The Geography of Austria

The Geography of Austria

Facts

Population: 9 million people live in Austria (2024)

Capital: Vienna (Wien) with 2 million inhabitants

Name: Republik Österreich (Republic of Austria)

Government: Democracy, Republic

Language: German

Literacy: More than 99% can read and write.

Religion: mainly Christians (Roman Catholics 74%)

Currency: 1 Euro = 100 cents; before 2002: Austrian Schilling (notes) and Groschen (coins)

Kristallwelten Fountain

Experience true mountain hiking or skiing on a glacier in Tyrollean Alps. In southern Austria you can also visit the magical settings in the Swarovski Kristallwelten (Swarovski Crystal Worlds) in Wattens.

Who are Austria's near neighbours?

Where is Austria?

Austria is located in Central Europe. Austria is a small and mainly mountainous country. The country has 9 million inhabitants. Austria's capital city is Vienna (Wien) with almost 2 million inhabitants. Austria is a landlocked country that shares borders with eight countries.

Where is Austria?

Where is Austria? Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Austria shares borders with eight countries: Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Liechtenstein, Switzerland (see them on the map - clockwise from the top/north). 

How many countries border Austria?

1. Ten countries
2. Five countries
3. Seven countries
4. Eight countries

Which language do people speak in Austria?

The official language of Austria is German. There are various dialects spoken and the Austro-Bavarian spoken in the western parts of Austria is close to the Bavarian dialect spoken in southern Germany. Most young people also can understand and speak English as English is taught in school. 

What is the official language of Austria?

1. Spanish
2. Italian
3. French
4. German

Best time to visit?

Of course, you can visit all year round! If you love the outdoors, the mountains invite hikers to explore alm life, which means exploring farm activities, mountain hikes and sleeping over in mountain huts. If you enjoy your winter sports, Austria is known for its superb winter resort towns and big variety of pistes, downhill runs, for skiing and snowboarding. The climate of Austria is continental and temperate. Snowfall is common during the winter months.

Mountain

Huts

What is the currency of Austria?

In Austria, you pay with Euro as the country is part of the European monetary union. In Austria be sure to always carry some Euro banknotes and coins. Especially 50-cent (toilet fee) and 1 Euro coins (storage lockers) will come in handy!

Before 2002, the country's currency was the Austrian Schilling. Then 1 Schilling equaled 100 Groschen. 

What is the currency of Austria?

1. Dollar
2. Austrian Schilling
3. Euro
4. Groschen

Vienna

The historic center of Austria's capital city is a UNESCO world heritage site due to its baroque castles and gardens, Art Nouveau buildings, churches, palaces and monuments. Vienna is located at the river Danube and the colourful roof of the Stephansdom is easy to spot. Vienna's Prater amusement park is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world and is known for its carousels and the Giant Ferris Wheel.

Austrian Alps

The highest peak in Austria is called Grossglockner. Austrian's tallest mountain is 3,798 metres/ 12,460 ft high and considered as the second highest isolated mountain peak in the Alps. This mountain towers over Austria's longest glacier which is called Pasterze. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is a scenic road with 36 turns that lead up to the viewpoint at the peak, Kaiser Franz Josef's Höhe.

What is the highest peak in Austria?

1. Kaiser Franz Josef's Höhe
2. Zugspitze
3. Pasterze
4. Grossglockner

How would you like to get to the top of a mountain like Grossglockner?

Hike

Drive

I have no interest in going up mountains?

I'm not sure

Salzburg

Nicknamed "The City of Music", Salzburg is the hometown of the famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. You definitely should plan in a visit to the fabulous Mozarthaus. The Mozartweek is an annual event in January not to be missed. The city was also the setting for the film "The Sound of Music" which tells the story of the singing Von Trapp family. And then there are also the fortress 'Hohensalzburg' and Mirabell Palace which a very worth a visit! 

Glaciers

Austria has 925 glaciers. Glaciers are called 'Gletscher' or 'Ferner' in German. A glacier is a mass of dense ice or snow that has accumulated over many years. This river of ice slowly moves downhill. Due to climate change, in many regions the ice is melting and the glaciers shrink. In Austria some glaciers are also popular ski areas. Stubai Glacier is the largest glacier ski area in Austria. Pitztal, Hintertux and Kaprun's glacier skiing season also lasts from September to May.

Hallstatt

Hallstatt is one of the most picturesque towns in Upper Austria. This town is known for the production of salt and one of the oldest salt mines in the world. Here you can venture underground in protective clothing and will learn about the unique salt rock formations during a tour in the many tunnels of the mine! Later on you will be fascinated by the breath taking Alpine panorama when you walk out to Hallstatt's Skywalk viewing platform which overlooks the fairy-tale town.

Hallstatt

What is Hallstatt known for?

1. Production of salt
2. Glass manufacturing
3. Oldest salt mine
4. Chocolate production

Hitler

Adolf Hitler was born on 20 April 1889 in the small Austrian town of Braunau am Inn, in Upper Austria on the Austrian-German border. His father, Alois, was a customs official while his mother, Klara, came from a poor peasant family.

The Nazis and their allies and collaborators murdered six million Jewish people in a genocide now known as the Holocaust. They also murdered millions of non-Jewish people between 1933 and 1945.In total, they likely annihilated 20,946,000 human beings.

What do you think should happen to Hilter's birth place?