History of Austria - Geography and Geology

Geography and Geology

The modern state of Austria is considered to have three major zones. The Austrian Alps which cover the majority (62%) of Austria's land mass, consists of most of the Eastern Alps together with the northern edge of the Southern Alps in the west and south of the country. To the north of the Danube lies the Austrian (southern) portion of the Bohemian Massif known as the Bohemian Forest (Böhmerwald), a relatively lower mountain range of granite (10% of the Austrian land area). In German, this area is also known as the Granite and Gneiss Plateau (Granit- und Gneisplateau). The remaining third of the country consists of the foothills and lower lying areas along the Danube valley between the two mountain ranges in the centre, and the eastern plains along the Hungarian border, forming the western edge of the Pannonian Basin.

The Bohemian Massif and its foothills were formed in the Variscan orogeny of the late Paleozoic era. Another important element of Austrian geology and geography is the late Mesozoic Alpine orogeny, and the subsequent formation of the Paratethys ocean and Molasse Basin in the Cretaceous era.

The extensive alpine regions are sparsely populated, and form a barrier to passage of peoples apart from strategic passes which have provided access to Italy. Austria is positioned between the eastern European countries and central-western Europe, a position that has dictated much of its history. The Danube Valley has always been an important corridor from the West to the Balkans and the Orient.