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Travel Austria: Countries
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Austria has a well-developed social market economy with a high standard of living in which the government has played an important role. The government nationalized many of the country's largest firms in the early post-war period to protect them from Soviet takeover as war reparations. For many years, the government and its state-owned industries conglomerate played a very important role in the Austrian economy. However, starting in the early 1990s, the group broke apart, state-owned firms started to operate largely as private businesses, and the government wholly or partially privatized many of these firms. Although the government's privatization work in past years has been very successful, it still operates some firms, state monopolies, utilities, and services. The Schuessel government has presented an ambitious privatization program, which it is implementing, and which should further reduce government participation in the economy.
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A land-locked country, Austria is located in Central Europe. It is a mountainous country with an area of 83,855 km2. Austria consists of nine provinces: Vorarlberg, Tyrol, Salzburg, Carinthia, Styria, Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Burgenland, and Vienna. Approximately 99% of Austrians are of Germanic ethnic origin and 78% are Roman Catholics. As for the terrain, the Alps occupy the southern and western regions of the country, and numerous forests, valleys, lakes, and rivers can be found throughout Austria.
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Austria became a member of the EU on January 1, 1995. Membership brought economic benefits and challenges and has drawn an influx of foreign investors. Austria ... has made progress in generally increasing its international competitiveness. As a member of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), Austria has integrated its economy with those of other EU member countries, especially with Germany’s. On January 1, 1999, Austria introduced the new Euro currency for accounting purposes.
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Austria is a pipe-shaped, landlocked country lying in the bosom of Europe. It extends 560km (347mi) from east to west, 280km (173mi) north to south, and is surrounded by Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy Liechtenstein and Switzerland. The Alps occupy the southern and western portions of the country, and peak at the Grossglockner's 3797-metre (12455-foot) summit. The upland forests of the Bohemian Massif run north to the Czech border, while the Danube Valley and the fertile lowlands of the east provide the bulk of Austria's arable land. There are numerous lakes in Carinthia and the Salzkammergut region; Lower Austria, Burgenland and Styria are the most important plonk-growing regions.
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Austria is a landlocked country located in central Europe. The country borders countries like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy and Switzerland. Austria is a diverse country, with a rich culture, amazing scenery and a variety of holidays to offer throughout the winter and summer seasons. Austria is thronged by tourists round the year. Though summer is the ideal time for sightseeing, winters are fun with the slopes of the Alps offering abundant opportunities for skiing. The various region of the country lets one enjoy a stay in the snow, skiing or hiking.
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Austria strives to cultivate its legacy of the future. The country is a hothouse of striking contemporary architecture, at the forefront of engineering, invention and design, and with a modern, efficient social system. Austria still has a justifiable reputation for music, literature and the arts, with Elfriede Jelinek recently winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2004. You are just as likely to find Alpine New Wave punk-rock as you are to find yodelling. In terms of gourmet culture, the legendary Gemütlichkeit – a relaxed enjoyment of life – is evident in the cafes where the art of coffee-drinking has been raised to a high art, and the many Heurigen, where the latest vintages are accompanied by vast quantities of food. Nightlife is versatile, offering laid-back taverns, beer gardens and excellent après-ski, as well as trendy clubs and dance venues packed to the small hours.
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