Discover
The identity of the nation
Austria is an Alpine nation of about 9 million people, located in the heart of Central Europe. Its capital, Vienna, was for centuries the center of a vast empire and remains one of the world’s great cultural cities, a cradle of classical music, philosophy, and the arts. Mountains, valleys, and historic cities form a prosperous, well-ordered country deeply marked by its Christian heritage.
By tradition Austria is a majority Catholic country, and the faith has shaped its cathedrals, its festivals, and its calendar. Yet religious practice has fallen sharply in recent decades: just over half the population still identifies as Catholic, but weekly church attendance is only a few percent. The number of those who say they have no religion is growing, now more than a fifth of the population, in an intense drift away from religion.
Although it is called a Christian nation, Austria is today one of Europe’s most challenging fields for the living gospel. Committed evangelical Christians make up less than 1% of the population. For many Austrians, faith has become cultural heritage and tradition, not a living relationship with Christ. The spiritual indifference and attachment to material comforts of a prosperous society are barriers as real as the open hostility found elsewhere.
At the same time, Austria receives peoples from everywhere. Bosnians, Turks, Afghans, Chechens, Hazaras, Kurds, and Somalis have arrived as immigrants and refugees, many of them Muslims from regions the gospel has barely reached. These groups, now living in Vienna and other cities, represent some of the country’s least reached peoples, on soil with full religious freedom.
Austria is therefore a nation of contrasts: rich in Christian history, yet spiritually asleep; free and safe, yet lacking living faith. It is a field that calls for patience, love, and faithful witness, both among Austrians who are Christian in name only and among the newly arrived peoples seeking a new home there.
- Celtic tribes and, later, the kingdom of Noricum inhabit the region, later incorporated into the Roman Empire.
- 976 The Eastern March (Ostmark (the medieval name of the Eastern March, origin of Austria)) is established, the origin of Austria's name and territorial identity.
- 13th century The Habsburg dynasty (the dynasty that ruled Austria for centuries) takes power and will govern Austria for more than six centuries.
- 16th century The Protestant Reformation advances, but the Counter-Reformation led by the Habsburgs restores Catholicism as the dominant faith.
- 1867 The dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary is formed, one of Europe's largest empires.
- 1918 After World War I, the empire dissolves and the First Austrian Republic is born.
- 1938 The Anschluss (the forced annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938) annexes Austria to Nazi Germany, suppressing its sovereignty.
- 1955 The State Treaty restores independence and Austria adopts permanent neutrality.
- 1995 Austria joins the European Union.
- Today A prosperous, stable nation of Christian heritage, marked by a drift away from religion and by new immigrant peoples.
-
Germanofficial, in its Austrian variant, spoken by nearly the entire population
-
Austro-Bavarian dialectsvariants of German spoken in the south, used in daily life across much of the country
-
Slovene, Croatian, and Hungarianrecognized as regional minority languages
-
Turkish and immigrant languagesspoken by communities of foreign origin
Austria is a landlocked country in the center of Europe, one of the most mountainous on the continent. About two thirds of its territory lies in the Eastern Alps, with peaks rising above 3,700 meters that remain snow-covered all year. To the east, lower plains follow the Danube River, where the largest cities and economic life are concentrated.
Major cities
- ViennaCapital and largest city, cultural and political center
- GrazSecond largest city, university hub in Styria
- SalzburgBaroque city, birthplace of Mozart
- InnsbruckAlpine heart of Tyrol, surrounded by mountains
- LinzIndustrial city on the banks of the Danube
Climate and temperature
Wiener Schnitzel
Thin slice of breaded, fried veal, the national dish, served with potato salad and lemon.
Sachertorte
Chocolate cake filled with apricot jam, created in Vienna in 1832, served with whipped cream.
Apfelstrudel
Crispy layered pastry filled with apple, raisins, and cinnamon, dusted with powdered sugar.
Viennese Gulasch
Stew of tender meat with onion and paprika, the Austrian version of the Hungarian dish.
Knödel
Boiled bread or potato dumplings, a classic side for meats and sauces.
Viennese coffee
Tradition of Vienna's coffee houses, served with milk and pastries.
Understand
Culture and spirituality
2a · The culture
Formality and courtesy
Social life values politeness, respect, and the use of formal address and titles.
Punctuality
Arriving on time is a sign of respect; lateness and last-minute cancellations are frowned upon.
Musical heritage
Classical music is part of the national identity, from Mozart to Schubert and the Vienna Philharmonic.
Coffee culture
Vienna's coffee houses are institutions of gathering, reading, and conversation, recognized as heritage.
Attachment to tradition
Festivals, regional dress, and Alpine customs are preserved with pride.
Distinct identity
Austrians cherish an identity distinct from the German one, even though they share the language.
- Confusing Austrians with Germans The national identity is distinct and the comparison tends to offend.
- Ignoring formality Addressing people by their first name or with "du (the informal German pronoun of intimate address)" without being invited sounds disrespectful.
- Arriving late Punctuality is taken seriously and lateness breaks trust.
- Cutting in line Order and respect for queues are part of everyday life.
- Asking personal questions too soon Private life is guarded in early conversations.
2b · The field
Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:
Faith has become cultural heritage; baptized multitudes live without a living relationship with God.
Prosperity and comfort lull the search for God to sleep.
Material well-being occupies the central place that belongs to faith.
Belonging to a church is family tradition, without discipleship or conversion.
The rich artistic and historical heritage can feed self-sufficiency toward the gospel.
Muslim communities live on the margins, with little contact with Christians.
Entire generations grow up without ever hearing the gospel clearly.
Beneath the stability, the search for meaning grows in philosophies and the occult.
The memory of Nazism and the wars left marks on the nation's soul.
Ritual religiosity coexists with a deep drift of the heart away from religion.
Austria guarantees broad religious freedom, and Christians live and practice their faith without legal restrictions. There is no organized persecution, and the level of pressure on Christians is very low in the global context.
The challenge is not hostility but indifference. In a prosperous, secularized society, talking about faith can be seen as outdated or intrusive, and committed Christians sometimes face mockery or social marginalization. For converts from immigrant Muslim communities, leaving the faith of their upbringing can bring pressure and rejection within their own family and community.
The greatest need is not protection from persecution but the spiritual awakening of a nation that knows the form of Christianity yet has largely lost its power.
The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.
Austria has dozens of people groups, and about a third of them remain unreached by the gospel. Although the country is nominally Christian, committed evangelicals are less than 1% of the population. Among the least reached are mostly Muslim immigrant communities: Bosnians, Afghans, Chechens, Hazaras, Turks, Kurds, and Somalis, living mainly in Vienna. There are also languages spoken in the country that still lack a complete Bible. The great challenge brings together two fields: reviving Austrians whose faith is asleep and bringing Christ to the newly arrived peoples.
- 425K Unreached 4,7%
- 136K Minimally reached 1,5%
- 8M Superficially reached 88,4%
- 474K Partially reached 5,2%
- 16K Significantly reached 0,2%
- 16 Unreached 32,7%
- 3 Minimally reached 6,1%
- 19 Superficially reached 38,8%
- 8 Partially reached 16,3%
- 3 Significantly reached 6,1%
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Hazara Frontier
Checheno Frontier
Khaling Frontier
Somali Frontier
Bosniak Frontier
Thai central
Judeus Alemães
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
Pray
Intercede for this nation
Every nation carries a redemptive purpose. Marks that seem woven into the identity God desires to restore:
Go
Practical details for those who want to go
Local time
Cost of living
Western European standard
Cost by city
Reference values (source: Numbeo). Confirm before traveling.
Practical points for those who go
- Learn German: although many speak English, German opens doors and shows respect.
- Value punctuality and formality in first encounters.
- Use titles and formal address until invited to use first names.
- Public transportation is excellent, punctual, and covers the cities well.
- Austria is safe and orderly; respect queues, rules, and silence in public spaces.
- The winter is harsh in the Alps; prepare for snow and intense cold.
Send and sustain
Not everyone goes, everyone takes part
Not everyone goes. Everyone takes part.
Behind every worker among these peoples stands a network of people who pray without ceasing, care for the family left behind, and faithfully sustain the work. Sending is mission too.
Start with your church: introduce this nation, adopt it in ongoing prayer, and walk alongside those God is raising up to go.