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Location:
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Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia
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Geographic coordinates:
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47 20 N, 13 20 E
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Map references:
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europe
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Area:
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total: 83,870 sq km
water: 1,426 sq km
land: 82,444 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Maine
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Land boundaries:
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total: 2,562 km
border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km, Switzerland 164 km
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked)
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked)
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Climate:
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temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers
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Terrain:
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in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m
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Natural resources:
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oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower
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Land use:
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arable land: 16.91%
permanent crops: 0.86%
other: 82.23% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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457 sq km (2000 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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landslides; avalanches; earthquakes
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Environment - current issues:
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some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
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Geography - note:
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landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere
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