AEA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IBRD, ICAC,
ICAO, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU,
IWC--International Wheat Council, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO, WSG; Austria is neutral and is not a member of NATO or the EC

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Friedrich HOESS; Embassy at
2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 483-4474;
there are Austrian Consulates General in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York;
US--Ambassador Henry A. GRUNWALD; Embassy at Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091,
Vienna (mailing address is APO New York 09108); telephone p43o (222) 31-55-11;
there is a US Consulate General in Salzburg

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

- Economy
Overview: Austria boasts a prosperous and stable capitalist
economy with a sizable proportion of nationalized industry and extensive
welfare benefits. Thanks to an excellent raw material endowment, a
technically skilled labor force, and strong links with West German
industrial firms, Austria has successfully occupied specialized niches
in European industry and services (tourism, banking) and produces almost
enough food to feed itself with only 8% of the labor force in
agriculture. Living standards are roughly comparable with the large
industrial countries of Western Europe. Problems for the l990s include
an aging population and the struggle to keep welfare benefits within
budget capabilities.

GDP: $103.2 billion, per capita $13,600; real growth rate 4.2%
(1989 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (1989)

Unemployment: 4.8% (1989)

Budget: revenues $34.2 billion; expenditures $39.5 billion,
including capital expenditures of NA (1988)

Exports: $31.2 billion (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities--machinery and equipment, iron and steel, lumber, textiles,
paper products, chemicals;
partners--FRG 35%, Italy 10%, Eastern Europe 9%, Switzerland 7%, US 4%,
OPEC 3%

Imports: $37.9 billion (c.i.f., 1989);
commodities--petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, vehicles,
chemicals, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals;
partners--FRG 44%, Italy 9%, Eastern Europe 6%, Switzerland 5%, US 4%,
USSR 2%

External debt: $12.4 billion (December 1987)

Industrial production: growth rate 5.8% (1989 est.)

Electricity: 17,562,000 kW capacity; 49,290 million kWh produced,
6,500 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: foods, iron and steel, machines, textiles, chemical