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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 25 December 2007 |
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With an area of 83.858 sq km Austria consists of 9 independent federal states (Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Vienna) with their own provincial governments. The federal legislation is exercised by the national council (Nationalrat) together with the Upper House of Parliament (Bundesrat) – the two chambers of Parliament. Austria is a member of the European Union, the United Nations as well as most UN organizations.
Of the approximately 8 million inhabitants of Austria, 98% speak German. The six ethnic groups officially recognized in Austria (Burgenlandic Croatians, Roma, Slovaks, Slovenians, Czechs and Hungarians) are concentrated in the east and south of the country.
Approximately 74 % of Austrians are Roman Catholic, 5 % are Protestant, the rest belongs to other faiths.  There are a great number of architecturally impressive and culturally historical tourist attractions and sights in Austria. They range from religious buildings such as churches and monasteries to royal castles and palaces, and to secular and functional buildings such as museums and galleries, all of which increase the diversity of Austria tourist attractions. Austria's colourful history has resulted in the development of various architectural styles and a wealth of wonderful buildings that tell their own story. Contemporary Austrian architecture has a worldwide reputation, showing the continued vitality of this country’s impressive culture and visiting these sights is one of the many things to do in Austria. Time-Honored yet Trendy: Austria's Cities Austria’s cities fascinate with their monumental architectural buildings spanning all major epochs from gothic to renaissance, from baroque to jugendstil, and post modernism. Museums in Austria When it comes to cultural highlights Austria ranks among the best cultural sites world-wide. The choice is varied, ranging from highly renowned art collections and private museums to small but precious galleries and many more highlights.
Castles & Palaces A castle represents might on the one hand and fear of loss of power on the other. Owing to its awe-inspiring size and its position high above the country it signalized its defensibility to approaching aggressors already from afar.
Baroque Gardens Water comes into play in all style epochs as shaping element and artistic medium ever since gardens were cultivated.
Austria's World Heritage Sites Austria can boast of 8 World Heritage Sites, each of which is an outstanding example of European culture or natural beauty. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 06 October 2008 )
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