Austria History of the Country and Catholocism - 1794 Words

The country of Austria is a landlocked country located in central Europe, just north of Italy and Slovenia. Austria also borders Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein. In comparison to the United States, Austria is about the size of Maine at 83,870 square kilometers. The terrain includes mountains, or the Alps, in the South and West, and flat land in the North and East (â€Å"Austria†). Mountains cover about three-fourths of the country. Austria is also known for its many valleys, lakes, and forests (Beller). The climate is temperate, with moderate summers and cold winters. Both seasons receive regular rain, except for frequent snow in the Alps during winter. The majority of the population lives in the†¦show more content†¦In 1914, a Serb assassinated Franz Ferdinand, heir to the empire’s throne. This caused Austria-Hungary to declare war on Bosnia-Herzegovina, thus starting World War I. Austria-Hungary was a Central Power in the war, and ended up losing to the Allied Powers. Following the war, the empire broke apart and Austria became a republic. In 1938, German troops overtook Austria, and the republic became a part of Nazi Germany. Austrians had no choice but to participate in the Holocaust. Once again, the Allies were victorious and defeated Germany. After the war, Austria set up a provisional government, and a national government was established in 1945. Austria finally became an independent country ten years later, and joined the European Union in 1995 (Beller). Today, Austria is a national republic made up of nine provinces. The president, who has a six-year term, is the head of the country, while the chancellor is the head of the government. The Austrian government has military forces, where all men must serve for at least six months in their life. The Austrian people are quite unique. Many different ethnicities settled in Austria centuries ago, contributing to the distinctive culture. Almost ev eryone speaks German, though some areas speak languages like Croatian and Slovakian. The Austrian economy is based on privately owned businesses, and it relies on manufacturing, agriculture, natural resources, trade, and tourism (Beller).