Vienna

Vienna or Wien (ancient Vindobona), city in northeastern Austria, the capital and
largest city of the country, coextensive with Vienna (Wien) Province. Vienna is located on
both banks of the anube !iver, with the foothills of the "astern Alps on the west and the
plains of the anube basin on the east.
#he city lies about $%& ' (((( ft) above sea level and has a continental cli'ate,
with a 'ean annual te'perature of )%* + (,%* -) and an average annual rainfall of ()% ''
($. in). Vienna was for 'any centuries the political and econo'ic center of the Austrian
"'pire under the /absburg fa'ily, and between )0(1 and )2)0 the capital of the Austro3
/ungarian 'onarchy. -ollowing World War 4 ()2).3)2)0), with Austria greatly reduced in
si5e, the city found itself with a suddenly li'ited role and its i'portance declined. At the end
of World War 44 ()2&23)2.,), Vienna was heavily da'aged, but after the signing of the 6tate
#reaty in )2,,, guaranteeing neutrality for Austria, it again resu'ed considerable i'portance
as a co''ercial and transportation center. #oday the city do'inates the econo'ic and
cultural life of Austria and contains about one3fifth of the country7s population. 44
"+898:; Vienna is an i'portant port on the anube. <ecause of its strategic location on
"urope7s 'a=or river, at the lowland passage between the Alps and the +arpathian :ountains,
Vienna has been an i'portant co''unications hub since the first +eltic settle'ent was
established on the site. #oday, railroad lines link Vienna with nearly all the i'portant cities of
"urope. A 'odern li'ited3access highway extends north fro' Vienna to >er'any, and in the
)20%s a highway was constructed to the south. Vienna7s international airport is located at
6chwechat to the southeast. Vienna is by far Austria7s 'ost i'portant 'anufacturing,
banking, and insurance center. #he city contributes roughly one3fifth of Austria7s total
industrial plant. Principal 'anufactures are food products, electrical e?uip'ent, che'icals,
'achinery, 'etal products, textiles, clothing, printed 'aterials, and paper. Also i'portant are
handicraft industries, producing such goods as porcelain, =ewelry, glass ite's, leather goods,
and 'usical instru'ents.
6ince the 'id3)2,%s the city has been the site of 'any international political and
econo'ic 'eetings and conferences. #he @nited 9ations +ity, a co'plex co'pleted on the
left bank of the anube in )212, is the seat of several international organi5ations, such as the
4nternational Ato'ic "nergy Agency (4A"A) and the @nited 9ations 4ndustrial evelop'ent
8rgani5ation (@948). #he 8rgani5ation of Petroleu' "xporting +ountries (8P"+) also has
its head?uarters in the city. #he biennial Vienna -air (founded in )2$)) continues to play an
i'portant role in the econo'ic life of central "urope. 8f special i'portance to Vienna7s
econo'ic well3being in the post3World War 44 period is the large nu'ber of foreign visitors
attracted to the city.