Birth rate:
11.38 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
10.34 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
3.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
7.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
76.65 years
male:
73.44 years
female:
80.03 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.48 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Austrian(s)
adjective:
Austrian
Ethnic divisions:
German 99.4%, Croatian 0.3%, Slovene 0.2%, other 0.1%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 6%, other 9%
Languages:
German
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1974 est.)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%
Labor force:
3.47 million (1989)
by occupation:
services 56.4%, industry and crafts 35.4%, agriculture and forestry
8.1%
note:
an estimated 200,000 Austrians are employed in other European
countries; foreign laborers in Austria number 177,840, about 6% of
labor force (1988)
@Austria, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Austria
conventional short form:
Austria
local long form:
Republik Oesterreich
local short form:
Oesterreich
Digraph:
AU
Type:
federal republic
Capital:
Vienna
Administrative divisions:
9 states (bundeslander, singular - bundesland); Burgenland, Karnten,
Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol,
Vorarlberg, Wien
Independence:
12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)
National holiday:
National Day, 26 October (1955)
Constitution:
1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)
Legal system:
civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of legislative
acts by a Constitutional Court; separate administrative and
civil/penal supreme courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
19 years of age, universal; compulsory for presidential elections
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992); election last held 24
May 1992 (next to be held 1996); results of second ballot - Thomas
KLESTIL 57%, Rudolf STREICHER 43%
head of government:
Chancellor Franz VRANITZKY (since 16 June 1986); Vice Chancellor
Erhard BUSEK (since 2 July 1991)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; chosen by the president on the advice of the
chancellor
Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung)
Federal Council (Bundesrat):
consists of 63 members representing each of the provinces on the basis
of population, but with each province having at least 3
representatives
National Council (Nationalrat):
elections last held 7 October 1990 (next to be held October 1994);
results - SPOE 43%, OEVP 32.1%, FPOE 16.6%, GAL 4.5%, KPOE 0.7%, other
3.1%; seats - (183 total) SPOE 80, OEVP 60, FPOE 33, GAL 10
Judicial branch:
Supreme Judicial Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for civil and criminal
cases, Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof) for bureaucratic
cases, Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof) for
constitutional cases
Political parties and leaders:
Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPOE), Franz VRANITZKY, chairman;
Austrian People's Party (OEVP), Erhard BUSEK, chairman; Freedom Party
of Austria (FPOE), Joerg HAIDER, chairman; Communist Party (KPOE),
Walter SILBERMAYER, chairman; Green Alternative List (GAL), Peter
PILZ, chairman; Liberal Forum (LF), Heidi SCHMIDT
Other political or pressure groups:
Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Austrian Trade Union
Federation (primarily Socialist); three composite leagues of the
Austrian People's Party (OEVP) representing business, labor, and
farmers; OEVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists; Roman
Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action
Member of:
AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN,
COCOM (cooperating), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-9, GATT, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM
(guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUSAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNDOF, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIG, UNTAC, UNTSO,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Helmut TUERK
chancery:
3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008–3035
telephone:
(202) 895–6700