Austria Geography

Austria is a landlocked country, encircled by Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Italy. Nearly half of the country is covered with forests. The highest mountain in Austria is Grossglockner (3,798m/12,465ft). On its way from the Black Forest in southern Germany to the Black Sea, the River Danube flows about 360km (220 miles) through Austria. The plant life changes according to the temperature: the lower regions are densely wooded, with fir predominating higher than 488m (1,600ft) and giving way to larch and stone-pine beyond 1,219m (4,000ft); the Alpine foothills consist mainly of arable ground and grassland (above 610m (2,000ft)).