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Upper Austria

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Upper Austria is a state located in the country of Austria.

Upper Austria Districts
Upper Austria Districts

It sits near the borders of Germany and the Czech Republic. It also touches other Austrian states like Salzburg, Styria, and Lower Austria. The capital city of this state is Linz.

Neuer Dom Linz (DFdB)
Neuer Dom Linz (DFdB)

This region is quite large and important. It is the fourth-largest state in Austria by land area. It is also the third-largest state by the number of people living there.

History shows that this land has changed many times. Long ago, during Roman rule, the area south of the Danube river was part of a province called Noricum. Later, different groups of people moved into the region. During the Middle Ages, the area was part of the Duchy of Bavaria. By the mid-13th century, it was known as the Principality above the Enns River.

Hallstatt - Zentrum
Hallstatt - Zentrum

Eventually, the House of Habsburg began to rule the region. Over many years, the name "Upper Austria" became common to describe these western lands.

In more recent history, the region saw many big changes. During the Napoleonic Wars, the French army occupied the area more than once. After the big empire of Austria-Hungary ended in 1918, the name Upper Austria was officially used. During World War II, the area was part of Nazi Germany. After the war ended in 1945, the land was split into two parts. One part was held by the American army and the other by the Soviet army.

Today, Upper Austria is a very busy place for business. It is the leading industrial region in all of Austria. In 2009, it was responsible for about one quarter of the country's exports. The economy is strong, with a gross domestic product of 65.9 billion € in 2018. Many people live here, with about 1.53 million inhabitants in 2023. Most of these people follow the Christian faith, and many are Roman Catholic.

Frankenburg am Hausruck
Frankenburg am Hausruck

Visitors can find many beautiful natural sights in the state. There are lovely lakes like the Gosauseen.

Gosausee and Dachstein Upper Austria Austro-Hungary
Gosausee and Dachstein Upper Austria Austro-Hungary

The state is divided into 15 districts and 438 municipalities. It also has three special cities called statutory cities: Linz, Steyr, and Wels. For traveling by air, people use Linz Airport to reach parts of Europe. The state is also known for its historical regions like the Innviertel and the Mühlviertel. It remains a very important part of the modern Republic of Austria.

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Hoamatgsang.ogg
File:Hallstatt - Zentrum .JPG
Hallstatt - Zentrum .JPG
File:Frankenburg_am_Hausruck.jpg
Frankenburg_am_Hausruck.jpg
File:Gosausee_and_Dachstein_Upper_Austria_Austro-Hungary.jpg
Gosausee_and_Dachstein_Upper_Austria_Austr...
File:Upper Austria Districts.png
Upper Austria Districts.png
File:Neuer Dom Linz (DFdB).JPG
Neuer Dom Linz (DFdB).JPG
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