Austria is a country of startling contrasts, from the
Alps in the west to the
Danube Basin in the east. One of the world's premier
skiing regions, it is also noted for its historical buildings, world-class
museums and
galleries, and breathtaking
mountain scenery.
The country's glorious architectural riches include reminders of the once-powerful
Hapsburgs, who dominated central Europe for seven centuries. The capital,
Vienna, is magnificent with its ornate Opera House and the imperial Hofburg. Austria's other cities are similarly infused
with historical magic, notably Mozart's birthplace,
Salzburg, with stunning baroque churches set before a backdrop of snow-covered peaks, and
Innsbruck, in the center of Austria's Alps.
Austria has produced and inspired a catalog of cultural figures. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Austria - and, in particular, Vienna - became a focal point of the cultural renaissance. Remnants of
Mozart's legacy are everywhere. However, Austria has also yielded people such as artists
Klimt and
Schiele, composers
Mahler and
Schubert, psychologists
Freud and
Rank, and philosophers such as
Husserl and
Wittgenstein.
Austria is a hothouse of striking
contemporary architecture and is at the forefront of engineering, invention and design. It enjoys an enduring reputation for music, literature and the
arts; visitors are just as likely to find Alpine New Wave punk-rock as they are yodelling. Gourmet culture is evident in the cafes where coffee-drinking has been raised to a high art.
Nightlife is versatile, offering laid-back taverns, beer gardens and excellent
après-ski, trendy clubs and dance venues.
Celebrations marking
events such as the recent 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth and Haydn's 200th anniversary in 2009 underline Austria's desire to embrace its rich past. Yet it also proudly fosters its contemporary cultural and social scene. Regardless, staring at a classic Austrian landscape is a reminder that some things are timeless.
GeographyAustria is a landlocked country, bordered by Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Italy. It is a mountainous country, nearly half of which is covered with forests. Austria's nine Federal Provinces form a political entity, but reflect a diversity of landscapes falling into five sections: the Eastern Alps (62.8%), the Alpine and Carpathian Foothills (11.3%), the Pannonian Lowlands (11.3%), the Vienna Basin (4.4%) and the Granite and Gneiss Highlands or Bohemian Massif (10.1%). Austria's highest mountain is Grossglockner (3,798m/12,465ft). On its way from the Black Forest in southern Germany to the Black Sea, the River Danube flows approximately 360km (220 miles) through Austria.
The vegetation changes according to the climate: the lower regions are densely wooded, with fir predominating above 488m (1,600ft) and giving way to larch and stone-pine beyond 1,219m (4,000ft); the Alpine foothills consist predominantly of arable land and grassland (above 610m/2,000ft). The Pannonian region is characterized by scrub and heathland.
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