Vienna is not only the capital of Austria, but also Bundesland
(regional state). Vienna lies at 16° eastern longitude and 48° northern
latitude, about 60 km from Hungary as well as from the Czech Republic
and Slovakia. The city has 1,6 million inhabitants. It is the only
capital in Europe where the actual number has been declining in the last
few decades. It did mean, however, that the quality of life increased.
Vienna extends across 414 square kilometres, divided into 23 Bezirke
(districts). Fifty percent of its surface is taken up by woods and
other green areas.
The lowest point of Vienna is located in the Lobau at the Donau canal,
at 151 m above sea level. The highest point is the 543 m high
Hartmannskogel.
On average it rains eight days a month and the average temperature
varies from 1°C in January to 25 °C in July. The population can
definitely not be called homogeneous, many inhabitants are the
descendants of Hungarians, Croats, Czechs, Slovaks, Italians and other
nationalities. Many Turkish, German and other immigrants have also found
a home here.
The international flair of the city has risen over the past years
because several organizations, such as the UN, the OECD and the
Commission for Nuclear Energy of the European Union, have settled here.
The last couple of years Vienna is becoming more and more popular as a
congress city.
