GEOGRAPHY
Location:
Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia
Geographic coordinates: 47 20 N, 13 20 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 83,858 sq km
land: 82,738 sq km
water: 1,120 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries: total: 2,562 km
Border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany
784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia
91 km, Slovenia 330 km, Switzerland 164 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
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
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Neusiedler
See 115 m
highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m
Natural resources: iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite, lead, coal,
lignite, copper, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 17%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 23%
forests and woodland: 39%
other: 20% (1996 est.)
Irrigated land: 457 sq km (1995 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
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
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - 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
