Map of Austria

Austria officially the Republic of Austria is a federal republic and a landlocked country of over 8.8 million people in Central Europe. The territory of Austria covers 83,879 km2 (32,386 sq. mi). The terrain is highly mountainous, lying within the Alps; only 32% of the country is below 500 m (1,640 ft), and its highest point is 3,798 m (12,461 ft). The majority of the population speaks local Bavarian dialects of German as their native language, and German in its standard form is the country's official language. Austria is a parliamentary representative democracy comprising nine federated states. The capital and largest city, with a population exceeding 1.8 million, is Vienna. Other major urban areas of Austria include Graz, Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck. Austria is consistently ranked as one of the richest countries in the world by per capita GDP terms. Austria also signed the Schengen Agreement in 1995 and adopted the euro currency in 1999.