Austria is a small country in central Europe famous for its beautiful mountain scenery. The towering Alps and their foothills stretch across the western, southern, and central parts of the country. In many areas, broad, green valleys separate the mountains. Austria has many lovely, mirrorlike lakes. Thick forests cover much of the country's land. Austria has no coastline. It shares boundaries with the countries of Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west, Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Hungary and Slovakia to the east, and Slovenia and Italy to the south. Vienna is the capital and largest city of Austria. It lies on the Danube River in the northeastern part of the country.

Most of Austria's people live in cities and towns. About a fifth of the people live in Vienna. Austrians enjoy good food, outdoor sports, and the arts. They take great pride in the fact that their country has long been a leading cultural center of Europe. The cultural institutions and scenic beauty of Austria attract millions of tourists each year.

Austria was once one of the most powerful countries in Europe. The royal Habsburg (or Hapsburg) family began to gain control of Austria in the late 1200's. In time, the country became the center of a huge empire that was ruled by the Habsburgs. This empire collapsed after World War I ended in 1918. Austria then became a republic and went through a long period of economic difficulty and political unrest. In the last half of the 1900's, however, Austria became increasingly industrialized, and the economy of the country grew steadily. The country also achieved political stability