Geography of Austria

Austria (Austrian German: Österreich), formally the Republic of Austria (Austrian German: Republik Österreich), is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine federal states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous city and federal state. Austria is bordered by Germany to the northwest, Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia to the northeast, Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The country occupies an area of 83,879 km2 (32,386 sq mi) and has a population of around 9 million.Austria emerged from the remnants of the Eastern and Hungarian March at the end of the first millennium. Originally a margraviate of Bavaria, it developed into a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire in 1156 and was later made an archduchy in 1453. In the 16th century, Vienna began serving as the empire's administrative capital and Austria thus became the heartland of the Habsburg monarchy. Before the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire two years later, in 1804, Austria established its own empire, which became a great power and the dominant member of the German Confederation. The empire's defeat in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 led to the end of the Confederation and paved the way for the establishment of Austria-Hungary a year later, Austria was its part with the name Cisleithania. After the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, Emperor Franz Joseph declared war on Serbia, which ultimately escalated into World War I. The empire's defeat and subsequent collapse led to the proclamation of the Republic of German-Austria in 1918 and the First Austrian Republic in 1919. During the interwar period, anti-parliamentarian sentiments culminated in the formation of an Austrofascist dictatorship under Engelbert Dollfuss in 1934. A year before the outbreak of World War II, Austria was annexed into Nazi Germany by Adolf Hitler, and it became a sub-national division. After its liberation in 1945 and a decade of Allied occupation, the country regained its sovereignty and declared its perpetual neutrality in 1955. Austria is a parliamentary representative democracy with a popularly elected president as head of state and a chancellor as head of government and chief executive. Major cities include Vienna, Graz, Linz, Salzburg, and Innsbruck. Austria has the 17th highest nominal GDP per capita with high standards of living; it was ranked 25th in the world for its Human Development Index in 2021. Austria has been a member of the United Nations since 1955 and of the European Union since 1995. It hosts the OSCE and OPEC and is a founding member of the OECD and Interpol. It also signed the Schengen Agreement in 1995, and adopted the euro currency in 1999.

Wagrain (Austro-Bavarian: Wågroã) is a market town in the St. Johann im Pongau District in the Austrian state of Salzburg. It is located in a high valley stretching from the Salzach at Sankt Johann in the west to the Enns river in the east. The municipality includes the Katastralgemeinden Hof, Hofmarkt, Schwaighof and Vorderkleinarl. The population is about 3,020.

Flachau is a village in the district of St. Johann im Pongau in the Austrian state of Salzburg, with a population of 2,802 (2016 data). Its numerous skiing facilities are part of the Ski Amadé network of ski areas, one of the largest in Europe.

Hüttau (Bavarian: Hittau) is a municipality in the St. Johann im Pongau district in the Austrian state of Salzburg.

Altenmarkt im Pongau is a small town in the Austrian state of Salzburg.

Eben im Pongau is a municipality in the St. Johann im Pongau district in the Austrian state of Salzburg.

The Bezirk Sankt Johann im Pongau is an administrative district (Bezirk) in the federal state of Salzburg, Austria, and congruent with the Pongau region. Area of the district is 1,755.37 km², with a population of 77,872 (May 15, 2001), and population density 44 persons per km². Administrative center of the district is Sankt Johann im Pongau.

Rettenstein is a part of the town St. Johann im Pongau in Salzburg (state), Austria.

Zauchensee is a place in the Austrian municipality of Altenmarkt im Pongau, located in the state of Salzburg. Zauchensee is known for its ski resort and as a venue for the Alpine Ski World Cup.

Kälberloch is a World Cup downhill ski course in Austria, located on Gamskogel (Radstadt Tauern) mountain in Zauchensee, Altenmarkt im Pongau, Salzburg; it debuted in 1990.Kälberloch is considered the most demanding course on the women's World Cup circuit; it hosted the season final speed events for men and women in March 2002, with the technical events on the "Griessenkar" course. The start fall is so steep (70% gradient) it is impossible to walk uphill; the only access to the start at ridge overhang with barely any space, is via a steep cog railway.

St. Johann im Pongau (Saiga Håns or Sainig Håns in the local Pongau dialect, abbreviated St.Johann/Pg.) , a small city in the state of Salzburg in Austria, is the administrative centre of the St. Johann im Pongau District.

The Salzburg Slate Alps (German: Salzburger Schieferalpen) are a mountain range of the Eastern Alps, in the Austrian state of Salzburg. Situated within the greywacke zone, they could be regarded either as part of the Northern Limestone Alps or of the Central Eastern Alps.