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Official Name: Austria
- Geography: situated in Central
Europe. Most of the country is located in
the Alps mountains. Borders Germany
and Czechoslovakia
in the North, Hungary
in the East, Italy
and Yugoslavia
in the South and Switzerland
and Lichtenstein to the West.
- History: Austria is a
German-speaking remnant state of the old
Habsburg Empire (Austro-Hungary). As a
result of the Treaty of St. Germain it
was forbidden for Austria to use its
initial name "German Austria"
or to join Germany until 1942. By the
same treaty Austria was not allowed to
have an army of more than 30,000 men. In
1931 Austria wanted to form a customs
union with Germany, but French
diplomacy prevented this. In 1932 Austria
was granted a loan by the League
of Nations in exchange for declaring
not to join Germany before the year 1952.
In 1933, due to street riots by both the fascist
National-Socialist Party and by social-democrats
prime minister Dolfuss made Austria into
a dictatorship by forbidding all parties
except his own Patriottic Front. Dolfuss
was murdered by fascists in 1934.
- Political system: dictatorship
- Head of Government: Prime minister Kurt Schusschnigg
- Head of State: President Wilhelm Miklas
- Treaties: Peace Treaty of St.
Germain with Britain, France and Italy.
- Economic system: capitalist
- Economy: small.
- Demography: medium birth rate. Population of about 6 million.
- Morale: low.
- Armed forces: 38,000 men; reserves: about 300,000.
- Status: Austria is one of the minor powers.
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