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Österreich

1051 S. Cochran Ave, Los Angeles

practical information

practical information

Österreich

• Location:
  
Central Europe, north of Italy


• Map references:
  
Europe


• Area:
  


total area: 83,850 sq km


land area: 82,730 sq km


comparative area: slightly smaller than Maine


• Land boundaries:
  
total 2,496 km, Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 37 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 262 km, Switzerland 164 km


• Coastline:
  
0 km (landlocked)


• Maritime claims:
  
none; landlocked


• International disputes:
  
none


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


• Terrain:
  
in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping


• Natural resources:
  
iron ore, petroleum, timber, magnesite, aluminum, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower


• Land use:
  


arable land: 17%


permanent crops: 1%


meadows and pastures: 24%


forest and woodland: 39%


other: 19%


• Irrigated land:
  
40 sq km (1989)


• Environment:
  


current issues: some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe


natural hazards: NA


international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulpher 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea, Whaling


• Note:
  
landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere