Republik Österreich

Political Status: Federal republic established in 1918; reestablished in 1945 under Allied occupation; independence restored under the Four-Power Treaty of July 27, 1955.

Area: 32,376 sq. mi. (83,853 sq. km).

Population: 8,841,822 (2012E—UN); 8,219,743 (2012E—U.S. Census).

Major Urban Centers (2005E): VIENNA (1,554,000), Graz (222,000), Linz (178,000), Salzburg (142,000), Innsbruck (112,000).

Official Languages: German, Croatian (in Burgenland), Slovene (in Carinthia).

Monetary Unit: Euro (market rate November 5, 2012: 0.78 euro = $1US).

Federal President: Heinz FISCHER (Social Democratic Party of Austria); elected on April 25, 2004, and sworn in for a six-year term on July 8 to succeed Thomas KLESTIL (independent), who had been constitutionally precluded from running for a third term and who had died on July 6; reelected as independent candidate on April 25, 2010, and sworn ...