Central Europe.

GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from fourth Sunday in March to fourth Sunday in October).

83,858 sq km (32,378 sq miles).

8.2 million (UN estimate 2006).

99 per sq km.

Vienna (Wien). Population: 1.6 million (UN estimate 2006).

Austria is a landlocked country, bordered by Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Italy. It is a mountainous country, nearly half of which is covered with forests. Austria's nine Federal Provinces form a political entity, but reflect a diversity of landscapes falling into five sections: the Eastern Alps (62.8%), the Alpine and Carpathian Foothills (11.3%), the Pannonian Lowlands (11.3%), the Vienna Basin (4.4%) and the Granite and Gneiss Highlands or Bohemian Massif (10.1%). Austria's highest mountain is Grossglockner (3,798m/12,465ft). On its way from the Black Forest in southern Germany to the Black Sea, the River Danube flows approximately 360km (220 miles) through Austria.

The vegetation changes according to the climate: the lower regions are densely wooded, with fir predominating above 488m (1,600ft) and giving way to larch and stone-pine beyond 1,219m (4,000ft); the Alpine foothills consist predominantly of arable land and grassland (above 610m/2,000ft). The Pannonian region is characterised by scrub and heathland.

Member since 1995.

Federal Republic.

President Heinz Fischer since 2004.

Chancellor Werner Faymann since 2008.

General elections were held in 2008 after the conservative People's Party coalition collapsed in the summer. A new grand coalition government was sworn in, made up of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPO) and the conservative People's Party.

Austria's political landscape has undergone turmoil in recent years, much of it centred on extreme right-wing populist Jorg Haider, whose Freedom Party (FPO) entered government in 2000. That prompted a furious reaction abroad, including diplomatic sanctions, yet the government survived until 2002, before an internal feud brought the administration down. The following election saw the collapse of the Freiheitlichen vote to just 10% but Haider's Chancellor Schüssel was unable to negotiate an alliance with either of the other two main parties.

In early 2003, the People's Party agreed to form a government with the Freedom Party, which then disbanded when Haider set up the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZO). The People's Party was narrowly defeated in the October 2006 general elections by the centre-left Social Democrats. After much wrangling, the two parties formed a coalition, and the government was inaugurated in January 2007.

German is the official language. Regional dialects are pronounced and within the different regions of the country one will encounter marked variations from Hochdeutsch, ie ‘standard' German. There are Croatian and Slovene-speaking minorities in the Burgenland and southern Carinthia respectively.

78% Roman Catholic, 5% Protestant, 5% Muslim, 12% other religious sects.

220 volts AC, 50Hz. Round two-pin European plugs are standard.

Austrians tend to be quite formal in both their social and business dealings. They do not use first names when being introduced, but after the initial meeting first names are often used. Handshaking is normal when saying hello and goodbye. It is considered impolite to enter a restaurant or shop without saying Guten Tag or, more usually, Grüss Gott; similarly, to leave without saying Auf Wiedersehen can cause offence. Social pleasantries and some exchange of small-talk is appreciated. If invited out to dinner, flowers should be brought for the hostess. The Church enjoys a high and respected position in Austrian society, which should be kept in mind. It is customary to dress up for the opera or the theatre.