Austria in figures

Date: 18/06/1998

Capital: Vienna

Area: 83,850 sq kilometres

Population: 8.1 million Ethnic groups: German 99.4&percent;; Croatian 0.3&percent;; Slovene 0.2&percent;; other 0.1&percent;

Religion: Roman Catholic 85&percent;, Protestant 6&percent;, other 9&percent;

Head of state: President Thomas Klestil

Head of government: Chancellor Viktor Klima

Natural resources: Iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower

Military expenditure: 1&percent; GDP

Currency: Schilling: 13.85/ecu

Boundaries with central and eastern European EU applicants: Czech Republic 362 km, Hungary 366 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km (Source: CIA World Factbook 1997)

Economy: GDP (1997) 182 billion ecu; real GDP growth (1997) 2.5&percent;; consumer price inflation 1.3&percent;

Origin of GDP: Agriculture and forestry 1.5&percent;; mining, manufacturing and utilities 24.1&percent;; construction 7.8&percent;; trade and tourism 17.6&percent;; other private services 35.7&percent;; public sector 13.3&percent;

Principal exports: Machinery and transport equipment, steel, textiles and paper

Main trading partner: EU 64.1&percent; (Germany 37.4&percent;, Italy 8.3&percent;), eastern Europe 15.4&percent; (Hungary 3.4&percent;), US 3.2&percent;

(Source: Economist Intelligence Unit)