Official language: German
Capital City: Viena
State system: Federal republic  (9 independent federal regions)
Extension: 83 871 km2
Population: 8 348 233 (2008)
Population density: 99,5 inhabitants per km2
Currency: euro (EUR)
Time zone: UTC  + 1

In Slavic languages german name Österreichmeans „East empire“. This name originates in old germanic word Ostarrichi, wich labeled so called Eastern Mark, the easternmost region inhabitated by german population.

Geographical situation
Austria lay out in central Europe and anjoin with eight states - Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech republic, germany and Lichtenstein.
Austria can be - without any doubts - called mountain country, 60% of its extension consist of mountains.  The beiggest part forms Alps (Tyrol Alps, High and Low Taura, South chalk Alps and Viena Forrest). Beside that there are another smaller mountain edges in Austria: Czech massif and Carpathian Mountains. The highest peak of Austria is  Grossglockner  (3 798m).
Along Danube river we can find walleys (Alpine glasic and Viennese basin). Another walleys are on the south of Austria in Styria, wich resemble Tuscana so much, that is often called Stryria-Tuscana. The lowest area in Austria is around small viticultural village Hedwighof in Burgenland region (114 m.).
Climate in Austria is bland, but has its specific: sometimes it is labeled as mixture of ocean and continental climate. Thanks to that fact the winters are freezing, summers hot and ammount of rain low on the east and on the west the situation is opposite. Alpine region with its „Alpine climate“ is very specific part of Austria.