CIA - The World Factbook

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.

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine

slightly smaller than Oregon

temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms

central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Moldavian Plateau on the east by the Eastern Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides

soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands

controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine

22,181,287 (July 2010 est.)

10.43 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

11.91 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

1.4 children born/woman (2010 est.)

less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

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)

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)

Romanian 91% (official), Hungarian 6.7%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.1%, other 1.2%

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

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)

Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918)

8 December 1991; revised 29 October 2003

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (137 seats; members elected by popular vote in a mixed electoral system to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera Deputatilor (334 seats; members elected by popular vote in a mixed electoral system to serve four-year terms)

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

Conservative Party or PC [Daniela POPA] (formerly Humanist Party or PUR); Democratic Liberal Party or PD-L [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Crin ANTONESCU]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Mircea Dan GEOANA] (formerly Party of Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR)

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, G-9, 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, MONUC, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the three colors were used by various national revolutionary movements in the 19th century; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed

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 imbalances. 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. Inflation rose in 2007-08, driven in part by strong consumer demand and high wage growth, rising energy costs, a nation-wide drought affecting food prices, and a relaxation of fiscal discipline, but fell in 2009 as a result of the world recession. Romania's GDP growth contracted markedly in the last quarter of 2008 as the country began to feel the effects of a global downturn in financial markets and trade, and GDP fell more than 7% in 2009, and unemployment nearly doubled. Romania hopes to adopt the euro by 2014.

$255.4 billion (2009 est.)

$275.2 billion (2008 est.)

$257 billion (2007 est.)

$162.6 billion (2009 est.)

9.33 million (2009 est.)

25.5% of GDP (2009 est.)

20% of GDP (2009 est.)

14.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

14.99% (31 December 2008)

13.35% (31 December 2007)

$25.3 billion (31 December 2008)

$25.17 billion (31 December 2007)

$36.09 billion (31 December 2008)

$34.96 billion (31 December 2007)

$72.85 billion (31 December 2008)

$58.76 billion (31 December 2007)

$19.92 billion (31 December 2008)

$44.93 billion (31 December 2007)

$32.78 billion (31 December 2006)

wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; eggs, sheep

electric machinery and equipment, textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining

58.28 billion kWh (2007 est.)

49.44 billion kWh (2007 est.)

5.169 billion kWh (2008 est.)

921 million kWh (2008 est.)

115,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)

219,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

115,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

217,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

600 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

11.42 billion cu m (2008 est.)

16.92 billion cu m (2008 est.)

5.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)

63 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

-$8.53 billion (2009 est.)

-$24.81 billion (2008 est.)

$38.1 billion (2009 est.)

$49.41 billion (2008 est.)

machinery and equipment, textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products

Germany 16.3%, Italy 15.4%, France 7.3%, Turkey 6.5%, Hungary 5%, Bulgaria 4.1% (2008)

$49.2 billion (2009 est.)

$76.17 billion (2008 est.)

machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile and products, metals, agricultural products

Germany 16.1%, Italy 11.2%, Hungary 7.3%, Russia 5.9%, France 5.6%, Turkey 4.9%, Austria 4.8%, Kazakhstan 4.5%, China 4.2% (2008)

$33.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$39.47 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$95.48 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$102.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$78.61 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$72.61 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$1.001 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$921 million (31 December 2008 est.)

lei (RON) per US dollar - 3.07 (2009), 2.5 (2008), 2.43 (2007), 2.809 (2006), 3 (2005)

5.036 million (2007)

24.467 million (2008)

698 (station frequency type NA) (2006)

623 (plus 200 repeaters) (2006)

2.188 million (2009)

6.132 million (2008)

gas 3,588 km; oil 2,424 km (2009)

Braila, Constanta, Galati, Tulcea

Land Forces, Naval Forces, Romanian Air Force (Fortele Aeriene Romane, FAR), Special Operations (2010)

18-35 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription officially ended October 2006; all military inductees (including women) contract for an initial 5-year term of service, with subsequent successive contracts for 3-year terms until age 36 (2009)

1.9% of GDP (2007 est.)

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

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