Data at glance of Austria - average on period

variable 1980-1989 1990-1999 2000-2007 2008-2009 2010-2019 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
real gdp growth 2.03 2.61 2.18 -0.9 0.77 -0.8 -0.7 0.6 0.7 1.0
CPI % 3.45 2.02 2.06 1.05 1.87 7.7 2.9 3.6 2.5 2.6
Unemployment rate 3.1 4.08 5.04 5.45 5.57 5.1 5.2 5.7 5.7 5.6
Debt/GDP % 56.83 63.42 67.48 82.25 81.08 77.8 79.2 80.5 82.1 82.7
Current account balance/GDP % -0.28 -1.57 2.36 2.75 1.93 1.6 1.5 1.0 0.4 0.7

Data derived from World Economic Outlook Database. To see main macroeconomic indicator in graphs click here

History

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. Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938, and the victorious Allies then occupied the country in 1945. As a result, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade after World War II, until 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. Austria joined the EU in 1995, but the obligation to remain neutral kept it from joining NATO, although the country became a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace program in 1995. Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.

Environment

Area: 83,871 sq km km2

Climate: temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers

Natural resources: oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower

Ethnic characteristics

Groups: Austrian 80.8%, German 2.6%, Bosnian and Herzegovinian 1.9%, Turkish 1.8%, Serbian 1.6%, Romanian 1.3%, other 10% (2018 est.)

Languages: German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in southern Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 est.)

Religions: Roman Catholic 55.2%, Muslim 8.3%, Orthodox 4.9%, Evangelical Christian 3.8%, Jewish 0.1%, other 5.4%, none 22.4% (2021 est.)

Government

Capital: Vienna

Government type: federal parliamentary republic

Executive branch

Chief of state: President Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (since 26 January 2017)

Head of government: Chancellor Christian STOCKER (since 3 March 2025)

Legislative branch

Description: Parliament (Parlament) - bicameral

Economic Overview

one of the strongest EU and euro economies; diversified trade portfolios and relations; enormous trade economy; Russian energy dependence, but investing in alternative energy; aging labor force but large refugee population; large government debt

Industries

construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and paper, electronics, tourism

GDP by sector: Agriculture: 1.2% (2024 est.), Industry: 23.1% (2024 est.), Services: 65.3% (2024 est.)

Trade

Export partners: Germany 25%, USA 9%, Italy 7%, Switzerland 5%, Hungary 4% (2023)

Export commodities: cars, packaged medicine, vaccines, vehicle parts/accessories, nitrogen compounds (2023)

Import partners: Germany 34%, China 7%, Italy 7%, Switzerland 5%, Czechia 4% (2023)

Import commodities: cars, garments, vaccines, vehicle parts/accessories, refined petroleum (2023)

Geography

Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Defence

Military expenditure: 2024: 1% of GDP (2024 est.)

Information derived from worldfactbook.io (Lupon Media), open successor to the CIA World Factbook. Data sourced from World Bank, IMF, UN and other international organizations.