Germany vs. Austria
Introduction
| Germany | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | As Europe's largest economy and second most populous nation (after Russia), Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating world wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key western economic and security organizations, the EC (now the EU) and NATO, while the communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German reunification in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring eastern productivity and wages up to western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro. | Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the EU in 1995 have altered the meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. |
Geography
| Germany | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark | Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia |
| Geographic coordinates | 51 00 N, 9 00 E | 47 20 N, 13 20 E |
| Map references | Europe | Europe |
| Area | total: 357,022 sq km land: 348,672 sq km water: 8,350 sq km | total: 83,871 sq km land: 82,445 sq km water: 1,426 sq km |
| Area - comparative | three times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Montana | about the size of South Carolina; slightly more than two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania |
| Land boundaries | total: 3,694 km border countries (9): Austria 801 km, Belgium 133 km, Czechia 704 km, Denmark 140 km, France 418 km, Luxembourg 128 km, Netherlands 575 km, Poland 447 km, Switzerland 348 km | total: 2,524 km border countries (8): Czech Republic 402 km, Germany 801 km, Hungary 321 km, Italy 404 km, Liechtenstein 34 km, Slovakia 105 km, Slovenia 299 km, Switzerland 158 km |
| Coastline | 2,389 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation | none (landlocked) |
| Climate | temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind | temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers |
| Terrain | lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south | mostly mountains (Alps) in the west and south; mostly flat or gently sloping along the eastern and northern margins |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.5 m mean elevation: 263 m | highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m mean elevation: 910 m |
| Natural resources | coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land | oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower |
| Land use | agricultural land: 48% (2018 est.) arable land: 34.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 13.3% (2018 est.) forest: 31.8% (2018 est.) other: 20.2% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 38.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 16.5% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 21.1% (2018 est.) forest: 47.2% (2018 est.) other: 14.4% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 6,500 sq km (2012) | 1,170 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | flooding | landslides; avalanches; earthquakes |
| Environment - current issues | emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries contribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions, is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste disposal; government established a mechanism for ending the use of nuclear power by 2022; government working to meet EU commitment to identify nature preservation areas in line with the EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat directive | some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe; water pollution; the Danube, as well as some of Austria's other rivers and lakes, are threatened by pollution |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Antarctic-Environmental Protection |
| Geography - note | strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea; most major rivers in Germany - the Rhine, Weser, Oder, Elbe - flow northward; the Danube, which originates in the Black Forest, flows eastward | note 1: landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere note 2: the world's largest and longest ice cave system at 42 km (26 mi) is the Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giants World) inside the Hochkogel mountain near Werfen, about 40 km south of Salzburg; ice caves are bedrock caves that contain year-round ice formations; they differ from glacial caves, which are transient and are formed by melting ice and flowing water within and under glaciers |
| Total renewable water resources | 154 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 77.7 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | most populous country in Europe; a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations, particularly in the far western part of the industrial state of North Rhine-Westphalia | the northern and eastern portions of the country are more densely populated; nearly two-thirds of the populace lives in urban areas |
Demographics
| Germany | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 79,903,481 (July 2021 est.) | 8,884,864 (July 2021 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 12.89% (male 5,302,850/female 5,025,863) 15-24 years: 9.81% (male 4,012,412/female 3,854,471) 25-54 years: 38.58% (male 15,553,328/female 15,370,417) 55-64 years: 15.74% (male 6,297,886/female 6,316,024) 65 years and over: 22.99% (male 8,148,873/female 10,277,538) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 14.01% (male 635,803/female 605,065) 15-24 years: 10.36% (male 466,921/female 451,248) 25-54 years: 41.35% (male 1,831,704/female 1,831,669) 55-64 years: 14.41% (male 635,342/female 641,389) 65 years and over: 19.87% (male 768,687/female 991,621) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 47.8 years male: 46.5 years female: 49.1 years (2020 est.) | total: 44.5 years male: 43.1 years female: 45.8 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | -0.21% (2021 est.) | 0.32% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 8.63 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 9.48 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 12.22 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 9.85 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | 1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 3.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 3.24 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.61 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 3.29 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 81.3 years male: 78.93 years female: 83.8 years (2021 est.) | total population: 82.07 years male: 79.42 years female: 84.85 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.48 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 1.5 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.1% (2020 est.) | 0.1% (2017 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: German(s) adjective: German | noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian |
| Ethnic groups | German 86.3%, Turkish 1.8%, Polish 1%, Syrian 1%, Romanian 1%, other/stateless/unspecified 8.9% (2020 est.) note: data represent population by nationality | Austrian 80.8%, German 2.6%, Bosnian and Herzegovinian 1.9%, Turkish 1.8%, Serbian 1.6%, Romanian 1.3%, other 10% (2018 est.) note: data represent population by country of birth |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 93,000 (2020 est.) note: estimate does not include children | 7,400 (2017 est.) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 27.1%, Protestant 24.9%, Muslim 5.2%, Orthodox 2%, other Christian 1%, other 1%, none 38.8% (2019 est.) | Catholic 57%, Eastern Orthodox 8.7%, Muslim 7.9%, Evangelical Christian 3.3%, other/none/unspecified 23.1% (2018 est.) note: data on Muslim is a 2016 estimate; data on other/none/unspecified are from 2012-2018 estimates |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | <500 (2020 est.) note: estimate does not include children | <100 (2017 est.) |
| Languages | German (official); note - Danish, Frisian, Sorbian, and Romani are official minority languages; Low German, Danish, North Frisian, Sater Frisian, Lower Sorbian, Upper Sorbian, and Romani are recognized as regional languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages major-language sample(s): Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in southern Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 est.) major-language sample(s): Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 17 years male: 17 years female: 17 years (2018) | total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 16 years (2018) |
| Education expenditures | 4.9% of GDP (2017) | 5.4% of GDP (2017) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 77.5% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.13% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 59% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 3.567 million BERLIN (capital), 1.789 million Hamburg, 1.553 million Munich, 1.129 million Cologne, 785,000 Frankfurt (2021) | 1.945 million VIENNA (capital) (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 7 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 5 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Health expenditures | 11.4% (2018) | 10.3% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 4.25 physicians/1,000 population (2017) | 5.17 physicians/1,000 population (2017) |
| Hospital bed density | 8 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 7.4 beds/1,000 population (2017) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 22.3% (2016) | 20.1% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 29.8 years (2019 est.) | 29.7 years (2019 est.) |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 67% (2018) note: percent of women aged 18-49 | 79% (2019) note: percent of women aged 16-49 |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 55.4 youth dependency ratio: 21.7 elderly dependency ratio: 33.7 potential support ratio: 3 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 50.6 youth dependency ratio: 21.7 elderly dependency ratio: 28.9 potential support ratio: 3.5 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Germany | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany conventional short form: Germany local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland local short form: Deutschland former: German Reich etymology: the Gauls (Celts) of Western Europe may have referred to the newly arriving Germanic tribes who settled in neighboring areas east of the Rhine during the first centuries B.C. as "Germani," a term the Romans adopted as "Germania"; the native designation "Deutsch" comes from the Old High German "diutisc" meaning "of the people" | conventional long form: Republic of Austria conventional short form: Austria local long form: Republik Oesterreich local short form: Oesterreich etymology: the name Oesterreich means "eastern realm" or "eastern march" and dates to the 10th century; the designation refers to the fact that Austria was the easternmost extension of Bavaria, and, in fact, of all the Germans; the word Austria is a Latinization of the German name |
| Government type | federal parliamentary republic | federal parliamentary republic |
| Capital | name: Berlin geographic coordinates: 52 31 N, 13 24 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the origin of the name is unclear but may be related to the old West Slavic (Polabian) word "berl" or "birl," meaning "swamp" | name: Vienna geographic coordinates: 48 12 N, 16 22 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the origin of the name is disputed but may derive from earlier settlements of the area; a Celtic town of Vedunia, established about 500 B.C., came under Roman dominance around 15 B.C. and became known as Vindobona; archeological remains of the latter survive at many sites in the center of Vienna |
| Administrative divisions | 16 states (Laender, singular - Land); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern (Bavaria), Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen (Hesse), Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia), Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Saarland, Sachsen (Saxony), Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt), Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen (Thuringia); note - Bayern, Sachsen, and Thueringen refer to themselves as free states (Freistaaten, singular - Freistaat), while Bremen calls itself a Free Hanseatic City (Freie Hansestadt) and Hamburg considers itself a Free and Hanseatic City (Freie und Hansestadt) | 9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria), Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria), Tirol (Tyrol), Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna) |
| Independence | 18 January 1871 (establishment of the German Empire); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed on 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed on 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; West Germany and East Germany unified on 3 October 1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights on 15 March 1991; notable earlier dates: 10 August 843 (Eastern Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 2 February 962 (crowning of OTTO I, recognized as the first Holy Roman Emperor) | no official date of independence: 976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 6 January 1453 (Archduchy of Austria acknowledged); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed); 30 March 1867 (Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy established); 12 November 1918 (First Republic proclaimed); 27 April 1945 (Second Republic proclaimed) |
| National holiday | German Unity Day, 3 October (1990) | National Day (commemorates passage of the law on permanent neutrality), 26 October (1955) |
| Constitution | history: previous 1919 (Weimar Constitution); latest drafted 10-23 August 1948, approved 12 May 1949, promulgated 23 May 1949, entered into force 24 May 1949 amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage and enactment into law require two-thirds majority vote by both the Bundesrat (upper house) and the Bundestag (lower house) of Parliament; articles including those on basic human rights and freedoms cannot be amended; amended many times, last in 2020; note - in early 2021, the German federal government introduced a bill to incorporate children's rights into the constitution | history: several previous; latest adopted 1 October 1920, revised 1929, replaced May 1934, replaced by German Weimar constitution in 1938 following German annexation, reinstated 1 May 1945 amendments: proposed through laws designated "constitutional laws" or through the constitutional process if the amendment is part of another law; approval required by at least a two-thirds majority vote by the National Assembly and the presence of one half of the members; a referendum is required only if requested by one third of the National Council or Federal Council membership; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote; amended many times, last in 2020 |
| Legal system | civil law system | civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal; age 16 for some state and municipal elections | 16 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Frank-Walter STEINMEIER (since 19 March 2017) head of government: Chancellor Angela MERKEL (since 22 November 2005) cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) recommended by the chancellor, appointed by the president elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by a Federal Convention consisting of all members of the Federal Parliament (Bundestag) and an equivalent number of delegates indirectly elected by the state parliaments; president serves a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 12 February 2017 (next to be held in February 2022); following the most recent Federal Parliament election, the party or coalition with the most representatives usually elects the chancellor (Angela MERKEL since 2005) and appointed by the president to serve a renewable 4-year term; Federal Parliament vote for chancellor last held on 14 March 2018 (next to be held after the Bundestag elections in 2021) election results: Frank-Walter STEINMEIER elected president; Federal Convention vote count - Frank-Walter STEINMEIER (SPD) 931, Christopher BUTTERWEGGE (The Left) 128, Albrecht GLASER (Alternative for Germany AfD) 42, Alexander HOLD (BVB/FW) 25, Engelbert SONNEBORN (Pirates) 10; Angela MERKEL (CDU) reelected chancellor; Federal Parliament vote - 364 to 315 | chief of state: President Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (since 26 January 2017) head of government: Sebastian KURZ elected chancellor (since 2 January 2020) cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held on 24 April 2016 (first round), 22 May 2016 (second round, which was annulled), and 4 December 2016 (second round re-vote) (next election to be held in April 2022); chancellor appointed by the president but determined by the majority coalition parties in the Federal Assembly; vice chancellor appointed by the president on the advice of the chancellor election results: Alexander VAN DER BELLEN elected in second round; percent of vote in first round - Norbert HOFER (FPOe) 35.1%, Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (independent, allied with the Greens) 21.3%, Irmgard GRISS (independent) 18.9%, Rudolf HUNDSTORFER (SPOe) 11.3%, Andreas KHOL (OeVP) 11.1%, Richard LUGNER (independent) 2.3%; percent of vote in second round - Alexander VAN DER BELLEN 53.8%, Norbert HOFER 46.2% |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of: Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 seats; members appointed by each of the 16 state governments) Federal Diet or Bundestag (709 seats - total seats can vary each electoral term; approximately one-half of members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and approximately one-half directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms) elections: Bundesrat - none; composition is determined by the composition of the state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election Bundestag - last held on 24 September 2017 (next to be held in 2021 at the latest); most postwar German governments have been coalitions election results: Bundesrat - composition - men 50, women 19, percent of women 27.5% Bundestag - percent of vote by party - CDU/CSU 33%, SPD 20.5%, AfD 12.6%, FDP 10.7%, The Left 9.2%, Alliance '90/Greens 8.9%, other 5%; seats by party - CDU/CSU 246, SPD 152, AfD 91, FDP 80, The Left 69, Alliance '90/Greens 67; composition - men 490, women 219, percent of women 30.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 30.5% | description: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of: Federal Council or Bundesrat (61 seats; members appointed by state parliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 seats in proportion to its population; members serve 5- or 6-year terms) National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) (e.g. 2019) elections: Federal Council - last appointed - NA National Council - last held on 29 September 2019 (next to be held in 2024); note - election was originally scheduled for 2022, but President VAN DER BELLEN called for an early election (e.g. 2019) election results: Federal Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 44, women 17, percent of women 27.9% National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP 37.5%, SPOe 21.2%, FPOe 16.2%, The Greens 13.9%, NEOS 8.1%, other 3.1%; seats by party - OeVP 71, SPOe 40, FPOe 31, The Greens 26, NEOS 15; composition - men 115, women 68, percent of women 37.2%; note - total Federal Assembly percent of women 34.8% (e.g. 2019) |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Federal Court of Justice (court consists of 127 judges, including the court president, vice presidents, presiding judges, other judges and organized into 25 Senates subdivided into 12 civil panels, 5 criminal panels, and 8 special panels); Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (consists of 2 Senates each subdivided into 3 chambers, each with a chairman and 8 members) judge selection and term of office: Federal Court of Justice judges selected by the Judges Election Committee, which consists of the Secretaries of Justice from each of the 16 federated states and 16 members appointed by the Federal Parliament; judges appointed by the president; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65; Federal Constitutional Court judges - one-half elected by the House of Representatives and one-half by the Senate; judges appointed for 12-year terms with mandatory retirement at age 68 subordinate courts: Federal Administrative Court; Federal Finance Court; Federal Labor Court; Federal Social Court; each of the 16 federated states or Land has its own constitutional court and a hierarchy of ordinary (civil, criminal, family) and specialized (administrative, finance, labor, social) courts; two English-speaking commercial courts opened in late 2020 in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg - English-speaking Stuttgart Commercial Court and English-speaking Mannheim Commercial Court | highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice or Oberster Gerichtshof (consists of 85 judges organized into 17 senates or panels of 5 judges each); Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof (consists of 20 judges including 6 substitutes; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof - 2 judges plus other members depending on the importance of the case) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; judges serve for life; Constitutional Court judges nominated by several executive branch departments and approved by the president; judges serve for life; Administrative Court judges recommended by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; terms of judges and members determined by the president subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (4); Regional Courts (20); district courts (120); county courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Alliance '90/Greens [Annalena BAERBOCK and Robert HABECK] Alternative for Germany or AfD [Alexander GAULAND - Honorary President, Joerg MEUTHEN and Tino CHRUPALLA] Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Armin LASCHET] Christian Social Union or CSU [Markus SOEDER] Free Democratic Party or FDP [Christian LINDNER] The Left or Die Linke [Janine WISSLER and Susanne HENNING-WELLSOW] Social Democratic Party or SPD [Saskia ESKEN and Norbert WALTER-BORJANS] | Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Sebastian KURZ] Communist Party of Austria or KPOe [Mirko MESSNER] Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Herbert KICKI] The Greens [Werner KOGLER] NEOS - The New Austria [Beate MEINL-REISINGER] NOW-Pilz List (JETZT-Liste Pilz) or PILZ [Maria STERN] Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Pamela RENDI-WAGNER] |
| International organization participation | ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Emily Margarethe HABER (since 22 June 2018) chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-4000 FAX: [1] (202) 298-4261 email address and website: info@washington.diplo.de https://www.germany.info/us-en consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco | chief of mission: Ambassador Martin WEISS (since 6 January 2020) chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035 telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750 email address and website: washington-ka@bmeia.gv.at https://www.austria.org/ consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York, Washington consulate(s): Chicago |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Woodward "Clark" PRICE (since 1 July 2021) embassy: Pariser Platz 2, 10117 Berlin Clayallee 170, 14191 Berlin (administrative services) mailing address: 5090 Berlin Place, Washington DC 20521-5090 telephone: [49] (30) 8305-0 FAX: [49] (30) 8305-1215 email address and website: BerlinPCO@state.gov https://de.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Dusseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant), Mario MESQUITA (since 12 July 2021) embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, 1090, Vienna mailing address: 9900 Vienna Place, Washington DC 20521-9900 telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0 FAX: [43] (1) 310-06-82 email address and website: ConsulateVienna@state.gov https://at.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold; these colors have played an important role in German history and can be traced back to the medieval banner of the Holy Roman Emperor - a black eagle with red claws and beak on a gold field | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red; the flag design is certainly one of the oldest - if not the oldest - national banners in the world; according to tradition, in 1191, following a fierce battle in the Third Crusade, Duke Leopold V of Austria's white tunic became completely blood-spattered; upon removal of his wide belt or sash, a white band was revealed; the red-white-red color combination was subsequently adopted as his banner |
| National anthem | name: "Das Lied der Deutschen" (Song of the Germans) lyrics/music: August Heinrich HOFFMANN VON FALLERSLEBEN/Franz Joseph HAYDN note: adopted 1922; the anthem, also known as "Deutschlandlied" (Song of Germany), was originally adopted for its connection to the March 1848 liberal revolution; following appropriation by the Nazis of the first verse, specifically the phrase, "Deutschland, Deutschland ueber alles" (Germany, Germany above all) to promote nationalism, it was banned after 1945; in 1952, its third verse was adopted by West Germany as its national anthem; in 1990, it became the national anthem for the reunited Germany | name: "Bundeshymne" (Federal Hymn) lyrics/music: Paula von PRERADOVIC/Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART or Johann HOLZER (disputed) note: adopted 1947; the anthem is also known as "Land der Berge, Land am Strome" (Land of the Mountains, Land by the River); Austria adopted a new national anthem after World War II to replace the former imperial anthem composed by Franz Josef HAYDN, which had been appropriated by Germany in 1922 and was thereafter associated with the Nazi regime; a gendered version of the lyrics was adopted by the Austrian Federal Assembly in fall 2011 and became effective 1 January 2012 |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | eagle; national colors: black, red, yellow | eagle, edelweiss, Alpine gentian; national colors: red, white |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a German citizen or a resident alien who has lived in Germany at least 8 years dual citizenship recognized: yes, but requires prior permission from government residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Austria dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years |
Economy
| Germany | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | The German economy - the fifth largest economy in the world in PPP terms and Europe's largest - is a leading exporter of machinery, vehicles, chemicals, and household equipment. Germany benefits from a highly skilled labor force, but, like its Western European neighbors, faces significant demographic challenges to sustained long-term growth. Low fertility rates and a large increase in net immigration are increasing pressure on the country's social welfare system and necessitate structural reforms. Reforms launched by the government of Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER (1998-2005), deemed necessary to address chronically high unemployment and low average growth, contributed to strong economic growth and falling unemployment. These advances, as well as a government subsidized, reduced working hour scheme, help explain the relatively modest increase in unemployment during the 2008-09 recession - the deepest since World War II. The German Government introduced a minimum wage in 2015 that increased to $9.79 (8.84 euros) in January 2017. Stimulus and stabilization efforts initiated in 2008 and 2009 and tax cuts introduced in Chancellor Angela MERKEL's second term increased Germany's total budget deficit - including federal, state, and municipal - to 4.1% in 2010, but slower spending and higher tax revenues reduced the deficit to 0.8% in 2011 and in 2017 Germany reached a budget surplus of 0.7%. A constitutional amendment approved in 2009 limits the federal government to structural deficits of no more than 0.35% of GDP per annum as of 2016, though the target was already reached in 2012. Following the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Chancellor Angela MERKEL announced in May 2011 that eight of the country's 17 nuclear reactors would be shut down immediately and the remaining plants would close by 2022. Germany plans to replace nuclear power largely with renewable energy, which accounted for 29.5% of gross electricity consumption in 2016, up from 9% in 2000. Before the shutdown of the eight reactors, Germany relied on nuclear power for 23% of its electricity generating capacity and 46% of its base-load electricity production. The German economy suffers from low levels of investment, and a government plan to invest 15 billion euros during 2016-18, largely in infrastructure, is intended to spur needed private investment. Domestic consumption, investment, and exports are likely to drive German GDP growth in 2018, and the country's budget and trade surpluses are likely to remain high. | Austria is a well-developed market economy with skilled labor force and high standard of living. It is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's, but also the US', its third-largest trade partner. Its economy features a large service sector, a sound industrial sector, and a small, but highly developed agricultural sector. Austrian economic growth strengthen in 2017, with a 2.9% increase in GDP. Austrian exports, accounting for around 60% of the GDP, were up 8.2% in 2017. Austria's unemployment rate fell by 0.3% to 5.5%, which is low by European standards, but still at its second highest rate since the end of World War II, driven by an increased number of refugees and EU migrants entering the labor market. Austria's fiscal position compares favorably with other euro-zone countries. The budget deficit stood at a low 0.7% of GDP in 2017 and public debt declined again to 78.4% of GDP in 2017, after reaching a post-war high 84.6% in 2015. The Austrian government has announced it plans to balance the fiscal budget in 2019. Several external risks, such as Austrian banks' exposure to Central and Eastern Europe, the refugee crisis, and continued unrest in Russia/Ukraine, eased in 2017, but are still a factor for the Austrian economy. Exposure to the Russian banking sector and a deep energy relationship with Russia present additional risks. Austria elected a new pro-business government in October 2017 that campaigned on promises to reduce bureaucracy, improve public sector efficiency, reduce labor market protections, and provide positive investment incentives. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $4,482,448,000,000 (2019 est.) $4,457,688,000,000 (2018 est.) $4,401,873,000,000 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $498.78 billion (2019 est.) $491.803 billion (2018 est.) $479.433 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 0.59% (2019 est.) 1.3% (2018 est.) 2.91% (2017 est.) | 1.42% (2019 est.) 2.58% (2018 est.) 2.4% (2017 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $53,919 (2019 est.) $53,768 (2018 est.) $53,255 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $56,188 (2019 est.) $55,631 (2018 est.) $54,496 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.7% (2017 est.) industry: 30.7% (2017 est.) services: 68.6% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 1.3% (2017 est.) industry: 28.4% (2017 est.) services: 70.3% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 14.8% (2018 est.) | 13.3% (2018 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 24% (2000) | lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 23.5% (2012 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.4% (2019 est.) 1.7% (2018 est.) 1.5% (2017 est.) | 1.5% (2019 est.) 2% (2018 est.) 2% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 44.585 million (2020 est.) | 3.739 million (2020 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 1.4% industry: 24.2% services: 74.3% (2016) | agriculture: 0.7% industry: 25.2% services: 74.1% (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 4.98% (2019 est.) 5.19% (2018 est.) | 7.35% (2019 est.) 7.7% (2018 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 31.9 (2016 est.) 30 (1994) | 29.7 (2017 est.) 30.5 (2014) |
| Budget | revenues: 1.665 trillion (2017 est.) expenditures: 1.619 trillion (2017 est.) | revenues: 201.7 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 204.6 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | among the world's largest and most technologically advanced producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, automobiles, food and beverages, shipbuilding, textiles | construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and paper, electronics, tourism |
| Industrial production growth rate | 3.3% (2017 est.) | 6.5% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | milk, sugar beet, wheat, barley, potatoes, pork, maize, rye, rapeseed, triticale | milk, maize, sugar beet, wheat, barley, potatoes, pork, triticale, grapes, apples |
| Exports | $2,004,158,000,000 (2019 est.) $1,984,745,000,000 (2018 est.) $1,937,273,000,000 (2017 est.) | $270.888 billion (2019 est.) $263.145 billion (2018 est.) $249.312 billion (2017 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, aircraft, medical cultures/vaccines, industrial machinery (2019) | cars, packaged medical supplies, vehicle parts, medical vaccines/cultures, flavored water (2019) |
| Exports - partners | United States 9%, France 8%, China 7%, Netherlands 6%, United Kingdom 6%, Italy 5%, Poland 5%, Austria 5% (2019) | Germany 28%, United States 7%, Italy 6%, Switzerland 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $1,804,453,000,000 (2019 est.) $1,759,299,000,000 (2018 est.) $1,695,300,000,000 (2017 est.) | $253.276 billion (2019 est.) $247.225 billion (2018 est.) $235.385 billion (2017 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, medical cultures/vaccines (2019) | cars, vehicle parts, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, packaged medical supplies (2019) |
| Imports - partners | Netherlands 9%, China 8%, France 7%, Belgium 6%, Poland 6%, Italy 6%, Czechia 5%, United States 5% (2019) | Germany 39%, Italy 7%, Czechia 5% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $5,671,463,000,000 (2019 est.) $5,751,408,000,000 (2018 est.) | $688.434 billion (2019 est.) $686.196 billion (2018 est.) |
| Exchange rates | euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.82771 (2020 est.) 0.90338 (2019 est.) 0.87789 (2018 est.) 0.885 (2014 est.) 0.7634 (2013 est.) | euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.82771 (2020 est.) 0.90338 (2019 est.) 0.87789 (2018 est.) 0.885 (2014 est.) 0.7634 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 63.9% of GDP (2017 est.) 67.9% of GDP (2016 est.) note: general government gross debt is defined in the Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year in the following categories of government liabilities (as defined in ESA95): currency and deposits (AF.2), securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives (AF.3, excluding AF.34), and loans (AF.4); the general government sector comprises the sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government and social security funds; the series are presented as a percentage of GDP and in millions of euros; GDP used as a denominator is the gross domestic product at current market prices; data expressed in national currency are converted into euro using end-of-year exchange rates provided by the European Central Bank | 78.6% of GDP (2017 est.) 83.6% of GDP (2016 est.) note: this is general government gross debt, defined in the Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year; it covers the following categories of government liabilities (as defined in ESA95): currency and deposits (AF.2), securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives (AF.3, excluding AF.34), and loans (AF.4); the general government sector comprises the sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government and social security funds; as a percentage of GDP, the GDP used as a denominator is the gross domestic product in current year prices |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $200.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $173.7 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $21.57 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $23.36 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | $280.238 billion (2019 est.) $297.434 billion (2018 est.) | $12.667 billion (2019 est.) $5.989 billion (2018 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $3,860,923,000,000 (2019 est.) | $445.025 billion (2019 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Fitch rating: AAA (1994) Moody's rating: Aaa (1986) Standard & Poors rating: AAA (1983) Credit ratings prior to 1989 refer to West Germany. | Fitch rating: AA+ (2015) Moody's rating: Aa1 (2016) Standard & Poors rating: AA+ (2012) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 79.7 (2020) Starting a Business score: 83.7 (2020) Trading score: 91.8 (2020) Enforcement score: 74.1 (2020) | Overall score: 78.7 (2020) Starting a Business score: 83.2 (2020) Trading score: 100 (2020) Enforcement score: 75.5 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 45% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 48.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | 1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -0.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 5.8% male: 6.6% female: 4.8% (2019 est.) | total: 8.5% male: 9.2% female: 7.8% (2019 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 53.1% (2017 est.) government consumption: 19.5% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.4% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: -0.5% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 47.3% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -39.7% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 52.1% (2017 est.) government consumption: 19.5% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.5% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 1.6% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 54.2% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -50.7% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 28.5% of GDP (2019 est.) 28.7% of GDP (2018 est.) 28.4% of GDP (2017 est.) | 28.5% of GDP (2019 est.) 26.9% of GDP (2018 est.) 26.3% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
| Germany | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 612.8 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 60.78 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 536.5 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 64.6 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 78.86 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 19.21 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 28.34 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 26.37 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 41,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 13,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 1.836 million bbl/day (2017 est.) | 146,600 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 6,569 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 129.6 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 41.2 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 39.5 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 6.513 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 7.9 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 1.274 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 93.36 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 9.486 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 34.61 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 5.437 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 119.5 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 14.02 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 208.5 million kW (2016 est.) | 24.79 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 41% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 25% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 43% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 5% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 52% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 31% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 2.158 million bbl/day (2017 est.) | 186,500 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 2.46 million bbl/day (2017 est.) | 268,000 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 494,000 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 49,960 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 883,800 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 135,500 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
| Germany | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 40.4 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50.35 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 3,722,128 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 42.17 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 107.2 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 133.61 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 10.726 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121.53 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .de | .at |
| Internet users | total: 72,202,773 percent of population: 89.74% (July 2018 est.) | total: 7,712,665 percent of population: 87.71% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: one of the world's most technologically advanced telecom systems with additional security measures; LTE universally available and 5G service to over 80% of population; mobile market is driven by data, with increased broadband subscribership; regulatory measures aimed at facilitating wholesale network access to provide fiber-based broadband services; government aims to provide smart technology solutions; over 60 cities use smart technology in urban development, many through joint initiative with private sector, utility companies, and universities; importer of broadcast equipment and computers from China (2021) (2020)domestic: extensive system of automatic telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available, expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign countries; 48 per 100 for fixed-line and 128 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2019) international: country code - 49; landing points for SeaMeWe-3, TAT-14, AC-1, CONTACT-3, Fehmarn Balt, C-Lion1, GC1, GlobalConnect-KPN, and Germany-Denmark 2 & 3 - submarine cables to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia; as well as earth stations in the Inmarsat, Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: mature telecom market benefitting from effective competition; government and regulator are focused on improving telecom infrastructure; program to provide a national gigabit service by 2030 based on 5G networks; fixed-line broadband market is dominated by DSL sector, while cable broadband enjoys steady share of connections; fiber penetration remains low pending build out network infrastructure; EU-funded projects develop infrastructure to enable an 'Internet of Services; Vienna is a smart city; importer of broadcasting equipment from Vietnam and China (2021) (2020)domestic: developed and efficient; 41 per 100 fixed-line for households, 174 per 100 for companies; 120 per 100 mobile-cellular; broadband: 138 per 100 on smartphones; 62 per 100 fixed broadband, 54 per 100 mobile broadband (2019) international: country code - 43; earth stations available in the Astra, Intelsat, Eutelsat satellite systems (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 35,071,539 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43.71 (2019 est.) | total: 2.519 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28.54 (2019 est.) |
| Broadcast media | a mixture of publicly operated and privately owned TV and radio stations; 70 national and regional public broadcasters compete with nearly 400 privately owned national and regional TV stations; more than 90% of households have cable or satellite TV; hundreds of radio stations including multiple national radio networks, regional radio networks, and a large number of local radio stations | worldwide cable and satellite TV are available; the public incumbent ORF competes with three other major, several regional domestic, and up to 400 international TV stations; TV coverage is in principle 100%, but only 90% use broadcast media; Internet streaming not only complements, but increasingly replaces regular TV stations (2019) |
Transportation
| Germany | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 33,590 km (2017) standard gauge: 33,331 km 1.435-m gauge (19,973 km electrified) (2015) narrow gauge: 220 km 1.000-m gauge (79 km electrified) 15 km 0.900-m gauge, 24 km 0.750-m gauge (2015) | total: 5,800 km (2017) standard gauge: 5,300 km 1.435-m gauge (3,826 km electrified) (2016) |
| Roadways | total: 625,000 km (2017) paved: 625,000 km (includes 12,996 km of expressways) (2017) note: includes local roads | total: 137,039 km (2018) paved: 137,039 km (includes 2,232 km of expressways) (2018) |
| Waterways | 7,467 km (Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North Sea and Black Sea) (2012) | 358 km (2011) |
| Pipelines | 37 km condensate, 26985 km gas, 2400 km oil, 4479 km refined products, 8 km water (2013) | 1888 km gas, 594 km oil, 157 km refined products (2017) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Baltic Sea - Kiel, Rostock North Sea - Bremerhaven, Brunsbuttel, Emden, Hamburg, Wilhelmshaven oil terminal(s): Brunsbuttel Canal terminals container port(s) (TEUs): Bremen/Bremerhaven (4,856,900), Hamburg (9,274,215) (2019) LNG terminal(s) (import): Hamburg river port(s): Bremen (Weser); Bremerhaven (Geeste); Duisburg, Karlsruhe, Neuss-Dusseldorf (Rhine); Lubeck (Wakenitz); Brunsbuttel, Hamburg (Elbe) | river port(s): Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna (Danube) |
| Airports | total: 539 (2013) | total: 50 (2020) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 318 (2017) over 3,047 m: 14 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 49 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 60 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 70 (2017) under 914 m: 125 (2017) | total: 24 (2017) over 3,047 m: 1 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2017) under 914 m: 13 (2017) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 221 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 35 (2013) under 914 m: 185 (2013) | total: 28 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2013) under 914 m: 24 (2013) |
| Heliports | 23 (2013) | 1 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 20 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1,113 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 109,796,202 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 7,969,860,000 mt-km (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 11 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 130 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 12,935,505 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 373.51 million mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | D | OE |
Military
| Germany | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr): Army (Heer), Navy (Deutsche Marine, includes naval air arm), Air Force (Luftwaffe, includes air defense), Joint Support Service (Streitkraeftebasis, SKB), Central Medical Service (Zentraler Sanitaetsdienst, ZSanDstBw), Cyber and Information Space Command (Kommando Cyber- und Informationsraum, Kdo CIR) (2021) | Austrian Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air Forces, Cyber Forces, Special Forces (2021) |
| Military service age and obligation | 17-23 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription ended July 2011; service obligation 8-23 months or 12 years; women have been eligible for voluntary service in all military branches and positions since 2001 (2019) | registration requirement at age 17, the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service (6 months), or optionally, alternative civil/community service (9 months); males 18 to 50 years old in the militia or inactive reserve are subject to compulsory service; in a January 2012 referendum, a majority of Austrians voted in favor of retaining the system of compulsory military service (with the option of alternative/non-military service) instead of switching to a professional army system (2015) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.56% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.36% of GDP (2019) 1.25% of GDP (2018) 1.23% of GDP (2017) 1.2% of GDP (2016) | 0.7% of GDP (2020 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2019) 0.7% of GDP (2018) 0.8% of GDP (2017) 0.7% of GDP (2016) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | the German Federal Armed Forces have approximately 180,000 active duty personnel (62,000 Army; 16,000 Navy; 28,000 Air Force; 27,000 Joint Support Service; 20,000 Medical Service, 13,000 Cyber and Information Space Command; 14,000 other) (2020) note - Germany in 2020 announced it planned to increase the size of the military to about 200,000 troops by 2024 | the Austrian Armed Forces have approximately 23,000 total active duty personnel (13,000 Land Forces; 2,500 Air Force; 7,500 other, support forces) (2021) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the German Federal Armed Forces inventory is mostly comprised of weapons systems produced domestically or jointly with other European countries and Western imports; since 2010, the US is the leading foreign supplier of armaments to Germany; Germany's defense industry is capable of manufacturing the full spectrum of air, land, and naval military weapons systems, and is one of the world's leading arms exporters (2020) | the Austrian military's inventory includes a mix of domestically-produced and imported weapons systems from European countries and the US; since 2010, Germany and Italy are the leading suppliers of armaments to Austria; the Austrian defense industry produces a range of equipment and partners with other countries (2020) |
| Military deployments | approximately 500 Middle East (NATO/Counter-ISIS campaign); 130 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 500 Lithuania (NATO); 800 Mali (MINUSMA/EUTM); note - Germany is a contributing member of the EuroCorps (2021) | 300 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR stabilization force); 320 Kosovo (NATO); 180 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (March 2021) |
Transnational Issues
| Germany | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | none | none |
| Illicit drugs | source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic drugs; major financial center | transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; increasing consumption of European-produced synthetic drugs |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 572,818 (Syria), 141,650 (Iraq), 140,366 (Afghanistan), 58,569 (Eritrea), 43,244 (Iran), 28,470 (Turkey), 26,015 (Somalia), 8,722 (Russia), 8,639 (Serbia and Kosovo), 8,125 (Pakistan), 7,828 (Nigeria) (2019) stateless persons: 26,675 (2020) | refugees (country of origin): 51,955 (Syria), 37,276 (Afghanistan), 8,664 (Russia), 8,568 (Iraq), 7,636 (Somalia), 6,393 (Iran) (2019) stateless persons: 3,267 (2020) |
Terrorism
| Germany | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Terrorist Group(s) | Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T | Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T |
Environment
| Germany | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 11.71 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 727.97 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 49.92 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 12.43 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 61.45 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 6.34 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 4.388 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 19.75 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 299.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 720 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 2.695 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 77.1 million cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.03% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 0.07% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0.02% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 51.046 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 24,415,302 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 47.8% (2015 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.836 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,240,918 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 25.7% (2015 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
