Austria

Capital of Austria: Vienna
Population of Austria: 8,334,325
Total area of Austria: 83,858 km2

Austria is a small country located in the South Central part of Europe just south of Germany. Its flag consists of horizontal stripes in the following order: red, white and then red. Its coat of arm is that of a large eagle holding a sledge hammer and a sickle. It also contains the red, white, red pattern in the middle of the eagle in a rectangle with curved lower borders. The German name of Austria is called Ӧsterreich.

Austria population

The capital city of Austria is Vienna, home to 1.7 million Austrians. The country as a whole contains more than 8.4 million people in urban and rural areas. The other cities in Austria are far smaller than Vienna. The official language of the country is Austrian German, spoken by more than 88 percent of people. Smaller ethnic groups speak Croatian, Turkish, Serbian, Bosnian, Slovenian and Hungarian. Austrian German is nearly identical to regular German; however, there are some differences in spelling and vocabulary. Austria is considered a cultural nation with a high standard of living and many places for tourists to visit.

History of Austria

Austria has been occupied since the ancient times. It was part of the Roman Empire for a period of time. When Rome fell, it was a country invaded by Slavs and Bavarians, among other tribes. Christianity was introduced when Charlemagne conquered this part of Europe in 788 CE. The area was first called Ӧsterreich in the late 900s. In the 1300s and 1400s, the Habsburgs took over ruling of the country and there was a succession of Emperors of Austria. It was then defeated by Napoleon, effectively ending the Holy Roman Empire just after 1800. The Empire of Austria was created in 1804 and, ten years later, the Austrian Empire helped to defeat Napoleon. In 1867, a compromise took place that provided for co-managed Hungarian and Austrian Empires. It was called Austria-Hungary. Austria began World War I after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. It was occupied by the Germans in World War II at the time of the Anschluss. After the war, the second republic of Austria was established.

Austria Tourism

Austria of Central Europe is a tourist country. During the summer and winter seasons, tourists flock to the country. In 2007, an estimated 20.8 million tourists came to Austria and made the country 12^th place in the list of international tourist arrivals. Most travelers who visit the country are interested in Vienna because of the famous cathedrals, wine pubs or commonly called “Heurigen” and the various waltz music festivals. The Mozart fans should not miss out on Salzburg because it is the famed musician’s birthplace. Surrounding the place is the Alps and the Danube valley where famous vineyards like the Wachau and the Dunkelsteinerwald can be found. The popular activities for tourists include skiing, mountain climbing, camping, trekking and hiking in the Alps. Many families enjoy recreational activities in the Witches’ Water, Wolfgangsee and Worthersee. The most visited landmarks of Austria are the Schönbrunn Palace, Tiergarten Schönbrunn and Mariazell Basilica.

For first timers in Austria, take note that they treat greetings formally. Traditionally, they do a firm or quick handshake to greet. Eye contact while greeting is a sign of respect and earnestness for the Austrians. Most men who are older than the women tend to kiss the hand of the female. However, male foreigners should not attempt to do the same thing. When greeting, use the surname or the person’s title unless they ask you to greet them with their first name. If you are introduced to a big group of people, shake hands with all of them one by one.