The Republic of Austria (Österreich in German) is a landlocked country in central Europe, sandwiched between Germany and the Czech republic in the north and Italy and Slovenia in the south. Its capital is the city of Vienna. Austria is a largely mountainous country due to its location in the Alps. In the past centuries Austria was the centre of the Austro-Hungarian empire, in which the Habsburg dynasty ruled over large parts of central Europe. Nowadays Austria is a relatively small country, which attracts a large number of tourists due to its incredible cultural heritage and impressive natural scenery.