8,067,800 (1996).

96.2 per sq km.

Vienna (Wien).

1,609,600 (1997).

Austria 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 (3798m/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 1600ft and giving way to larch and stone-pine beyond 4000ft; the Alpine foothills consist predominantly of arable land and grassland (above 2000ft). The Pannonian region is characterised by scrub and heathland.

Federal Republic. Head of State: President Thomas Klestil since 1992. Head of Government: Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel since 2000.

German is the official language. Regional dialects are pronounced and within the different regions of the country one will encounter marked variations from Hochdeutsch, ie 'standard' German. There are Croatian and Slovene-speaking minorities in the Burgenland and southern Carinthia respectively.

78% Roman Catholic, 5% Protestant, 4.5% other denominations.

GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

220 volts AC, 50Hz. Round 2-pin European plugs are standard.

Telephone: Full IDD facilities available. Country code: 43. Outgoing international code: 00. Call boxes are grey and found in all areas. International calls can be made from pay-phones with four coin slots. Trunk calls within Austria and to 40 countries are cheaper between 2000-0800 Monday to Friday and approximately 35% cheaper at the weekend (from 2000 Friday to 0800 Monday). Telegram: Facilities are available from any post office. Post: Letters up to 20g and postcards within Europe are sent by airmail. Letters within Europe take two to four days, and to the USA four to six days. Stamps may be purchased in post offices or tobacco shops. Postcards and letters within Austria and Europe cost ASch7. Post boxes are painted yellow or orange. A Poste Restante service is available at most post offices. Address mail to 'Postlagernd' ('Hauptpostlagernd' if a main post office), followed by the person's name, town, and post code. Post office hours: generally 0800-1200 and 1400-1700/1800 Monday to Friday, but main post offices and those at major railway stations are open for 24 hours, seven days a week, including public holidays. Press: Newspapers are in German. The Wiener Zeitung, established in 1703, is the oldest newspaper in the world. The national daily with the largest circulation is the Neue Kronen-Zeitung, followed by Kurier and Der Standard. English-language newspapers and magazines are also widely available, particularly in the big cities and tourist resorts.