Austria Tourism - Travel to Austria
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| Quick Facts | |
| Capital | Vienna |
| Government | federal republic |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) |
| Area | total: 83,858 sq km water: 1,120 sq km land: 82,738 sq km |
| Population | 8,169,929 (July 2002 est.) |
| Language | German |
| Religion | Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17% |
Austria (German: Österreich) is a land-locked country in the mountainous center of Europe.
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Regions in Austria
Map of Austria
Austria is a federal state comprised of nine states:
- Burgenland
- Carinthia (Kärnten)
- Lower Austria (Niederösterreich)
- Salzburg
- Styria (Steiermark)
- Tyrol (Tirol)
- Upper Austria (Oberösterreich)
- Vienna (Wien)
- Vorarlberg
Cities in Austria
Other destinations
- Hallstatt
- Wolfgangsee lake surrounded by picturesque mountain towns
Understand Austria Tourism
Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law of that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. This neutrality, once ingrained as part of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995. A prosperous country, Austria entered the European Monetary Union in 1999.
Get into Austria
Get around in Austria
Good trains between major cities and many towns; buses between other towns and lakes
Austria Talk
The national language of Austria is German. The Austrian dialect is distinct in accent from the German of Germany, and uses some different words and phrases. English, however, is widely spoken, and the only area most tourists have linguistic problems with is translating food. In parts of Vienna with many foreign visitors such languages as Italian and French will often be understood as well.
Buy
Austria is a member of the European Union and the so-called Eurozone. Consequently, the national currency is the Euro.
Eat - Travel to Austria
Austrian food is distinctive and delicious, and is traditionally of the stodgy, hearty "meat and dumplings" variety. Wiener Schnitzel (a breadcrumbed and fried veal escalope) is something of a national dish, and Knödel are a kind of dumpling which can be made either sweet or savoury according to taste. Apart from these, Austria is renowned for its pastries and desserts, the most well-known of which is probably the Apfelstrudel.
The best advice is to dive into the menu and give it a go - there are no nasty surprises!
Drink
Vienna is famous for its café culture, and there are coffee houses all over the city, many of which have outdoor terraces that are popular in the summer. Visit them for coffee (of course), hot chocolate and pastries.
Sleep - Austria Tourism
Learn
Austria has many great universities, and Graz in particular is renowned as a centre of learning, with no less than six universities.
Work
Stay safe - Austria Tourism
Stay Healthy While You Travel to Austria
Respect
Contact
External Links for Austria Tourism
