Austria Wallpapers

Austria: The Republic of Austria or Austria (German Republik Österreich or Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is a parliamentary democracy. Austria has been a member of the UN since 1955 and the European Union since 1995. It borders Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. Official languages German, Slovenian, Croatian, Hungarian , Capital Vienna, Largest city Vienna, President Heinz Fischer, Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, Area Ranked 112th. History. Main article: History of Austria. After being conquered by the Romans, Huns, Lombards, Ostrogoths, Bavarii and Franks, Austria was under the rule of the Babenbergs from the 10th to the 13th century. The Babenbergs were then succeeded by the Habsburgs, whose line continued to govern Austria until the 20th century. After the abolition of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the Empire of Austria was founded, which was transformed in 1867 into the double-monarchy Austria-Hungary. The empire was split into several independent states after the defeat of the Central Powers in World War I, leading to Austria as it is today. In 1918 Austria became a republic, which lasted until 1934 when the chancellor Engelbert Dollfuß established a dictatorship. Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938 (the Anschluss). After the defeat of the Nazis, the Allies occupied Austria at the end of World War II until 1955, when the country again became a fully independent republic under the condition that it remained neutral (see also: Austrian State Treaty). However, after the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, Austria became increasingly involved in European affairs, and in 1995, Austria joined the European Union, and the Euro monetary system in 1999. Origin of name: The German name Österreich can be loosely translated into English as either eastern realm or eastern empire, which is derived from the Old German Ostarrîchi. The term probably originates in a vernacular translation of the Medieval Latin name for the region: Marchia orientalis, which translates as "eastern border," as it was situated at the eastern edge of the Holy Roman Empire. Interestingly, the derivation of the Latin name from the original Old German gives rise to the use of "Aust-" for east, rather than south as in Classical Latin. Politics: Main article: Politics of Austria. Austria has been a federal, parliamentary democracy republic since the Federal Constitution of 1920, which was again reintroduced in 1945 to the nine states of the Federal Republic. The head of state is the Federal President, who is directly elected. The chairman of the Federal Government is the Federal Chancellor, who is appointed by the president and voted into office by the majority of the Nationalrat, the National Council of Austria. The government can be recalled by a vote of no confidence in the National Council. The Austrian parliament consists of two chambers. The composition of the Nationalrat is determined every four years by a free general election in which every citizen is allowed to vote to fill its 183 seats. A "Four Percent Hurdle" prevents a large splintering of the political landscape in the Nationalrat by awarding seats only to political parties that have received at least four percent of the general vote, or alternatively, have won a direct seat, or Direktmandat, in one of the 43 regional election districts. The Nationalrat is the dominate chamber in the formation of legislation in Austria. However, the upper house of parliament, the Bundesrat has the right of veto (Though a very limited form as the Nationalrat can pass the respective bill a second time cancelling out the Bundesrat altogether). A convention, called the Österreich Konvent was convened in 1 June 2003 to decide upon suggestions to reform the constitution. See also: List of political parties in Austria. Federal States and cities. Geography: Main article: Geography of Austria-Around 60 percent of Austria is mountainus due to its location in the Central Eastern Alps, which can be subdivided into the Tirolean Alps, the High and Low Tauern, Northern Limestone Alps, Southern Limestone Alps, and the Wienerwald. [br]From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

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Austria Wallpapers @ Mega Wallpapers (08 Edition)
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