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Compare Austria (2005) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2006)

Compare Austria (2005) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2006)

 Austria (2005)British Indian Ocean Territory (2006)
 AustriaBritish Indian Ocean Territory
Administrative divisions 9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna) -
Age structure 0-14 years: 15.6% (male 656,058/female 624,574)


15-64 years: 67.8% (male 2,790,673/female 2,756,612)


65 years and over: 16.6% (male 543,626/female 813,148) (2005 est.)
-
Agriculture - products grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber -
Airports 55 (2004 est.) 1 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 24


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 14 (2004 est.)
total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 31


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 27 (2004 est.)
-
Area total: 83,870 sq km


land: 82,444 sq km


water: 1,426 sq km
total: 54,400 sq km


land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km


water: 54,340 sq km


note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maine land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Background Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. Following the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995, some Austrians have called into question this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
Birth rate 8.81 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) -
Budget revenues: $142.5 billion


expenditures: $146.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
-
Capital Vienna -
Climate temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 698 km
Constitution 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945) -
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Austria


conventional short form: Austria


local long form: Republik Oesterreich


local short form: Oesterreich
conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory


conventional short form: none


abbreviation: BIOT
Death rate 9.7 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) -
Debt - external $15.5 billion (2003 est.) -
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador William Lee LYONS BROWN, Jr.


embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0, 31375, 31335


FAX: [43] (1) 3100682
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY


chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035


telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700


FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international none Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001 the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1965 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest island in the chain;
Economic aid - donor ODA, $520 million (2002) -
Economy - overview Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high standard of living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's. The economy features up-to-date industrial and agricultural sectors. Timber is a key industry, 47% of the land area being forested. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European market and proximity to the new EU economies. Slow growth in Europe has held the economy to 0.7% growth in 2001, 1.4% in 2002, 0.8% in 2003, and 1.9% in 2004. To meet increased competition from both EU and Central European countries, particularly the new EU members, Austria will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the economy, continue to deregulate the service sector, and encourage much greater participation in the labor market by its aging population. The aging phenomenon, together with already high health and pension costs, poses fundamental problems in tax and welfare policies. All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The country makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.
Electricity - consumption 55.09 billion kWh (2002) NA kWh
Electricity - exports 14.7 billion kWh (2002) -
Electricity - imports 15.4 billion kWh (2002) -
Electricity - production 58.49 billion kWh (2002) NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Elevation extremes lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m


highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Environment - current issues some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe NA
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
-
Ethnic groups Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or unspecified 2.4% (2001 census) -
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) -
Executive branch chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (since 8 July 2004)


head of government: Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4 February 2000); Vice Chancellor Hubert GORBACH (since 21 October 2003)


cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor


elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year term; presidential election last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held April 2010); chancellor traditionally chosen by the president from the plurality party in the National Council; vice chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor


election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote - Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) 52.4%, Benita FERRERO-WALDNER (OeVP) 47.6%


note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
Exports 35,470 bbl/day (2001) -
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel; textiles, foodstuffs -
Exports - partners Germany 32%, Italy 8.9%, US 6%, Switzerland 4.8%, France 4.2%, UK 4.2% (2004) -
Fiscal year calendar year -
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2.3%


industry: 30.8%


services: 66.9% (2004 est.)
-
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $31,300 (2004 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 1.9% (2004 est.) -
Geographic coordinates 47 20 N, 13 20 E 6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E
Geography - note landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
Heliports 1 (2004 est.) -
Highways total: 200,000 km


paved: 200,000 km (including 1,645 km of expressways)


unpaved: 0 km (2002)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.5%


highest 10%: 22.5% (1995)
-
Illicit drugs transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe -
Imports 262,000 bbl/day (2001) -
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs -
Imports - partners Germany 46.3%, Italy 6.8%, Switzerland 4.3% (2004) -
Independence 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 12 November 1918 (republic proclaimed) -
Industrial production growth rate 3.3% (2004 est.) -
Industries construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism -
Infant mortality rate total: 4.66 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.74 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
-
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.8% (2004 est.) -
International organization participation AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC -
Irrigated land 457 sq km (2000 est.) 0 sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof -
Labor force 3.45 million (2004 est.) -
Labor force - by occupation agriculture and forestry 4%, industry and crafts 29%, services 67% (2001 est.) -
Land boundaries total: 2,562 km


border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km, Switzerland 164 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 16.91%


permanent crops: 0.86%


other: 82.23% (2001)
arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (2005)
Languages German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in Carinthia), Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official in Burgenland) -
Legal system civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Legislative branch bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal Council or Bundesrat (62 members; members represent each of the states on the basis of population, but with each state having at least three representatives; members serve a five- or six-year term) and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: National Council - last held 24 November 2002 (next to be held in the fall of 2006)


election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP 42.3%, SPOe 36.5%, FPOe 10.0%, Greens 9.5%; seats by party - OeVP 79, SPOe 69, FPOe 18, Greens 17; seating as of May 2005 after split within the Freedom Party: OeVP 79, SPOe 69, Greens 17, BZOe 11, FPOe 7
-
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.92 years


male: 76.03 years


female: 81.96 years (2005 est.)
-
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98%


male: NA%


female: NA%
-
Location Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references Europe Political Map of the World
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 29,624 GRT/37,425 DWT


by type: cargo 6, container 2


foreign-owned: 2 (Netherlands 2)


registered in other countries: 19 (2005)
-
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
Military branches Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK) -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $1.497 billion (FY01/02) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.9% (2004) -
National holiday National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the State Treaty restoring national sovereignty and the end of occupation and the passage of the law on permanent neutrality -
Nationality noun: Austrian(s)


adjective: Austrian
-
Natural hazards landslides; avalanches; earthquakes NA
Natural resources oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Net migration rate 1.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -
Pipelines gas 2,722 km; oil 663 km; refined products 149 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Joerg HAIDER]; Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens [Alexander VAN DER BELLEN] -
Political pressure groups and leaders Austrian Trade Union Federation (nominally independent but primarily Socialist) or OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber; OeVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists or VOeI; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action; three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers and other non-government organizations in the areas of environment and human rights -
Population 8,184,691 (July 2005 est.) no indigenous inhabitants


note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line 3.9% (1999) -
Population growth rate 0.11% (2005 est.) -
Ports and harbors Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna -
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways total: 6,021 km (3,552 km electrified)


standard gauge: 5,565 km 1.435-m gauge (3,430 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 34 km 1.000-m gauge (28 km electrified); 422 km 0.760-m gauge (94 km electrified) (2004)
-
Religions Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 3.5%, unspecified 2%, none 12% (2001 census) -
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
-
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections -
Telephone system general assessment: highly developed and efficient


domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet services are available


international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; in addition, there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals) (2002)
general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available


domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet


international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use 3.881 million (2003) NA
Telephones - mobile cellular 7,094,500 (2003) -
Television broadcast stations 10 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001) 1 (1997)
Terrain in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)
Total fertility rate 1.36 children born/woman (2005 est.) -
Unemployment rate 4.4% (2004 est.) -
Waterways 358 km (2003) -
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