of industrial production is accounted for by the public sector of the economy.

Austria has productive agriculture. Almost all types of agricultural products necessary to provide for the population are produced. The most important branch of agriculture is animal husbandry.

Foreign tourism is one of the most profitable sectors of the Austrian economy. Annual receipts from foreign tourism amount to over 170 billion shillings.

Austria trades with more than 150 countries around the world. About 65% of exports and 68% of imports come from the countries of the European Union. The main trading partners are Germany (40%), Italy, Switzerland. Russia accounts for only 1.5%.

The country's gold and foreign exchange reserves amounted to 218 billion shillings in 1994.

In terms of per capita income, Austria ranks 9th in the world. The increase in prices for consumer goods in 1995 amounted to 2.3%. The unemployment rate was 6.5%.

NATURE.

1.Relief. The main thing that determines the natural features of almost the entire territory of Austria is the Alps. />Their white-headed peaks are visible from everywhere in the country. Almost ¾ of the country is occupied by the Eastern Alps, which are lower and wider than the Western Alps. The border between them coincides with the western border of Austria and runs along the Upper Rhine valley. The Eastern Alps have fewer glaciers and more forests and meadows than the Western Alps. The highest point in Austria - Mount Großglockner in the Hohe Tauern - does not reach 4 thousand meters. (3797 m). From the highest peaks flows the largest glacier of the Eastern Alps - Pasierce - over 10 km long. The other peaks of the ridge granite-gneiss zone of the mountains - the Ötztal, Stubai, and Zillertal Alps - are covered with snow and ice. In this crystalline zone, the so-called alpine landforms are most pronounced - sharp ridges, steep-walled valleys plowed by glaciers.

To the north and south of the ridge zone is the famous ice - Eisriesenwelt (world of the ice giants) in the Tennengebirge mountains, south of Salzburg. The names of the mountain ranges themselves speak about the inhospitability and wildness of these places: Totes-Gebirge (meter-high mountains), Hellen-Gebirge (hellish mountains), etc. The limestone Alps to the north turn into the Pre-Alps, descending in steps to the Danube. These are low, rugged mountains overgrown with forest, their slopes are plowed in places, and the wide, sunny valleys are quite densely populated.

If it is appropriate to compare the geologically young Alps with the Caucasus, then the mountains lying on the other, left side of the Danube resemble the Urals. These are the southern spurs of the Sumava, part of the ancient Bohemian massif, almost to its foundation, destroyed by time. The height of this border hill is only 500 meters and only in a few places it reaches 1000 meters.

Areas with calm terrain, flat or hilly lowlands occupy only about 1/5 of the country's area. This is, first of all, the Danube part of Austria and the adjacent western edge of the Middle Danube Plain. The vast majority of the population lives here and is the “center of gravity” of the entire country.

2.Climate. Large relief contrasts - from the lowlands to the snow-covered mountains - determine the vertical zonation of climate, soils, and vegetation.

Austria has vast areas of fertile land, a warm and fairly humid (700-900 mm of precipitation per year) “grape” climate. This word has it all: a fairly warm, long summer with an average July temperature of + 20 degrees and a warm, sunny autumn. The plains and foothills have a relatively mild winter with an average January temperature of 1-5 degrees. However, most of the alpine part of the country is “deprived” of heat. With every 100 meters of rise, the temperature drops by 0.5 - 0.6 degrees. The snow line is at an altitude of 2500-2800 meters. Summer in the high mountains is cold, damp, windy, and wet snow often falls. In winter, there is even more precipitation here: gigantic layers of snow accumulate on the mountain slopes, which often break down for no apparent reason and rush down in avalanches. crushing everything in its path. Rarely does a winter go without casualties; Homes, roads, power lines are destroyed... And sometimes in the middle of winter the snow suddenly disappears. This was the case, for example, during the days of the “white” Olympics in early 1976 in the vicinity of Insburg. Usually the snow is “driven away” by warm southern winds - hair dryers.

3. Natural resources. The mountainous part of the country is distinguished by an abundance of clean fresh water. It accumulates in the form of snow and glaciers for most of the year, in order to fall into them, towards the Danube, in the summer, in thousands of roaring streams, filling the lake basins along the way. Alpine rivers also determine the regime of the Danube: it is especially rich in water just in the summer, when lowland rivers usually become shallow . The tributaries of the Danube - Inn, Salzach, Enns, Drava - contain large reserves of energy, but all of them are not navigable.

we are only partially used for timber rafting. The country has many lakes, especially in the northern foothills of the Alps and in the south, in the Klagenfurt Basin. They are of glacial origin, their pits are plowed by ancient glaciers; As a rule, lakes are deep, with cold, clear water. This type is located in the vast Lake Constance, which partially belongs to Austria.

Vegetation zones on the territory of Austria replace one another in the following order: broad-leaved (oak, beech, ash) forests in the Danube Valley (although greatly thinned out) are replaced by mixed forest of the foothills. Above 2000 - 2200 m they are replaced by coniferous (mainly spruce-fir, partly pine) forests.

Mountain forests are one of Austria's national treasures. On a map of the vegetation of Central Europe, the Austrian Eastern Alps look like the only large green island. Among the small Western European states, only Finland and Sweden exceed Austria in forest area. There are especially many forests suitable for industrial exploitation in Upper (mountainous) Styria, for which it is called the “green heart of Austria.” Apparently, it is no coincidence that the color of the flag of the land of Styria and its folk costumes is green. During the German occupation of the Second World War, Austrian forests suffered enormous damage. Above the forests and sparse dwarf shrubs there are subalpine (mattas) and alpine (almas) meadows.

In the hot summer months, rapid melting of snow in the mountains begins, which leads to large floods, including on the Danube, the level of which sometimes rises by 8 - 9 m.

Nevertheless, the Alps, as “moisture collectors,” are of invaluable importance for Austria: the deep rivers flowing from them, especially the Inn, Enns, Salzach, and Drava, serve as rich sources of inexhaustible water energy. In addition, Austria has large reserves of clean fresh water, concentrated in addition to glaciers and rivers in numerous alpine lakes (the predominance of lakes in the Salzkammergut area). In addition, Austria owns the southeastern part of the large and deep Lake Constance on the western outskirts of the country and almost the entire shallow lake Neusiedler See on its eastern outskirts.

4. Minerals. Austria has a fairly diverse range of mineral resources, but among them there are very few whose significance would extend beyond the country's borders. The exception is magnesite, which is used for the production of refractories and partly for the production of non-metallic magnesium. Magnesite occurs in the Styrian, Carinthian and Tyrolean Alps.

Energy minerals are very scarce. These are very modest deposits of oil (23 million tons) and natural gas (20 billion cubic meters) in Lower and partly in Upper Austria. Even with the Austrian scale of production, these reserves are projected to be exhausted within two decades. There are somewhat larger reserves of brown coal (in Styria, Upper Austria and Burgenland), but it is of low quality.

Relatively high-quality iron ores, but with a high metal content, are found in Styria (Erzberg) and a little in Carinthia (Hüttenberg). Non-ferrous metal ores are found in small quantities - lead-zinc in Carinthia (Bleiberg) and copper in Tyrol (Mitterberg). Of the chemical raw materials, only table salt (in Salzkamergut) is of practical importance, and of other minerals - graphite and feldspar.

5. Animal world

Mountain forests, mainly in nature reserves, are home to ungulates - red deer, chamois, mountain sheep, and mountain goats. Birds include wood grouse, black grouse, and partridge. On the plains, where almost all the land is already cultivated, there are no large wild animals for a long time. But there are still foxes, hares, and rodents here.

6. Environment

The environment in most of Austria is not yet as threatened by pollution as in most other industrialized countries in Europe. This primarily concerns the Alps with their sparse population and generally insignificant industry in relation to this vast territory. The Austrian authorities, interested in attracting foreign tourists to the country, are taking some measures aimed at limiting environmental pollution, but not to an sufficient extent. The democratic public and scientific circles in Austria are sounding the alarm about the unacceptable level of pollution from industrial waste of the Danube below Vienna and the rivers Mur and Mürz.

Nature reserves play an important role in the system of environmental protection measures. There are 12 of them in Austria with a total area of 0.5 million hectares. They are found in all natural areas - from the steppe surroundings of Lake Neusiedler See to the high Tauern. Most of the reserves are located in the Alps.

POPULATION.

1. Ethnic composition. The population of Austria is relatively homogeneous in ethnic terms: about 97% of its population are Austrians. In addition, in Austria, in certain areas of Styria, Carinthia and Burgenland, small groups of Slovenes, Croats and Hungarians live, and in Vienna there are also Czechs and Jews. Many Austrian citizens consider themselves not only Austrians, but, by origin from one or another province, also Styrians, Tyroleans, etc.

Austrians speak Austro-Bavarian dialects of German, which differ significantly from the literary one. Literary German is used mainly as a written language or on official occasions, as well as in conversations with foreigners. Under the influence of local dialects, his vocabulary and grammar also received some originality.

2.Demographic situation.

One of the main features of the population of Austria is the cessation of its growth since the early 70s. This is explained by a large drop in the birth rate. If it were not for the noticeably increased average life expectancy, which reached 75 years in 1990, the demographic situation would have been even more unfavorable. The decline in the birth rate is due to the difficult financial situation of the majority of the Austrian population and the consequences of the Second World War. A small natural increase remained in the less developed western Alpine lands, as well as in rural areas. Austrian experts predict that until 2000 the population in the country will not change significantly, but the reduction in the proportion of young people and the increase in the proportion of older people threatens to reduce the labor force.

3.Structure of population distribution

The territory of the country is populated very unevenly. With an average national density of 90 people per 1 sq. km, it ranges from 150-200 or more people in the eastern regions adjacent to Vienna, to 15-20 in the Alps. In most of the country's territory, the rural population lives in farmsteads and individual courtyards - this is due to the lack of convenient land. Due to difficult living conditions, the proportion of the Alpine population is continuously decreasing, and there is an escape from the mountains - “bergflucht”. 2% of the country's population permanently lives above 1000 m above sea level.

77% of the population lives in cities (with a population of over 2 thousand people), but to the traveler, Austria gives the impression of an urban country. The fact is that more than a quarter of the citizens are concentrated in the largest city in the country - Vienna. Half of the entire city population lives in small towns with a population of up to 100 thousand people. Thus, large cities with a population of 100 to 250 thousand are not typical for this country. There are only four of them: Graz, Linz, Salzburg and Insburg. The functions of these cities, not to mention Vienna, are varied, which cannot be said for the mass of small cities, which are mostly “one-size-fits-all”. As a rule, they are dominated by one or two industrial sectors.

The rapid growth in the number of urban residents is associated with an increase in the share of non-agricultural occupations of the economically active population. In 1990, in industry, including construction and crafts, its share was more than 41%, in agriculture and forestry - about 12% (versus 33% in 1960), in transport and communications - 7%.

4.Religion. According to an international study of values conducted in 1990-91, 44% of Austrians (8th place out of 27 countries in Europe and North America) visit churches and other houses of worship once a month or more often. If we combine the data of these international studies in 1990-91 and 1995-97, then Austria will take 23rd place out of 59 countries in the world in terms of church attendance once a week or more (30% of Austrians attended churches with such regularity in 1990-91).
At the same time, during a 1991 survey, only 6.1% of Austrians said that they did not believe in God (another 8.3% believed in God, but did not believe in life after death).

(in Austria, Christianity began to spread from the end Religious organizations
The largest religious organization is the Roman Catholic Church of the 3rd century). The state supports the Church: the country has a 1% church tax, which all citizens of the country are required to pay. The Roman Catholic Church in 2000 had 5,651,479 adherents (72.1% of the population).
The second largest is the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg and Helvetine Confession (ECA&HC), uniting two autonomous Churches (Lutherans and Reformed). Lutherans and Reformed people finally received the right to freely practice their faiths only in 1781, and were completely equal in rights with Catholics another century later.

5. Education.

Universal compulsory education in Austria begins at the age of six and lasts for 9 years. Studying in public schools and obtaining higher education is free. There are 18 universities, 12 universities. The University of Vienna (founded in 1365) is the oldest existing university in German-speaking countries.

6.Media.

More than 20 daily newspapers are published in Austria. The one-time circulation is approximately 3 million copies. Television and radio broadcasting is carried out by the state company ERF. The national news agency is the Austrian Press Agency (APA).

7. National holidays. Ascension of Christ, Second Day of Trinity, Feast of Corpus Christi, Assumption of the Virgin Mary (15.8), National Holiday of the Republic of Austria (26.10), Feast of All Saints (1.11): St. Virgin Mary (8.12), as well as Christmas (25 and 26.12).

8.Taxation.

Austria, like most Western European countries, has a fairly complex, multi-level taxation system, with most taxes collected through the Federal Tax Service. Local taxes are not too significant.

Austrian legislation divides all individuals and legal entities into taxpayers with unlimited and limited tax liability. Unlimited liability means that tax is paid on all income received both in the country and abroad. Such liability is borne by individuals with permanent residence in Austria, as well as companies whose legal address or management bodies are located in Austria. Accordingly, limited tax liability is borne by individuals living abroad and corporations that have neither management bodies nor a legal address in the country. In this case, certain types of income received in Austria are subject to taxation, for example, income from activities carried out through permanent establishments or branches.

Main types of taxes: 1) on investments; 2) on income; 3) corporate; 4) for entrepreneurial activities; 5) on property; 6) from turnover (added value); 7) real estate; 8) for inheritance and donations.

Farming.

1.General information

After the formation of Austria as an independent state in 1918, it experienced a severe economic and political crisis during the 20s and 30s. Having lost its outlying possessions - the industrial Czech Republic and the agricultural territories of Hungary, and also burdened with the enormous costs of maintaining a large bureaucratic apparatus, which previously ruled a huge empire, and now remained out of work, Austria could not adapt to the new conditions for a long time. During the years of Anschluss, German monopolies gained control over thousands of Austrian enterprises and sought to establish the exploitation of Austria's natural resources in the interests of Germany. Numerous hydroelectric power stations, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises, and chemical plants were built.

After the Second World War, former German property passed into the hands of the state in Austria, which was in the interests of the Austrian people. Currently, the main heavy industry enterprises and banks in Austria have been nationalized. State-owned enterprises produce mainly electricity, cast iron and steel, aluminum, iron ore, brown coal, oil and natural gas are mined, oil is processed, nitrogen fertilizers, artificial fibers, and some mechanical engineering products are produced. Mainly light and food industry enterprises, as well as a group of industries related to the procurement, processing and processing of wood, remained not nationalized.

Foreign capital plays a significant role in the Austrian economy. Entire industries are under its strong influence, and in some cases under its control: electrical engineering, electronics, petrochemicals, magnesite, and the production of certain types of equipment. Foreign capital limits the economic independence of Austria, in particular it slows down the development of the public sector.

Austria is one of the economically developed countries with a relatively rapidly developing industry. Although the global economic crisis of 1974-1975 did not spare Austria. but here it began a little later. Austria's economic development is also favorably influenced by the fact that, as a neutral state, it has relatively small military expenditures.

In the post-war period, Austria's industrial development advanced significantly. Nowadays, Austria belongs to the industrial countries, and although industry exceeds agriculture by about 7 times in terms of production value, Austria meets its needs for basic agricultural products by 85% through its own production.

Austria's dependence on the foreign market is reflected in the fact that it imports missing energy raw materials and exports surplus manufacturing products.

The main industrial and agricultural region of the country is the Danube lands. Here, on 1/5 of the territory of Austria, its vital economic centers are located. The rest of the country, especially in the high Alps, is dominated by almost uninhabited areas, still poorly connected with the outside world and with each other.

As in many Western European countries, Austria's industry is characterized by uneven development of individual sectors. Some important manufacturing sectors are completely absent, such as aircraft manufacturing, while others are of little importance, such as automobile manufacturing and electronic equipment manufacturing.

1.Mining,_heavy,_light_industry

Due to the poverty of mineral resources, the mining industry plays an extremely insignificant role in the economy, with the exception of magnesite, which has export importance. In these industries, Austria has excess capacity, and a significant part of their products is exported to Western European countries.

2.Fuel industry

One of the weakest points of the Austrian economy is its fuel industry. Austria imports all the necessary coal, more than half of brown coal, about 4/5 of oil, and almost half of natural gas. Since the beginning of the 70s, the cost of imports of primary energy sources began to exceed their production within the country. Particularly large costs are associated with the transportation of oil and gas. Oil and natural gas account for approximately 60% of total energy consumption, while solid fuels and hydropower each account for 20%.

The country produces less than 2 million tons of oil per year, and its production is gradually declining. However, the oil lies relatively shallow and is of high quality. The main deposits are located northeast of Vienna. Near the capital, in the city of Schwechat, at the only large oil refinery, almost all oil refining is concentrated. From abroad (mainly from Arab countries) it is obtained through the Trieste-Vienna oil pipeline, laid along the south-eastern edge of Austria outside the Alps. Parallel to it, but in the opposite direction, a gas pipeline is laid from Russia, through which Russian gas goes to Austria and Italy.

3.Energy

More than half of the electricity is produced at numerous hydroelectric power plants, but the importance of hydropower is falling, and electricity production at thermal power plants is growing faster. Hydroelectric power plants are mainly built on Alpine rivers in the west of the country, from where part of the electricity is transmitted to the eastern regions, part is exported and only a little is consumed locally.

4. Ferrous_metallurgy One of the most important branches of Austrian industry is ferrous metallurgy. The smelting of iron and steel significantly exceeds the country's needs, and most of the ferrous metal is exported. Most of the pig iron is smelted in Linz, in Upper Austria, the rest in Leoben. Steel production is approximately equally distributed between Linz and the Styrian region. Austria is the birthplace of a new, more efficient technological steel smelting, namely the oxygen-converter process, which is increasingly replacing the open-hearth process. The needs of metallurgical plants are only 3/4 covered by local ore. All alloying metals and metallurgical coke are imported from abroad.

5. Non-ferrous_metallurgy

In non-ferrous metallurgy, only aluminum production is important. The development of this industry in Austria, which does not have bauxite in its depths, is associated with the use of cheap electricity from numerous hydroelectric power stations on the Inn River. Here, in Ranshofen, near Braunau, one of the largest aluminum smelters in Western Europe was built. Other non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises do not even cover the country’s internal needs. Only a little copper and lead are smelted from local ore.

6.Mechanical engineering

Mechanical engineering, although it forms the core of Austria's entire industry, is less developed than in other Western European countries, as a result of which Austria imports more mechanical engineering products than it exports. Machine-building enterprises, as a rule, are small: many of them employ no more than 50 people.

Machines and apparatus for the light and food industries, some types of machine tools, and equipment for the mining industry are produced in large quantities. Locomotives and small sea vessels are also produced. The largest center of mechanical engineering is Vienna.

7. Timber industry_complex. Austria is also characterized by a complex of industries, including timber harvesting, wood processing and the production of pulp, paper and cardboard. The importance of the timber industry goes far beyond the country's borders. Forest products account for about a third of the country's total exports. Large timber harvesting areas are carried out in the mountainous regions of Styria, and primary processing is mainly carried out here.

8.Agriculture Agriculture is quite developed in Austria. Currently, the yield of the main grain crops - wheat and barley - exceeds 35 centners per hectare, the productivity of dairy cows reaches 3 thousand kg of milk per year.

More than 2/3 of agricultural production comes from livestock farming. This is facilitated by the fact that natural meadows and pastures occupy more than half of the total agricultural area. In addition, approximately a quarter of the arable land area is occupied by forage crops. And some of the feed is imported. All this makes it possible to keep 2.5 million heads of cattle. Recently, the production of meat and milk covers the entire effective demand of the population.

The area to be processed is small. There are lands that are not constantly cultivated. These are the so-called egarten (relogues). They are used alternately as arable land and as pasture. Egarten is characteristic of alpine regions.

The main agricultural crops - wheat, barley and sugar beets - are cultivated mainly where the climate is warm and fertile soils - in the Danube region of Austria and on its eastern flat-hilly outskirts. Rye, oats and potatoes are also sown here. But their crops are even more widespread - they are also found in the foothills of the Alps in mountain valleys, on the Šumava plateau. Outside the mountainous regions, vegetable growing, fruit growing and especially viticulture are widespread. Grapes are grown only in warm areas of the northeastern and eastern outskirts of the country.

9.Transport

The network of communication routes in Austria is quite dense, not only on the plains, but also in the mountains, which is facilitated by the significant dissection of the Eastern Alps by deep transverse and longitudinal valleys.

But, despite the deeply dissected terrain, it was still necessary to build numerous road engineering structures: tunnels, bridges, viaducts. There are over 10 tunnels in Austria, each more than a kilometer long. The longest is the Arlberg road tunnel, which is 14 km long.

The construction of mountain railways and roads contributed to the development of forestry, hydroelectric power and other resources of mountainous areas.

The main types of transport in Austria are rail and road. About 1/2 of the total length of the railways is electrified. Areas with electric traction are mainly located in the mountainous part of the country, where cheap electricity from local hydroelectric power stations is used and where there are many steep climbs. The most important international routes have also been electrified, including Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and transalpine roads. In other directions, diesel traction predominates.

The most important highways radiate from Vienna as the largest railway junction. The main one goes in a western direction, connecting the Danube and Alpine lands. In the northwestern direction from this trans-Austrian highway there are roads to the countries of the former Czechoslovakia and Germany. The Semmering Mainline, which runs southwest from Wenyn and connects the capital with Upper Styria and Italy, is of great importance. The main highways are connected by two high-mountain lines crossing the Alps from north to south (Linz - Leoben and Salzburg - Villach).

Road transport successfully competes with railway transport in the transportation of both cargo and especially passengers. Now intercity buses alone carry twice as many passengers as rail transport. Over the past decades, several sections of new highways such as motorways have been built, the most important of which is the Vienna-Salzburg highway. The drawing of the highway network is similar to that of the railways./>

The only navigable river in Austria is the Danube. It is navigable along the entire Austrian section, 350 km long. It is especially rich in water in the summer, when mountain snows and glaciers melt. However, river transport accounts for less than a tenth of the country's total cargo turnover. The largest port in Austria is Linz, where metallurgy consumes a huge amount of coal and coke, iron ore and other raw materials imported mainly by river. In terms of cargo turnover, Vienna is more than twice as large.

Geography of foreign economic relations.

The Austrian economy cannot develop without close ties with foreign countries, and its import of goods and capital exceeds their export. But the services provided to foreign partners exceed the services received from them. We are primarily talking about tourism, which plays a big role in the country’s economy.

Austria's foreign trade has a negative balance, that is, the import of its goods exceeds exports in value. A significant place in Austria's exports is occupied by raw materials and semi-finished products: wood and products of its partial processing, ferrous metals, chemical products, and electricity. Some types of machinery and equipment and river vessels are exported from finished products. Food is exported in small quantities.

Predominantly finished products are imported, and primarily consumer goods; imports of machinery and equipment, automobiles, household and industrial electronics products are somewhat less important. Oil, natural gas, coal and coke, ferrous and non-ferrous metal ores, and chemical raw materials are imported in large quantities. They also import food and flavoring products, tropical farming products, and multi-feed products.

In general, Austria's foreign trade is more than 85% oriented towards the world capitalist market. Germany occupies the first place both in exports and especially in imports of Austria.

Austria's policy of state neutrality is a good basis for the further development of foreign economic relations with all countries of the world.

Austria is known throughout the world for its ski resorts. Beginners and amateurs relax here, and professionals train here. Excellent conditions for recreation and developed infrastructure attract more and more tourists to Austria every year. The purity of the local lakes and the beauty of nature will amaze the most sophisticated travelers. Austria really has something to see - beautiful mountain landscapes, mysterious caves and, of course, the quiet streets of Vienna with cozy cafes and delicious menus.
A trip to Austria is a chance to get in touch with the innermost. A trip to Austria is an opportunity to get to know the country from the inside. The best way to travel around Austria is by train. A dense network of railways covers all cities of the country. What is especially convenient is that you can buy long-term travel tickets. By the way, this is quite profitable. In Austria there is also a specialized agency that, for a relatively small fee, will select a passing car for you to hitchhike from one city to another.

Geography

The Republic of Austria (Republik Osterreich), a state in Central Europe, in the Danube basin. It borders with the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland. Area: 83849 km2. The capital is Vienna. Large cities Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck. About 3/4 of the country's territory is occupied by the Eastern Alps and their foothills. Height up to 3797 m (Grossglockner). Mountain ranges are separated by deep longitudinal valleys. In the east of the country is the western part of the Middle Danube Plain, including the Vienna Basin. The climate of the plains and foothills is moderate continental and humid. Main rivers: Danube (350 km) and its tributaries: Inn, Drava, Morava. Large lakes are Lake Constance and Neusiedler-Seewinkel. There are many glacial lakes in the highlands. About 1/2 of the territory of Austria is covered with forests: up to an altitude of 600-800 m, oak and beech forests alternate with fields, gardens and vineyards: up to 1400-1800 m - mainly coniferous forests, higher - shrubs, alpine meadows. Landscapes are protected in the Neusiedlersee-Sewinkel, Karwendelgebirge and other nature reserves.

Time

It is 2 hours behind Moscow.

Climate

The climate in Austria is temperate. In the western regions of the country the influence of the Atlantic is noticeable, while in the mountains and in the east it is more continental. The coldest month is January. In the flat areas in winter the temperature is mostly slightly negative, in the east of the country it does not fall below +10 degrees, and in the mountainous areas frosts down to -15 degrees are observed. Summer in the east of Austria is hot, for example, in Vienna in July and August during the daytime the air warms up to +30 degrees. In the western regions, summer is warm - daytime air temperatures reach +21..+23 degrees, while at night they reach +13 degrees. In the mountains in the summer months, the air temperature ranges from +25 degrees during the day to +10 degrees at night. The annual rainfall in the east of Austria is about 600 mm, and in the west it is up to 2000 mm. They mostly fall in the summer. In high mountain areas, snow cover lasts up to 8 months a year. The water in local lakes warms up to +25..+27 degrees in summer. The average maximum temperature in January in Vienna is approximately +1°C, the average in April is +15°C, in July it reaches +25°C, and in October about +14°C. In Salzburg and Innsbruck the temperature is about the same as in the capital, with the exception of winter when these Alpine cities are somewhat cooler. Inland waters.

Language

The official language is German (with a characteristic Austrian pronunciation). In big cities and resort centers, in hotels it will not be difficult to find a person who speaks English, but it is advisable to know at least a few German phrases. All announcements on trains and buses are made only in German.

Religion

Religion plays an important role in the life of every Austrian. The approach to religious freedom guaranteed by the constitution is quite interesting: until a child reaches the age of 10, religious preferences are determined by the parents; from 10 to 12, a small citizen has the right to express his opinion, which must be taken into account; and after 12 years he can freely choose the religion that he likes. Most of the population of Austria professes the Catholic religion, but 11 other faiths are officially recognized in Austria. According to the 2001 census, 73% of the population is Catholic, 4.7% is Protestant, Islam is practiced by 4.2% of Austrians, and Orthodoxy by 2.2%. 12% of the population does not belong to any official religious denomination. There are two archbishoprics in the country - Vienna and Salzburg, as well as 7 Catholic dioceses. Austria celebrates thirteen official holidays, including ten church holidays.

Population

According to a 2003 estimate, Austria's population was just over 8 million. About 9% of the population are foreigners. The bulk of the population lives in the states of Upper and Lower Austria and Styria, as well as in the capital of Austria - Vienna, where almost 20% of the indigenous population is concentrated. In mountainous areas (Tyrol, Salzburg, Carinthia) the population density is much lower than in large cities.
The indigenous people of Austria have a mixed origin, characteristic of other European nations. Nevertheless, the Austrians mainly have features characteristic of the Alpine-Dinaric group.
The urban population is 56%, the population density is 97.6 people per sq. km. Other ethnic groups also live in Austria. There are six officially recognized ethnic groups: Hungarians, Roma, Czechs, Slovaks, Croats, and Slovenes. In the south and east of the country (the states of Carinthia, Burgenland and Styria) live Slavic minorities, whose representatives speak Slovenian and Croatian.

Electricity

The network voltage in Austria is 220 volts. Electrical sockets comply with European standards.

Emergency numbers

Codes of the largest cities:
Baden - 2252
Brand - 5559
Vienna - 1
Graz - 316
Salzburg - 662
Innsbruck - 512
Linz - 732
Ferlach - 4227
Fire department: 122
Police: 133
Ambulance: 144
Transportation of patients:
Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund. Tel.: 891 44
Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe. Tel.: 476 00-0
Vienna Patient Assistance Service. 717 18-0, 711 19-0
Red Cross. 17 74
Answering machine with a recording of the duty schedule of dentists (duty at night and on weekends): 512 20 78
Information about the nearest pharmacies (opening hours, address, night duty): 1550 (153 50)
Providing medical assistance in case of leakage of toxic substances (inquiry): 406 43 43-0
First medical aid for animals - central veterinary service phone number: 531 16
Pharmacy reference - 15-50. If your nearest pharmacy is closed, the address of the nearest open pharmacy should be posted on the door. If you need a doctor and do not speak German, contact the hotel staff or, in an emergency, the Russian consulate.

Connection

The country code is 42, when dialing a number within Austria, you should dial 0 before the city code, when accessing international communications - 00. All Austrian settlements have automatic direct telephone connections with all European countries. Telephone machines (you can call either with coins or with Telefonkarte cards) are installed in post offices and on the streets (calling from post offices is cheaper). Phone cards "Telefonkarte" (packed in plastic) are sold in tobacco kiosks or at the post office. Calls on weekdays from 18.00 to 8.00 are 33% cheaper, significant discounts are also valid on weekends and holidays around the clock.

Currency exchange

Currency exchange is possible in banks and specialized exchange offices, as well as in most travel agencies and hotels (with a small surcharge for the exchange operation) and at the main post offices - in large cities they operate daily and around the clock. In addition, dollars can be exchanged at ATMs, in which case only 10, 20 and 50 USD bills are accepted. Credit cards are accepted in almost all large stores, gas stations, restaurants, cafes and hotels.
For purchases over 75 euros, you can get a VAT refund (about 13%). To do this, you need to receive a “tax-free” check filled out by the seller in the store with the form “Tax Free for tourist Austria Tax-Free Shopping” or “Europa-Tax-Free Plakette”. The customs-stamped receipt must be sent to the store or duty-free department. VAT refunds can be made in cash directly at customs or by check or bank transfer (commissions apply on some items). Banks are open on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8.00 to 12.00 and from 13.30 to 15.00, and on Thursday from 8.00 to 12.30 and from 13.30 to 17.30. Bank branches at airports and major train stations are open from 6.30 to 22.30, including on weekends.

Visa

TYPES OF VISA
Visa A(transit through the airport airside) - issued to persons whose purpose of visit is transit to third countries through international airports in Austria. Moreover, this visa gives the right to stay in the airside area of the airport during a transfer from one aircraft to another, but does not allow its holder to leave the transit zone and stay in Austria.
Visa B(transit visa) - issued to persons whose purpose of visit is transit through the territory of Austria to third countries. This visa gives the right to stay in Austria for up to 5 days each time.
Visa C(short-term stay) - issued to persons whose purpose of visit is tourism, visiting relatives or friends, business trips. This visa gives the right to visit countries in the Schengen area.
Visa D(national visa) - valid only in Austria and gives the right to stay in the country from 3 to 6 months without a temporary residence permit or residence permit. This visa only gives the right to transit through other Schengen countries for up to 5 days, but not to stay in them.
Visa processing times
The usual period for consideration of applications and processing of documents at the consular department is from five working days from the date of payment of the consular fee to two weeks. In exceptional cases, it is possible to obtain an urgent visa category C - no less than three days before the intended trip.
Consular fee
The consular fee for a tourist visa (category C) and transit visa (category B) is 35 euros, for an urgent visa of category C - 70 euros, for a national Austrian visa (category D or D + C) - 75 euros. The consular fee is paid at the bank in rubles at the bank exchange rate. To pay the fee, the consular department issues a payment notice when accepting documents. When receiving ready-made visas, you will need to present this notice with a note from the bank about the payment made. In case of visa refusal, the fee is not refunded.
The following categories of citizens are exempt from paying the consular fee:
. close relatives of Russian citizens legally residing in Austria;
. close relatives of EU citizens;
. schoolchildren, students of higher educational institutions, graduate students and accompanying teachers (provided that the purpose of the trip is education);
. children under 6 years old.

Customs regulations

Citizens of foreign countries can bring with them for their personal consumption or as gifts, but not for commercial purposes: 200 pcs. cigarettes or 50 cigars, Manila or thin cigars or 250 gr. tobacco (or any combination thereof, the total weight of which should not exceed 250 grams); 2 liters of wine or fruit liqueur or tincture with an ethyl alcohol content of no more than 22%, or any combination thereof, but not more than 2 liters, as well as 1 liter of alcohol, the ethyl alcohol content of which does not exceed 22%, or 3 liters of beer and additionally 1 liter of other alcoholic drinks. Other goods, besides those mentioned above, can be imported for a total amount of 175 euros per person. If these goods are not imported by plane, but across the common border with Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, then the maximum amount is reduced to 100 euros. There are no restrictions on the import and export of foreign and local currency.

Holidays and non-working days

New Year - January 1
Epiphany - January 6
Easter Monday
Labor Day - May 1st
Ascension
Whit Monday
Corpus Christi
Dormition
National holiday of the Republic of Austria - October 26
All Saints Day - November 1st
Conception of the Virgin Mary - December 8
Christmas - December 25
St. Stephen's Day - December 26

Transport

Railway
As in Germany, there are different classes of trains in Austria: high-speed and local. The letter designations are slightly different:
ICE, IC/EC - high-speed intercity and international trains
D - average between local and fast
E - fast local train
R - local train
The cost depends on the distance, class, number of people and whether the ticket is one-way or round-trip. As in Germany (and in any other European country, for that matter), we must not forget about what class of ticket you have: the class is written on the carriage, on the doors of the compartments of the carriage, on the walls. One carriage can have first and second class compartments. First class is not much different from second class: most often there are compartments, fewer seats, maybe a table, and most importantly, there are simply fewer people. All trains have soft, comfortable seats and an in-car toilet. It is also worth paying attention to whether smoking is allowed in the carriage - there will be an image of a cigarette crossed out or not outside. If you have heavy suitcases and don't want to drag them up the stairs to the platform, look around - there is a good chance that there will be an elevator nearby that you can safely use.
Buses in Austria
Buses in Austria are very convenient. The only thing you shouldn’t forget is that after 18:00 there may be no flights. Prices are lower than by train, but not significantly. For an hour and a half trip, for example from Salzburg to Bad Ischl or from Zell am See to Krimml, you need to pay about 8.50 euros per person.
Buses on the same route may not stop at all stops depending on the time, so if you need intermediate stops, check the schedule carefully. And bus 670 from Krimml to Zell am See runs either to the final stop (Zell am See) or to the Mittersill stop (halfway to Zell am See), where you need to change trains.
Taxi
It is best to call by phone from a hotel or from a restaurant where you are staying, and you can also find it in special parking lots near train stations, in the center of large cities, at the airport (it is not customary to “catch” a car on the street: even if you try, no one will stop) . The cost of moving around the city is indicated on the meter + landing fee. When traveling long distances, it is better to agree on the amount with the driver in advance.
Public transport in Vienna
Vienna has a metro (U), trams, buses and trains (S). The city authorities are constantly modernizing their transport system: two main stations in Vienna are currently being rebuilt, and elevators are being actively added to the metro. It should be noted that the excessive comfort in the form of elevators has greatly spoiled Viennese residents: you can often see how hefty foreheads or cheerful girls, burdened with a cell phone at most, quickly fill the elevator cabin, while an old woman with a cane does not have time to reach the door.
The most convenient transport is the metro. There are stops near almost all strategic tourist points. The second most convenient option is the tram. Trams run both very modern and old, similar to ours. We didn’t have to use the bus, and somehow we didn’t come across them.
The ticket can be purchased either from a machine or from the driver. It needs to be composted in a small box at the entrance.

Tips

The tip is 5% of the order value; in large restaurants it is customary to leave 10% of the bill. The waiter will definitely return the change for the bill, and after that, in the same napkin, you must leave a tip. You can leave small coins in bars and cafes. In street cafes they do not give tips. It is customary for the taxi driver to leave 10% over the meter; you can simply leave change from the change. In a hotel, if you decide to tip, the following general rules apply: boys who help carry suitcases can be given 50 cents each, the maid receives a tip of at least about 3 euros per week.

The shops

Shops in Austria are allowed to trade from Monday to Friday from 6.00 to 19.30, and on Saturdays trade in shops is allowed until 17.00. Actual store opening hours in Austria vary. Typically, shops are open from 8.00 to 18.30, and some of them may close for a lunch break for 1-2 hours. There is no uniformity on this issue. Tourist centers and resorts may have special store opening hours. From Monday to Friday until 21.00, and on Saturday and Sunday - until 18.00. Shops at railway stations and airports are open during busy hours (until approximately 23.00).
One of the best souvenirs from Austria is considered to be a bottle of Yaga-te concentrate, which can be bought in any supermarket. It is enough to add four parts of regular boiling water to one part of the concentrate, and you get a classic New Year’s national drink - “Yaga-te”, i.e. “hunting tea”. And for lovers of stronger drinks - a classic souvenir from Austria - a bottle of schnapps (fruit moonshine). Real schnapps should be 38% strength.

National cuisine

meat on the bone - dish No. 1 in Austria (up to 17 EUR);
Gluewein - a hot drink consisting of red wine and water (3:1), cinnamon, spices; fundamentally different from Bavarian mulled wine in the absence of zest and the presence of water (up to 5 EUR);
Schnapps flows like a river! The most pleasant and correct souvenir from Austria is a bottle of fruit moonshine - schnapps. Classic schnapps should be 38% strength (deviations affect the taste). For a spicy sensation, put a piece of canned pear (if the schnapps is pear) or peach (if the schnapps is peach) into the glass; They don’t put plums in plum schnapps... You will also find more expensive varieties of raspberry schnapps, schnapps made from a bouquet of blackberries and wild apples, and so on;
a typical Austrian cocktail - Vodka Red Bull - the Austrians themselves believe that the combination of Smirnovsky table wine No. 21 with an energy drink gives the body a feeling of weightlessness and flight. It’s hard to say how the flight is, but it doesn’t blow the tower down - it’s been checked: you can drink it. (Between us: it’s better to prepare Red Bull vodka yourself: buy “Red Bull” in any supermarket, take out “crystal” supplies and... 3:1);
germknoedl - a fluffy sweet bun with poppy seeds and sauce (vanilla or fruit);
wheat beer (Weizenbier - Weizenbier) - absolutely incomparable taste (up to 3 EUR);
apple pie (Apfel Strudel) - In Salzburg and Alpine villages, served hot: be careful (up to 9 EUR);
natural sweets "Mozartkugel" ("Mozartkugel") - an enchanting invention of the Salzburg confectionery "Fuerst" - the only place where these and other sweets are still made by hand (in truth, the "other sweets" include, first of all, the best invention of "Fuerst" - sweets "J.-S. Bach"); “genuine” “Mozartkugel” is sold only in silver-blue packaging and contains more marzipan and cocoa than the golden-red American fakes (from 0.9 EUR per piece);
cinnamon pancakes (Strauben / Stauben) are simply an exclusive Salzburg delicacy;
Mozart's favorite beer - Stiegelbreu (up to 2 EUR);
magical soufflé Nockerln - sweet as love, tender as a kiss;
coffee, coffee and more coffee: “Merchant” - strong double espresso, “Ferlengerter” - weaker, “melange” - coffee with milk and whipped cream, “Einshpenner” - double mocha in a tall glass.

Attractions

Symbol of Vienna - St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom), the patron saint of the capital of Austria, who is more than 800 years old. Under the cathedral there are ancient catacombs - the burial place of representatives of the Habsburg dynasty, its interior decoration is simply mesmerizingly beautiful, and a Turkish cannonball, which hit the cathedral during the Turkish siege of the city in the 16th century, is embedded in its spire. Opposite the cathedral lies the beautiful Stephansplatz square and the post-modern glass building of the Haas House commercial center. On the walls of Stefansdom you can see the measures of length, size and weight, by which goods were checked when purchasing in the Middle Ages, and from its observation deck there is a magnificent view of the Danube and Vienna. Another symbol of Vienna departs from the square - the Graben street, the “heart of the city”, on which such famous attractions as the Peitzeule Column, the Sacher Hotel and the Peterskirche Church are concentrated. The most fashionable shops are also located here. It is interesting to get acquainted with the nearby Mihalerkirche, St. Marie am Gestad, Franciskanerkirche, the neo-Gothic Town Hall (1872-1883), one of the most beautiful squares in the world - Josephplatz, with the Palace Chapel and Burgtheater located on it (1874-1888), the Houses of Parliament (1883), in front of which stands the statue of Pallas Athena, and the famous Vienna Opera (1861-1869), the venue for the iconic annual Opera Ball.
The pride of Vienna - beautiful parks, varied in appearance and purpose. Prater Park is considered the most “people's” park in Vienna (it has been in operation since the 18th century) and is famous for the largest Ferris wheel in the world (65 m) and excellent restaurants. The historic Augarten Park regularly hosts dozens of musical performances and symphony concerts. The famous Vienna Woods park, located in the vicinity of the capital, in the foothills of the Eastern Alps, is a whole forest area with its own towns and hotels, resorts and thermal springs. Bounded on one side by the picturesque Danube valley and vineyards, and on the other by the famous resort area of Baden and Bad Voslau, the “Vienna Woods” is a favorite vacation spot for Viennese and guests of the country.
Church of St. Ruprecht and the summer residence of the Habsburgs - Schönbrunn Palace, which has more than 1,400 rooms and halls. Nowadays it houses the Museum of Weapons, a collection of costumes and horse-drawn carriages "Wagenburg", a beautiful park with fountains, a greenhouse and a zoo. Excellent examples of architecture are the palace of Prince Eugene of Savoy, Belvedere Castle (1714-1723), located on a hill in the south-eastern part of the city, with the Gallery of Austrian Art of the 19th-20th centuries. (the largest collection of Klimt, Schiele and Kokoschka) and the chambers of Archduke Ferdinand, the baroque Karlskirche (1739) and Stadtpark, the University, the palace of Count Manfeld-Fondy and the Vatican Church.
Salzburg
Salzburg Lakes, Salzburg Cathedral (founded in the 8th century, rebuilt in 1611-1628), surrounded by three squares with the luxurious residence of the prince-archbishops, the Baroque Museum, the Salt Mountains, the house in which Mozart was born, Helburn Palaces with a magnificent park, decorated with joker fountains, and Mirabel, Geerfidegasse, the Eisriesenwelt cave ("world of the ice giants") in Tennengebirge, south of Salzburg. Styria and Carinthia attract with a huge number of medieval castles and majestic nature. Innsbruck: Ambras Castle (XVI century), ski resort. Kitzbühel is a resort located in the Tyrolean Alps.

Carniche- a famous sports center and resort located in the very south of Austria. Saalbach and Hinterglemm are the most popular ski resorts. Lech am Arlberg is a fashionable resort offering the highest service. Baden, a resort with healing hot sulfur springs, located 25 km south of Vienna, has been popular with crowned heads and artists for a long time.

Most Popular ski resorts- Innsbruck, Kitzbühel, Badgasstein, Baden bei Wien, Seefeld, Otztal, Zillertal, Saalbach-Hinterglemm, St. Anton, Zell am See-Kaprun, Galtür, Gaschurn, Stubaital, St. Johann, Pitztal, Carinthia, Salzkammergut , St. Wolfgang, Hintertux.

Resorts

Lakes of Carinthia- Werther See (resorts Sölden, Pertschach, Maria Werth, Krumpendorf), Klopeiner See (resort Sankt Kanzian), Millstetter See, Ossiacher See, Faaker See.
Lakes of Salzkammergut— Wolfgang See (resorts St. Wolfgang, St. Gilgen, Strobl), Mondsee, Traunsee, Attersee and Hallstettersee.
Salzburgerland— Zeller See (resort Zell am See).
Resort Sölden
The Otztal Valley is known for its highest mountain resorts in Austria. Sölden (1,377 m), Vent (1,900 m), Obergurgl (1,930 m), Hochselden (2,050 m) and Hochgurgl (2,150 m) hold the record for attendance and rank second in popularity after Vienna.
Sölden is one of the best ski resorts in Austria. Absolute guarantee of natural snow.
Winter season is from December to April.
Glacier skiing is available all year round.
Slopes, trails, lifts:
Ski area - 1377-3250 m
Height difference - 1873 m
The total length of the tracks is 150 km
Trails for beginners - 53 km
Medium difficulty trails - 63 km
Difficult trails - 28 km
Ski route - 6 km
Illuminated trails - 4 km
The longest route is 13.5 km
Summer skiing on the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers
About 20 restaurants on the mountain.
Modern high-speed lifts, on the glacier, almost all chairs have protective caps.
The main ski areas in Sölden are Gaislachkogl (1377-3058 m), Giggijoch (1377-2885 m) and the Golden Gate on two glaciers Rettenbach (1377-3250 m) and Tiefenbach (2796-3250 m).
Resort St. Kanzian
St. Kanzian is located on the warmest lake in Austria (water temperature reaches +28 degrees).
There is everything for your active holiday: 65 tennis courts, a tennis hall, an 18-hole golf course, three surfing schools, a diving school, mini golf, fishing, cycling, horse riding...
There is never a dull moment in St. Kanzian: weekly children's parties, lake parties with fireworks, daily dance and entertainment programs in all hotels. Klopeinersee - the town is located on the shore of the lake - Klopeiner See.
It is surrounded on all sides by fields, meadows and mountain forest. Klopeinersee is the warmest bathing lake in Austria. The water temperature in summer reaches 26-28 degrees. The water in this lake is so clean that you can drink it.
Zell am See
Zell am See (757 m) and Kaprun (786 m) are located in the Salzburg region of Pinzgau and together form the famous European Sports Region (ESR).
ESR is a popular holiday destination for a huge number of fans of both high mountain landscapes and descents, as well as the unique alpine atmosphere that reigns here all year round.
The region offers what is most important for any skier, both beginner and professional. Residents of the region say: “We don’t talk about snow, we guarantee it!”
Skiing season is from December to April.
Slopes, trails, lifts
Scheme of the ski region (202.1 kb)
Resort altitude - 726 m above sea level
Ski area - 750-2000 m
Height difference - 1250 m
Length of trails - 75 km
Trails for beginners - 25 km
Medium difficulty trails - 25 km
Difficult trails - 25 km
The longest route is 6.2 km
Number of lifts - 28
The total capacity of the lifts is 39,695 people per hour
Cross-country ski trails - 20 km
Toboggan runs - 4
Snowboard trails -2
Fan park -1
Half-pipes - 2
Snowboard
Kitzsteinhorn: fan park, half-pipe on the route from the Alpine Center to Langviboden.
Schmittenhoch: halfpipe (100 m) under the Glocknerbahn.
Pörtschach
Poertschach is a resort town on the northern shore of Lake Wörthersee in Carinthia. The resort is located on a small peninsula with three cozy bays, between Velden and Klagenfurt. Pörtschach is famous for its flower-filled promenade and the 14th-century Leonstein Castle, which was visited by J. Brahms. This is a wonderful place to relax and practice all kinds of sports: rowing, surfing, parasailing, tennis, golf, hiking and cycling. The abundance of fish in the local waters attracts a huge number of people who want to go fishing successfully. For 50 years now, Pörtschach has been a kind of “tennis mecca” - every hotel has one or two tennis courts, and the Seehotel Werzer-Astoria complex has one of the largest and best tennis centers in Austria, consisting of 11 magnificent courts.

POPULATION: About 7.9 million people (1993). Austrians make up approximately 98% of the population. Croats, Slovenes, Czechs, and Hungarians also live here.

GEOGRAPHY: Austria is located in the very center of Europe. In the north the country borders with the Czech Republic, in the northeast with Slovakia, in the east with Hungary, in the south with Slovenia, Italy and Switzerland, in the west Austria borders with Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Germany. The total area of the country is 83.8 thousand sq. km.

CLIMATE: Temperate, continental. The coldest winter month is January, the temperature drops to -2 C. The hottest are July and August, the temperature is about +20 C. Precipitation ranges from 600 to 1100 mm.

LANGUAGE: The official language is German.

CURRENCY: Austrian schilling (ATS). 1 shilling is equal to 100 groschen. Banknotes in circulation are 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 5000 shillings.

RELIGION: 78% of the population are Catholics, 8% are Protestants, 2% are Muslims, 12% are atheists.

POLITICAL STATE: federal parliamentary republic with a presidential form of government.

TIME: It is 2 hours behind Moscow.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS: first of all, the beauty of Vienna and the famous ski resorts. The Alps have picturesque villages, excellent skiing conditions, and professional instructors. Vienna: symbol of the city - St. Stephen's Cathedral, Graben Street, St. Ruprecht's Church and Schönbrunn Castle, Vienna Amusement Park, Vatican Church, City Hall, Belvedere Palace, meeting of the musical society, collection of ancient musical instruments at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Graphics Museum - Albertina Gallery, the main art museum of Austria - the Museum of Art History, the Chapel of St. Bernard, the Town Hall and Parliament buildings, in front of which stands the statue of Pallas Athena, the Burgtheater, the Staatsoper, the ancient Viennese parks of Augarten and Prater. Very popular among tourists are the Vienna State Museum of Art, the Albertina Museum, the Vienna Woods, 70 km to the west of Vienna - the ruins of the Durnstein fortress (XII century), the State Jewish Museum, 25 km to the southwest - the Cistercian monasteries in Heiligenkreutz. The pearl of Vienna is the former imperial court of the Hofburg (XIII century) with the "Schatzkammer" - one of the richest gold storehouses in the world, where the treasures of the Order of the Golden Fleece, the highest order of Austria and Spain, are kept. One of the masterpieces of the collection is the crown of the Holy Roman Empire, made in 962, and the Austrian imperial crown, which was used to crown the Habsburgs. Salzburg: Salzburg Lakes, Salzburg Cathedral (founded in the 8th century, rebuilt in 1611-1628), surrounded by three squares with the luxurious residence of the prince-archbishops, the Baroque Museum, the Salt Mountains, the house in which Mozart was born, Helburn Palaces with a magnificent a park decorated with joker fountains, and Mirabel, Geerfidegasse, the Eisriesenwelt cave ("world of the ice giants") in Tennengebirge, south of Salzburg. Styria and Carinthia attract with a huge number of medieval castles and majestic nature. Innsbruck: Ambras Castle (XVI century), ski resort. Kitzbühel is a resort located in the Tyrolean Alps. Karniche is a famous sports center and resort located in the very south of Austria. Saalbach and Hinterglemm are the most popular ski resorts. Lech am Arlberg is a fashionable resort offering the highest service. Baden, a resort with healing hot sulfur springs, located 25 km south of Vienna, has been popular with crowned heads and artists for a long time. The most popular ski resorts are Innsbruck, Kitzbühel, Badgasstein, Baden bei Wien, Seefeld, Otztal, Zillertal, Saalbach-Hinterglemm, St. Anton, Zell am See-Kaprun, Galtür, Gaschurn, Stubaital, St. Johann, Pitztal , Carinthia, Salzkammergut, St. Wolfgang, Hintertux.

ENTRY RULES: Austria is part of the Schengen zone. To enter, you must have a foreign passport, a visa obtained on the basis of an invitation, and a paid consular fee in the amount of 400 Austrian schillings. Regardless of the type of invitation, the embassy issues a multiple visa - for multiple entries into the country within the period specified in the visa.

CUSTOMS RULES: in Austria there are no restrictions on the import or export of foreign and local currency (export of national currency - no more than 50 thousand schillings). The export, without special permission, of objects and things of historical and artistic value is prohibited.

INFORMATION TELEPHONE: throughout Austria 1611