Austria is a mid-sized Central European country with about 9.2 million people. Vienna, the capital, is home to roughly 2 million residents; nearly 60 % of the population lives in urban areas.
Austrian society blends tradition with a very modern daily life. German is the official language, and regional dialects still shape how people speak at home or locally. Music, especially classical, plays a visible role in national identity. Names like Mozart and Strauss still matter, but so do contemporary arts and design.
About 55–60 percent of the population identifies as Roman Catholic, a sharp drop from past decades. Church attendance is low, yet Catholic holidays, calendars, and food traditions remain strong. Protestant communities are small, and Islam represents the largest non-Christian religion, mainly linked to post-1960s migration. Secularism is also strong.
Austria values order, privacy, and predictability. Social trust runs high, public systems work well, and consensus matters.
