The Republic of Austria (Oesterreich), a parliamentary democracy located in mountainous central Europe, has an area of 32,374 sq. mi. (88,849 sq. km.) and a population of 8.1 million. Capital: Vienna. Austria is primarily an industrial country. Machinery, iron and steel, textiles, yarns and timber are exported. The territories later to be known as Austria were overrun in pre-Roman times by various tribes, including the Celts. Upon the fall of the Roman Empire, the country became a margravate of Charlemagnes?s Empire. Premysl 2 Otakar, King of Bohemia, gained possession in 1252, only to lose the territory to Rudolf of Habsburg in 1276. Thereafter, until World War I, the story of Austria was that of the ruling Habsburgs, Holy Roman emperors from 1438-1806. From 1815-1867 it was a member of the Deutsche Bund (German Union). During World War I, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was one of the Central Powers with Germany, Bulgaria and Turkey. At the end of the war, the empire was dissolved and Austria established as an independent republic. In March 1938, Austria was incorporated into Germany?s Third Reich. Allied forces of both East and West liberated Austria in April 1945, and subsequently divided it into four zones of military occupation. On May 15, 1955, the four powers formally recognized Austria as a sovereign independent democratic state. Rulers: Maria Theresa, 1740-1780 Joseph II, jointly with his Mother, 1765-1780 alone, 1780-1790 Leopold II, 1790-1792 Franz II (I), 1792-1835 (as Franz II, 1792-1806) (as Franz I, 1806-1835) Ferdinand I, 1835-1848 Franz Joseph, 1848-1916 Karl I, 1916-1918 Monetary System: 1 Gulden = 60 Kreutzer, 1754-1857 1 Gulden = (Florin) =100 Kreutzer, 1857-1892 1 Crone = 100 Heller, 1892-1924 1 Schilling = 100 Groschen, 1924-1938, 1945-2002