Page 20 - Sphere No.33 (Jul 2013)

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Sphere 33
FOCUS
Even though Austria is not the largest country in Europe, most of us
are familiar with the symphonies of Haydn, Mahler, Mozart and
Schoenberg, the mountain scenery, catchy songs from the
Sound of
Music
and the name of Sigmund Freud. Austria is a tranquil yet modern
country with GDP per capita ranked 15th in the world according to the
United Nations. Innsbruck, the internationally famous winter sport
centre, has held Winter Olympics twice in 1964 and 1976. Its capital,
Vienna, is one of the top destinations along the middle Europe travel
route, due to its rich culture and efficient connections with other major
European cities. Visitors can also enjoy the beautiful scenery of the
Alps and snow and skiing in winter - at a relatively lower cost compared
with Switzerland – at small towns like Schladming or Kitzbühel.
Austria at a glance
Size: 83,855 square kilometres
Population: 8.4 million
Official language: German
Currency: Euro
GDP in 2012: €309,901 million
GDP per capita in 2012: €36,600