|
Background: |
The principalities of Wallachia
and Moldavia - for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman
Empire - secured their autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few
years later adopted the new name of Romania. The country gained
recognition of its independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in
World War I and acquired new territories - most notably Transylvania -
following the conflict. In 1940, Romania allied with the Axis powers and
participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years later,
overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The post-war Soviet
occupation led to the formation of a Communist "people's republic" in 1947
and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae
CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became
increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was
overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the
government until 1996 when they were swept from power. Romania joined NATO
in 2004 and the EU in 2007. |
|
Location: |
Southeastern Europe, bordering
the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine |
|
Geographic coordinates: |
46 00 N, 25 00 E |
|
Map references: |
Europe |
|
Area: |
total: 237,500 sq km
land: 230,340 sq km
water: 7,160 sq km |
|
Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than Oregon
|
|
Land boundaries: |
total: 2,508 km
border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450
km, Serbia 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km |
|
Coastline: |
225 km |
|
Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200
nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation |
|
Climate: |
temperate; cold, cloudy winters
with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and
thunderstorms |
|
Terrain: |
central Transylvanian Basin is
separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian
Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the
Transylvanian Alps |
|
Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Black Sea
0 m
highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m |
|
Natural resources: |
petroleum (reserves declining),
timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower |
|
Land use: |
arable land: 39.49%
permanent crops: 1.92%
other: 58.59% (2005) |
|
Irrigated land: |
30,770 sq km (2003) |
|
Total renewable water resources: |
42.3 cu km (2003) |
|
Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural): |
Total: 6.5 cu km/yr
(9%/34%/57%)
Per capita: 299 cu m/yr (2003) |
|
Natural hazards: |
earthquakes, most severe in
south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides
|
|
Environment - current issues: |
soil erosion and degradation;
water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents;
contamination of Danube delta wetlands |
|
Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the
selected agreements |
|
Geography - note: |
controls most easily
traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine
|
|
Population: |
22,276,056 (July 2007 est.)
|
|
Age structure: |
0-14 years: 15.6% (male
1,787,334/female 1,696,270)
15-64 years: 69.6% (male
7,721,160/female 7,793,063)
65 years and over: 14.7% (male
1,344,673/female 1,933,556) (2007 est.) |
|
Median age: |
total: 36.9 years
male: 35.5 years
female: 38.2 years (2007 est.)
|
|
Population growth rate: |
-0.127% (2007 est.) |
|
Birth rate: |
10.67 births/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
|
Death rate: |
11.81 deaths/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
|
Net migration rate: |
-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2007 est.) |
|
Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.06
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.054 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.991 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.695 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female
(2007 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate: |
total: 24.6 deaths/1,000
live births
male: 27.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 71.91
years
male: 68.41 years
female: 75.62 years (2007
est.) |
|
Total fertility rate: |
1.38 children born/woman (2007
est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
|
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
6,500 (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
350 (2001 est.) |
|
Nationality: |
noun: Romanian(s)
adjective: Romanian |
|
Ethnic groups: |
Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%,
Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other
0.4% (2002 census) |
|
Religions: |
Eastern Orthodox (including all
sub-denominations) 86.8%, Protestant (various denominations including
Reformate and Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly
Muslim) and unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census) |
|
Languages: |
Romanian 91% (official),
Hungarian 6.7%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.1%, other 1.2% |
|
Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 97.3%
male: 98.4%
female: 96.3% (2002 census)
|
|
Country name: |
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form: Romania
local long
form: none
local short form: Romania |
|
Government type: |
republic |
|
Capital: |
name: Bucharest
geographic coordinates: 44 26 N, 26 06 E
time
difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March;
ends last Sunday in October |
|
Administrative divisions: |
41 counties (judete, singular -
judet) and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor,
Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti (Bucharest)*, Buzau,
Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj,
Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov,
Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu,
Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea |
|
Independence: |
9 May 1877 (independence
proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire; independence recognized 13 July 1878
by the Treaty of Berlin); 26 March 1881 (kingdom proclaimed); 30 December
1947 (republic proclaimed) |
|
National holiday: |
Unification Day (of Romania and
Transylvania), 1 December (1918) |
|
Constitution: |
8 December 1991; revision
effective 29 October 2003 |
|
Legal system: |
based on civil law system; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
|
Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
|
|
Executive branch: |
chief of state:
President Traian BASESCU (since 20 December 2004); note - President Traian
BASESCU was suspended by vote of parliament on 19 April 2007, but resumed
his duties on 23 May 2007 after a popular referendum confirmed that his
impeachment should not stand
head of government: Prime Minister
Calin Popescu-TARICEANU (since 29 December 2004)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a
second term); election last held 28 November 2004 with runoff between the
top two candidates held 12 December 2004 (next to be held in
November-December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president with
the consent of the Parliament
election results: percent of vote
- Traian BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian NASTASE 48.77% |
|
Legislative branch: |
bicameral Parliament or
Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (137 seats; members are elected
by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year
terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera Deputatilor (332 seats;
members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis
to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 28
November 2004 (next expected to be held in November 2008); Chamber of
Deputies - last held 28 November 2004 (next expected to be held November
2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by
alliance/party - PSD-PUR 37.1%, PNL-PD 31.8%, PRM 13.6%, UDMR 6.2%, other
11.3%; seats by party - PSD 44, PNL 30, PD 20, PRM 20, PC 11, UDMR 10,
independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by alliance/party -
PSD-PUR 36.8%, PNL-PD 31.5%, PRM 13%, UDMR 6.2%, other 12.5%; seats by
party - PSD 111, PNL 66, PD 45, PRM 34, UDMR 22, PC 20, ex-PRM (Ciontu
Group) 12, PIN (GUSA Group) 3, independent 1, ethnic minorities 18 |
|
Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court of Justice
(comprised of 11 judges appointed for three-year terms by the president in
consultation with the Superior Council of Magistrates, which is comprised
of the minister of justice, the prosecutor general, two civil society
representatives appointed by the Senate, and 14 judges and prosecutors
elected by their peers); a separate body, the Constitutional Court,
validates elections and makes decisions regarding the constitutionality of
laws, treaties, ordinances, and internal rules of the Parliament; it is
comprised of nine members serving nine-year terms, with three members each
appointed by the president, the Senate, and the Chamber of Deputies |
|
Political parties and leaders: |
Conservative Party or PC [Dan
VOICULESCU] (formerly Humanist Party or PUR); Democratic Liberal Party or
PDL [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela
MARKO]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romania Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim
TUDOR]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Mircea Dan GEOANA] (formerly Party
of Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR) |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders: |
various human rights and
professional associations |
|
International organization participation: |
ACCT, Australia Group, BIS,
BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU (new member),
FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMEE,
UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate
partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington,
DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851, 4852
FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748
consulate(s) general:
Chicago, Los Angeles, New York |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Nicholas F. TAUBMAN
embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi
7-9, Bucharest
mailing address: pouch: American Embassy
Bucharest, US Department of State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC
20521-5260 (pouch)
telephone: [40] (21) 200-3300
FAX: [40] (21) 200-3442 |
|
Flag description: |
three equal vertical bands of
blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to
be centered in the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flag
of Chad, also resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova |
|
Economy - overview: |
Romania, which joined the
European Union on 1 January 2007, began the transition from Communism in
1989 with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output
unsuited to the country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a
punishing three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export
markets. Domestic consumption and investment have fueled strong GDP growth
in recent years, but have led to large current account imblances.
Romania's macroeconomic gains have only recently started to spur creation
of a middle class and address Romania's widespread poverty. Corruption and
red tape continue to handicap its business environment. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$246.7 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
GDP (official exchange rate): |
$86.84 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
GDP - real growth rate: |
5.9% (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$11,100 (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 7.9%
industry: 35.6%
services: 56.5% (2007 est.) |
|
Labor force: |
9.35 million (2007 est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 31.6%
industry: 30.7%
services: 37.7% (2004) |
|
Unemployment rate: |
4.5% (2007 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line: |
25% (2005 est.) |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 24.4% (2003) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index: |
31 (2005) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
4.6% (2007 est.) |
|
Investment (gross fixed): |
26.9% of GDP (2007 est.) |
|
Budget: |
revenues: $52.96 billion
expenditures: $56.85 billion (2007 est.) |
|
Public debt: |
18.7% of GDP (2007 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products: |
wheat, corn, barley, sugar
beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; eggs, sheep |
|
Industries: |
textiles and footwear, light
machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials,
metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining |
|
Industrial production growth rate: |
8% (2007 est.) |
|
Electricity - production: |
56.91 billion kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 62.5%
hydro: 27.6%
nuclear: 9.9%
other: 0%
(2001) |
|
Electricity - consumption: |
48.17 billion kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - exports: |
5.224 billion kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - imports: |
2.321 billion kWh (2005) |
|
Oil - production: |
122,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)
|
|
Oil - consumption: |
236,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
|
|
Oil - exports: |
92,510 bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - imports: |
181,100 bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - proved reserves: |
955.6 million bbl (1 January
2006 est.) |
|
Natural gas - production: |
11.22 billion cu m (2005 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - consumption: |
17.46 billion cu m (2005 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports: |
6.234 billion cu m (2005)
|
|
Natural gas - proved reserves: |
96.41 billion cu m (1 January
2006 est.) |
|
Current account balance: |
$-20.95 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
Exports: |
$39.62 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.) |
|
Exports - commodities: |
textiles and footwear, metals
and metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels,
chemicals, agricultural products |
|
Exports - partners: |
Italy 17.9%, Germany 15.7%,
Turkey 7.7%, France 7.5%, Hungary 4.9%, UK 4.7% (2006) |
|
Imports: |
$63.16 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.) |
|
Imports - commodities: |
machinery and equipment, fuels
and minerals, chemicals, textile and products, basic metals, agricultural
products |
|
Imports - partners: |
Germany 15.2%, Italy 14.5%,
Russia 7.8%, France 6.5%, Turkey 4.9%, China 4.3% (2006) |
|
Economic aid - recipient: |
$914.3 million (2004) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$37.06 billion (31 December
2007 est.) |
|
Debt - external: |
$85.86 billion (31 December
2007 est.) |
|
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: |
$40.69 billion (2006 est.)
|
|
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: |
$278 million (2006 est.) |
|
Market value of publicly traded shares: |
$32.78 billion (2006) |
|
Currency (code): |
"new" leu (RON) was introduced
in 2005; "old" leu (ROL) was phased out in 2006; note - because of
currency revaluation, 10,000 ROL = 1 RON |
|
Currency code: |
ROL |
|
Exchange rates: |
lei per US dollar - 2.45
(2007), 2.809 (2006), 3 (2005), 3 (2004), 3 (2003) |
|
Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
|
Telephones - main lines in use: |
4.231 million (2006) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular: |
17.4 million (2006) |
|
Telephone system: |
general assessment:
rapidly improving domestic and international service, especially in
wireless telephony
domestic: more than 90 percent of telephone
network is automatic; liberalization in 2003 is transforming
telecommunications; fixed-line teledensity is roughly 20 telephones per
100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is approaching 80 telephones per
100 persons
international: country code - 40; the Black Sea
Fiber Optic System provides connectivity to Bulgaria and Turkey; satellite
earth stations - 10; digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate
in Bucharest (2005) |
|
Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3
(1998) |
|
Radios: |
7.2 million (1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations: |
48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)
|
|
Televisions: |
5.25 million (1997) |
|
Internet country code: |
.ro |
|
Internet hosts: |
1.406 million (2007) |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
38 (2000) |
|
Internet users: |
5.063 million (2006)
|
|
Airports: |
61 (2007) |
|
Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 25
over
3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m:
12
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 36
1,524
to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 22
(2007) |
|
Heliports: |
2 (2007) |
|
Pipelines: |
gas 3,674 km; oil 2,424 km
(2007) |
|
Railways: |
total: 11,385 km
broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge:
10,898 km 1.435-m gauge (3,888 km electrified)
narrow gauge:
427 km 0.760-m gauge (2006) |
|
Roadways: |
total: 198,817 km
paved: 60,043 km (includes 228 km of expressways)
unpaved: 138,774 km (2004) |
|
Waterways: |
1,731 km
note:
includes 1,075 km on Danube River, 524 km on secondary branches, and 132
km on canals (2006) |
|
Merchant marine: |
total: 19 ships (1000
GRT or over) 146,307 GRT/165,548 DWT
by type: cargo 13,
passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1
registered in other countries: 50 (Cambodia 1, Georgia 15,
North Korea 6, Malta 10, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 8, Sierra Leone 2, St
Kitts and Nevis 1, St Vincent and The Grenadines 1, Syria 4, Tuvalu 1,
unknown 4) (2007) |
|
Ports and terminals: |
Braila, Constanta, Galati,
Tulcea |
|
Military branches: |
Land Forces, Naval Forces,
Romanian Air Force (Fortele Aeriene Romane, FAR), Special Operations
(2008) |
|
Military service age and obligation: |
18 years of age for voluntary
military service; conscription officially ended October 2006; all military
inductees (including women) contract for an initial 5-year term of
service; subsequent voluntary service contracts are for successive 3-year
terms until the age of 36 (2006) |
|
Manpower available for military service: |
males age 20-49:
5,061,984
females age 20-49: 4,975,427 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 20-49:
3,932,579
females age 20-49: 4,076,288 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males age 18-49: 172,093
females age 20-49: 165,547 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
2.47% (2005 est.)
|
|
Disputes - international: |
the ICJ gave Ukraine until
December 2006 to reply, and Romania until June 2007 to issue a rejoinder,
in their dispute submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered
Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary
delimitation; Romania also opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation
canal from the Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea |
|
Illicit drugs: |
major transshipment point for
Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of
Latin American cocaine bound for Western Europe; although not a
significant financial center, role as a narcotics conduit leaves it
vulnerable to laundering, which occurs via the banking system, currency
exchange houses, and casinos |
This page was last updated on 12 February, 2008
|