Year of EU entry: 1995 / Capital city: Vienna / Population: 8.3 million

The Alps dominate the western and southern parts of Austria while the eastern provinces, including Vienna, the capital, lie in the Danube basin. The country has a mixed industrial and agricultural economy, while tourism is also an important source of income.

Austria has a rich cultural heritage. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart occupies a place of his own as a composer, while Franz Schubert enjoys great popularity too. In the world of philosophy and ideas, Sigmund Freud continues to provoke controversy, while Ludwig Wittgenstein was one of the major influences on 20th century thinking.

In cuisine, some of Austria’s specialities like “Wiener Schnitzel” and “Apfelstrudel” have become international dishes which need no translation.