OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers and other
non-government organizations in the areas of environment and human
rights
International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG,
UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY
chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008–3035
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 895–6750
telephone: [1] (202) 895–6700
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William Lee LYONS BROWN, Jr.
embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [43] (1) 31339–0, 31375, 31335
FAX: [43] (1) 3100682
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red
Economy Austria
Economy - overview:
Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high standard
of living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially
Germany's. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign
investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European
market and proximity to EU aspirant economies. Slow growth in
Germany and elsewhere in the world held the economy to 0.7% growth
in 2001, 1.4% in 2002, and again less than 1% in 2003. However,
recent data signal that the recovery has started. The government
estimates economic growth in 2004 of 1.7–2.1% and of 2.5% in 2005.
The government is planning a EURO 500 billion income tax cut in
2004, though some economists doubt it will have stimulative effects
in 2004, because it will be offset by higher health insurance
contributions and higher taxes on energy. For 2005, Austria plans a
tax cut of EURO 2.5 billion and harmonization of the various pension
schemes. To meet increased competition from both EU and Central
European countries, particularly the new EU members, Austria will
need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the economy, continue
to deregulate the service sector, and lower its tax burden. A key
issue is the encouragement of much greater participation in the
labor market by its aging population.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $245.3 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.7% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $30,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 25.7% services: 70.9% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.5% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
3.9% (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 22.5% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.4% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
3.425 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and forestry 4%, industry and crafts 29%, services 67%
(2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.4% (2003 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $67 billion
expenditures: $70 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)
Public debt:
67.6% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle,
pigs, poultry; lumber
Industries:
construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, chemicals,
lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications
equipment, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
1.9% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:
58.75 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
54.85 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
14.25 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
14.47 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
20,670 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
262,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
35,470 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:
262,000 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
85.69 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
1.731 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
7.81 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
403 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
6.033 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
24.9 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$-1.353 billion (2003)
Exports:
$83.45 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities: