Austria

Austria is a land-locked country in central Europe with an area of almost 84,000 sq. kms and a population of 8 million. 64% of the country is occupied by the Austrian Alps. North of the Alps the country is forested. The very fertile eastern lowlands, including the Vienna Basin, supports almost all of Austria's arable farming. The main river is the Danube.

The climate varies considerably according to altitude, from humid continental in the north-east to alpine in the west and southwest. Winters are cold with plentiful snowfall but summers are warm. Temperatures in Vienna vary from minus 2°C in January to 28°C in July.