Republic of Austria
Austria
National anthem of Austria
Land der Berge, Land am Strome
Weather in Vienna

Celcius: 17°
Fahrenheit: 63°
Map of Austria
Basic information on Austria
Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995 have altered the meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU Economic Monetary Union in 1999.
| Location |
Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia |
| Population |
8,199,783 (July 2007 est.) |
| Nationality |
noun: Austrian(s)
adjective: Austrian |
| Flag description |
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red |