80 Facts About Austria

Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in Central Europe.

Austria has an area of 83,871 square km.

The country’s capital and largest city is Vienna.

German is Austria's official language. 

Euro (€) (EUR) is Austria's official currency.

Austria is bordering with countries likewise are the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland. 

Austria is a landlocked country. 

Terrain is highly mountainous in Austria.

After the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War I, Austria was reduced to the status of a small republic (28 Jul 1914 – 11 Nov 1918).

Austria was a major European power in the 17th and 18th centuries.

In pre-Roman times, many Celtic tribes occupied Austria.

Austria gained its independence on October 26, 1955.

Following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, the country experienced more than 25 years of social and economic turmoil.

Austria was also the first country to issue postcards.

In the nineteenth century, Vienna was involved in nine major wars.

Mozartkugel - Austria's finest chocolate originated in Mozart's birthplace.

Austria was ruled by Nazi Germany between 1938 and 1945. It was under the control of the Allies from 1945 to 1955.

More than 1,000 clocks are housed in the Viennese Clock Museum. The astronomical clock, which was built in 1679, is the museum's main attraction.

The Austrian National Library, completed in 1726 in Vienna, is one of the world's major libraries. The library's collection dates back to the 14th century, and it now houses over 2.5 million books.

Grossglockner, the country's highest point, stands at 3,798 meters. (The first ascent occurred on July 28, 1800, in Carinthia and East Tyrol, Austria.)

Agriculture employs a very small proportion of Austrians (agriculture accounts for less than 1.5% of GDP). In Austria, the average farm size is 45 acres.

Austria is also considered as Europe's "organic farming country no. 1". Austrians place a premium on quality over quantity.

Austria was also the first country in the world to register the first organic farm (1927), as well as the first to establish national organic farming regulations.

Austria stretches 360 miles east to west.

Lake Neusiedl is Austria's largest natural lake. It is 36 kilometers long and has a surface area of 315 square kilometers.

Austria uses renewable energy to meet more than 70% of its electricity needs.

Austria and Germany share the country's longest border, which is approximately 800 kilometers long.

The Port of Vienna is the largest Austrian river port and one of the largest Danube River ports, with an annual cargo capacity of approximately 12 million tonnes.

Soccer, volleyball, basketball, ballet, and dancing are among the country's most popular sports.

Austria is also known for its historic cities, villages, and the breathtaking Alps scenery.

After the Volga River, the Danube River is Europe's second-longest river. It flows from Germany to Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine. The river is about 2880 kilometers long and empties into the Black Sea.

The Danube River is the world's only river that flows through ten countries.

Woods and meadows cover two-thirds of Austria. Forests cover one-fifth of the country. As a result, Austria is one of the most densely forested countries in Europe.

Austria is home to the world's largest ice cave system, Eisriesenwelt. Every year, over 200,000 tourists visit the ice caves.

The Tiergarten Schönbrunn, the world's oldest zoo, is located in Austria. The zoo is home to over 700 animal species, some of which are endangered.

Krimml Falls is Austria's and Central Europe's highest waterfall. It is a tiered waterfall with a height of 380m. There are three stages: the upper stage (100m), the middle stage (140m), and the bottom stage (140m).

Ibex is a type of mountain goat found in Austria. They live in the Alps.

In Austria, acid rain is a problem. Acid rain and other forms of pollution harmed nearly 37% of the country's forest.

At 115 meters above sea level, Neusiedler See is Austria's lowest point. Two-thirds of the country is above 500 meters.

Austria receives nearly 200 days of rain per year.

Austria exports approximately 30% of its wine production.

Austria is one of the world's richest countries in terms of per capita income. Austria has a GDP per capita of $47,700 (PPP) (2016 est.)

Austria joined the Eurozone on January 1, 1999. However, the currency only existed as 'book money'.

The Zwentendorf Nuclear Power Plant, located near Vienna, Austria, is the only reactor in the world that was completely built but never put into service.

The majority of taxis in Austria are Mercedes.

Austria has a total of 21 Nobel Prize winners.

Bertha von Suttner is the first woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize on her own.

Austrian families are small, and appearance is extremely important to them. They are meticulous individuals. 

Locals begin learning to ski when they are very young.

Austrian German, a dialect of German, is spoken by the majority of the population.

On the Human Development Index, Austria is ranked 24th.

On December 14, 1955, Austria became the 70th member of the United Nations Organization (UN).

Austria is a founding member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (OECD). To this day, the organisation has 35 member countries.

Austria is a member of Borderless Europe as well. Students from all over Europe study in Austria, and vice versa.

Austria is also ranked as the world's fifth most patriotic country.

Austrians are extremely welcoming. They enjoy eating, drinking, and catching up with friends and family.

Austrians also have one of the world's highest living standards.

Austria is the only European Union country that is not a NATO member.

Beethoven, widely regarded as the greatest pianist and composer of all time, was born on December 16, 1770 in Germany.

Hitler, the famous dictator, was an Austrian, not a German. On April 20, 1889, he was born in Austria-Hungary.

St. Peter Stiftskeller, the world's oldest still-operating restaurant, is also located in Austria. It was founded in 803, and it is now over 1200 years old and still operational.

Funerals have become a costly obsession in the country, with people saving money for their special send-off.

Vienna is also one of the most livable cities in the world. It is ranked second on the list of the world's top ten most livable cities, just behind Melbourne, which tops the list.

Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, was born in Austria on May 6, 1856 and died on September 23, 1939.

Christian Doppler (29 November 1803 - 17 March 1853) was born in Salzburg, Austria, and was the father of the Doppler Effect.

Gregor Mendel, the father of modern genetics, was born in Austria on July 20, 1822 and died on January 6, 1884.

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (27 January 1756 - 5 December 1791), was born in Salzburg and is another famous Austrian. He was widely regarded as one of the greatest composers in Western music history. He possessed a near-perfect memory.

Religious freedom is a fundamental right in Austria.

In Austria, more than half of men and 20% of women are overweight.

The Spanish Riding School in Vienna is famous throughout the world for its Lipizzan Stallions. Horses are trained here using hundreds of years old traditional methods. The Lipizzan is one of Europe's oldest horse breeds (400 years and more.)

Austria also has one of the world's highest-paid chefs, Wolfgang Puck. His estimated net worth is $75 million.

Austria is one of Europe's top recyclers. The country recycles nearly 63% of the waste it generates.

After returning beer bottles to the grocery store, one can obtain money. This is one of the reasons they are at the forefront of waste recycling.

Due to the misunderstanding between Austria and Australia, a large number of postage stamps were delivered to Australia rather than Austria. Hence, the Australian post offices had to use a special rubber stamp that read "redirected to Austria in Europe".

People in Austria stay in relationships for longer than in other countries. After 8 or more years of dating, most couples marry.

Potatoes are widely consumed in the country. Potatoes are served sliced and fried, as well as pan-fried.

Austria also has one of the world's oldest flags.

The world's largest Emerald is found in Vienna.

Downhill skiing has been Austria's most popular sport for over a century. In international competition, speeds of up to 130 km/h (81 mph) are common.

Mathias Zdarsky published the first skiing handbook in Austria in 1897. He was an early ski pioneer and possibly Austria's first ski instructor.