Editing Lower Austria

{{short description|State of Austria}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->| official_name      = Lower Austria
| native_name        = {{lang|bar|Niederösterreich}}
| settlement_type    = [[States of Austria|State]]
| image_flag         = Flag of Lower Austria.svg
| flag_size          = 120px
| image_shield       = Niederösterreich CoA.svg
| shield_size        = 60px
| anthem             = Niederösterreiche Landeshymne<br>{{center|[[File:Niederösterreichische Landeshymne.ogg]]}}
| image_map          = Niederösterreich in Austria.svg
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{AUT}}
| seat_type          = Capital
| seat               = [[Sankt Pölten]]
| governing_body     = [[Landtag of Lower Austria]]
| leader_party       = [[ÖVP]]
| leader_title       = [[List of governors of Lower Austria|Governor]]
| leader_name        = [[Johanna Mikl-Leitner]]<ref name="governor">{{cite web|url=https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000144824717/niederoesterreichs-landtag-besiegelt-schwarz-blau-mit-einer-minderheit-fuer-mikl|title=Niederösterreichs Landtag besiegelt Schwarz-Blau – mit einer Minderheit für Mikl-Leitner|date=24 March 2023|access-date=24 March 2023}}</ref>
| leader_title1      = Deputy Governors
| leader_name1       = [[Udo Landbauer]] ([[Freedom Party of Austria|FPÖ]])<br />[[Franz Schnabl]] ([[Social Democratic Party of Austria|SPÖ]])
| area_total_km2     = 18901.2
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 1698796
| population_as_of   = 1 January 2022
| population_density_km2 = auto
| demographics_type1 = GDP
| demographics1_footnotes = <ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Basisdaten Bundesländer |url=http://wko.at/statistik/bundesland/basisdaten.pdf |access-date=2023-09-01}}</ref>
| demographics1_title1 = Total
| demographics1_info1 = €65.035 billion (2021)
| demographics1_title2 = Per capita
| demographics1_info2 = €38,400 (2021)
| timezone1          = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1        = +1
| timezone1_DST      = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST    = +2
| blank_name_sec1    = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] (2022)
| blank_info_sec1    = 0.893<ref name="GlobalDataLab">{{Cite web|url=https://hdi.globaldatalab.org/areadata/shdi/|title=Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab|website=hdi.globaldatalab.org|language=en|access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref><br/>{{color|green|very high}} · [[List of Austrian states by Human Development Index|8th of 9]]
| blank1_name_sec1   = 
| blank1_info_sec1   = 
| blank1_name_sec2   = [[Federal Council of Austria|Votes in Bundesrat]]
| blank1_info_sec2   = 12 (of 62)
| blank_name_sec2    = [[First level NUTS of the European Union#Austria|NUTS Region]]
| blank_info_sec2    = AT1
| iso_code           = AT-3
| website            = {{URL|http://www.noe.gv.at/|noe.gv.at}}
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Lower Austria''' ({{langx|de|Niederösterreich}} {{IPA|de-AT|ˈniːdɐˌ(ʔ)øːstɐraɪç|pron|audio=De-at-Niederösterreich.ogg}}, {{langx|bar|Niedaöstareich}}, abbreviated '''LA''' or '''NÖ''') is one of the nine [[states of Austria]], located in the northeastern corner of the country. Major cities are [[Amstetten, Lower Austria|Amstetten]], [[Krems an der Donau]], [[Wiener Neustadt]] and [[Sankt Pölten]], which has been the [[capital city|capital]] of Lower Austria since 1986, replacing [[Vienna]], which became a separate state in 1921. With a land area of {{convert|19186|km2|abbr=on}} and a population of 1.7 million people, Lower Austria is the largest and second-most-populous state in Austria (after Vienna).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://noe-landtag.gv.at/en|title=About the State Parliament of Lower Austria – NÖ Landtag|website=noe-landtag.gv.at|language=de-AT|access-date=2020-01-14}}</ref>

== Geography ==
[[File:Wachau (3).JPG|thumb|Wachau Valley near [[Spitz, Austria]]]]
With a land area of {{convert|19186|km2|abbr=on}} situated east of [[Upper Austria]], Lower Austria is the country's largest state. Lower Austria derives its name from its downriver location on the river [[Enns (river)|Enns]], which flows from the west to the east. Lower Austria has an international border, {{convert|414|km|abbr=on}} long, with the [[Czech Republic]] ([[South Bohemian Region|South Bohemia]] and [[South Moravian Region|South Moravia]]) and [[Slovakia]] ([[Bratislava Region|Bratislava]] and [[Trnava Region]]s). The state has the second-longest external border of all Austrian states. It also borders the other Austrian states of [[Upper Austria]], [[Styria]] and [[Burgenland]] as well as surrounding [[Vienna]].

Lower Austria is divided into four regions, known as ''Viertel'' (quarters):
* ''[[Weinviertel]]'' or Tertiary Lowland (below the [[Manhartsberg]])
* ''[[Waldviertel]]'' or Bohemian Plateau (above the Manhartsberg)
* ''[[Mostviertel]]'' (above the [[Vienna Woods]])
* ''[[Industrieviertel]]'' (below the Vienna Woods).

These regions have different geographical structures. Whilst the ''Mostviertel'' is dominated by the foothills of the [[Limestone Alps]] with mountains up to {{Höhe|2000|AT|link=true}} (6,500&nbsp;ft) high, most of the ''Waldviertel'' is a [[granite]] plateau. The hilly ''Weinviertel'' lies to the northeast, descends to the plains of [[Marchfeld]] in the east of the state, and is separated by the [[Danube]] from the [[Vienna Basin]] to the south, which in turn is separated from the Vienna Woods by a line of thermal springs (the ''Thermenlinie'') running north to south.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lower-austria.info/|title=Visitor-Information|website=www.lower-austria.info|access-date=2020-01-14}}</ref>

=== Mountains ===
[[File:Puchberg - Schneeberg.JPG|thumb|The [[Schneeberg (Lower Austria)|Schneeberg]], one of Vienna's three ''[[Hausberg]]e'']]
* [[Schneeberg (Alps)|Schneeberg]] (Klosterwappen; 2,076&nbsp;m)
* [[Rax]] (Scheibwaldhöhe; 1,943 m; highest summit: Heukuppe; 2,007&nbsp;m – [[Styria]])
* [[Ötscher]] (1,893 m)
* [[Dürrenstein (Austria)|Dürrenstein]] (1,878 m)
* [[Schneealpe]] (Ameisbühel; 1,828&nbsp;m; highest summit: Windberg; 1,903&nbsp;m – [[Styria]])
* [[Hochkar]] (1,808 m)
* [[Gamsstein]] (1,774 m)
* [[Stumpfmauer]] (1,770 m)
* Göller (1,766 m)
* [[Hochwechsel]] (1,743 m)
* [[Gippel]] (1,669 m)
* Großer Sonnleitstein (1,639 m)
* [[Großer Zellerhut]] (1,639 m)
* [[Gemeindealpe]] (1,626 m)
* Scheiblingstein (1,622 m) (not to be confused with [[Scheiblingstein]] (2,197 m), which is in [[Styria]])
* Drahtekogel (1,565 m)
* [[Sonnwendstein]] (1,523 m)
* Obersberg (1,467 m)
* [[Königsberg (Göstlingen Alps)|Königsberg]] (1,452 m)
* [[Großer Sulzberg]] (1,400 m)
* [[Reisalpe]] (1,399 m)
* [[Gahns]] (1,380 m)
* [[Tirolerkogel]] (1,377 m)
* [[Türnitzer Höger]] (1,372 m)
* [[Unterberg (Lower Austria)|Unterberg]] (1,342 m)
* [[Traisenberg]] (1,230 m)
* [[Dürre Wand]] (1,222 m)
* Hohenstein (1,195 m)
* [[Eisenstein (mountain)|Eisenstein]] (1,185 m)
* [[Hohe Wand (mountain)|Hohe Wand]] (1,132 m)
* [[Großer Peilstein]] (1,061 m)
* [[Weinsberg (mountain)|Weinsberg]] (1,041 m)
* [[Hocheck (Lower Austria)|Hocheck]] (1,036 m)
* [[Nebelstein]] (1,017 m)
* [[Eibl (Berg)|Eibl]] (1,007 m)
* [[Hohe Mandling]] (967 m)
* [[Jauerling]] (961 m)
* [[Hoher Lindkogel]] also named Eisernes Tor (834m) 
* [[Anninger]] (675 m)
* [[Buschberg]] (491 m)<!-- but only because it has such a dominance-->

Other mountains in Lower Austria may be found at [[:Category:Mountains of Lower Austria]].

=== Alpine passes ===
* [[Semmering Pass|Semmering]] (985 m)
* [[Wechsel Pass|Wechsel]] (980 m)

The state border with Styria runs over both passes.

=== Rivers ===
[[File:Ruine Aggstein 03.JPG|thumb|right|The ruins of [[Aggstein Castle]] above the [[Danube]] in the [[Wachau|Wachau valley]]]]
[[File:Niederösterreich Rosenburg 2010 01.JPG|thumb|[[Kamp (river)|Kamp]] river below the [[Rosenburg]] ]]
[[File:Morava river between Austria and Slovakia during sunset.jpg|thumb|[[March River (Czech Republic and Austria)|March]] river with [[riparian forest]]]]

Almost all of Lower Austria is drained by the [[Danube]]. The only river that flows into the North Sea (via the [[Moldau (river)|Moldau]] and the [[Elbe]]) is the [[Lainsitz]] in northern ''Waldviertel''.

The most important rivers north of the Danube (on its left bank) are the [[Ysper]], [[Kamp (river)|Kamp]], [[Krems (Lower Austria)|Krems]], [[Lainsitz]], [[March (river)|March]] and [[Thaya]]. South of the Danube (on its right bank) are the [[Enns (river)|Enns]], [[Ybbs]], [[Erlauf (river)|Erlauf]], [[Melk (river)|Melk]], [[Pielach]], [[Traisen (river)|Traisen]], [[Schwechat (river)|Schwechat]], [[Fischa]], [[Schwarza (Leitha)|Schwarza]], [[Triesting]], [[Pitten (river)|Pitten]] and the [[Leitha]].

=== Lakes ===
* [[Ottenstein Reservoir]] (4.3&nbsp;km{{sup|2}})
* [[Lunzer See]] (0.69&nbsp;km{{sup|2}})
* [[Erlaufsee]] (0.56&nbsp;km{{sup|2}}, of which about half lies in Lower Austria)
* [[Erlauf Reservoir]]
* [[Wienerwaldsee]] (0.32&nbsp;km{{sup|2}})

=== Caves ===
{{further|List of caves in Austria }}
Lower Austria is rich in natural [[cave]]s; in all 4,082 have been recorded. Most of the caves have formed in limestone and dolomite rocks and are therefore called [[Solutional cave|karst cave]]s. Cavities also form in the marble of the Central Alps and the Bohemian Massif. Among the largest caves in Lower Austria are:
* [[Ötscherhöhlensystem]] ([[Ötscher]]): 27,003&nbsp;m long; union of the [[Taubenloch]] and [[Geldloch (Ötscher)|Geldloch]]
* [[Pfannloch]] ([[Ötscher]]): 5,287&nbsp;m long
* [[Lechnerweidhöhle]] ([[Dürrenstein (Österreich)|Dürrenstein]]): 5,252&nbsp;m long
* [[Trockenes Loch]] ([[Schwarzenbach an der Pielach]]): 4,510&nbsp;m long
* [[Hermannshöhle (Niederösterreich)|Hermannshöhle]] ([[Kirchberg am Wechsel]]): 4,430&nbsp;m long
* [[Eisensteinhöhle]] ([[Bad Fischau]]): 2,341&nbsp;m long
The last two are open as [[show cave]]s, along with the Allander stalactite cave, the [[Unicorn Cave (Austria)|Unicorn Cave]], the [[Hochkarschacht]], the [[Nixhöhle]] and the [[Ötschertropfsteinhöhle]].

=== Land use ===
[[File:Abstetten - Ortsansicht.JPG|thumb|Agricultural land in Lower Austria]]
{| class="wikitable zebra"
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
! Type of land use !! Area in km{{sup|2}} !! Percent of<br />total area
|-
|Farmland ||align="right"| 7,000 ||align="right"| 42 
|-
|Woods ||align="right"|6,711 ||align="right"| 40
|-
|Grassland ||align="right"| 1,750 ||align="right"| 11
|-
|Alpine pastures ||align="right"| 300 ||align="right"|1.7
|-
|Vineyards ||align="right"|315 ||align="right"|1.9
|}

== History ==
{{main|History of Austria}}
[[File:Stift Melk Nordseite 01.jpg|thumb|[[Melk Abbey]] was founded in 1089. Today's [[Baroque]] abbey was built between 1702 and 1736.]]
[[File:Napoleon.Wagram.jpg|thumb|[[Napoleon]] at the [[Battle of Wagram]] in July 1809]] 
More than 200 [[Neolithic Europe|Neolithic]] people were killed during the [[Massacre of Schletz|massacre]] in the [[Linear Pottery]] settlement area of Schletz 7000 years ago.<ref>Eva Maria Wild et al.: ''Neolithic Massacres: Local Skirmishes or General Warfare in Europe?'' In: ''Radiocarbon.'' Volume 46, No 1, 2004, S. 377–385, [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236166865_Neolithic_Massacres_Local_Skirmishes_or_General_Warfare_in_Europe text]</ref> 

The history of Lower Austria is very similar to the [[history of Austria]]. Many castles are located in Lower Austria. [[Klosterneuburg Abbey]], located here, is one of the oldest abbeys in Austria. Before [[World War II]], Lower Austria had the largest number of [[Jews]] in the country.

The names ''Lower Austria'' and ''[[Upper Austria]]'' are derived from the earlier names ''Austria below the Enns'' and ''Austria above the Enns'', references to the [[Enns (river)|river Enns]]. Going down from its source on the northern edge of the [[Central Eastern Alps]], the river crosses Upper Austria, then on its lower reaches forms the boundary between Upper Austria and Lower Austria.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://noe-landtag.gv.at/en|title=History of Lower Austria – NÖ Landtag|website=noe-landtag.gv.at|language=de-AT|access-date=2020-01-14}}</ref>

In the mid-13th century, it became known as the Principality below the river [[Enns (river)|Enns]] (''{{lang|de|Fürstentum unter der Enns}}'').

The [[Battle on the Marchfeld]] on 26 August 1278 marked the beginning of the ascendancy of the [[House of Habsburg]] in Austria and Central Europe.

During the [[Ottoman wars in Europe]], Lower Austria was the target of repeated [[Crimean–Nogai slave raids in Eastern Europe|raids by the Tatars]] and [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] [[Akinji|''Akinji'' mounted paramilitary units]], with many people taken into [[Slavery in the Ottoman Empire|slavery]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Brian Glyn Williams |title=The Sultan's Raiders: The Military Role of the Crimean Tatars in the Ottoman Empire |url=http://www.jamestown.org/uploads/media/Crimean_Tatar_-_complete_report_01.pdf |website=[[The Jamestown Foundation]] |date=2013 |pages=30–36 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021092115/http://www.jamestown.org/uploads/media/Crimean_Tatar_-_complete_report_01.pdf |archive-date=2013-10-21 }}</ref>

Lower Austria was the site of the [[Battle of Wagram|Battles of Wagram]] and [[Battle of Aspern-Essling|Aspern]], fought between invading [[First French Empire|French]] troops under [[Napoleon]] and an [[Austrian Empire|Austrian]] army led by [[Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen|Archduke Charles]] in 1809. 

== Economy ==
The [[gross domestic product]] (GDP) of the state was 61.0 billion € in 2018, accounting for 15.8% of Austria's economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 32,300&nbsp;€, or 107% of the EU27 average in the same year. Lower Austria is the state with the second-lowest GDP per capita in Austria.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/10474907/1-05032020-AP-EN.pdf/81807e19-e4c8-2e53-c98a-933f5bf30f58 |title=Regional GDP per capita ranged from 30% to 263% of the EU average in 2018 |website=Eurostat}}</ref>

== Demographics ==
{{Historical populations
|align=none|cols=2
|1869|1,077,232
|1880|1,152,767
|1890|1,213,471
|1900|1,310,506
|1910|1,425,238
|1923|1,426,885
|1934|1,446,675
|1939|1,455,373
|1951|1,400,471
|1961|1,374,012
|1971|1,420,816
|1981|1,427,849|1991|1,473,813|2001|1,545,804|2011|1,614,693|2021|1,698,951|source=Censuses<ref>{{cite web |title=Historic Censuses - STATISTICS AUSTRIA|url=https://www.statistik.at/en/statistics/population-and-society/population/population-stock/historic-censuses|publisher=Statistics Austria}}</ref>}}

== Administrative divisions ==
[[File:Stein an der Donau, Lower Austria, 20210728 1245 0803.jpg|thumb|View of [[Krems an der Donau|Krems]] (at the end of [[Wachau|Wachau valley]]; [[Danube]] river in the center]]

Lower Austria is divided into four regions: ''[[Waldviertel]]'', ''[[Mostviertel]]'', ''[[Industrieviertel]]'', and ''[[Weinviertel]]''. The [[Wachau]] valley, situated between [[Melk]] and [[Krems an der Donau|Krems]] in the [[Mostviertel]] region, is famous for its landscape, culture, and [[wine]].

Administratively, the state is divided into 20 districts (''[[Bezirk]]e''), and four independent towns (''[[Statutarstadt|Statutarstädte]]''). In total, there are 573 municipalities within Lower Austria.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.noe.gv.at/noe/Zahlen-Fakten/NOE_in_Zahlen_2018_Englisch.pdf|title=Lower Austria in Numbers}}</ref>

[[Image:Karte NOE Viertel beschriftet Bezirke.svg|thumb|right|350px|Map of Lower Austria showing districts and the four quarters ([[Waldviertel]] in green, [[Weinviertel]] in red, [[Mostviertel]] in yellow, and [[Industrieviertel]] in blue)]]

=== Independent towns ===
* [[Krems an der Donau]]
* [[Sankt Pölten]]
* [[Waidhofen an der Ybbs|Waidhofen]] 
* [[Wiener Neustadt]]

=== Districts ===
* [[Amstetten (district)|Amstetten]]
* [[Baden (district of Austria)|Baden]]
* [[Bruck an der Leitha (district)|Bruck an der Leitha]]
* [[Gänserndorf (district)|Gänserndorf]]
* [[Gmünd (district)|Gmünd]]
* [[Hollabrunn (district)|Hollabrunn]]
* [[Horn (district)|Horn]]
* [[Korneuburg (district)|Korneuburg]]
* [[Krems District|Krems]]
* [[Lilienfeld (district)|Lilienfeld]]
* [[Melk (district)|Melk]]
* [[Mistelbach (district)|Mistelbach]]
* [[Mödling (district)|Mödling]]
* [[Neunkirchen (Austrian district)|Neunkirchen]]
* [[St. Pölten District|St. Pölten]]
* [[Scheibbs (district)|Scheibbs]]
* [[Tulln (district)|Tulln an der Donau]]
* [[Waidhofen an der Thaya (district)|Waidhofen an der Thaya]]
* [[Wiener Neustadt District|Wiener Neustadt]]
* [[Zwettl (district)|Zwettl]]

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
{{EB1911 poster|Austria, Lower}}
* {{Commons category-inline|Lower Austria}}
* {{Official website}} {{In lang|de|en}}
* [https://www.lower-austria.info Lower Austria - official tourism page]
* [http://www.photoglobe.info/hl_austria_lower/ PhotoGlobe] - georeferenced photos of Lower Austria

{{States of Austria}}
{{Authority control}}

{{coord|48|20|N|15|45|E|region:AT-3_type:adm1st|display=title}}

[[Category:Lower Austria| ]]
[[Category:NUTS 2 statistical regions of the European Union]]
[[Category:States of Austria]]
[[Category:Wine regions of Austria]]