Austria

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
- Drainage
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic groups
- Languages
- Religion
- Settlement patterns
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture and forestry
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Finance
- Trade
- Services
- Labour and taxation
- Transportation and telecommunications
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Local government
- Justice
- Political process
- Security
- Health and welfare
- Education
Cultural life
- Cultural milieu
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- Prehistory and Roman times
- Early Middle Ages
  - Germanic and Slavic settlement
  - Early Babenberg period
  - Later Babenberg period
- Late Middle Ages
  - Contest for the Babenberg heritage
  - Accession of the Habsburgs
  - Division of the Habsburg lands
  - Burgundian and Spanish marriages
- Reformation and Counter-Reformation
  - Acquisition of Bohemia
  - Advance of Protestantism
  - Rudolf II and Matthias
  - The Bohemian rising and the victory of the Counter-Reformation
  - Struggle with Sweden and France
- Austria as a great power
  - War of the Spanish Succession
  - Problem of the Austrian succession
  - New conflicts with the Turks and the Bourbons
  - Social, economic, and cultural trends in the Baroque period
- From the accession of Maria Theresa to the Congress of Vienna
  - War of the Austrian Succession, 1740–48
  - First reforms, 1748–56
  - Seven Years’ War, 1756–63
  - Reforms, 1763–80
  - Foreign affairs, 1763–80
  - Early reign of Joseph II, 1780–85
  - Late reign of Joseph II, 1785–90
  - Conflicts with revolutionary France, 1790–1805
  - Conflicts with Napoleonic France
- The Age of Metternich, 1815–48
- Revolution and counterrevolution, 1848–59
- Neoabsolutist era, 1849–60
- Constitutional experimentation, 1860–67
- Austria-Hungary, 1867–1918
  - Ausgleich of 1867
  - Domestic affairs, 1867–73
  - International relations: the Balkan orientation
  - Domestic affairs, 1879–1908
    - Political realignment
    - Political turmoil
    - Electoral reform
  - Foreign policy, 1878–1908
  - Last years of peace
    - Conflicts of nationality
    - Party rivalries
    - Conflict with Serbia
  - World War I
  - End of the Habsburg empire
- First Republic and the Anschluss
  - Early postwar years
  - Economic reconstruction and political strife
  - Authoritarianism: Dollfuss and Schuschnigg
  - Anschluss and World War II
- Second Republic
  - Allied occupation
  - Restoration of sovereignty
  - Austria in the European Union

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images, Videos & Interactives

Austrian village

The Alps, Tirol, Austria

Austria: Population composition by country of birth

Austria: Religious affiliation

For Students

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Austria summary

Austria: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Dec 25, 2025

News •

Looking Back: The Story of Three Defiant Nuns in Austria • Dec. 22, 2025, 9:07 PM ET (NPR)

In Austria, the rebellion of three nuns from the Goldenstein convent • Dec. 22, 2025, 2:46 AM ET (Le Monde)

Austrian nuns await word from the Vatican on whether they can stay in their convent • Dec. 18, 2025, 9:07 PM ET (NPR)

Austrian court rules against extradition of Ukrainian businessman to US over alleged bribery • Dec. 15, 2025, 10:31 AM ET (AP)

Julia Scheib of Austria uses strong final run to win giant slalom, Mikaela Shiffrin ties for 4th • Dec. 7, 2025, 3:48 PM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Republic of Austria • Österreich • Republik Österreich
Head Of Government	Chancellor: Karl Nehammer
Capital	Vienna
Population	(2025 est.) 9,240,000
Currency Exchange Rate	1 USD equals 0.860 euro
Head Of State	President: Alexander Van der Bellen
Form Of Government	federal state with two legislative houses (Federal Council [61]; National Council [183])
Official Language	German
Official Religion	none
Official Name	Republik Österreich (Republic of Austria)
Total Area (Sq Km)	83,884
Total Area (Sq Mi)	32,388
Monetary Unit	euro (€)
Population Rank	(2025) 98
Population Projection 2030	9,113,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2025) 285.3
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2025) 110.2
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2024) 59.8% • Rural: (2024) 40.2%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2023) 79.4 years • Female: (2023) 84.2 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: 100% • Female: 100%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2023) 502,501
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2023) 55,030

Photos and Videos

Austrian village

The Alps, Tirol, Austria

population density of Austria

Causes and start of World War I

Hungary's historic removal of the iron border

How do fish survive under icy lakes in winter?

Explore the mesmerizing Hallstatter See, a lake in Salzkammergut, Austria

Hiking a historic trail in the Carnic Alps

National anthem of Austria

See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

list of cities and towns in Austria list of presidents of Austria European Monetary Union Second Battle of Custoza First Battle of Custoza Austro-French Piedmontese War Napoleonic Wars French Revolutionary wars League of Nations Seven Years’ War United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Austrian composer

Joseph Haydn

Joseph Haydn

Austrian composer

Franz Joseph

Franz Joseph

emperor of Austria-Hungary

Klemens von Metternich

Klemens von Metternich

Austrian statesman

Maximilian I

Maximilian I

Holy Roman emperor

Pompeo Girolamo Batoni: portrait of Joseph II

Joseph II

Holy Roman emperor

Maria Theresa

Maria Theresa

Holy Roman empress

Leopold I

Leopold I

Holy Roman emperor

The Great Condé, engraving by Robert Nanteuil, 1662

Louis II de Bourbon, 4 prince de Condé

French general and prince

Eugene of Savoy

Eugene of Savoy

Austrian general

Gentz, Friedrich

Friedrich Gentz

German political journalist

Friedrich Ferdinand, Graf von Beust.

Friedrich Ferdinand, Graf von Beust

prime minister of Austria

Jörg Haider

Jörg Haider

Austrian politician

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Köprülü Fazıl Ahmed Paşa

Ottoman vizier

Ferdinand I

Ferdinand I

Holy Roman emperor

Gustav Klimt: The Kiss (Lovers)

Gustav Klimt

Austrian painter

Kurt Waldheim

Kurt Waldheim

president of Austria and secretary-general of the United Nations

Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz

Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz

chancellor of Austria

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Karl Lueger

Austrian politician

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Charles VI

Holy Roman emperor

Feldkirch

Vorarlberg

state, Austria

Map showing the countries of Europe with national capitals and surrounding bodies of water, including the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Black Sea.

Europe

continent

Schloss Schönbrunn, Vienna

Vienna

national capital, Austria

Salzburg

Salzburg

Austria

Dürnstein, on the Danube River in the Danube Gorge, Niederösterreich, Austria; ruins of a 12th-century castle stand above the town.

Niederösterreich

state, Austria

Tirolean Alps

Tirol

state, Austria

Schärding, Oberösterreich

Oberösterreich

state, Austria

Steiermark, Austria

Steiermark

state, Austria

Grossglockner High Alpine Road

Salzburg

state, Austria

Kärnten, Austria

Kärnten

state, Austria

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Burgenland

state, Austria

Graz, Austria

Graz

Austria

Innsbruck

Innsbruck

Austria

Linz: Ursuline church

Linz

Austria

Bregenz

Bregenz

Austria

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