The geography of Austria is diverse in nature, comprising all major types of topographical features. Austria is mainly a mountainous country with a central location on the map of Europe. With a total land area of 83,859-kilometer square, it is double the size of Switzerland and is surrounded by countries on all sides.
Austria has common natural borders, which it shares with Liechtenstein and Switzerland in the west and Czechoslovakia, Germany, and Slovakia in the north. Hungarian province and Slovenia protect the country from the eastern and southern corners respectively.
The shape of Austria resembles more or less pear and is segregated into three distinct and unequal geographical regions. The largest among these regions consists of the Alps, which cover about 62 percent of the total land area in Austria. To its east, lies a part of the Pannonian Plain, and the River Danube constitutes its northern parts. The hard granite rocks of the Alpine regions are popular among those passionate about highlands.
The Danube River is another important part of the Geography of Austria. Originating near Donaueschingen in southwest Germany, it flows through the Austrian mainland to meet the Black Sea and terminate itself. The Danube is perhaps the only major European river that has an eastward flow. Its water offers extensive transportation facilities to most European countries through inland water routes like Rhine-Main-Danube Canal in Bavaria.
The third significant region in the Geography of Austria is the Bohemian Forest. In reality, it is a range of mountains made up of hard granites, continuously swept by very strong winds. Located in the northern parts of the River Danube, these forests include the remaining ten percent of Austria.
Climate is quite a significant issue as far as the Geography of Austria is concerned. The climatic condition in Austria is basically moderate, with Mediterranean winds blowing constantly to make the weather temperate in nature. This maritime climate suffers no precipitation, hence devoid of humidity. It is due to this annual pleasant climate that travelers can come down to Austria to witness its topographical variations at any part of the year.
