100 interesting facts about Austria.
100 Interesting Facts about Austria, Which Cover Its History, Geography, Famous People, Food, Culture, Economy, Famous Monuments and Much More.
Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in Central Europe. It has an area of 83871 square kilometers. The country’s capital and largest city is Vienna. German is its official language; the euro (€) is the official currency. The eight bordering countries are the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland. Austria is a landlocked country. Its terrain is mountainous. With these amazing facts about Austria, let’s learn about its history, geography, culture, people and the like.
About its history and heritage 1. Austria, which was once the center of power of the great Austro-Hungarian Empire, was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I (July 28, 1914 – November 11, 1918).
2. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Austria was the great power of Europe.
3. Austria was occupied by many Celtic tribes in pre-Roman times.
4. Austria became independent on October 26, 1955.
5. After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. The country experienced more than 25 years of social and economic turbulence.
6. Austria is also the country where the first postcards were published. Austria is somewhat smaller than Maine (U.S. state) in this area.
7. Vienna was involved in nine major wars in the 19th – m century. In the 19th -m century, the average life expectancy in Vienna was about 38 years.
8. mozartkugel – the best Austrian chocolate originated in Mozart’s homeland.
9. Between 1938 and 1945 Austria was under Nazi Germany. From 1945 to 1955 it was under Allied control.
10. The Vienna Clock Museum is a place where more than 1,000 clocks are preserved. The center of the museum’s attraction is the astronomical clock, built in 1679.
11. The Austrian National Library, located in Vienna, completed in 1726, is one of the largest libraries in the world. The library has a 14th-century collection and today holds more than 2.5 million books. The library was formerly the court library of the Habsburgs.
12. Austria has been sworn to a neutral position since the world wars.
13. the highest point of the country is at 3.798 m – Grossglockner (First ascent: 28 July 1800, location: Carinthia and East Tyrol, Austria).
14. a very small percentage of Austrians participate in agriculture (the share of agricultural production is less than 1.5% of GDP.) The average farm size in Austria is 45 acres.
15. Austria is also considered a “European country of organic farming. 1 “. Austrians celebrate quality, not quantity. The country promotes a reduction in the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
16. Austrian corn yields are on average higher than in the United States. Austria rejects the use of biotechnology for crop production.
17. It is also the first country in the world to register the first organic farm (1927), as well as the first country to establish national rules for organic farming.
18. Austria has 9 federal states – Vienna, Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol and Vorarlberg.
19. Austria extends 360 miles from east to west.
20. Lake Neusiedl is the most natural lake in Austria. It has an area of 315 square kilometers and is 36 kilometers long.
21. The country meets more than 70% of its electricity needs with renewable energy.
22. The country is located in the center of European transportation between east and west along the great north-south Danube trade route.
23. The country has the longest border with Germany, which is about 800 kilometers.
24. Austria, Switzerland, and Luxembourg are several landlocked countries in Europe.
25. The port of Vienna is Austria’s largest river port and one of the largest ports on the Danube River, with a total annual throughput of about 120,000,000 tons of cargo.
26. Soccer, volleyball, basketball, ballet, and dance are among the most popular sports in the country.
27. Vienna is the capital and largest city in the country.
28. There are 26 Schengen countries – Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland .Passport and all other border controls at the mutual borders of these 26 member countries do not apply. The region covers a population of over 400,000,000 people and operates almost as one state for international travel.
29. Austria and Switzerland are called the winter sports capital of Europe.
30. Austria is also famous for its historic cities, villages and the magnificent scenery of the Alps.
31. The Danube is Europe’s second-longest river after the Volga. It originates in Germany and flows through Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine. The river is approximately 2,880 km long and flows into the Black Sea. It is the only river in the world that flows through ten countries.
32. 2/3 e Austria is covered by forests and grasslands. Forests account for 2/5 thousand of the country. So, Austria is one of the most densely forested countries in Central Europe.
33. the largest ice cave system in the world-Eisriesenwelt -belongs to Austria. The system is located in Werfen, about 40 km south of Salzburg. More than 200,000 tourists visit the ice caves each year.
34. The country is also home to the world’s oldest zoo, the Tiergarten Schoenbrunn. It is located on the grounds of the famous Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria. It was founded in 1752. The zoo is home to over 700 species of animals, some of which are endangered. Its main purpose is to create a center for the preservation of species and general nature.
35. Krimml Falls is the highest waterfall in Austria and Central Europe. It is 380 m high, and it is a multi-level waterfall. There are three stages; the top stage is 100 m, the middle stage is 140 m, and the lowest stage is 140 m.
36. The Danube River, 2,860 km long, is the country’s main waterway.
37. The goat is a species of mountain goat in Austria. They are found in the Alps. They are nearly extinct, but have been recovered in the last few years.
38. Acid rain is a problem in Austria. Almost 37% of the country’s forests have suffered losses from acid rain and other forms of pollution.
39. Neusiedler See is Austria’s lowest point at 115 meters above sea level.
40. 2/3 and the country exceeds 500 m.
41. It rains a lot in some parts of the country, almost more than 200 times a year.
42. Austria has the longest border with Germany.
43. Austria exports about 30% of the wine produced in the country.
44. Austria has the third highest per capita income from tourism in the European Union. The country attracts over 30,000,000 tourists every year.
45. Austria is one of the richest countries per capita in the world. Austria’s GDP per capita (PPP) is $47,700 (2016).
46. Austria adopted the euro on January 1, 1999 However, the currency was only as “book money.” On January 1, 2002, euro banknotes and coins were introduced in Austria. Shilling and the euro had legal payment status, which expired on February 28, 2002.
47. The Zwendendorfi nuclear power plant, near Vienna, Austria, is the only reactor in the world that has been fully built but mothballed before it is operational.
48. Because of the slowing economy after World War II, large numbers of Austrians emigrated to the United States, Canada, and Australia.
49. Most cabs in Austria are Mercedes.
50. There are a total of 21 Nobel Prize winners for Austria. Bertha von Suttner is the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize exclusively. Maria Curie won the prize, but she did so with her husband Pierre Curie in 1903.
51. Austrian families are small, and appearance is very important to them. They are sensitive people.
52. German is the official language of Austria. However, there are some other local official languages, including Slovenian, Hungarian, Croatian, and Burgenlandsky.
53. Locals learn to ski when they are in their early years.
54. Most Austrians speak Austrian German, which is a dialect of German.
55. Austria ranks 24th in the Human Development Index.
56. Austria became a member of the European Union in 1995. Finland and Sweden also joined the European Union in the same year.
57. Austria became the 70th member of the United Nations (UN) on 14 December 1955.
58. Austria is also a founding member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Today, the organization has 35 member countries.
59. Austria is also part of Europe without borders. Students from different European countries study in Austria and vice versa.
60. Bavaria (Southern Germany) is a close cultural relative of Austria.
61. Austria is also rated as the fifth most patriotic country in the world. Many Austrians derive their identity from the state/region to which they belong.
62. Austrians are very hospitable. They like to eat, drink, and chat with friends and relatives.
63. Austrians also have one of the highest standards of living in the world.
64. The president of Austria is elected by the people for a term of 6 years. However, the president is only a representative. The federal chancellor directs the day-to-day operations of the country.
65. Ethnic Austrians make up the vast majority of the population.
66. Austria is the only country in the European Union which is not a member of NATO.
67. Beethoven, considered the greatest pianist and composer of all time, was born in Germany on December 16, 1770 He died at the age of 56 in Austria. During the last 10 years of his life he wrote some of his most important works. Remarkably, he was unable to hear in his final years.
68. Hitler, the famous ruler, was Austrian, not German. He was born in Austria-Hungary on April 20, 1889.
69. Austria is also home to the oldest restaurant in the world that is still in operation, St. Peter Stifzkeller. It was established in 803, and now it is still in operation and is over 1,200 years old. Christopher Columbus, Johann Georg Faust and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are said to have served here.
70. Vienna has more than 300,000 graves in its central cemetery. Vienna has about 52 suburban cemeteries. The Vienna Central Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in the world – it covers 2.5 million square meters. Contrary to its name, the cemetery is not in the city of Vienna, but on the outskirts.
71. Funerals became an expensive obsession in the country, and people saved money for their special send-offs.
72. Vienna is also one of the most livable cities in the world. It ranks second on the list of top ten cities in the world, placed just behind Melbourne, which tops the list.
73. The father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud (May 6, 1856 – September 23, 1939) was Austrian.
74. The father of the Doppler effect, Christian Doppler (November 29, 1803 – March 17, 1853) was born in Salzburg, Austria. The Doppler effect states that the observed frequency of a wave depends on the relative velocity of the source and the observer.
75. The father of modern genetics, Gregor Mendel (July 20, 1822 – January 6, 1884), was also Austrian.
76. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (January 27, 1756 – December 5, 1791), who was born in Salzburg, is also among the famous Austrians. He was widely recognized as one of the greatest composers in the history of Western music. He was gifted with an almost perfect memory. He had been writing since he was five years old.
77. Beethoven, who lived most of his life in Austria, experienced deafness from the age of 26. He composed some of the best works of his life, the Symphony No. 9 in D minor.
78. Ernst Mach (February 18, 1838 – February 19, 1916) introduced the Mach number system in 1887. The speed of sound is measured by Mach numbers. The ratio of speed to speed of sound is called Mach’s number in his honor. The speed of sound (1 Mach) is equal to 1234.8 kilometers per hour.
79. In 2017, Austria is the 95th most populous country in the world. (8754413 – forecast July 2017)
80. Freedom of religion is a fundamental right of Austria.
81. More than 50% of men and 20% of women in Austria are overweight. This statistic is the highest in the European Union.
82. The Spanish Riding School in Vienna is world-famous for the Lipizzanamas stallions. Here the horses are trained using traditional methods that are hundreds of years old. The Lipizzan is one of the oldest breeds of horses in Europe (400 years or more).
83. Austria also has one of the chefs with the highest income in the world, Wolfgang Puck. His net worth is estimated at $750,000,000.
84. Austria is one of the best processors in Europe. The country recycles almost 63% of the waste it produces.
85. Austrians work longer hours – 45 hours a week among the other working-age population of the European Union.
86. Punctuality is a valuable trait of Austria.
87. Retail and grocery stores do not work on Sundays.
88. You can take the money when you return the beer bottles to the grocery store. This is one of the reasons why they are the leaders in recycling.
89. Austrians prefer a river or lake instead of a swimming pool.
90. In Austria, people stay in a relationship longer than other countries. It is common for couples to get married after 8 or more years of dating.
91. Because of confusion between Austria and Australia, a large number of mail items were delivered to Australia instead of Austria. So, Australian post offices had to use a special stamp that said “redirected to Austria in Europe.”
92. Potatoes are popular in the country. Potatoes are served sliced, as well as in friends and in a pan.
93. For breakfast, Austrians like to consume bread and rolls made from white and whole-wheat flour, combined with granola.
94. The country is also famous for sweet desserts and cakes – Sachertorte, which is a chocolate cake, and Strudel, which is a pastry roll filled with apples and cheese.
95. Gelati can be found everywhere in the country.
96. Austrian food is exposed to Hungarian, German and Italian traditions.
97. Pork, beef, and veal are the main contents of some of Austria’s most beloved dishes.
98. Austria is also one of the oldest flags in the world.
99. Vienna, the capital of Austria, is home to the world’s largest Emerald.
100. For 100 years alpine skiing has been the most popular sport in Austria. Speed up to 130 km / h (81 mph) is a common phenomenon in international competitions. The first ski guide was published in Austria in 1897 by Matthias Zdarsky. Probably the first ski instructor in Austria, he was the first pioneer of skiing.
9 interesting facts about Austria
Austria is an amazing state with a rich history, culture, and simply stunning sights. But a trip to this country would be even more interesting if you know a few surprising facts about Austria, which Kidpassage recommends the whole family to read. So, what can the homeland of the great composers boast? Let’s find out!
1. the Austrian national flag, along with that of Denmark, is considered one of the oldest flags in Europe.
The Austrian flag is a white stripe on a scarlet background. Legend has it that in 1191 Duke Leopold V of the Babenberg family, during a battle against the Sultan Zaladin in the Promised Land, spattered his snow-white tunic with blood. When he took off his belt, a white stripe was left on the red background – hence the colors of the Austrian flag. The modern interpretation of the colors of the flag is slightly different: the red color symbolizes the blood of all the soldiers who gave their lives for the independence of the country, and the white color is the symbol of the Danube River flowing from west to east.
2. The country has the highest cascade waterfall in Europe – Krimmler (380 m)
The cascade of three mighty waterfalls in the Hohe Tauern National Park is one of the most visited natural attractions in Austria today. The volume of falling water is impressive: from five to sixty cubic meters, depending on the season (Krimml is the most full-flowing in June and July). The natural beauty of this area is complemented by alpine mountain ranges, which occupy most of the state.
3. In Austria you can visit the largest ice cave in the world – Eisriesenwelt (Eisriesenwelt)
About 40 km south of Salzburg, in the Hochkogel mountain is this natural wonder. The largest ice cave in the world is astonishingly large: its length is 42 kilometers, its depth is 407 meters, and the volume of ice on its walls and vaults exceeds 30 thousand cubic meters. The popularity of this natural masterpiece is off-scale: every year it attracts about 200 000 tourists from all over the world. By the way, if you also want to see the cave with your own eyes, note that the Icrisenvelt can be visited from May 1 to October 26 every year.
4. Austria is the homeland of the popular actor and former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger.
All fans of the star can visit his home village called Thal, which is located near Graz. This is where the Terminator spent his childhood and adolescence. Well, the villagers are so proud of this fact that they recently opened a museum dedicated to Arnold.
5. Bread is a cult for Austrians.
Another interesting fact about Austria that not everyone knows. In this country, bread is eaten everywhere. Bakeries and bakeries, beckoning with the smell of freshly baked goods, can be found at every step. The most popular among the inhabitants is homemade bread, made from a mixture of wheat and rye, often with the addition of caraway and sunflower seeds. Admittedly, the pastries in this country are very tasty and always fresh.
6. It is in Austria is the oldest Ferris wheel in the world
Despite the fact that its height is 65 meters, still tourists feel the adrenaline rush. For lovers of old-fashioned and rare things, a ride on this attraction will be a real pleasure. The Ferris wheel is located in the capital of Austria, and to be more precise – in the Vienna Prater Park. “Only someone who has seen Vienna from the ferris wheel can say that he knows it,” reads the advertising sign above the entrance.
.jpg)
7. Austrian children learn to ski before they can walk
Since Austria is the most mountainous country (62% of its area is covered by the famous Alpine mountains), it has excellent opportunities for skiing. Austria has the third largest number of ski elevators in the world! If you ask the Austrians what they like to do in their free time, the answer is immediately: skiing. Very often at the ski resorts in Austria near the elevators you can see babies with a pacifier in his mouth, who are still not confidently walking, but already bravely stand on the skis. We couldn’t agree more: you can’t think of better ski resorts for kids!
- Rating of ski resorts in Austria for holidays with children
8. “Stiftskeller St. Peter” in Salzburg – the oldest restaurant in all of Europe, and maybe even in the whole world
How about dining at Europe’s oldest restaurant? Then pay a visit to one of Salzburg’s landmarks, St. Peter’s Monastery, which is home to the St. Peter Stiftskeller. Of all the restaurant and hotel complexes in Austria, which function to this day, this is the oldest. It is hard to believe, but the first mention of the Benedictine monastery tavern in chronicles dates back to 803! In 2013, the establishment celebrated its 1200th anniversary. Interesting is also the fact that the restaurant has not stopped its activities since its foundation. No cataclysms and disasters could not interfere with the work of this beautiful institution.
9. Mozart – the most popular character in Austria
Employees of museums dress up in costumes, make up and put on wigs, trying to convey the atmosphere of the era in which the genius composer lived and worked. In any museum you can see exhibitions devoted to Mozart, Mozart candy, cups, plates and other souvenirs with his image are sold in every city where tourists visit. Many cafes play musical compositions of the genius (his works can be heard even in the central toilets of Vienna). By the way, in addition to Mozart in Austria are no less reverent about Princess Sissi and Maria Theresa.
As you can see, Austria never ceases to amaze us with its interesting facts of history, centuries-old traditions and modern life. It’s a country you want to return to again and again to discover more and more of the unknown. Well, if our facts have aroused your interest, choose the best Austrian resorts from our collection and start planning your journey. It’s bound to be unforgettable, we know it!
