Austria Basic Facts Area: approx. 84.000 km² Population: 8.1 mio Capital: Vienna Languages:   German   English is by far the leading second language in the educational system and thus widely understood and spoken. Topography: Austria's landscapes range from the peaks of the Alps to hills and plains. Austria's highest mountain is the Grossglockner (3.797 m); its longest river is the Danube. Climate: Austria's climate is in general rather moderate. Temperatures range from minus 5 degree Celsius during the winter period (short periods of strong frost are also possible, with temperatures falling down to even - 15 C!) up to plus 30 degrees Celsius during the summer season. Students coming during the fall term should bring warm winter clothes with them. Students coming for the spring term should also know that February and March can still be rather cold! Periods of fog and rain are usual both in fall and in spring - so be prepared for all kinds of weather! Austria, a Federal State, consisting of nine provinces, is a member of the European Union, playing its role as an intermediary between the halves of a once divided Europe. At the heart of the Alps, Austria covers an area of 84 000km²/32 430 sq metres, sharing a border with Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland and Lichtenstein. The total population numbers 8,1 million, about a third of the inhabitants live in the five main cities: Vienna, Graz, Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck. Tourism, agriculture, forestry and the timber industry, mining, heavy industry, textile and chemical industries contribute to Austria's flourishing economy. Tourism is extremely important to the Austrian economy, both in terms of job creation and as a source of revenue, and makes an invaluable contribution to the country's balance of payments. Cities like Innsbruck, Graz, Salzburg and, above all Vienna, have fine buildings and incredibly rich museum collections. Innumerable castles dot the landscape, many of them have been turned into hotels and restaurants. Famous musicians such as Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Strauss and Karajan are part of Austria's culture. Austrian cooking has drawn on the culinary tradition of the different folk groups incorporated in the old Empire: German, Italian, Hungarian, Serb and Czech. The main meal is served at lunch time and consists of soup, followed by the main dish-mostly meat (pork, beef, chicken) with vegetables and rice/noodles or potatoes - and the desert. There are various Austrian sweets such as the Sacher cake, Strudels filled with apples or cream cheese and fritters which are enjoyed by the Austrians and tourists alike. Vineyards cover about 58 000 ha/143 000 acres of Austria, the annual production is of the order of 3,5 million hectolitres/77 million gallons of which more than a third is exported. To acquaint our students - especially the non Austrian students - with Austria the institute will organize excursions on a voluntary and/or compulsory basis.