Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court orVerfassungsgerichtshof
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Joerg HAIDER]; Austrian
People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party of
Austria or FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; Social Democratic Party
of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens [Alexander VAN
DER BELLEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Austrian Trade Union Federation (nominally independent but
primarily Socialist) or OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber;
OeVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists or VOeI; Roman
Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic
Action; three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or
OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers and other
non-government organizations in the areas of environment and human
rights
International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG,
UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY
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, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William Lee LYONS BROWN, Jr.
embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [43] (1) 31339–0, 31375, 31335
FAX: [43] (1) 3100682
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red
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. The economy features up-to-date industrial and
agricultural sectors. Timber is a key industry, 47% of the land area
being forested. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign
investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European
market and proximity to the new EU economies. Slow growth in Europe
has held the economy to 0.7% growth in 2001, 1.4% in 2002, 0.8% in
2003, and 1.9% in 2004. To meet increased competition from both EU
and Central European countries, particularly the new EU members,
Austria will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the
economy, continue to deregulate the service sector, and encourage
much greater participation in the labor market by its aging
population. The aging phenomenon, together with already high health
and pension costs, poses fundamental problems in tax and welfare
policies.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$255.9 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $31,300 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 30.8% services: 66.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 3.45 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and forestry 4%, industry and crafts 29%, services 67% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.4% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
3.9% (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 22.5% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $142.5 billion
expenditures: $146.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)
Public debt:
64.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle,
pigs, poultry; lumber
Industries:
