Destinations 2023

Austria

About Austria

Austria is a federal republic and a landlocked country of over 8.7 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Austria is divided into 9 states and these are divided into districts. The territory of Austria covers approximately 84.000 square kilometers.

The terrain is highly mountainous, lying within the Alps. Austria is cold in the winter (−10 to 0°C); summer temperatures can be relatively high, with average temperatures in the mid-20s and a highest temperature of 40.5 °C. Vienna is far the country's largest city. 

The Austrian cuisine is one of the most multicultural and transcultural in Europe. It is famous for its well-balanced variations of beef and pork and countless variations of vegetables. Typical Austrian dishes include Wiener Schnitzel, Schweinsbraten, Kaiserschmarrn, and Sachertorte.

Agriculture
Agricultural land: 38.4%
Arable land 16.5%; permanent crops 0.8%; permanent pasture 21.1%
Forest: 47.2%

Click Austria to learn more about the country.

What to Expect: 
IFYEs will arrive by plane in Vienna continuing on to their first family.  Participants will be hosted by families, often on a farm but not always. IFYEs may be asked to help a bit with the household or on the farm. While living with families, participants are able to experience Austria and learn about the traditions and the culture.

Most of the host families have children who are members of Landjugend (Rural youth organization generally for youth between the ages of 14 and 30), so IFYEs will attend different Landjugend events and see what Austria's youth organization is like. The country organizers try to place participants in different states so that they can see as much as possible and experience the different regions of Austria.