Austria is known for its mountainous landscapes and cultural contributions. The country is home to various foods like wiener schnitzel and strudel, and the people speak German as well as other languages. Austrians enjoy dancing traditions like the waltz and participate in winter sports. Key facts about Austria include its capital Vienna, use of the euro currency, and role in the historic Austro-Hungarian Empire. The climate varies from alpine to eastern plains but is generally moderate.

1. Austria!

2. Austria

3. Flag of Austria

4. Food In Austria they eat lots of food such as: Weiner Schnitzel Rindsuppe (beef soup) GermKnodel (Dumplings) Lots of different breads Mehlspeise (Sweet flour-based dishes) Apfelstrudel (Apple strudel) Kaiserschmarrn (pancakes ripped into bites - served with applesauce or stewed plums) Frankfurters Käsekrainer (a kind of sausage)

5. Languages In the Austria they speak lots of languages like: English, High German, Low German,Slovene, Croatian and Hungarian.

6. In Austria they dance the following dances: Folk dancing Figure dancing Waltz Polka Zwiefacher Sprachinseltänze (language island dances) National Dance

7. Facts and Figures 1.Population:8.3 million people 2.The capital of Austria is Vienna 3.The money in Austria is called Euro 4.The Sound of Music Movie comes from Austria 5.In 1934 Austria came 3rd in the FIFA world cup,in 1954 Austria came 3rd in the FIFA World cup and also in 1958 they came 7th in the FIFA world cup .Children start school at the age of 6. The highest mountain in Austria is called Grossglockner Almost 90% of the population speak German, which is also the official language. In 1867, Austria and Hungary joined together to create the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This joint empire ended at the end of World War I (1918). Austria joined the United Nations in 1955. The official currency is the euro. The name Austria derives from a Germanic word ‘austro’, meaning ‘east’. Over 60% of Austria’s electricity is supplied by renewable sources. Winters in Austria are very cold. However, the summers can be relatively hot. The temperatures range between 20 and 40 degrees Celsius. Children enter primary school at the age of six. They spend four years in primary school and are usually taught by the same teacher for the entire time. Almost three quarters of the population are Roman Catholics. The candy PEZ was invented in Austria. The first Youth Winter Olympics will be held in Austria (in 2012). Football (soccer) is a popular sport in Austria. However, the national side has had little success over the years

8. Customs and Traditions On December 6th St Nicholas comes and gives children presents.(Not the 25th December like we do in New Zealand) In February they have a National Ball –called the “Vienna Opera Ball”. Most Austrians greet one another formally, by shaking hands and saying, "GrussGott" (greet God) or "Grussdich" (greet you). Upon leaving, they shake again and say "Auf Wiedersehen" (good-bye). When dining, everyone at the table joins in a toast, saying "Prost

9. Sports In Austria they lots of sports like: alpine skiing Snowboarding ski-jumping football ice hockey basketball

10. Places to go in Austria Eisriesenwelt Caves (The largest ice caves in the world!) Krimml Falls (Has the longest waterfall in Europe at 1246 feet) Schonbrunn Palace – the most important cultural monuments in Austria Spanish Riding School The Swarovski Crystal Worlds Salzburg’s birth place Mozart’s house Sound of Music house

12. Weather and climate Austria's climate is generally moderate and mild but varies from the Alpine region to the eastern plain. Summer can be hot and long with average summer temperatures that range from 20°C to 30°C. The average winter temperatures are around 0°. Snow on the mountains in spring and autumn is not uncommon. In Vienna itself you can enjoy the very mild climate, a gentle breeze, fresh air produced by the surrounding Wienerwald. Cold winters with frequent rain in lowlands and snow in the mountains; cool summers with occasional showers Temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers

13. What they wear They wear lederhosen

14. Animals in Austria In Austria they have animals such as: Lipizzaner (A white horse named after its place of origin in Lippiza Ibex a mountain goat with huge curved horns Chamois horned goat antelope related to goats but having antelope-like features Marmots (cute little furry creatures).

15. Explorers in Austria Mary Kingsley (1862-1900) The greatest of all women explorers Dr. David Livingstone(1813-1873) Explored the interior of Africa John Speke (1827 - 1864)Discovered Lake Victoria the largest source of the Nile River Isabelle Eberhardt(1877-1904) was an explorer who lived and traveled extensively in North Africa

16. Area 83,870 sq km Land=82,444 sq km Water=1,426 sq km This means Austria is 3x smaller then New Zealand! (NZ is 268,676 sq km)

17. Environment-current issues 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