World Factbook
Austria
Republik Oesterreich
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red history: one of the oldest national flags in the world; according to tradition, after a fierce battle in the Third Crusade in 1191, Duke Leopold V of Austria's white tunic became blood-spattered; when his sash was removed, a white band was revealed, and the red-white-red color combination was adopted as his banner
Capital
name
Vienna
etymology
the name may have evolved from the Roman name Vindobona, which was taken from the Celtic words vindo (white) and bona (fort)
time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
geographic coordinates
48 12 N, 16 22 E
Suffrage
16 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Austria
dual citizenship recognized
no
residency requirement for naturalization
10 years
Constitution
history
several previous; latest adopted 1 October 1920, revised 1929, replaced May 1934, replaced by German Weimar constitution in 1938 following German annexation, reinstated 1 May 1945
amendment process
proposed through laws designated "constitutional laws" or through the constitutional process if the amendment is part of another law; approval required by at least a two-thirds majority vote by the National Assembly and the presence of one-half of the members; a referendum is required only if requested by one-third of the National Council or Federal Council membership; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote
Country name
etymology
the name Oesterreich means "eastern realm" and dates to the 10th century; the designation refers to the fact that Austria was the easternmost extension of Bavaria and the German peoples; the word Austria is a Latinization of the German name
local long form
Republik Oesterreich
local short form
Oesterreich
conventional long form
Republic of Austria
conventional short form
Austria
Independence
no official date of independence: 976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 6 January 1453 (Archduchy of Austria acknowledged); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed); 30 March 1867 (Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy established); 12 November 1918 (First Republic proclaimed); 27 April 1945 (Second Republic proclaimed)
Legal system
civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts
Government type
federal parliamentary republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court of Justice or Oberster Gerichtshof (consists of 85 judges organized into 17 senates or panels of 5 judges each); Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof (consists of 20 judges including 6 substitutes; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof - 2 judges plus other members depending on the importance of the case)
subordinate courts
Courts of Appeal (4); Regional Courts (20); district courts (120); county courts
judge selection and term of office
Supreme Court judges nominated by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; judges serve for life; Constitutional Court judges nominated by several executive branch departments and approved by the president; judges serve for life; Administrative Court judges recommended by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; terms of judges and members determined by the president
Executive branch
cabinet
Council of Ministers proposed by the chancellor and appointed by the president
chief of state
President Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (since 26 January 2017)
election results
2022: Alexander VAN DER BELLEN reelected in first round; percent of vote - Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (independent) 56.7%, Walter ROSENKRANZ (FPO) 17.7%, Dominik WLAZNY (Beer Party) 8.3%, Tassilo WALLENTIN (independent) 8.1%, Gerald GROSZ (independent) 5.6% 2016: Alexander VAN DER BELLEN elected in second round; percent of vote in first round - Norbert HOFER (FPOe) 35.1%, Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (independent, allied with the Greens) 21.3%, Irmgard GRISS (independent) 18.9%, Rudolf HUNDSTORFER (SPOe) 11.3%, Andreas KHOL (OeVP) 11.1%, Richard LUGNER (independent) 2.3%; percent of vote in second round - Alexander VAN DER BELLEN 53.8%, Norbert HOFER 46.2%
head of government
Chancellor Christian STOCKER (since 3 March 2025)
most recent election date
9 October 2022
election/appointment process
president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); chancellor appointed by the president but determined by the majority coalition parties in the Federal Assembly; vice chancellor appointed by the president on the advice of the chancellor
expected date of next election
2028
National holiday
National Day (commemorates passage of the law on permanent neutrality), 26 October (1955)
National color(s)
red, white
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
12 (11 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Historic Salzburg (c); Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn (c); Halstadt–Dachstein/Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape (c); Semmering railway (c); Historic Graz and Schloss Eggenberg (c); Wachau Cultural Landscape (c); Historic Vienna (c); Fertő/Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape (c); Baden bei Wien (c); Primeval Beech Forests - Dürrenstein, Kalkalpen (n)
Political parties
Austrian People's Party or OeVP Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe The Greens - The Green Alternative NEOS - The New Austria and Liberal Forum Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe
Legislative branch
legislature name
Parliament (Parlament)
legislative structure
bicameral
National anthem(s)
note
note: the beloved waltz "The Blue Danube" ("An der schoenen, blauen Donau"), composed in 1866 by Johann STRAUSS II, is widely considered Austria's unofficial national anthem
title
"Bundeshymne" (Federal Hymn)
history
adopted 1947; Austria adopted a new national anthem after World War II to replace the former imperial anthem composed by Franz Josef HAYDN, which Germany had appropriated in 1922 and was thereafter associated with the Nazi regime; the Austrian Federal Assembly adopted a gender-neutral version of the lyrics in 2012
lyrics/music
Paula von PRERADOVIC/Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART or Johann HOLZER (disputed)
National symbol(s)
eagle, edelweiss, Alpine gentian
Administrative divisions
9 states ( Bundeslaender , singular - Bundesland ); Burgenland, Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria), Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria), Tirol (Tyrol), Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
National Council (Nationalrat)
term in office
5 years
number of seats
183 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
9/29/2024
expected date of next election
September 2029
percentage of women in chamber
35.5%
parties elected and seats per party
Freedom Party (FPÖ) (57); People's Party (ÖVP) (51); Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) (41); NEOS (“New Austria”) (18); Greens (16)
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
Federal Council (Bundesrat)
number of seats
60 (all indirectly elected)
percentage of women in chamber
46.7%
parties elected and seats per party
People's Party (OVP) (22); Social Democratic Party (SPO) (18); Freedom Party (16); Greens (3); NEOS (New Austria) (1)
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 895-6750
chancery
3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
telephone
[1] (202) 895-6700
consulate(s)
Chicago
chief of mission
Ambassador Petra SCHNEEBAUER (since 19 APRIL 2023)
consulate(s) general
Los Angeles, New York
email address and website
washington-ob@bmeia.gv.at https://www.austria.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[43] (1) 31339 2017
embassy
Boltzmanngasse 16, 1090, Vienna
telephone
[43] (1) 31339 0
mailing address
9900 Vienna Place, Washington DC 20521-9900
chief of mission
Ambassador Art FISHER (since 19 November 2025)
email address and website
ConsulateVienna@state.gov https://at.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOOSA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction