AUSTRIA In short 83.854 km2 for almost 8 million inhabitants, a territory in "Mittel Europa", between Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia.
Country of mountains and splendid landscapes, churches and baroque palaces, the waltz of Strauss and the operas of Mozart, Austria is a territory to be discovered.
Eight Austrian sites are reproduced on the list of the World Heritage Sites list of UNESCO: The historical center of the town of Salzburg (1996), the palace and gardens of Schönbrunn, close to Vienna (1996), the cultural landscape of Hallstatt- Dachstein / Salzkammergut (1997), the railway line of Semmering (1998), the historical center of the town of Graz (1999), the cultural landscape of Wachau (2000), the historical center of Vienna (2001) and the cultural landscape of Fertö / Neusiedlersee (2001).
CURRENCY the EURO. POLITICAL SITUATION Austria made the headlines a few years ago with the Hayder business and the rise to power of the extreme right. This wave seems to have subsided and the government of coalition collapsed in 2002 after two years of tumultuous household.
Austria forms part of the Schengen Zone, therefore there are no formalities of passage with the countries of this group. The Airport of Vienna is the principal hub. With Austrian Airlines as well as its partners Lauda Air and Tyrolean Airlines (all members of Star Alliance), it is very well served in particular compared to Europe, America of North and the Near East. Austrian Airlines can be prided to be one of the companies European to only serve Sydney, with 5 flights a week operated by its subsidiary company Lauda Air. The flight is accomplished on board a Boeing 777, with a stopover with Kuala Lumpur. Austrian serves, also, in Far East, Bangkok, Tokyo and Osaka. Another Austrian airport to mention, Innsbruck. Not for the importance of the air traffic, but for the beauty of the alpine landscape in which it is embedded. The landing is a great moment of emotion; get a window seat not to miss the spectacle. Austria is a country of trains, and it can be pleasant to use these means of transport. The Internet site of the OEBB (Austrian railroads) is quite useful.
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