December 2008); Vice Chancellor Josef PROELL (OeVP) (since 2
December 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice
of the chancellor
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: president elected for a six-year term (eligible for a
second term) by direct popular vote and formally sworn into office
before the Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung; presidential
election last held on 25 April 2010 (next to be held on 25 April
2016); chancellor formally chosen by the president but determined by
the coalition parties forming a parliamentary majority; vice
chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
election results: Heinz FISCHER reelected president with 79.3% of
the vote
note: government coalition - SPOe and OeVP
Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal
Council or Bundesrat (62 seats; delegates appointed by state
parliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 seats in proportion to
its population; members serve five- or six-year terms) and the
National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected by
popular vote for a five-year term under a system of proportional
representation with partially-open party lists)
elections: National Council - last held on 28 September 2008 (next
to be held by September 2013)
election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe
29.3%, OeVP 26%, FPOe 17.5%, BZOe 10.7%, Greens 10.4%, other 6.1%;
seats by party - SPOe 57, OeVP 51, FPOe 34, BZOe 21, Greens 20
Judicial branch:
Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative Court
or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or
Verfassungsgerichtshof
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Josef BUCHER]; Austrian
People's Party or OeVP [Josef PROELL]; Freedom Party of Austria or
FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; Social Democratic Party of Austria
or SPOe [Werner FAYMANN]; The Greens [Eva GLAWISCHNIG]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Austrian Trade Union Federation or OeGB (nominally independent but
primarily Social Democratic); Federal Economic Chamber;
OeVP-oriented Association of Austrian Industrialists or IV; Roman
Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic
Action
other: three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or
OeVP representing business, labor, farmers, and other nongovernment
organizations in the areas of environment and human rights
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia
Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,
ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen
Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP,
UNHCR, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Christian PROSL
chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William C. EACHO III
embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0
FAX: [43] (1) 3100682
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red; the flag
design is certainly one of the oldest - if not the oldest - national
banners in the world; according to tradition, in 1191, following a
fierce battle in the Third Crusade, Duke Leopold V of Austria's
white tunic became completely blood-spattered; upon removal of his
wide belt or sash, a white band was revealed; the red-white-red
color combination was subsequently adopted as his banner
National anthem:
name: "Bundeshymne" (Federal Hymn)
lyrics/music: Paula von PRERADOVIC/Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART or Johann
HOLZER (disputed)
note: adopted 1947; the anthem is also known as "Land der Berge,
Land am Strome" (Land of the Mountains, Land on the River); Austria
adopted a new national anthem after World War II to replace the
former imperial anthem composed by Franz Josef HAYDN, which had been
appropriated by Germany in 1922 and was now associated with the Nazi
regime
Economy ::Austria
Economy - overview:
Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high standard of
living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's.
Its economy features a large service sector, a sound industrial
sector, and a small, but highly developed agricultural sector.
Following several years of solid foreign demand for Austrian exports
and record employment growth, the international financial crisis and
global economic downturn in 2008 led to a recession that persisted
until the third quarter of 2009. Austrian GDP contracted 3.8% in
2009 but saw positive growth of about 2% in 2010. Unemployment has
not risen as steeply in Austria as elsewhere in Europe, partly
because its government has subsidized reduced working hour schemes
to allow companies to retain employees. Such stabilization measures,
stimulus initiatives, and the government's income tax reforms pushed
the budget deficit to 3.5% of GDP in 2009 and about 5% in 2010, from
only about 1.3% in 2008. The international financial crisis caused
difficulties for some of Austria's largest banks whose extensive
operations in central, eastern, and southeastern Europe faced large
losses. The government provided bank support - including in some
instances, nationalization - to prevent insolvency and possible
regional contagion. In the medium-term all large Austrian banks will
need additional capital. Even after the global economic outlook
improves, Austria will need to continue restructuring, emphasizing
knowledge-based sectors of the economy, and encouraging greater
labor flexibility and greater labor participation to offset growing
unemployment and Austria's aging population and exceedingly low
fertility rate.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$332.9 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
$326.4 billion (2009 est.)
$339.3 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$366.3 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
-3.8% (2009 est.)
1.9% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$40,300 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
$39,800 (2009 est.)
$41,300 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.5%
industry: 29.4%
services: 69.1% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
3.63 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 5.5%
industry: 27.5%
services: 67% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.6% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
4.8% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
6% (2008)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 22% (2007)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 127
31 (1995)
Investment (gross fixed):
21% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Public debt:
68.6% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
66.4% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
0.4% (2009 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.03% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
6.82% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$173.4 billion (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 18
$175.6 billion (31 December 2009 est)
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the
entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary
policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU);
individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money
circulating within their own borders
Stock of broad money:
$402.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
$402.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$659.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
$606.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$53.58 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 43
$72.3 billion (31 December 2008)
$228.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle,
pigs, poultry; lumber
Industries:
construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals,
chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard,
communications equipment, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Electricity - production:
66.78 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
Electricity - consumption:
68.37 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
Electricity - exports:
14.93 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
19.8 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
25,410 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
Oil - consumption:
273,700 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
Oil - exports:
52,970 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Oil - imports:
298,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
Oil - proved reserves:
50 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Natural gas - production:
1.668 billion cu m (2009)
country comparison to the world: 59
Natural gas - consumption:
8.232 billion cu m (2009)
country comparison to the world: 50
Natural gas - exports:
3.961 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
Natural gas - imports:
10.96 billion cu m (2009)
country comparison to the world: 20
Natural gas - proved reserves:
16.14 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Current account balance:
$8.012 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
$8.73 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$157.4 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
$135.7 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and
paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles,
foodstuffs
Exports - partners:
Germany 30.96%, Italy 8.17%, Switzerland 4.99%, US 3.99% (2009)
Imports:
$156 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
$138.7 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods, oil
and oil products; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Germany 45.07%, Switzerland 6.76%, Italy 6.66%, Netherlands 4.03%
(2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$NA (31 December 2010 est.)
$18.05 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$755 billion (30 June 2010)
country comparison to the world: 17
$864.2 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$290.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
$286.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$297.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
$290.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7179 (2009), 0.6827
(2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006)
Communications ::Austria
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.253 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 46
Telephones - mobile cellular:
11.773 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 59
Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed and efficient
domestic: fixed-line subscribership has been in decline since the
mid-1990s with mobile-cellular subscribership eclipsing it by the
late 1990s; the fiber-optic net is very extensive; all telephone
applications and Internet services are available
international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 15; in
addition, there are about 600 VSATs (very small aperture terminals)
(2007)
Broadcast media:
Austria's public broadcaster, ORF, was the main broadcast source
until commercial radio and television service was introduced in the
1990s; cable and satellite TV are available, including German TV
stations (2008)
Internet country code:
.at
Internet hosts:
3.266 million (2010)
country comparison to the world: 29
Internet users:
6.143 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 43
Transportation ::Austria
Airports:
55 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 84
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 14 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 26 (2010)
Heliports:
1 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 2,721 km; oil 663 km; refined products 157 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 6,399 km
country comparison to the world: 29
standard gauge: 5,927 km 1.435-m gauge (3,688 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 384 km 1.000-m gauge (15 km electrified); 88 km
0.760-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 107,262 km
country comparison to the world: 40
paved: 107,262 km (includes 1,696 km of expressways) (2006)
Waterways:
358 km (2007)
country comparison to the world: 91
Merchant marine:
total: 2
country comparison to the world: 141
by type: cargo 2
registered in other countries: 4 (Cyprus 1, Malta 1, Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines 2) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna
Military ::Austria
Military branches:
Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)
Military service age and obligation:
18-35 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age
for male or female voluntary service; service obligation 6 months of
training, followed by an 8-year reserve obligation; conscripts
cannot be deployed in military operations outside Austria (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,960,781
females age 16-49: 1,926,134 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,595,379
females age 16-49: 1,566,884 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 49,455
female: 47,046 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.8% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 150
Transnational Issues ::Austria
Disputes - international:
while threats of international legal action never materialized in
2007, 915,220 Austrians, with the support of the newly elected
Freedom Party, signed a petition in January 2008, demanding that
Austria block the Czech Republic's accession to the EU unless Prague
closed its nuclear power plant in Temelin, bordering Austria
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American
cocaine destined for Western Europe; increasing consumption of
European-produced synthetic drugs
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Azerbaijan (Middle East)
Introduction ::Azerbaijan
Background:
Azerbaijan - a nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Muslim
population - was briefly independent from 1918 to 1920; it regained
its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve its
conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily
Armenian-populated region that Moscow recognized as part of Soviet
Azerbaijan in the 1920s after Armenia and Azerbaijan disputed the
status of the territory. Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over
the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after both countries
attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994,
when a cease-fire took hold, ethnic Armenian forces held not only
Nagorno-Karabakh but also seven surrounding provinces in the
territory of Azerbaijan. Corruption in the country is ubiquitous,
and the government, which eliminated presidential term limits in a
2009 referendum, has been accused of authoritarianism. Although the
poverty rate has been reduced in recent years due to revenue from
oil production, the promise of widespread wealth resulting from the
continued development of Azerbaijan's energy sector remains largely
unfulfilled.
Geography ::Azerbaijan
Location:
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and
Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range
Geographic coordinates:
40 30 N, 47 30 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 86,600 sq km
country comparison to the world: 112
land: 82,629 sq km
water: 3,971 sq km
note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the
Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by
Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries:
total: 2,013 km
border countries: Armenia (with Azerbaijan-proper) 566 km, Armenia
(with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 221 km, Georgia 322 km, Iran
(with Azerbaijan-proper) 432 km, Iran (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan
exclave) 179 km, Russia 284 km, Turkey 9 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (713 km)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
dry, semiarid steppe
Terrain:
large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much of it below
sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag
Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi
(Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite
Land use:
arable land: 20.62%
permanent crops: 2.61%
other: 76.77% (2005)
Irrigated land:
14,550 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
30.3 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 17.25 cu km/yr (5%/28%/68%)
per capita: 2,051 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
droughts
Environment - current issues:
local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula)
(including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be the
ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe
air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil
spills, from the use of DDT pesticide, and from toxic defoliants
used in the production of cotton
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are
landlocked
People ::Azerbaijan
Population:
8,303,512 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.9% (male 1,042,132/female 926,495)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 2,807,717/female 2,908,221)
65 years and over: 6.7% (male 204,410/female 349,697) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.5 years
male: 26.9 years
female: 30.3 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.805% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
Birth rate:
17.75 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
Death rate:
8.28 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
Net migration rate:
-1.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Urbanization:
urban population: 52% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.124 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 52.84 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 46
male: 58.37 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 46.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.01 years
country comparison to the world: 156
male: 62.86 years
female: 71.67 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.03 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.2% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
7,800 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Nationality:
noun: Azerbaijani(s)
adjective: Azerbaijani
Ethnic groups:
Azeri 90.6%, Dagestani 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.9%
(1999 census)
note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh
region
Religions:
Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other
1.8% (1995 est.)
note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan;
percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower
Languages:
Azerbaijani (Azeri) (official) 90.3%, Lezgi 2.2%, Russian 1.8%,
Armenian 1.5%, other 3.3%, unspecified 1% (1999 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.8%
male: 99.5%
female: 98.2% (1999 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 171
Government ::Azerbaijan
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan
conventional short form: Azerbaijan
local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi
local short form: Azarbaycan
former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Baku (Baki, Baky)
geographic coordinates: 40 23 N, 49 52 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities (saharlar; sahar -
singular), 1 autonomous republic (muxtar respublika)
rayons: Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu,
Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Astara Rayonu, Balakan Rayonu, Barda
Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil Rayonu,
Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu,
Gadabay Rayonu, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu,
Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu,
Lacin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu,
Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax
Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu,
Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi
Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu, Susa Rayonu,
Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xanlar
Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimli
Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab
Rayonu
cities: Ali Bayramli Sahari, Baki Sahari, Ganca Sahari, Lankaran
Sahari, Mingacevir Sahari, Naftalan Sahari, Saki Sahari, Sumqayit
Sahari, Susa Sahari, Xankandi Sahari, Yevlax Sahari
autonomous republic: Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi (Nakhichevan)
Independence:
30 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 18 October 1991
(adopted by the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan)
National holiday:
Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, 28 May (1918)
Constitution: