Country Profile

You think Austria is all about high mountains, classical music, Sisi, chocolate cakes and the Sound of Music? That people drink a lot of wine, waltz around and burst out yodelling from time to time? Well … then you're perhaps right!

But there's also another side to this small country with its turbulent past and lively present. It's a side where you can notice lots of different traditions and influences, a vibrant mix of people and cultures, and a sharp contrast between cities and the countryside, between East and West.

You might find out, for example, that also electronic music from Vienna is very famous and its DJs play in clubs all around the world. Or that most Austrians have actually never watched and listened to the Sound of Music. Or that Austrian scientists are leading experts in quantum teleportation – a method to beam particles just like Scotty beamed up Captain Kirk in StarTrek.

So if you decide to take a closer look, you might find out all these things or maybe something completely different. But one thing you’ll find out for sure: Austria is a very special mix – maybe not easy to grasp and understand, but all in all interesting, tasty and loveable.

Welcome!

Photo: L'arbre © Raphael Goetter / flickr.com, license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en