Austrian society is homogeneous. Almost 99% of Austrians are German speakers. However, Austrians like to consider themselves ethnically distinct from Germans. There are few minorities; a small number of ethnic Slovenes, Croats and Hungarians live in the south and east. These minorities have been supplemented by large numbers of immigrants from Eastern Europe and refugees from the conflict in former Yugoslavia. The result has been a perceptible increase in ethnic tension, particularly as the downturn in the economy has led some Austrians to claim that immigrants are taking jobs from the local population.
The nuclear family is the norm in Austria. It is common for both parents to work. While sexual equality is enshrined in the constitution, in practice society is still strongly patriarchal. Compared with the rest of Europe, few women enter politics.
Young Austrians tend to live in their parental home until they marry. This partly reflects the long time taken to complete university degrees, and the fact that students do not receive maintenance grants. Austrians marry at a younger age than the European average. Nominally a Catholic country, Austria has a less conservative society than some German states.
