Political and geographical position of Austria according to plan. Economic and geographical characteristics of Austria

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, how easy it is to install by physical map, 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, you will easily notice that geological structure and the composition of their constituents is 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 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. 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.

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 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.

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 on 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 sublimely hilly wide and open Danube 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 that 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 how a part of the Alpine is usually called 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.

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 most 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 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

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Economic and geographical characteristics of Austria

Introduction

The name of the country comes from the Old German Ostarrichi -- " eastern country" The name "Austria" was first mentioned in a document dated November 1, 996.

The Austrian flag is one of the most ancient state symbols in the world. According to legend, in 1191, during one of the battles of the Third Crusade, the snow-white shirt of Leopold V of Austria was completely spattered with blood. When the Duke took off his wide belt, a white stripe appeared on his shirt. The combination of these colors became his banner, and in the future the flag of Austria.

The red color of the two stripes on the flag symbolizes the blood of patriots shed in the struggle for freedom and independence of the Republic of Austria. White color is a symbol of the Danube River, flowing from west to east.

1. Geographical location of the country

State in Central Europe. In the north it borders with the Czech Republic (362 km), in the northeast - with Slovakia (91 km), in the east - with Hungary (366 km), in the south - with Slovenia (330 km) and Italy (430 km) , in the west - with Liechtenstein (35 km) and Switzerland (164 km), in the northwest - with Germany (784 km).

Austria is a mostly mountainous country (70%): the average altitude above sea level is about 900 m. Most of Austria is occupied by the Eastern Alps, which in turn are divided into the North Tyrol Alps and the Salzburg Alps in the north; Zillertal and Karnik Alps in the south. Highest point-- Mount Grossglockner (3797 meters), on which one of the largest glaciers in Europe is located - Pasterze.

2. Territory of the country. Its characteristics

The area of ​​the country is 83,871 km².

Austria is divided into nine federal districts:

Vienna - capital of Austria

Burgenland - capital: Eisenstadt

Carinthia - capital: Klagenfurt

Lower Austria - capital St. Pölten

Salzburg - capital: Salzburg

Styria - capital: Graz

Tyrol - capital: Innsbruck

Upper Austria - capital: Linz

Vorarlberg - capital: Bregenz

3. Nature of the country

3.1 Nature as a condition for tourism development

The Vienna Woods is one of the most striking attractions of Austria, surrounded by a charming romantic aura. It is not for nothing that this wonderful corner of the earth was glorified in their immortal works by Johann Strauss and Franz Schubert, Beethoven and Mozart.

However, the green bushes of the Vienna Woods captivated not only musicians, poets and writers; royalty also did not ignore it. Here the Empress of Austria, the wife of Franz Joseph, took a break from the bustle of palace life; here the love tragedy of the heir to the throne Rudolf and his beloved Maria Vechera played out. For 100 years now, historians have not been able to unravel the mystery of who killed this loving couple: perhaps Rudolf’s intended wife, perhaps the crown prince himself, jealous of his Maria for his ardent neighbor, and then took his own life. Who knows?!

By the way, the Vienna Woods has only miraculously survived to this day. The fact is that in the distant 19th century it could have been sold to a certain timber merchant. In those days, after the devastating war with Prussia, the empty Austrian state treasury urgently needed to be replenished.

The ancient centuries-old trees were not cut down solely due to chance. Namely: the former officer of His Imperial Majesty, Herr Schöffel, who showed enviable tenacity. This man launched a real wave of protest in the press, founding the “Movement to Save the Vienna Woods.” It took two years for the forest to be left alone and thus preserved for posterity.

By the way, the Vienna Woods is neither more nor less, but more than 1000 years old! At least, that’s what it says in the ancient charter in which he was first mentioned. This letter is kept in the famous Knight's Library of the Vienna City Hall.

So, in the northern part of the Vienna Woods, on the picturesque hills, just 10 km from Vienna, there is a small and very beautiful town of Stift Klosterneuburg. This city, breathing with antiquity, is home to the most famous monastery of Augustinian monks in Europe, built almost 900 years ago. Art connoisseurs will be amazed by the ancient enamel Verdun altar kept in the temple. Imagine, it was created by the artist Nicolus Verdeni in the 12th century!

More than interesting South part Vienna Woods, namely: the city of Mödling. Thanks to the magnificent scenery, excellent restaurants and heurigers (the so-called wine cellars) and, of course, architectural monuments, is a favorite place for Viennese residents, not to mention tourists. From afar you can see the tower of the ancient Mödling fortress, rising majestically on a hill. By the way, it offers a wonderful panorama of the surrounding area. According to legend, robbers from the high road leading to Vienna once hid in this fortress, but by order of the emperor, the fortress was destroyed and the robbers were left homeless. So the issue was simply resolved by theft...

Yes, on the outskirts of the town, in the town of Hinterbrühl, there is the largest cave lake on the continent - 6200 sq.m. On a hot summer day it is pleasant to boat on it, and in winter you can warm up a little, since the temperature in the mine is always 9 degrees Celsius. By the way, in the 90s of the last century, the adits of this mine became the natural scenery of the Bastille in the Hollywood version of The Three Musketeers.

The Vienna Woods is amazing! He concentrated in himself a lot of interesting things. Almost on the outskirts of Vienna in the town of Laxenburg, it is interesting to look at the imperial summer palace, the Blue Court, built in 1752. Here you will also find an English park and the pseudo-Gothic castle of Franzensburg, standing in the middle of the lake, with a rich collection of works of art collected by Emperor Franz Joseph. Moreover, you can only get to the island by ferry, which is operated by a friendly woman, certainly dressed in a naval jacket with an almost admiral’s cap on her head.

Well, if you want to improve your health, welcome to the foothills of the Vienna Woods, where the resort of Baden is located. Its healing waters and the genuine atmosphere of Biedermeier palaces attract wealthy people from all over Europe. The oldest and largest casino in Austria is also located here. The Hungarian composer Imre Kalman loved to spend his summer in Baden, as well as Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss and many other celebrities whose images can often be found on the narrow streets of the city. The young Russian Tsar Peter the Great also spent four days in Baden.

3.2 Relief

1/4 of the surface is occupied by young folded-block and folded ridges of the Eastern Alps, united into sublatitudinal chains. The axial zone of mountains with mountain-glacial landforms in the west rises above 3300--3500 m (Grossglockner peak, 3798 m), in the east up to 2400 m. The snow line is on average at an altitude of 2500--2800 m. Some peaks are crowned with glaciers ( Pasterze, length 9 km). In the south and north, the axial chain of the Eastern Alps is bordered by lower ridges, characterized by very steep slopes, strong dissection and the development of karst. Along the northern periphery of the Alps, from the western border in the west to the Vienna Woods in the east, there are flysch lowlands. The Eastern Alps within Austria are generally characterized by large longitudinal valleys (with the rivers Inn, Salzach, Enns, etc.), and in the eastern foothills - basins (Graz, Klagenfurt, etc.). In the east is the Styrian-Burgenland hilly plain, descending to the Vienna Basin, which is part of the Middle Danube Plain; in the north and northeast there are hilly lowlands (400-900 m) Mühlviertel, Waldviertel, Weinviertel, etc., constituting the southern fringing of the crystalline Czech massif. Between this massif and the Eastern Alps there is a flat strip (Inviertel, etc.) with several tiers of terraces of the Danube.

Geological structure and minerals

Near the southern borders of the country, along the Gail River, the main fault extends, separating the inner (axial) zone of the Alps (Rhaetian Alps, High and Low Tauern, Styrian Alps, etc.) from the southern slope of the Alps. The latter includes, within Austria, the northern slope of the Carnic Alps, which is composed of Paleozoic and Triassic rocks. The interior zone of the Eastern Alps is composed of ancient crystalline schists and Paleozoic rocks, overthrust by Triassic-Jurassic metamorphosed shale and mafic volcanics, which stand out among older rocks in the Engadine and Hohe Tauern. To the north stretches a strip of Paleozoic shales and sandstones (greywackes), and then Triassic and Jurassic limestones, forming numerous eastern alpine nappes, thrust northward onto the next strongly narrowed zone of Cretaceous flysch. In the foothills of Austria there is part of the Pre-Alpine foredeep, filled with Neogene molasse. On the left bank of the Danube are the Weinsberger Wald mountains, composed of Paleozoic granites and Precambrian crystalline schists, which form the outskirts of the Bohemian massif. The eastern part is confined to the territory of the young depressions of the Vienna Basin (the Lesser Hungarian Basin and the Graz Basin), filled with strata of Neogene sediments.

The most important minerals: oil (23 million tons) and gas (20 billion cubic meters) (Vienna Basin), magnesite (Styrian Alps - Faich), brown coal (Styria, Upper Austria); There are deposits of iron (Mount Erzberg, in the Eisenertz area) and lead-zinc (Klagenfurt - Bleiberg area, etc.) ores, graphite, and salts. Mineral springs - Baden, Bad Ischl. However, among Austria's mineral resources there are very few whose significance goes beyond the country's borders. The exception is magnesite, which is used for the production of refractories and partly for the production of metallic magnesium from it.

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 is of practical importance (in Salzkamergut), and of other minerals - graphite and feldspar. There are significant reserves of building materials - granite, marble, limestone, kaolin, etc. There is practically no coal. There are no industrial reserves of aluminum ore and alloying metal ores.

3.3 Climate

In Austria, two very different climatic zones converged, strongly depending on altitude. In the west, humid weather prevails, while in the south and east the climate is continental. Therefore, it is best for those who like to bask in the sun to go to Austria in May or June. Although the Austrians best time The year is considered autumn, when there is no heat and the cold is still far away (they come only in January).

Summer is warm, sunny, the average temperature is +20°C. As you rise higher, the temperature at night may reach zero. Winter is mild in the plains and cold in the mountains, the temperature on the plains drops to -2ºC, and in the mountains to -14ºC. Precipitation throughout the country varies from 500 to 3000 mm per year, depending on altitude and topography.

3.4 Waters of the World Ocean and land

The main territory of Austria is located in the Danube basin, the far west belongs to the Rhine basin. The Danube flows through Austria for 350 km. Its largest tributaries are the Inn (with the Salzach), Enns, Drava and Morava. Mountain rivers are characterized by a steep fall, fast flow, and have significant energy resources. They are characterized by an alpine flow regime with summer high water and pronounced winter low water. There are about 580 lakes in Austria, mostly of glacial origin. There are especially many of them in the northern foothills of the Alps (Utter, Thrawn, etc.). On the border with Germany and Switzerland is the large Lake Constance (total - 538.5 km?), on the border with Hungary - Lake Neusiedler See (156.9 km, Austrian part - 135 km). The mountainous part of Austria is distinguished by an abundance of clean fresh water, concentrated in addition to glaciers and rivers in numerous alpine lakes. 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. Alpine rivers also determine the regime of the Danube: it is especially high-water 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 and 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 were plowed by ancient glaciers; As a rule, lakes are deep, with cold, clear water.

3.5 Natural areas, flora and fauna

The Alps are a forested region. However, the modern picture of their soil and vegetation cover is extremely variegated. This is the result, on the one hand, of natural conditions and the manifestation of altitudinal zonation; on the other hand, it is a consequence of a very profound change in natural conditions under the influence of man. The Alps are a classic example of the altitudinal zonation of the oceanic sector of the temperate zone.

For Austrian flora Characteristic is oak-beech forest in the valleys, and at an altitude of more than 500 m - beech-spruce mixed forest. Above 1200 m, spruce predominates; larch and cedar are also found. Alpine meadows in the foothills. Vegetation zones on the territory of Austria replace one another in the following order: broad-leaved (oak, beech, ash) forests in the Danube Valley (though greatly thinned out) are replaced by mixed forests 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 the vegetation map Central Europe The Austrian Alps look like the only large green island. Among small Western European states, only Finland and Sweden exceed Austria in forest area. There are especially many forests suitable for industrial exploitation in Upper (mountain) Styria, for which it is called “ green heart Austria." Apparently, it is no coincidence that the color of the flag of Styria and its folk costumes is green. During the German occupation of World War II, Austrian forests suffered enormous damage. Above the forests and sparse dwarf shrubs there are subalpine (mattas) and alpine (almas) meadows.

The lower zone of the Alps, up to approximately 1000 m altitude, is very diverse in climate and vegetation cover, its conditions are close to those of the neighboring plains. In the south, Mediterranean influences are felt and subtropical soils and vegetation can be found. In the west, oak, chestnut and beech forests on brown forest soils rise along the slopes, in the north there are less heat-loving mixed forests on podzolic soils, and from the east the forest-steppe approaches the Alps. This lower zone, which is the most populated and has significantly changed its natural vegetation cover, is called the cultural belt of the Alps.

On high altitude climatic conditions become more monotonous. To an altitude of approximately 1800-2200 m, in a zone of moderate temperature and heavy rainfall, a belt of forests rises on mountain brown soils and podzolic soils. The composition of forests varies with altitude, as well as depending on the location and aspect of the slopes. In humid places, on the shady northern slopes, beech forest is common, often mixed with spruce. The higher, drier and sunny slopes are covered with beautiful spruce and fir forests. In many areas the forests have been cleared. On deforested slopes, processes of soil erosion, avalanches and other phenomena that cause great damage intensify. The current upper limit of forests in the Alps has been greatly reduced as a result of annual grazing in the subalpine zone and is almost nowhere dependent on natural conditions.

Above the forest lies the subalpine zone, where there is shrub vegetation with lush subalpine meadows and isolated oppressed trees. The growth of trees is hampered by the short growing season, strong winds, and sharp fluctuations in temperature and humidity. This belt is most favorable for the growth of herbs, which achieve exceptional lushness and beauty. The Alpine belt proper at altitudes up to 2500-3000 m is characterized by a complete absence of woody vegetation, the predominance of low-growing, sparsely growing perennial grasses and the proliferation of swamps. It gradually turns into a belt of eternal snow and ice, where you can sometimes find a typical representative of the flora of the Alps - the low-growing silvery edelweiss.

Environment Most of Austria is not yet as threatened by pollution as most other industrialized countries in Europe. First of all, this concerns the Alps with their sparse population and generally insignificant in relation to this vast territory industry.

The fauna of Austria is typical Central European. In the highlands of the Eastern Alps, the composition of the fauna is typically Alpine. The Alps have more wildlife than neighboring densely populated areas of Europe. This especially applies to mountain ranges, where many animals find refuge, displaced by humans from plains and low-mountain areas. Many animals of the Alps spend the winter in the forest belt, and in the summer they rise to graze in the high-mountain meadows; others live permanently in one zone or another.

But the destruction of forests and the plowing of open spaces led to the complete or partial extermination of some previously widespread species of animal life in Austria. In the forest zone, mainly in nature reserves (Hohe Tauern, Grossglockner, etc.), species of animals rare in Europe have been preserved: red deer, elk, roe deer, brown bear, wild boar, mountain eagle. In high mountain areas - alpine marmot, chamois, stone goat. In the steppe region near Lake Neusiedler See - a purple heron.

Mountain forests, mainly in nature reserves, are home to ungulates - red deer, chamois, mountain sheep, mountain goats, and birds - wood grouse, black grouse, 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.

4. Population of the country

4.1 Characteristics of the country's population

The population of Austria is 8.404 million people (2011), in the largest cities: Vienna (1,539,848 people), Graz (237,810 people), Linz (203,044 people), Salzburg (143,978 people), Innsbruck (118,112 people). The average population density of the country is about 94 people per sq. km.

4.2 Peoples, races, confessions

According to the census, the largest ethnic group, German-speaking Austrians, make up 88.6% of the country's population.

In addition, there are 6 recognized national minorities: Croats, Slovenes, Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians, Gypsies (about 300 thousand people in total). In Carinthia, in the south of the country, many Slovenes traditionally live, in Burgenland - Croats and Hungarians, and Czechs and Slovaks have long settled in Vienna. Many Austrian citizens consider themselves not only Austrians, but, by origin from one or another province, also Styrians, Tyroleans, etc.

5. History of the country

1st century BC e. -- the conquest by the Romans of the Celtic tribes of the Boii, Tauriscans and Ozeriates inhabiting the territory of today's Austria and the entry of this territory into the provinces of Noricum (formed in 15 BC) and Pannonia (formed in 10 AD, then divided into Upper Pannonia, which included part of what is now Austria, and Lower Pannonia). The border between the provinces passed west of the town of Vindobona (Vienna), located in Pannonia.

· VI--VIII centuries - migration of Bavarian and Slavic tribes to this region

· 788 - the territory was included in the empire of Charlemagne.

· 803 - creation of the Avar Mark by Charlemagne

· 976 -- name change to Eastern Mark

· 1156 -- Austria is separated from Bavaria into an independent duchy of the German Reich, subordinate to the emperor

· 1276 - the beginning of the reign of the Habsburgs, who in 1438-1806 were kings and then emperors of the Holy Roman Empire

· 1284 - the Spanish king Alfonso X the Wise names this country Austria, “which, they say, is now called Astarrica.”

· 1359 - under Rudolf IV (reigned 1358-1365), the rulers of Austria receive the title of Archdukes

· 1526 - annexation of Croatia and the Czech Republic to Austria

1529 - Turks unsuccessfully besiege Vienna

· 1683 - the second siege of Vienna by the Turks and the complete defeat of the Turkish army by Polish-Austrian-German troops

1687 - annexation of Hungary and Transylvania

· 1713 - restoration of control over Italy and the Spanish Netherlands

· 1740--1748 -- War of the Austrian Succession; Maria Theresa cedes Silesia to Prussia

· 1772 -- Annexation of Galicia

· 1792--1795 -- wars with France

· 1804 - Franz I received the hereditary title of Emperor of Austria

· 1804--1867 -- Austrian Empire

· 1805 -- Battle of Austerlitz

· 1806 -- Holy Roman Emperor becomes Austrian Emperor

· 1866 -- Austro-Prussian War

· 1867--1918 -- Austria-Hungary

The Republic of Austria was formed in November 1918 after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Then the German Austrian Republic was proclaimed, which was to become part of Germany. However, after the conclusion of the Treaty of Saint-Germain in 1919, Austria was prohibited from reunification with Germany, and the Republic of Austria became an independent state.

· 1934 -- Civil War in Austria

· 1938 -- Joining the Third Reich

After World War II, Austria temporarily lost its independence, being divided into four occupation zones between France, the USA, Great Britain and the USSR. Vienna, the capital of Austria, was also divided into 4 zones between the victorious powers, although it was located in the Soviet occupation zone.

Negotiations to restore independence began in 1947, but it was not until 1955 that Austria again became a fully independent state under the State Treaty of May 15, 1955. In October of the same year, a law was passed on the permanent neutrality of Austria, which it still observes.

· 1995 - membership in the European Union

· 2000 - Wolfgang Schüssel takes over as chancellor

· 2004 - Heinz Fischer becomes president. In 2010 he was re-elected for a second term.

· 2008 - Werner Faymann (Social Democratic Party) takes over as chancellor

· June 29, 2009 - Werner Faymann (Chancellor of Austria) held consultations with the main political parties of Austria on the so-called “Austrian Conversations”: management reform, school reform.

6. Country culture

6.1 Language as a component of culture

The main official language is German. The spoken and official language of Austrians differs significantly from the official German language of Germany. Spoken Austrian dialects are close to the Bavarian dialect of Germany and the German language of Switzerland.

98% of the Austrian population speaks German. English is the second leading language; English is spoken fluently by the majority of the population, as well as by the majority of people working in the tourism industry.

6.2 Religion in tourism

The largest religious organization in Austria is the Roman Catholic Church. 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 (ECAiG), uniting two autonomous Churches (Lutherans and Reformed). Lutherans and Reformed people finally received the right to freely practice their beliefs only in 1781, and were completely equal in rights with Catholics another century later.

According to the relevant organizations’ own data, in Austria there are 299 communities of Jehovah’s Witnesses with 33,099 witnesses attending their meetings in 2010 (of which 20,577 were baptized according to the rite of Jehovah’s Witnesses), 5 thousand Greek Catholics (2000), 3889 Mormons (2000) , 47 Seventh-day Adventist communities with 3,596 believers, 19 Baptist communities with 1,130 active adherents (2010; the total number of Baptists is 1.5-2 times larger), 8 Mennonite communities with 360 believers.

6.3 Art as a component of culture

The overwhelming majority of the works that are usually classified as Austrian literature are written in German, although, of course, there were also authors who wrote in other languages ​​on the territory of the Holy Roman and Austro-Hungarian Empires. Frau Ava was the first poet to write in German in the early Middle Ages. The Minnesang and the heroic epic are usually classified as German medieval literature. The representative of romanticism, which was also influenced by Biedermeier and classicism, in Austrian literature in the first half of the 19th century was Franz Grillparzer. Realism and naturalism in Austrian literature are represented by the names of Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, Ferdinand von Saar, Ludwig Anzengruber and Peter Rosegger. Austrian literature truly reached the world level at the beginning of the 20th century. The most famous writers of this period include Franz Kafka, Robert Musil, Stefan Zweig, Joseph Roth.

Austrian literature can only boast of a Nobel laureate. She became Elfriede Jelinek in 2004.

Austrian fine art gained worldwide fame at the turn of the 20th century, when Vienna, partly thanks to the activities of the Vienna Secession, became one of the main centers of Art Nouveau. Three of the greatest Austrian artists of this period - Gustav Klimt (modern, Jugendstil), Egon Schiele and Oskar Kokoschka (expressionism), each of whom opened a new direction in fine arts. In the second half of the 20th century, the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism (close to surrealism) appeared. Its founder was Albert Paris Gutersloh, and one of its most prominent representatives was Edgar Ehne. Contemporary artists include Gottfried Helnwein and Arnulf Rainer. The work of Friedensreich Hundertwasser with his abstract decorative works is widely known. Hundertwasser also made a significant contribution to architecture, decorating many of the most ordinary buildings in bright colors.

Austria is the birthplace of many famous composers such as Joseph Haydn, Michael Haydn, Franz Schubert, Anton Bruckner, Johann Strauss the Elder, Johann Strauss the Younger and Gustav Mahler. Also known are members of the Second Viennese School, such as Arnold Schoenberg, Anton Webern and Alban Berg. Most of Mozart's career took place in Vienna. Composer Ludwig van Beethoven spent most of his life in Vienna.

The current national anthem of Austria was written by Mozart and chosen after World War II, replacing the previous anthem written by Joseph Haydn.

Austria is also the birthplace of the notable jazz musician, keyboardist Josef Zawinul. Pop and rock musician Falco, internationally famous in the 1980s, was also Austrian. He was made famous by the song “Rock Me Amadeus”, dedicated to Mozart. Drummer Thomas Lang was born in Vienna in 1967. He has collaborated with artists such as Geri Halliwell and Robbie Williams.

Ballet art in Austria originated in the 16th century, when court dance performances were held. The first dance masters at the Viennese court were the Italians F. Legnano and C. Negri, as well as C. Beccaria, S. and D. Ventura. Equestrian ballets and masquerades were staged, and dances were included in dramatic and opera performances. At the same time, traveling troupes developed folk dance traditions. Since the middle of the 17th century, composer J. Schmelzer wrote music for many dance performances. In the 1670s. Professional dancers appeared in the Viennese court troupe, headed by composer A. Draghi.

The main ballet school has been operating at the Vienna State Opera (since the 1760s). Luka also had her own school. In Laxenburg, hand in hand. R. Chladek operates a branch of the dance school of E. Jacques-Dalcroze.

Among the ballet researchers are F. Derra de Moroda, author of books and textbooks on dance (in 1952-67 she had her own school); Among the critics are G. Brunner, L. G. Schüller, A. Oberhauser.

From the 11th to 12th centuries, mystery plays and liturgical dramas were staged in Austrian monasteries and abbeys. The Austrian theater began to take shape in the 16th century with the formation of the multinational Austrian state. In the 16th century, countless traveling theater troupes moved around Austria, performing comic skits, acrobatic and dance numbers.

In the 17th century, the art of Italy had a huge influence on the Austrian theater. At the beginning of the 18th century, in 1712, the first permanent theater was created in Vienna. To stage the performances, the experience of German folk theater and Italian comedy was used, establishing the principle of improvisation on the stage.

The history of the circus in Austria begins earlier, with the artistic families of Schneller and Picard, hereditary artists, comedians and equestrians. In the 30s of the 20th century, Ene Schneller founded his own circus, in which his children grew up and received a profession. During the Second World War, the circus business had to be abandoned, but with the reign of peace, the troupe again began to travel around the country. However, the circus did not last long: soon the government confiscated their modest property from the family, leaving the Schnellers with only a couple of trailers and two horses. Pikard is reborn in 1989. Under the direction of Erne Schneller.

The most famous museums in the country are the Cultural-Historical Museum (Vienna), the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Vienna Historical Museum, and the Albertina Museum. There are numerous house-museums associated with the life and work of great people - the house-museums of W. Mozart, L. Beethoven, J. Haydn, F. Schubert, J. Strauss, J. Kalman.

6.4. Traditions and folk art as a component of culture.

Vienna is not only the capital of Austria, but also the recognized capital of the waltz, and the Vienna Ball is one of the most famous events in the social life of Europe. This is an annual event that begins on December 31st and continues until Lent. Ball season opens in New Year's Eve in Vienna's Hofburg Palace, where the Imperial Ball takes place.

During the season, about 300 balls are held in the city. Representatives of almost every profession hold their annual ball: chimney sweeps, journalists, pharmacists, florists, cab drivers, coffee sellers, musicians and students. Each ball has its own name and traditions. But the most important ball in all of Europe is considered the Vienna Opera Ball, which is usually held in mid-February in the building of the Vienna State Opera (hence the name of the ball).

The history of the Vienna Ball began in the first half of the 19th century, when balls were held during Maslenitsa (the period of time from the first of January to Lent). Their number reached 250 daily! Everyone danced: both aristocrats and common people. At the end of the 19th century, Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth gave a "Court Ball" exclusively for high society. However, in 1899, after the death of his wife, Emperor Franz Joseph, experiencing the loss, canceled the ball. The tradition was restored a few years later, when in 1921 the “Court Ball” was replaced by the “Opera Ball”. The Opera Ball began its existence much earlier. At first it was held in the redoubt halls of the imperial palace, and when the opera house building was built in 1869, the ball moved there. The new ball had its own differences: firstly, the ladies had to wear masks, and secondly, they themselves invited the gentlemen to dance. This created an atmosphere of mystery and play and brought enormous popularity to the ball.

Since then, the rules have changed, but the ball always follows the established order. The ball opens with a polonaise, in which up to 200 couples participate. The couples are selected by a special committee consisting of famous Viennese dance teachers. The main selection criterion is the ability to dance, namely to perform a right-hand and left-hand turn. The committee also approves the requirements for participants' costumes.

There are a number of required elements here. The participant's hairstyle must be decorated with a crown (models change every year). A mandatory element of a ball gown is also a bouquet of flowers. Men must wear tailcoats or uniforms. After the polonaise performed by the debutants, the Opera's ballet troupe appears on the floor. Then the beginners dance again, now demonstrating their ability to perform the left-hand waltz.

And only after this, the main manager of the ball - the dance master - invites all the participants of the ball to the dance floor. This is how the main action begins, and everyone is immersed in the atmosphere of great music, dance rhythms, casual conversations and light buffets. The ball attracts the European elite, celebrities, famous politicians and artists. The Vienna Ball welcomes up to five thousand participants. The event is catered by about a thousand specialists - musicians, cooks, and even tailors and shoemakers.

The main national holiday is October 26, the day of the adoption of the law on permanent neutrality, established in 1955.

In Austria in 1999, the largest truffle was found and entered into the Guinness Book of Records - a very rare delicacy and, as a result, expensive mushroom in Europe.

Austria is not only a country of mountains, but also a land of gourmets. Their neighbors - Hungary, the Czech Republic, Italy, and the Balkans - had a particular influence on the development of Austrian cuisine. Living up to its reputation, Austrian gastronomy meets the highest standards. The key to success is quality, inextricably linked with the traditions of noble cuisine (“Hofküche”). In addition to Wiener schnitzel and Sachertorte, Austrian cuisine has many other dishes. Plunge into the world of culinary delights and try one of the local delicacies: peasant bran bread, dumplings, aromatic country ham or tender pancakes. Traditional dishes include donuts filled with apricot marmalade or cream and apple strudel.

There is a bakery called Mehlspeisen, which bakes cream cakes and all kinds of pastries.

Food isn't everything; a good meal comes with a good sip of wine. The highest quality of Austrian wines is recognized throughout the world. And those who don’t like wine can end their meal with an excellent local liqueur.

6.5 Popular culture

Over 20 daily newspapers are published in Austria. Their one-time circulation is approximately 3 million copies. Television and radio broadcasting is carried out by the state company ORF. The national news agency is the Austrian Press Agency (APA). Since January 1996, the Russian-language publication “New Vienna Journal” has been published monthly in Vienna. There are such Russian-language publications as the newspaper "Sootechestvennik" - a monthly Russian-language newspaper that publishes detailed information about the life of the Russian-speaking diaspora in Austria.

The newspaper "Arguments and Facts Europe" is the leading Russian weekly newspaper and the absolute leader among the Russian press abroad. AiF in Austria is published in Russian, has regional supplements, a wide correspondent network and representative offices abroad.

7. Political conditions for tourism development

Austria is union state, uniting nine independent lands. The current constitution was adopted in 1920 and reintroduced in 1945.

The head of state is the Federal President, elected for a 6-year term. The government is headed by the Federal Chancellor. Members of the government are appointed by the president.

The Austrian Parliament is a bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung), which consists of the Federal Council and the National Council. Geographically located in Vienna. Parliament can be dissolved either by presidential decree or by a vote of no confidence by the lower house of parliament.

Federal Council - Bundesrat (64 seats). Deputies are elected by Landtags - state parliaments. The lands are represented by a different number of deputies (from 3 to 12) depending on the population. The term of office of a member of the Bundesrat is 4 or 6 years, depending on the term of office of the Landtag that elected them.

National Council - Nationalrat (183 seats). Deputies are elected using a proportional list system. The term of office is 5 years.

The Constitutional Court of Austria is the world's first separate constitutional court (1920). Formed by the president on the proposal of the government and both chambers. It also has the power to resolve disputes between the Länder (or the Länder and the federal center), as well as to impeach senior officials.

Since October 26, 1955, Austria's foreign policy has been structured taking into account the international legal status of permanent neutrality. Neutrality made it possible to expand the foreign policy capabilities of this country and the space for maneuver. During the Cold War, neutral Austria played the role of a “bridge” between the West and the East. Although Austrian neutrality was conceived on the model of Switzerland, in practice it received its own development. During the reign of Chancellor Bruno Kreisky, he was the basis of the almost “pacifist” foreign policy of Vienna. Since the late 1980s, neutrality began to be adapted to new international conditions, and in 1995 Austria became a member of the European Union. Its foreign policy began to lose independence and increasingly “dissolve” in the general course of the EU. At the end of the 1990s, many Austrian politicians raised the question of the abolition of neutrality and the advisability of the country's membership in NATO. However, the country's population and opposition parties were skeptical of these ideas. Currently, official Vienna proceeds from the fact that neutrality should not be a frozen institution, but must be adapted to changing conditions. However, as before, the Austrian Federal Constitutional Law on Neutrality of October 26, 1955 is the current law. According to its norms, Austria will not take part in any wars, will not allow the presence of any foreign troops on its territory, and will not enter into any military treaty.

8. Economy and infrastructure of the country. Tourism as a branch of the economy. Its influence on the country's economy

Austria is one of the leaders among EU countries in terms of quality of life; its GDP in current prices in 2010 amounted to 284 billion euros. GDP per capita in 2010 amounted to 33.85 thousand euros. GDP production per 1 employed person in 2010 (labor productivity) - 77.6 thousand euros.

The Austrian economy is characterized by a relatively low level of inflation (in 2002 - 1.8%) and unemployment (in 2000 - 3.7% of the working population, in 2002 - 4.3%). The consumer price index in 2002 by 1996 was 108.8, while in the EU as a whole it was 110.8.

Approximately 2.2% of GDP is produced in agriculture and forestry, 32.3% in industry, energy and construction, 65.5% in services, trade, transport and communications, banking and insurance systems . One third of the volume of industrial production falls on the public sector of the economy.

Advantages: wide production base. Strong industry, especially chemical and petrochemical, electrical engineering, textiles, woodworking. Skilled workforce. Tourism as an important source of foreign exchange.

Weaknesses: almost no natural resources. Dependence on imported raw materials, primarily oil and gas. Delay in the transition to increased competition and deregulation.

Austria is a country of traditional active, cultural and “green” tourism. Tourism is an important part of the Austrian economy, accounting for almost 9% of Austrian gross domestic product.

Today, tourism is the main source of income for Austria, covering the traditionally negative trade balance. The dynamics of tourism development, expenditures on it and the balance of tourism have common features with similar indicators for Switzerland: from 1964 to 1990, tourism expenditures grew at an accelerated pace and increased 28 times, tourism income increased 11 times, and the positive tourist balance increased 6 times.

The tourism surplus throughout the post-war decades has been Austria's most important source of covering the trade deficit. But in the 1970s and 1980s, financial revenues from tourism tended to fall.

The development of tourism in Austria is caused by the following factors: the presence of rich recreational resources; developed infrastructure; economic and political stability; lack of significant own raw materials and fuel resources; trade deficit; lucky geographical position.

Austria has fully adopted the euro, like many other European countries. The euro replaced the Austrian schilling, which has been issued since 1924. Austria is one of the 12 richest countries in the world, with very high level life. February 28, 2002 went down in history as the day when national banknotes were withdrawn from circulation in most EU countries.

There are exchange offices at every airport and railway station. However, please note that they are open from 08.00 to 22.00. Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 8.00 to 15.00. Break from 12.00 to 13.30. On Thursday banks are open from 8.00 to 17.30. Break at the same time. In large cities, special exchange offices. You can always see them by the Exchange sign. Credit cards- Eurocard, Master-Card, Visa.

The export of items of historical or artistic value without special permission is prohibited. Persons over 17 years old can import 200 pcs. cigarettes or 500 cigars or 250 g of tobacco, as well as 2.25 liters of wine or 3 liters of beer and an additional 1 liter of other alcoholic beverages. In addition to the above, other goods can be imported for a total amount of $200 per person. It is advisable to declare the import of cash over 10,000 US dollars.

10-15% of the bill in a restaurant (if service is not included in the price), in other cases, including in a taxi - 5-10%. Porter services at the station and at the airport are paid at fixed rates; for a porter at a hotel - 10 shillings per piece of luggage.

9. Student assessment current state and prospects for the development of tourism in the country

austria natural religion culture economics

Austria is a country of alpine peaks, mountain lakes, meadows and cool forests. The great composers Mozart, Schubert, Haydn, Brahms, Gluck, Mahler and the internationally recognized waltz king Strauss drew inspiration from this extraordinary country.

Austria has long been famous for its ski resorts. From now on, Austria and alpine skiing are inseparable concepts, therefore it is in this country that great alpine skiing athletes are raised.

Since time immemorial, winter Austria has become a favorite holiday destination for many. There are resorts here to suit the most sophisticated tastes - from fashionable and prestigious to youth sports, from popular all over the world to little-known, from crowded to secluded.

All ski resorts in Austria are famous for their excellent conditions for sports, both in winter and summer. After all, it is in the summer, at the most fertile time of the year, that you can see how steep ski slopes turn into the famous alpine meadows with fragrant herbs and delicate wildflowers.

In addition, the resorts of Austria also offer amazing opportunities for treatment, exciting excursions and simply have a relaxing holiday. The cordiality and hospitality of the Austrians is surprisingly combined with the meticulous ability to organize impeccable service for guests.

The Austrian Alps are a snow-white paradise for skiers. Steep slopes of alpine peaks buried in emerald forests, glaciers dotted with river valleys and high-speed slopes (a skier's dream!), mesmerizingly beautiful transparent lakes with clear water, hilly plateaus and endless valleys.

And Austria is also home to traditional villages, taverns with national flavor and excellent cuisine, charming mountain houses that retain the charm of antiquity, pistes with impeccably equipped slopes, picturesque slopes - for every taste and skill, complex lift systems and, of course, His Majesty service - as always, at the highest level, successfully attracting tourists from all over the world.

Austria is certainly a country for year-round holidays. Despite the fact that many people associate Austria with winter tourism, sightseeing, cultural and historical buildings of a country with rich traditions and glorious musical taste can be easily combined with any time of year.

And yet, the most striking sights of Austria - the snow-covered streets of Salzburg and the sparkling spiers of the cathedrals and palaces of imperial Vienna - make the most powerful impression.

Therefore, if you dream of traveling to Austria, but you are a little confused by the winter season, then believe me, it’s impossible to think of a better time to relax in this Alpine country.

The unsurpassed Vienna, proudly bearing the honorary title of the musical capital of not only Europe, but also the world, and the most famous cities and resorts of Austria are never as delightful as in a snowy, but not too frosty winter, which is found, perhaps, only in these European latitudes .

Romantic Salzburg is especially beautiful at this time - the city where the famous Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born and spent his childhood and adolescence.

When you walk along the streets of this town sparkling with snow, feel the haunting and completely indescribable smell of coffee and the freshest pastries, and with every cell you feel the presence and spirit of one of the greatest people in the world, of whom all of Austria is proud, you suddenly realize that miracles world still exist.

Because only in a real fairy tale can such a gloomy, but incredibly romantic Hohensalzburg Castle towering above the city, such narrow winding streets soaked in the spirit of the Middle Ages and such tiny coffee shops with a couple of tables where they will serve you a cup of incredibly thick hot chocolate really exist or a glass of traditional mulled wine.

You will feel that life is beautiful even when you think that ahead of you are such sights of Austria as world-famous architectural masterpieces, historical monuments and the luxurious palaces of Vienna.

But here everything depends on you and your preferences, because for some Vienna and shopping on the famous Ringstrasse boulevard are completely inseparable, and for others the most precious thing is the memory of a whole day spent in the Baroque Hofburg, where in the evening one of the most large-scale Viennese balls.

But Austria doesn’t exist by music alone - don’t forget about the skiing traditions of this strange little Alpine. Truly, ski resorts and cities, which are also no less significant attractions of Austria, deserve a separate description. The famous Innsbruck, Sölden, Tyrol, Bad Gastein, Kaprun - this is only a small part of the world famous ski centers and complexes. Moreover, on each of Austrian resorts Excellent skiing conditions, developed infrastructure and exciting nightlife await you.

Almost all regions (Austrian lands) will be of interest to people of all ages and hobbies. Whatever your goal when going on holiday to Austria, be it cultural or sporting events, relaxation or getting to know the secrets of Austrian cuisine, rest assured that the result will live up to your wildest expectations; Austria and all its nine regions simply will not let you get bored!

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Plan. 1. Business card 2. EGP of Austria 3. Historical background. 4. The country's economy. 5. Nature 1) Relief 2) Climate 3) Natural resources 4) Minerals 5) Animal world 6) Environment 6. Population. 1) Ethnic composition 2) Demographic situation 3) Population distribution structure 4) Religion 5) Education 6) Funds mass media 7) National holidays 8) Taxation. 7.Housekeeping. 8. Geography of foreign economic relations Political and economic situation of 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 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. 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 on 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 north-eastern outpost of the mighty Alps and the sublimely hilly wide and open Danube 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 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 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 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, crystalline schists. The largest glacier - Pastärze - 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 ridges of the Northern The Limestone Alps all the way to the aforementioned Vienna Woods in the far 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. 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 railways have long been laid through the Alpine passes, some without tunnels. Historical reference. In ancient times and in the early Middle Ages, many different tribes passed through the lands of modern Austria, located at the crossroads of important trade routes, the main one being the route along the Danube. Some of them left their mark on 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, beginning 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. The settlement of its lands in the centuries by Germanic (Bavarians, Alemannics) and Slavic (mainly Slovenes) tribes was of great importance for the history of Austria. On the basis of the predominantly Germanic tribes of the Bavarians and Alemanni, merging with some Slavic and with the 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, the Bavarian East Mark was formed on the territory of modern Upper and Lower Austria, which began to be called Ostarrichi (Austria). It was she who later 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 unification 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 there than in neighboring countries; The enslavement of peasants took place here more slowly 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 (extraction of iron and lead ores 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 XVIII-XIX centuries feudal-absolutist Austria was a stronghold of 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 also the region of Northern Italy was given 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 a dual monarchy, Austria-Hungary. The Austrian and Hungarian ruling classes formed 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 offensive in 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 took part in the First World War of 1914 against the Entente countries. In 1918, the Austro-Hungarian monarchy split into three states - Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary: in addition, part of its lands became part of Romania, Yugoslavia and Poland. In 1938, the 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 that 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, the State Treaty for the restoration of an independent and democratic Austria was signed in 1955 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 by 4.6% in 1995 to reach Sh334.5 billion. The leading industries are mechanical engineering, metallurgy, as well as chemical, pulp and paper, mining, textile and food industries. One third of industrial production comes from 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 livestock raising. 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 three countries are 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. Other peaks of the ridge granite-gneiss zone of the mountains - the Ötztal, Stubai, and Zillertal Alps - are also 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 relief, 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. Great relief contrasts - from lowlands to snowy 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. On the plains and foothills there is 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 high mountains 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 off 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 “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, only to rush down into them, towards the Danube, in thousands of roaring streams in the summer, filling the lake basins along the way. Alpine rivers also determine the regime of the Danube: it is especially rich in water 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 and 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 were 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 (though greatly thinned out) are replaced by mixed forests 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 appear as the only large green island. Among small Western European states, only Finland and Sweden exceed Austria in forest area. There are especially many forests suitable for industrial exploitation in Upper (mountain) Styria, for which it is called the “green heart of Austria”. Apparently, it is no coincidence that the color of the flag of Styria and its folk costumes is green. During the German occupation of World War II, 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 minerals, but among them there are very few whose significance goes beyond the country. The exception is magnesite, which is used for the production of refractories and partly for the production of metallic magnesium from it. Magnesite occurs in the Styrian, Carinthian and Tyrolean Alps. There are very few energy minerals. 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 slightly larger reserves of brown coal (in Styria, Upper Austria and Burgenland), but it is of poor 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 is of practical importance (in Salzkamergut), and of other minerals - graphite and feldspar. 5. Fauna Mountain forests, mainly in nature reserves, are inhabited by ungulates - red deer, chamois, mountain sheep, 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. First of all, this 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 community in Austria are sounding the alarm about the unacceptable level of industrial waste pollution in the Danube below Vienna and the Mur and Mürz rivers. Nature reserves play an important role in the system of nature conservation 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 Austrian population 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 associated with the difficult financial situation of the majority of the Austrian population, as well as with the consequences of the Second World War. A small natural increase continued 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, however, 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 - 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 Austria does not give the impression of an urban country to a traveler. The fact is that more than a quarter of the townspeople are concentrated in the very big city countries - Vienna. Half of the total urban 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 about the mass of small cities, which for the most part are “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% (compared to 33% in 1960), in transport and communications - 7%. 4.Religion. According to an international study of values ​​conducted in 1990-91, 44% of Austrians attend churches and other houses of worship once a month or more often (8th place out of 27 countries in Europe and North America). 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 in 1990-91 precisely with this regularity). 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 of 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 (ECAiG), uniting two autonomous Churches (Lutherans and Reformed). Lutherans and Reformed people finally received the right to freely practice their beliefs only in 1781, and were fully 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 the German-speaking countries. 6. Media. Over 20 daily newspapers are published in Austria. Of 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, Corpus Christi, Assumption of the Virgin Mary (15.8), National Holiday of the Austrian Republic (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 earned both domestically and abroad. This liability applies to private individuals with permanent residence in Austria, as well as companies whose registered office or management is located in Austria. Accordingly, limited tax liability is borne by individuals living abroad and corporations that have neither governing 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 business activities; 5) on property; 6) from turnover (added value); 7) for 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 controlled a huge empire, and is now left out of work, Austria for a long time could not adapt to the new conditions. During the years of the 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 have been nationalized in Austria. 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 his strong influence, and in some cases under his control: electrical engineering, electronics, petrochemicals, magnesite, and the production of certain types of equipment. Foreign capital limits Austria's economic independence, in particular it hinders 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 either. 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 in terms of production value by about 7 times, 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 Austria's territory, 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, industry in Austria is characterized by uneven development of individual sectors. Some critical manufacturing industries are absent altogether, such as aircraft manufacturing, while others are of minor importance, such as automobile manufacturing and electronic equipment manufacturing. 1. Mining,_heavy,_light_industry The mining industry, due to the poverty of mineral resources, plays an extremely insignificant role in the economy, with the exception of magnesite, which has export importance. Austria has excess capacity in these industries, and a significant part of their production 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 oil, 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 high 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 received through the Trieste-Vienna oil pipeline, laid along the southeastern outskirts 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 stations are mainly built on Alpine rivers in the west of the country, from where part of the electricity is transmitted to eastern regions, some 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 production of iron and steel significantly exceeds the country's needs, and most of the ferrous metal is exported. Most of the iron is smelted in Linz, in Upper Austria, the rest in Leoben. Steel production is distributed approximately equally between Linz and the Styrian region. Austria is the birthplace of a new, more efficient technological steelmaking process, namely the oxygen-converter process, which is increasingly replacing the open-hearth process. Only 3 metallurgical plants' needs are 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 the entire industry of Austria, 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, small ones, are also produced sea ​​vessels . The largest center of mechanical engineering is Vienna. 7. Timber industry_complex. Austria is also characterized by a complex of industries, including timber harvesting, its 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 areas of timber harvesting are carried out in the mountainous regions of Styria, and its 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 agricultural products come 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 treated 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 typical for 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 and in mountain valleys, on the Šumava plateau. Outside the mountainous regions, vegetable growing, fruit growing and especially viticulture are common. Grapes are grown only in warm areas of the northeastern and eastern outskirts of the country. 9. Transport The network of communications 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 in mountainous areas. The main modes of transport in Austria are rail and road. About 1 total length railways 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. On other routes, diesel traction predominates. The most important highways radiate from Vienna as the largest railway hub. The main one goes in a western direction, connecting the Danube and Alpine lands. In the northwest direction from this trans-Austrian highway there are roads to the countries of the former Czechoslovakia and Germany. The Semmering Mainline, which runs from Vienna to the southwest and connects the capital with Upper Styria and Italy, is of great importance. The main highways are connected by two high-altitude 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 goods and especially passengers. Now intercity buses alone carry twice as many passengers as railways. 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 pattern of the highway network is similar to the pattern of railways. The only navigable river in Austria is the Danube. It is navigable throughout the entire 350 km Austrian section. 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 freight turnover. The largest port in Austria is Linz, where the metallurgy industry consumes huge quantities 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 value of its imports exceeds its exports. A significant place in Austrian exports is occupied by raw materials and semi-finished products: wood and products of its partial processing, ferrous metals, chemical products, electricity. Some types of machinery and equipment are exported from finished products, river boats. Food is exported in small quantities. Predominantly finished products are imported, and primarily consumer goods; imports of machinery and equipment, automobiles, and 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 goods, tropical agricultural products, and a lot of feed. 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.