Austria is a landlocked country located in central Europe, bordered by Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Italy. Its flag originated in 1230 from a battle where Duke Leopold V's blood-drenched white uniform remained untouched underneath his belt, creating the iconic red-white-red color scheme still used today. The mountainous Alps run through the south while plains dominate the northern region, and Vienna serves as both the capital and one of Austria's nine states, with a population of approximately 1.7 million residents.