Economy, Transportation

Austria has a highly developed system of rail, air, water, and highway transportation. In 1999 the country had 5,345 km (3,321 mi) of railroads, about 90 percent of which were owned by the state. As a landlocked and mountainous country, Austria depends on rail passage for a major share of its foreign trade. Improved highways and roads totaled about 200,000 km (124,274 mi). Water transportation is confined largely to the Danube River. The state-owned First Danube Steamship Company, the largest shipping company in Austria, provides both freight and passenger service on the river. Many international carriers serve Austrian airports, with most traffic to Schwechat, near Vienna. Austrian Airlines, the national airline, serves many European and domestic routes.