The Characteristics of the Austrian Cadastre

Abstract

Land administration is the bundle of rules documenting land tenure/land ownership in relation to a certain area. It includes the tools for assessing, documenting, and mapping this information. With it, the state contributes to the functioning of the land market by providing security, transparency and symmetric information about land, land rights, land value, land use, and land development. Such a framework facilitates efficient resource allocation, i.e. the optimal distribution of the finite resource that is land. Cadastre and land register are the two main components of a state land administration system (LAS) for the administration of boundaries, parcels and related rights and obligations. The Austrian LAS ensures protection and equity for both owners and the broader society, encompassing private individuals and public entities, taxpayers and tax collectors. Furthermore, it underpins the trust and legitimacy of a modern state, serving as a critical foundation for its governance. The current and well-functioning Austrian land administration system has been based on scientific findings since its beginnings in 1817, and is continuously being improved. This article focuses on the geometric and physical aspects of LAS, the cadastre. It emphasises the features that have contributed to the two-hundred-year success story of the Austrian cadastre.