The book is the first geographic work on Austria to appear since the 1920s. It presents the results of research work in the fields of history, politics, regional planning, economics, sociology and the earth sciences, in part effected by the research focus Austria. Space and Society" which was started by the Austrian Research Foundation in 1994 and coordinated by the author. The book´s purpose is threefold:\n1. to furnish a representative introduction to the country - a sort of a "calling card",\n2. to serve as "information base for the sophisticated general reader - on account ot the variety of topics covered and the wealth of its maps and statistical data,\n3. to inform the international scientific community about Austrian problems of European relevance, e.g. the three-dimensional superimposition of the international leisure society upon the local society in high mountain environments, the impact of international migration upon segregation in urban and rural areas, the development of new regional disparities through the internationalization of the real estate market.