Austria

The country and its people

• Key facts • Characteristics and
Values
• Topography &
Economics • Behaviour

• Education & Politics • Doing Business

• Historical Information • Eating & Drinking

 Key Facts
• Capital: Vienna
• approx. 8.5 Mio. people – 84.000 km²
• Name originates from Germanic and Celtic
languages
• Ethnic groups: German, indigenous minorities and
immigrant groups
• Religion: Roman Catholic 74%, Protestant,…
• Country divided into states, districts and
municipalities
Puzzle
 Topography and Economics
• Mountainous country (32%
below 500 m)
• Divided into 5 areas
(Austrian Alps, …)
• One of the 10 richtest
countires in the world
• High living standard
• Since 1995 EU member –
main trading partner
 Education and Politics
• School attendance compulsory for 9
yrs

• Primary education (4yrs) – 2 school

types – schools for further education –
university

• Federal, parliamentarian, democratic

republic (1920/1945)

• 2 chambers in Parliament: Nationalrat

(elected every 5 yrs) and Bundesrat
 A brief history
• Celts are the first settlers
• Austria is part of the Roman Empire
• Charles the Great (late 8th cent) >
colonization and christianization
• House of Babenberg
• House of Habsburg
• Dual monarchy Austria - Hungary
• 1938 Anschluß: incorporation to the third Reich
• WW II(1938-45)
• liberty of Austria in 1945 (State Treaty) > Second
Republic of Austria
• independence in 1955
• 1995 member of the EU
 Characteristics and Values
• Austrians are conservative

• Relaxed and happy approach to life = Gemütlichkeit

• Friendly and hospitable to foreigners

• Austrians have a closely knit circle of friends and a

wide network of acquaintances
 Behavior
• Good manners and polite behavior are extremely
important in Austria
• Address Austrians by their appropriate titles and
surnames until you are invited to use their first
names
• Firm handshake on arrival and departure
• Maintain eye contact during the greeting
• Distinguish between ‘Du’ and ‘Sie’
 Doing Business
• First impressions are important

• Good preparation is necessary

• Austrians negotiate in a linear, direct fashion

• Who you know is important to business success in

Austria

• Do not discuss your private life at work or bring your

work home
 Eating and Drinking
• Austrians love good food –
gourmet tradition
• Main meal at lunchtime (noon)
• Great variety of desserts
• Dark bread
• Mineral water, Beer, Wine,
Schnaps
• Coffeehouse, Gasthaus,
Gastgarten,
Buschenschank/Heuriger
Thank you for your attention!

Rauscher Nina, Bohatsch Linda, Leder Magdalena