Austria

Bilateral relationship

New Zealand's relations with Austria, although not extensive, are good. New Zealand had an Embassy in Vienna from 1973 until 1991, when it was closed due to a reorganisation of New Zealand's limited resources in Europe. New Zealand is now represented in Austria by the accreditation to Vienna of the Ambassador in Germany, and following the closure of the Embassy in Vienna an Honorary Consul-General was appointed in Vienna. Austria's Ambassador to New Zealand is resident in Canberra, although Austria also has two consulates in New Zealand, in Auckland and in Wellington, staffed by Honorary Consuls. New Zealand does have a Permanent Mission to the United Nations based in Vienna, but this does not deal with the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

Although the Austrian community in New Zealand has been small, it has left its mark in exploration (through place names given in the last century, eg Franz Josef Glacier) and in the early development of skiing.

New Zealand's trade with Austria is small, and heavily in Austria's favour. New Zealand is seen as a favourable market in Austria, and Austrian exporters have shown an increasing degree of interest in the New Zealand market as they attempt to diversify globally.

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Key facts

Geography/Demographics

Land Area - 83,859 sq km   Population - 8.2 million - Capital City  - Vienna - Language  - German

Political

Political system - Federal republic of nine independent states - National government - Grand Coalition of the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ - senior partner) and the Austrian Peoples' Party (ÖVP - junior partner) - National legislature - National Assembly (bicameral) - Last election - September 2008 - Next election due - Federal: September 2013 Presidential: April 2010 - Head of State - President Dr Heinz Fischer (since 8 July 2004) - Head of Government - Chancellor Werner Faymann (SPÖ) (since 2 December 2008)

Economic (2008)

GDP - US$414.3 billion - Real GDP growth - 1.7% - Exports - US$179.1 billion - Imports - US$179.2 billion - Main exports - Machinery, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products, foodstuffs - Current account balance - US$14.3 billion - Inflation - 0.1% - Unemployment - 3.9%

New Zealand Trade (year ended June 2009)

New Zealand Trade - NZ Exports (FOB) - NZ$30.311 million - Main Exports - Meat, semiconductors, transmission apparatus)- NZ Imports (CIF) - NZ$192.404 million - Main Imports - Tractors, non-alcoholic beverages, service vehicles

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Visits

New Zealand Ministerial Visits to Austria

• Rt Hon Winston Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs, April 2006
• Hon Phil Goff, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, September 2003
• Hon Jim Anderton, Minister for Economic Development, April 2003
• Hon Simon Upton, Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, October 1998
• Dr Lockwood Smith, Minister for International Trade, April 1998

Austrian Ministerial Visits to New Zealand

• Dr Martin Bartenstein, Minister of the Environment, January 1999
• Dr Johann Farnleitner, Minister for the Economy, August 1997

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Representation

• The New Zealand Ambassador to Germany is accredited to Austria

• The Austrian Ambassador to Australia is accredited to New Zealand

Travel advice

The Safetravel website provides a travel advisory for travellers to Austria [external link].

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