Area : 83 870 km² Population : 8,3 million . Capital : Vienna . Language : German . The official language, German, is spoken by almost all residents of the country. Austria's mountainous terrain led to the development of many distinct German dialects. Climate : The greater part of Austria lies in the cool/temperate climate zone in which humid westerly winds predominate. Religion : At the end of the twentieth century, about 74% of Austria's population were registered as Roman Catholic, while about 5% considered themselves Protestants. Austrian Christians are obliged to pay a mandatory membership fee (calculated by income—about 1%) to their church; this payment is called 'Kirchensteuer' ('Ecclesiastical/Church tax'). Political system : Austria is now a federal republic, consisting of nine states. The Austrian Parliament has two chambers. The National Council, or Nationalrat, has 183 members, who are elected by direct popular vote to serve a four-year term. The Federal Council, or Bundesrat, is the upper house with about 62 members who represent each province. Its members serve a four or six-year term. Austria has a mixed industrial and agricultural economy, while tourism is also an important source of income.
