About Austria
Facts:
Capital: Vienna (1,86 mill inhabitants) (2021)
Regions: Austria is divided into 9 regions:
Vorarlberg, Tirol, Steiermark, Carinthia, Salzburg, Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Vienna, Burgenland
Area 83.858 km2
Languages German is the official language of the country. Written language is common “hochdeutsch”, but in speech there are many dialects that can be almost impossible to understand for a Norwegian. You can get there mostly well with English in the slightly larger places, and places with a certain tourism. Main religion Roman Catholic
Inhabits 8.139.000
Geography Austria is located in the middle of Europe and has no coastlines. The landscape is characterized by many mountains, and almost half the land is covered with forest. Austria’s highest mountain is Grossglockner, which is 3,798 meters high. The Donau River is the country’s dominant river, stretching 360 kilometers through Austria.
In general: Austrians are mostly more casual than Germans, and the loose, joking tone is never far away. Yet the country is in many ways more conservative than Norway. Especially in Vienna, in big cities, and at government agencies and banks one should think a little courtesy and outfit.
Payment by credit card is not as prevalent as in Norway, and only cash can be accepted as payment at smaller accommodations and some restaurants. Hotels etc. pay more fees to their bank when they receive payment by credit card. Our tip is to always have some euros with it. ATMs are well distributed.