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GLOBAL CITY

Interesting facts about Vienna

Vienna is situated in the eastern part of the country, on the Danube. Its heritage is characterised by such inhabitants as Mozart, Bertha von Suttner and Sigmund Freud, but also by the Habsburg monarchy and the already centenary history of “Red Vienna” with municipal housing developments as flagships of the city’s housing policy approach.

Inter alia, Vienna is

  • the second-largest city in the German-speaking region as well as
  • the fifth-largest city of the European Union,
  • the biggest university city in the German-speaking region and
  • one of the UN headquarters and the seat of OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries).

Roughly 2.8 million people live in the greater Vienna region, which corresponds to about one third of Austria’s total population.

Moreover, Vienna is a city with very high quality of life, as international surveys have confirmed many times over. For example, for three years in a row, Vienna took first place in the “Economist” ranking of the world’s most liveable cities. Moreover, Vienna’s superlative quality of living was honoured for the tenth time in a row with the top spot in the worldwide “Mercer Survey”, which annually evaluates 231 metropolises with respect to e.g. their economic performance, social and political situation or housing standards.

With Vienna’s high quality of life, it is hardly surprising that, as per early 2023, the Austrian capital was home to people from 180 different nationalities. Persons from Serbia account for the biggest population group with foreign citizenship, closely followed by German and Turkish nationals. Thus, Vienna presents itself as a multicultural metropolis that assigns great importance to fostering a cosmopolitan mindset and tolerance.

Compared to other European cities, Vienna’s inhabitants enjoy relatively ample open spaces. The average population density in the Austrian capital is 4,656 persons per square kilometre vis-à-vis a density of approx. 20,696 inhabitants per square kilometre in Paris and around 7,378 inhabitants per square kilometre in Copenhagen.

Also as a result of the comprehensive offering of cultural and leisure options, approx. 90 percent of Viennese enjoy living in their city. The population above all appreciates the broad range of green and open spaces, which are favourite destinations for daytrips and interacting with others.

Small wonder – after all, two thirds of the urban population live less than 250 metres from the nearest green area. And with around 50 theatres, four opera houses, 27 cinemas, more than two hundred museums and a wealth of restaurants and bars, it is easy to choose from many diverse leisure activities to enjoy one’s precious free time in line with personal tastes and needs.

More information about Vienna can be found in the brochure “Vienna in Figures”, which is also available in English: https://www.wien.gv.at/statistik/publikationen/wien-in-zahlen.html