Upper Austria

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Oberösterreich
State AT-4 (ISO)
Capital Linz
Governor Josef Pühringer (ÖVP)
Area
 - Total
Ranked 4th
11,980 km²
Population
 - Total (2006)
 - Density
Ranked 3rd
1,405,986
116/km²

The state flag of Oberösterreich

The state of Oberösterreich on the map of Austria

Upper Austria (German: Oberösterreich, Czech: Horní Rakousko) is one of the nine states or Bundesländer of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders on Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as on the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Salzburg. With an area of 11,980 km² and 1.3 million inhabitants, Upper Austria is the fourth largest Austrian state by land area and third largest by population.

Contents

[edit] History

The first reference to Oberösterreich appeared in 1264, discussing a region above the Enns River partitioned by King Ottokar II of Bohemia. Formally, it was called "Österreich ob der Enns" (Austria above the river Enns).

In 1490, the area was given a measure of independence in the form of status as a principality, but this was taken away in 1564 at the hands of the Habsburgs. In 1918, the name Oberösterreich was first formally used. When Austria was annexed by Adolf Hitler, Upper Austria became the Reichsgau of Oberdonau. After 1945, it reverted to its earlier name.

[edit] Demographics

Demographics
Date Population
ca. 1527 335,000
ca. 1600 380,000
ca. 1700 450,000
1754 526,000
1780 601,000
1790 623,000
1800 626,000
1810 630,000
1821 651,911
1830 682,140
1840 699,324
1850 706,316
1857 707,450
1869 736,856
1880 760,091
1890 786,496
1900 810,854
1910 853,595
1923 876,698
1934 902,965
1939 927,583
1951 1,108,720
1961 1,131,623
1971 1,229,972
1981 1,269,540
1991 1,320,567
2001 1,376,700
2004 1,392,965
2006 1,405,986

Like the rest of Austria, Upper Austria is predominantly Roman Catholic. Approximately 7.2% of the population is of foreign origin, 53% of which is from former Yugoslavia. Other minority groups include those of Greek and Turkish origin. As of the last census, which took place in 2006, the population of Upper Austria is 1,405,986. To the right are historical population figures of the state.

[edit] Administrative divisions

OberösterreichLänd Bezirke

Upper Austria is traditionally divided into four regions: Hausruckviertel, Innviertel, Mühlviertel, and Traunviertel.

Administratively, the state is divided into 15 districts (Bezirke), and three Statutarstädte.

[edit] Statutarstädte

  1. Linz
  2. Steyr
  3. Wels

[edit] Districts

  1. Braunau am Inn
  2. Eferding
  3. Freistadt
  4. Gmunden
  5. Grieskirchen
  6. Kirchdorf an der Krems
  7. Linz-Land
  8. Perg
  9. Ried im Innkreis
  10. Rohrbach
  11. Schärding
  12. Steyr-Land
  13. Urfahr-Umgebung
  14. Vöcklabruck
  15. Wels-Land

[edit] External links

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