Austria and its 66 important Details for UPSC, PSC and Other Competitive Exams

Austria and its Details Like , Capital, GDP, Currency, Geography, Economy, Defence, Culture, Natural resources, Habitat, Sports and all you want to know for UPSC, PSC and Other Competitive Exams.

Austria and its Basic Details :

Attribute	Information
Name of the country	Austria
Capital	Vienna
Independence day	October 26, 1955
Major religions	Roman Catholicism
Currency	Euro (EUR)
Continent	Europe
Top 5 Famous cities	Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Graz, Linz
Top 10 Famous persons	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sigmund Freud, Franz Schubert, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ludwig van Beethoven, Gustav Klimt, Maria Theresa, Joseph Haydn, Ferdinand Porsche, Erwin Schrödinger
Type of government	Federal parliamentary republic
Main wars fought	Austro-Prussian War, World War I, World War II
GDP	$477 billion (2021)
5 popular tourist places	1. Schönbrunn Palace, 2. Hofburg Imperial Palace, 3. Mirabell Palace and Gardens, 4. Hallstatt, 5. Belvedere Palace

Geography of Austria :

Category	Information
Area	Approximately 83,879 square kilometers
Population	Around 8.9 million people (as of the latest data)
Main Mountain Ranges	Alps, Carpathians
Main Mountain Peaks	Grossglockner, Wildspitze, Olperer, Dachstein, Hoher Dachstein
Main Rivers	Danube, Inn, Salzach, Mur, Traun
Main Lakes	Lake Constance, Lake Neusiedl, Wolfgangsee, Attersee, Traunsee
Plateaus	Styrian Basin, Viennese Basin
Main Crops and Vegetation	Wheat, corn, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, vineyards, alpine meadows, forests
Main Beaches	Notable lakeside beaches around Lake Constance, Lake Wolfgang, Lake Wörthersee
Neighboring Countries	Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein
Nearby Seas and Oceans	No direct access to seas or oceans
Coastline Length	Austria is landlocked and has no coastline
Top Natural Resources	Timber, iron ore, oil, natural gas, magnesite

Economy of Austria :

Category	Information
Major Industries	Machinery, Chemicals, Automotive, Electronics, Tourism
Revenue Sources	Manufacturing, Services, Tourism, Agriculture, Energy
Top 10 Companies	OMV, Erste Group Bank, Voestalpine, Verbund, Wienerberger, Andritz, Lenzing, Telekom Austria, Raiffeisen Bank International, Strabag
Per Capita Income	Approximately $53,000 (as of latest available data)
Top 5 Imports	Machinery, Vehicles, Chemicals, Metal Products, Foodstuffs
Top 5 Exports	Machinery, Vehicles, Medical and Pharmaceutical Products, Metals, Electronics
Total Gold Reserves	Around 280 tonnes

Defence Power of Austria :

Category	Information
Defence Budget	$3.4 billion (2023)
Army Personnel	16,000 active-duty personnel, 125,600 reservists
Air Force Personnel	4,300 personnel, 112 aircraft
Navy Personnel	No active navy currently; a navy existed until the end of World War I
Defence Imports	Arms and ammunition, parts, and accessories valued at US$214.29 million (2022)
Defence Exports	Military weapons export worth $14 million USD (2022); primary destinations: United States ($3.04M), New Zealand ($59.6k), Luxembourg ($41.3k), Poland ($26.3k)

Cultural of Austria :

Category	Information
Main Festivals	Vienna Opera Ball, Salzburg Festival, Viennale – Vienna International Film Festival, Donauinselfest and Graz Culture Days
Main Religious Places	St. Stephen’s Cathedral Vienna, Melk Abbey, Salzburg Cathedral, Mariazell Basilica and Herz Jesu Church, Graz
Main Arts and Dances	Classical music (e.g., Mozart, Beethoven), Waltz, Operas, Ballet, Viennese waltz, Schuhplattler dance
Main Languages	German (official) and Austro-Bavarian dialects
Famous Food and Cuisines	Wiener Schnitzel, Sachertorte (Chocolate cake), Apfelstrudel (Apple strudel), Tafelspitz (Boiled beef) and Kaiserschmarrn (Pancake dessert)
UNESCO Protected Buildings	Historic Centre of Vienna, Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn, Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape, Historic Centre of Salzburg and Semmering Railway

Sports in Austria :

Category	Information
National Game	Alpine skiing
Main Sports	Skiing (Alpine and Cross-country), Football, Tennis, Ice Hockey, Handball, Motorsport
Top Athletes	1. Marcel Hirscher (Skiing)<br> 2. Dominic Thiem (Tennis)<br> 3. Anna Gasser (Snowboarding)
Top Sports Achievements	Alpine skiing World Cup victories by Marcel Hirscher, Dominic Thiem’s Grand Slam performances, Anna Gasser’s Snowboarding World Championships and X Games medals

Natural Habitat and wild life of Austria :

Category	Information
National Animal	Black Eagle
National Bird	Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Main Forests	Bohemian Forest, Viennese Woods, Gesäuse National Park, Styrian Forests and Kalkalpen National Park
Main Recognized Natural Habitats	Danube-Auen National Park, Hohe Tauern National Park, Neusiedler See-Seewinkel National Park, Kalkalpen National Park, Gesäuse National Park

Biggest in the Austria :

Category	Information
Biggest in the Country	Vienna is the capital and largest city of Austria
Richest Man	Dietrich Mateschitz (Co-founder of Red Bull)
Biggest Company	OMV (Oil and Gas Company)
Tallest Building	DC Tower 1 in Vienna
Tallest Statue	Statue of Johann Strauss in Vienna
Biggest Bridge	Europabrücke Bridge in Tyrol
Tallest Mountain	Grossglockner
Longest River	Danube River
Biggest Forest	Viennese Woods and Bohemian Forest
Biggest Lake	Lake Neusiedl

Brief History Of Austria :

An overview of this country’s history:

Ancient Period:

• Prehistoric Times: The area of present-day of this country was inhabited by various Celtic tribes.
• Roman Era: The Romans conquered the region in the 1st century AD and established cities like Vindobona (present-day Vienna).
• Barbarian Invasions: The decline of the Roman Empire led to successive invasions by Germanic tribes and the Huns.

Medieval Period:

• Bavarian Rule: The region became part of the Bavarian Duchy in the 6th century.
• Habsburg Dynasty: The rise of the House of Habsburg in the Middle Ages marked the beginning of Austria’s prominence in Europe.
• Habsburg Empire: This Country became a significant European power through marriages, conquests, and alliances.

Modern Era:

• Rise of the Austro-Hungarian Empire: The Habsburgs expanded their rule, forming the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a multi-ethnic monarchy.
• Napoleonic Wars: Austria faced military defeats during the Napoleonic era, leading to territorial losses.
• Austrian Empire: Following the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Austria was restored as an empire.
• Complications in the 19th Century: The 19th century saw political upheavals, nationalist movements, and conflicts within the empire.

Recent History:

• World War I: Austria-Hungary’s defeat in WWI led to its dissolution; Austria became a republic in 1918.
• Anschluss and World War II: This country was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938 (Anschluss). After World War II, Austria was occupied by Allied forces.
• Post-war Austria: The country regained independence in 1955 and became a neutral nation.
• European Union: Austria joined the European Union in 1995 and has since played a role in EU politics and economics.

Throughout its history, this country has been a significant cultural and intellectual center, with contributions in music, art, philosophy, and science.

This historical narrative highlights Austria’s evolution from a collection of tribal settlements to a powerful empire and later, a modern republic.

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