Geography
Austria
Area
land
82,445 sq km
water
1,426 sq km
total
83,871 sq km
Climate
The climate is temperate and continental, characterized by overcast conditions; winters are cold with frequent rainfall and occasional snowfall in the lowlands, while the mountainous regions experience consistent snow; summers are moderate with sporadic rain.
Terrain
The geography predominantly features mountainous regions (Alps) to the west and south, while the eastern and northern areas are mainly flat or exhibit gentle slopes.
Land use
other
20.9% (2023 est.)
forest
47.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
31.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 16% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 14.7% (2023 est.)
Location
This region is situated in Central Europe, lying to the north of Italy and Slovenia.
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation
lowest point
Neusiedler See 115 m
highest point
Grossglockner 3,798 m
mean elevation
910 m
Irrigated land
382 sq km (2016)
Map references
Europe
Land boundaries
total
2,524 km
border countries
Borders include the Czech Republic at 402 km; Germany at 801 km; Hungary at 321 km; Italy at 404 km; Liechtenstein at 34 km; Slovakia at 105 km; Slovenia at 299 km; and Switzerland at 158 km.
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
Natural hazards include landslides, avalanches, and earthquakes.
Geography - note
note 1: The country is landlocked and has a strategic position at the intersection of Central Europe, featuring numerous Alpine passes and valleys that are easily navigable; the Danube is the principal river, with population density concentrated in the eastern lowlands due to the steep terrain, inadequate soils, and lower temperatures in other areas.
note 2: The Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giants World), located inside the Hochkogel mountain near Werfen, approximately 40 km south of Salzburg, is recognized as the world's largest and longest ice cave system, extending 42 km (26 mi); these ice caves are formed in bedrock and maintain ice formations throughout the year, distinguishing them from glacial caves, which are temporary and arise from melting ice and flowing water beneath glaciers.
Natural resources
Natural resources include oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, and hydropower.
Area - comparative
The country's area is comparable to that of South Carolina, being slightly larger than two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania.
Geographic coordinates
47 20 N, 13 20 E
Population distribution
Population density is higher in the northern and eastern sections; nearly two-thirds of the population resides in urban locales.
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s)
Lake Constance (shared with Switzerland and Germany) - 540 sq km
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage
The Rhine-Maas basin covers an area of 198,735 sq km, while the (Black Sea) Danube basin spans 795,656 sq km.
Major rivers (by length in km)
Donau (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth