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On 1 January 2023, Austria had a population of 9,104,772 living in an area of 80,879 square kilometres. That means there were 109 people per square kilometre.

People in Austria speak German. There have always been close ties with other German-speaking countries. The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation existed until 1806. Its ruler was the emperor in Vienna. From 1804, the emperor was the head of the Austrian Empire. In 1867, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was established, and its emperor also ruled over the present-day countries of Hungary, Czechia, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia.

After World War I, this empire was dissolved and the individual states became independent. The Republic of Austria in its present form has existed since 1955.

The capital of Austria is Vienna . The city lies on the Danube and had a total population of 2,002,821 as of October 1, 2023. It is by far the largest city in Austria. About one in five Austrians lives in the capital.

Vienna is a city with many impressive attractions.

Schönbrunn Palace is a magnificent Baroque palace and was once the summer residence of the Habsburg dynasty. St. Stephen's Cathedral is a Gothic cathedral and Vienna's landmark. The Hofburg is the former imperial palace. Today, it houses various museums, including the Sisi Museum and the Spanish Riding School.

The Prater is a large amusement park with a famous Ferris wheel that offers fantastic views over the city. The Vienna State Opera is a world-famous opera house where top-class performances are regularly staged.

The Republic of Austria consists of 9 federal states: Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Vienna . The states are made up of a total of 80 districts and 2,100 municipalities.

Other large cities in Austria include Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Klagenfurt. They all have more than 100,000 inhabitants. You can find the exact population figures here. In total, 201 municipalities in Austria are classified as cities.

The Danube is 2,857 km long in total. It rises in the Black Forest in Germany and empties into the Black Sea in Romania. It crosses the German-Austrian border near Passau and then flows for 349 kilometers through Austria. The Drava rises in South Tyrol, Italy, and continues through East Tyrol and Carinthia in Austria and through Slovenia. It then forms part of the border between Croatia and Hungary. It flows into the Danube at Dravski Kut (Draueck) in Croatia. The Drava is 749 kilometers long in total. The Inn, which is 517 kilometers long, flows through Austria for 280 kilometers. It flows into the Danube at Passau and often carries more water here than the Danube itself. The Mur rises in Austria's Hohe Tauern National Park. It is the most important river in Styria and flows through Graz. It is 453 kilometers long, 348 kilometers of which are in Austria. It then crosses the border into Slovenia and flows into the Drava at Legrad in Croatia. The Salzach is 225 kilometers long. It rises west of Salzburg, forms the border between Austria and Germany for a long stretch, and flows into the Inn near Haiming. Other rivers in Austria include the Enns, Traun and Kamp .

Austria is a country of mountains: around 60 percent of the country is mountainous. A large part of the Alps, Europe's highest and largest mountain range, lies within Austria. The country's highest mountain is the Großglockner, at 3,798 metres. There are almost 1,000 mountain peaks rising above 3,000 metres. Austria's many mountain landscapes make tourism an important part of life here. In the winter months, skiers from Europe and around the world head to the well-developed ski resorts. In summer, the mountains attract climbers and hikers. Austria is also known for its wide variety of landscapes beyond the Alps. The Alpine foothills stretch north and south-east of the Alps. They are characterised by flat or rolling countryside, used mainly for farming. In the northern part, which includes the Traunviertel, Innviertel and Mostviertel, you can find many so-called “Vierkanthöfe”: four-part farmsteads arranged around a large central courtyard. The south-eastern Alpine foothills have a mild climate. They are ideal for growing wine and apples. There are also several warm mineral springs that attract many visitors. The Vienna Basin lies mainly to the east of the capital, south and north of the Danube. Grain, sugar beet and grapes are grown here, and there are several spa towns, such as Baden. Agriculture, forestry and fish farming dominate the Waldviertel and Mühlviertel, north of the Danube. The region has vast granite boulders as well as raised bogs. Several textile companies once operated here, and travelling merchants promoted their products. This is where the name “Bandlkramerland” comes from. Styria is sometimes called the “Green Heart of Austria.” More than half the region is covered in forest, and a quarter consists of meadows, pastures, orchards and vineyards. Burgenland is Austria's easternmost state. It forms part of the Pannonian Plain, which stretches far into Hungary. The region is characterised mainly by farming and wine-growing.

Many lakes formed in Austria over the course of geological history. The largest is Lake Constance, although only about a tenth of it belongs to Austria. Lake Neusiedl is in Burgenland and is often called the “Lake of the Viennese” because Vienna’s residents enjoy taking trips to this nearby lake. Upper Austria is home to Lake Attersee, Lake Traunsee, Lake Mondsee and Lake Wolfgangsee; Carinthia is home to Lake Wörthersee, Lake Millstatt and Lake Ossiach. A total of 45 Austrian lakes cover an area of more than 0.5 square kilometres.

Austria borders Hungary and Slovakia to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south. To the west, Austria shares a border with Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Its neighbours to the north are Germany and the Czech Republic.

Austria and Germany have always been closely connected. The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation existed until 1806, with the emperors ruling from Vienna. From 1815, the German Confederation united the Austrian Empire, later Austria-Hungary, with the other German states, such as the Kingdoms of Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, Württemberg-Baden and Hanover. When the German Empire was founded in 1871, however, the future Reich Chancellor Otto von Bismarck ensured that Austria-Hungary was excluded. The First World War was fought jointly by the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the German Empire against other European powers. After their defeat, the emperors in both countries abdicated in 1918. Austria and Germany became democratic republics. After the dictator Adolf Hitler, who was born in the Austrian town of Braunau am Inn, came to power in Germany, he forced through the annexation of Austria into the German Reich in 1938. The following year, Hitler started the Second World War, which ended in a terrible catastrophe. Since 1945, Germany and Austria have once again been separate countries. Both are now important members of the European Union (EU ).

Few countries in the world rely on tourism as much as Austria does. In terms of employment, tourism ranks fourth among the country’s economic sectors.

Austria’s largest companies include the Strabag group, Raiffeisen International Bank and Erste Bank. Steel company Voestalpine and oil and gas company OMV Group also employ several thousand people.

The President of the Republic of Austria is the Federal President . They are elected by a majority vote. A term of office lasts 6 years. They may be re-elected once.

Laws for Austria are passed by the National Council and the Federal Council. The National Council has 183 representatives elected by the people. They are elected for five-year terms and are nominated by political parties. Citizens aged 16 and over are eligible to vote. The most recent National Council elections were held in October 2019. The National Council meets in the Parliament Building on the Ringstraße in Vienna. The Federal Council represents the federal states. It currently has 61 members, appointed by the state parliaments. At the head of the Austrian government is the Federal Chancellor . The Chancellor is appointed by the Federal President, who generally takes the majority in the National Council into account when making the appointment.