Under the rule of the mighty Habsburgs, Austria was the dominant political force in Central Europe. Today it may be politically reconciled to being a minor player in the European Union but it has few peers as a year-round holiday destination, with plenty of winter sports in the Schwarzenegger-sized Alps, some of the most impressive and overblown architecture in Europe and an unrivalled musical tradition that even The Sound of Music couldn't sully.

Full country name: The Republic of Austria
Area: 83,854 sq km (32,367 sq mi)
Population: 8,139,000
Capital city: Vienna (pop: 1.64 million)
People: 97% Germanic origin, 2% Slovene & Croat and 1% Turkish
Language: 97% German, plus some Turkish, Slovene and Croat
Religion: 88% Roman Catholic, 6% Protestant
Government: Federal Republic
President: Heinz Fischer
Chancellor: Wolfgang Schüessel

GDP: US$203 billion
GDP per head: US$25,000
Annual growth: 2.9%
Inflation: 1.7%
Major industries: Machinery, textiles, iron & steel, timber and tourism
Major trading partners: EU (esp. Germany, Italy), US, Hungary & Switzerland
Member of EU: yes
Euro zone participant: yes

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