The Austria–Germany border () has a length of or in the south of

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

and the north of

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

central Europe Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Catholicism and Protestantism significantly shaped the area' ...

. It is the longest border of both Austria and Germany with another country.

Route

The border runs roughly from east to west. The eastern point is located at the border tripoint of Germany, Austria, and the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

, at , near the village of

Schwarzenberg am Böhmerwald Schwarzenberg am Böhmerwald is a municipality in the district of Rohrbach in the Austrian state of Upper Austria. Geography Schwarzenberg am Böhmerwald lies in the upper (northwestern) Mühlviertel region, near the tripoint with the German st ...

. The western point is located at the border tripoint of Germany, Austria, and

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, at approximately , in Lake Constance. The border is long, but a straight line between the endpoints is long. Besides Lake Constance, the border does not pass through any significant body of water, but it follows the

Inn Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway; before the advent of motorized transportation they also provided accommo ...

and

Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , p ...

rivers along the eastern part. The Austrian states of

Vorarlberg Vorarlberg ( , ; gsw, label= Vorarlbergisch, Vorarlbearg, , or ) is the westernmost state () of Austria. It has the second-smallest geographical area after Vienna and, although it also has the second-smallest population, it is the state with the ...

Tyrol Tyrol (; historically the Tyrole; de-AT, Tirol ; it, Tirolo) is a historical region in the Alps - in Northern Italy and western Austria. The area was historically the core of the County of Tyrol, part of the Holy Roman Empire, Austrian Emp ...

Salzburg Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian) is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872. The town is on the site of the ...

, and

Upper Austria Upper Austria (german: Oberösterreich ; bar, Obaöstareich) is one of the nine states or of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, a ...

run along the international border, as does the German state of

Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...

Tripoints

The eastern point is located at the border tripoint of Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic, at , near the villages of

and Bayerischer Plöckenstein. The western point is located at the border tripoint of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, at approximately , in Lake Constance.

International bodies of water

Lakes

* Eibelesee * Lake Constance (also borders with Switzerland) * Rannasee * Taubensee * Wöhrsee

Rivers and creeks

Aschauer Aschauer (toponymic surname given to someone who lived near a prominent ash tree) is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Alexander Aschauer (born 1992), Austrian footballer * Bernhard Aschauer (born 1945), German luger * Veren ...

* Augustinergraben * Bächteletobel * Baumgartenbach * Bayrachbach *

Berchtesgadener Ache Berchtesgadener Ache is a river of Bavaria, Germany and of Salzburg, Austria. It is formed at the confluence of the Ramsauer Ache and the Königsseer Ache in Berchtesgaden. It flows into the Salzach near Anif. See also *List of rivers of Bavaria ...

* Berndlgraben *

Bolgenach Bolgenach is a river of Bavaria, Germany and Vorarlberg, Austria. It flows into the Weißach near Krumbach. See also *List of rivers of Bavaria A list of rivers of Bavaria, Germany: A * Aalbach * Abens * Ach * Afferbach *Affinger Bach *Ails ...

Breitach The Breitach is a mountain river, the southwestern (left) source of the Iller in the Allgäu Alps, in the states of Vorarlberg (Austria) and Bavaria (Germany). Detail The river originates in , a part of Mittelberg, in the Kleinwalsertal as the ...

* Bächgraben *

Bärnbach Bärnbach is the smallest city of the district of Voitsberg in the Austrian state of Styria . The city is popular for its church (designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser), manual glass manufacturing and coal mining (surface mining). Today the co ...

* Bürgerbach *

(Donau) * Dandlbach * Doserbach * Dürrach * Eibelebach * Eibkendlbach * Enzenbach * Eyenbach * Fermersbach * Finsterbach *

Fischbach (Linder) Fischbach is a river of the Ammergau Alps, southwest of Oberammergau, in Bavaria, Germany and at the border between Bavaria and Tyrol (state), Tyrol, Austria. The Fischbach is the left headwater of the Linder (river), Linder. The confluence with ...

* Fischbach (Weiße Traun) * Fugenbach * Gatterlbach *

Großache The Großache is a river, long, in the east of the Austrian state of Tyrol and the Bavarian region of Chiemgau. Names The river is known by four different names, each applying to a different section of its course: above Kitzbühel it is the Joc ...

*Hagenbach * Hirschbichlklausgraben * Holderbach * Hörnlebach * Hühnersbach *

Isar The Isar is a river in Tyrol, Austria, and Bavaria, Germany, which is not navigable for watercraft above raft size. Its source is in the Karwendel range of the Alps in Tyrol; it enters Germany near Mittenwald and flows through Bad Tölz, Munic ...

* Kälbergernbach *Kesselbach *

Kieferbach Kieferbach (also: ''Thierseer Ache'') is a river of Tyrol, Austria and Bavaria, Germany. It flows into the Inn near Kiefersfelden. Course The river rises in Tyrol as Klausbach from several small, occasionally dry creeks on the north side of ...

* Kleiner Bach * Kräutergrabenbach * Köhlerbach * Laublisbach * Lappbach *

Lech Lech may refer to: People * Lech (name), a name of Polish origin * Lech, the legendary founder of Poland * Lech (Bohemian prince) Products and organizations * Lech (beer), Polish beer produced by Kompania Piwowarska, in Poznań * Lech Poznań, ...

* Lecknerbach *

Leiblach The Leiblach is a tributary of Lake Constance and the Rhine. The Leiblach source is near the German municipality of Heimenkirch, flowing to the southwest. Near the Austrian town of Hohenweiler, the river joins a small tributary, the . This tribu ...

Leutasch Leutasch is a municipality in the northern part of the district Innsbruck-Land in the Austrian state of Tyrol about 30 km northwest of Innsbruck and 10 km northwest of Seefeld in Tirol Geography The village lies in the Leutaschtal, a ...

* Lenzengraben * Littenbach *Lofer * Loisach * Markgraben * Maxenbach * Mosertalbach *Mühlbach * Naidernach * Neualmbach * Neuhäuslgraben * Pittenbach * Polusbach * Reichenauer Graben *Reichenbach *Rickenbach *Riedbach * Rißbach * Roggentalbach * Rohrmoosbach *Rothach * Roßkarbach * Saalach *

Salzach The Salzach (Austrian: �saltsax ) is a river in Austria and Germany. It is in length and is a right tributary of the Inn, which eventually joins the Danube. Its drainage basin of comprises large parts of the Northern Limestone and Central E ...

with several bridges, e.g. Oberndorf-Laufen *Sandbach * Schaffitzerbach * Schanztobel * Scheidbach *Schellenbach * Schlafblassenbach * Schlawitzabach * Schwarzenbach * Schönbach *Seebach * Steinbach * Stöcklbach * Tiefengraben * Totermannbach *Unkenbach * Valepp * Vils * Walchen * Weißach * Weißbach *Wertach * Zimmerholsbach * Äuelebach

International bridges

* Alte Innbrücke, Schärding - Neuhaus * Kräutelstein * Saalachbrücke Salzburg-Freilassing

International mountain ranges

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

Alpine foothills The Alpine foothills, or Prealps (german: Voralpen; french: Préalpes; it, Prealpi; ), may refer generally to any foothills at the base of the Alps in Europe. They are the transition zone between the High Alps and the Swiss Plateau and the Bavar ...

International mountains

* Ammer Saddle *

Dürrnberg Dürrnberg, also named Bad Dürrnberg, is an Austrian village part of the municipality of Hallein, in Hallein District (Tennengau), Salzburg State. It is the location of the Hallein Salt Mine (''Salzbergwerk Dürrnberg''). History The history of D ...

Fellhorn The Fellhorn () is a mountain in the " Allgäu Alps" near Oberstdorf, Germany, on the border with Austria. It is known for its fields of alpenroses ( Rhododendron ferrugineum). According to Austrian sources the mountain is . Access In 1972, a g ...

Kranzhorn Kranzhorn is a mountain in Tirol, Austria and Bavaria, Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populo ...

Untersberg The Untersberg is the northernmost massif of the Berchtesgaden Alps, a prominent spur straddling the border between Berchtesgaden, Germany and Salzburg, Austria. The highest peak of the table-top mountain is the Berchtesgaden Hochthron at . ...

Zugspitze The Zugspitze (), at above sea level, is the highest peak of the Wetterstein Mountains as well as the highest mountain in Germany. It lies south of the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and the Austria–Germany border runs over its western su ...

Human settlements near the border

Freilassing Freilassing (), until 1923 Salzburghofen is a town of some 16,000 inhabitants in the southeastern corner of Bavaria, Germany. It belongs to the "Regierungsbezirk" Oberbayern and the "Landkreis" (County) of Berchtesgadener Land. Located very close ...

Großgmain Großgmain is a municipality in the district of Salzburg-Umgebung in the state of Salzburg in Austria. Geography Großgmain lies in the Salzburg '' Flachgau'' region in the northern foothills of the Untersberg massif, directly on the border with ...

(Salzburg (state)) *

Kufstein Kufstein (; Central Bavarian: ''Kufstoa'') is a town in the Austrian state of Tyrol, the administrative seat of Kufstein District. With a population of about 19,600 it is the second largest Tyrolean town after the state capital Innsbruck. The grea ...

Oberaudorf Oberaudorf () is a municipality in the district of Rosenheim in Bavaria, Germany. It lies on the river Inn. Oberaudorf is the birthplace of the mother of German Pope Benedict XVI, of German politician Edmund Stoiber and footballer Bastian Schwei ...

* Oberau (Berchtesgaden) *

Waidring Waidring is a municipality in the Kitzbühel district in the Austrian state of Tyrol located 20 km northeast of Kitzbühel and 9 km east of Kirchdorf in Tirol near the border with Salzburg Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; ba ...

(Kitzbühel District) * Walserberg

International traffic

Deutsches Eck (transport link) The ''Deutsches Eck'' ("German Corner") is the name given to the shortest and most convenient road and railway link between the Austrian metropolitan region of Salzburg and the Tyrolean Unterland with the state capital Innsbruck. Due to the mou ...

Inn Valley Autobahn The Inn Valley Motorway or Inntal Autobahn A12 is an autobahn in the Austrian federal state of Tyrol and part of Euroroutes E45 and E60. It begins as a continuation of the German Bundesautobahn 93 on the German-Austrian border near Kiefersfel ...

Schrofen Pass The Schrofen Pass (german: Schrofenpass) is a pedestrian pass (el. 1,688 m) across the Allgäu Alps. It connects Oberstdorf Oberstdorf ( Low Alemannic: ''Oberschdorf'') is a municipality and skiing and hiking town in Germany, located ...

* Steinpass * Ursprung Pass

History

The border was confirmed in a treaty between the countries in 1972, after having been defined by a number of agreements between the

Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...

and the

Kingdom of Bavaria The Kingdom of Bavaria (german: Königreich Bayern; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1805 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German ...

in the 19th century. In 1938 the countries merged through the

Anschluss The (, or , ), also known as the (, en, Annexation of Austria), was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into the German Reich on 13 March 1938. The idea of an (a united Austria and Germany that would form a " Greater Germany ...

. This was reverted in 1955 by the

Austrian State Treaty The Austrian State Treaty (german: Österreichischer Staatsvertrag ) or Austrian Independence Treaty re-established Austria as a sovereign state. It was signed on 15 May 1955 in Vienna, at the Schloss Belvedere among the Allied occupying p ...

, which re-established Austria as a sovereign state. The Schengen Area removed border controls at the border in 1997. Temporary border controls were reinstalled in 2015 in response to the

European migrant crisis The 2015 European migrant crisis, also known internationally as the Syrian refugee crisis, was a period of significantly increased movement of refugees and migrants into Europe in 2015, when 1.3 million people came to the continent to reques ...

. These temporary border controls were scheduled to be removed on 12 May 2020, although they are liable to be extended in six-month periods.

References

External links

Vertrag zwischen der Republik Österreich und der Bundesrepublik Deutschland über die gemeinsame Staatsgrenze
in the ''Rechtsinformationssystem der Republik Österreich'' (German) {{DEFAULTSORT:Austria-Germany border 1972 establishments in Austria 1972 establishments in Germany 1972 in international relations European Union internal borders Borders of Austria Borders of Germany International borders