| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Europe |
| Geographical Location |
46° 00' North Latitude
25° 00' East Longitude |
| Surface Area |
237,500 sq km |
| Climate |
Temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms |
| Natural Resources |
Petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower |
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| Political Information |
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| Country Name |
Romania |
| Capital City |
Bucharest |
| Government Type |
Republic |
| 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 Day |
9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire; independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin; kingdom proclaimed 26 March 1881); 30 December 1947 (republic proclaimed) |
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| Demographical Information |
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| Population |
22,329,977 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
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) |
| Religion |
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 (official), Hungarian, German |
| Population Growth Rate |
-0.12% (2005 est.) |
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| Economical Information |
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| Currency |
Leu (ROL) |
| Industries |
Textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining |
| Labor Force |
9.66 million (2004 est.) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
Agriculture 31.6%, industry 30.7%, services 37.7% (2004) |
| Agriculture Products |
Wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; eggs, sheep |
| Export Commodities |
textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products |
| Export Partners |
Italy 20.9%, Germany 15.4%, France 7.3%, Turkey 7%, UK 6.1%, Austria 5% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile and products, basic metals, agricultural products |
| Import Partners |
Italy 18.3%, Germany 17.9%, France 7.2%, Hungary 6.1%, Russia 5.7%, Austria 5.5%, Turkey 4.3% (2004) |
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| Transportation |
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| Railways |
11,385 km (3,888 km electrified) |
| Highways |
198,755 km |
| Pipelines |
Gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2004) |
| Airports |
61 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea |
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| Communication |
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| Phone Code |
+40 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.ro |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
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 following the conflict. In 1940, it 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 by a fractious coalition of centrist parties. In 2000, the center-left Social Democratic Party (PSD) became Romania's
leading party, governing with the support of the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR). The opposition center-right alliance formed by the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic
Party (PD) scored a surprise victory over the ruling PSD in December 2004 presidential elections. The PNL-PD alliance maintains a parliamentary majority with the support of the UDMR, the Humanist Party (PUR),
and various ethnic minority groups. Although Romania completed accession talks with the European Union (EU) in December 2004, it must continue to address rampant corruption - while invigorating lagging
economic and democratic reforms - before it can achieve its hope of joining the EU, tentatively set for 2007. Romania joined NATO in March of 2004. |
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