The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their autonomy in 1856; they were de facto linked in 1859 and formally united in 1862 under 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

46 00 N, 25 00 E

Europe

slightly smaller than Oregon

225 km

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

31,570 sq km (2008)

42.3 cu km (2003)

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

21,904,551 (July 2011 est.)

-0.252% (2011 est.)

9.55 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

11.81 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

-0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

BUCHAREST (capital) 1.933 million (2009)

1.29 children born/woman (2011 est.)

0.1% (2009 est.)

16,000 (2009 est.)

fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.)

urban: 88% of population

rural: 54% of population

total: 72% of population

urban: 12% of population

rural: 46% of population

total: 28% of population (2008)

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

4.3% of GDP (2007)

republic

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 on 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

civil law system

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt 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 [Daniel CONSTANTIN] (formerly Humanist Party or PUR); Democratic Liberal Party or PDL [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Crin ANTONESCU]; National Union for Romania's Progress or UNPR [Gabriel OPREA]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Victor PONTA] (formerly Party of Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR)

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, 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; modeled after the flag of France, the colors are those of the principalities of Walachia (red and yellow) and Moldavia (red and blue), which united in 1862 to form Romania; 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. Romania's GDP 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, prompting Bucharest to seek a $26 billion emergency assistance package from the IMF, the EU, and other international lenders. Drastic austerity measures, as part of Romania's IMF-led agreement led to a further 1.9% GDP contraction in 2010. The economy is expected to return to positive growth in 2011.

$254.2 billion (2010 est.)

$257.4 billion (2009 est.)

$277 billion (2008 est.)

$161.6 billion (2010 est.)

-1.3% (2010 est.)

-7.1% (2009 est.)

7.3% (2008 est.)

$11,600 (2010 est.)

$11,700 (2009 est.)

$12,600 (2008 est.)

9.35 million (2010 est.)

8.2% (2010 est.)

7.8% (2009 est.)

25% (2005 est.)

32 (2008)

28.8 (2003)

21.1% of GDP (2010 est.)

34.8% of GDP (2010 est.)

24% of GDP (2009 est.)

6% (2010 est.)

5.6% (2009 est.)

NA%

17.28% (31 December 2009 est.)

14.99% (31 December 2008 est.)

$24.39 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$26.03 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$63.67 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$61.66 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$77.46 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$72.45 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$30.32 billion (31 December 2009)

$19.92 billion (31 December 2008)

$44.93 billion (31 December 2007)

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

1.5% (2010 est.)

58.28 billion kWh (2007 est.)

49.44 billion kWh (2007 est.)

5.169 billion kWh (2008 est.)

921 million kWh (2008 est.)

117,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

214,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

115,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

217,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

600 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

11.42 billion cu m (2008 est.)

16.92 billion cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

5.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)

63 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

$-7.934 billion (2010 est.)

$-7.139 billion (2009 est.)

$51.91 billion (2010 est.)

$40.6 billion (2009 est.)

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

Germany 18.76%, Italy 15.42%, France 8.2%, Turkey 4.99%, Hungary 4.33% (2009)

$59.84 billion (2010 est.)

$50.03 billion (2009 est.)

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

Germany 17.3%, Italy 11.78%, Hungary 8.36%, France 6.14%, China 4.91%, Austria 4.75% (2009)

$50.51 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$44.11 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$108.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$110 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$80.16 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$73.96 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.831 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.731 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

lei (RON) per US dollar -

3.2 (2010)

3.0493 (2009)

2.5 (2008)

2.43 (2007)

2.809 (2006)

5.313 million (2009)

25.377 million (2009)

a mixture of public and private TV stations; the public broadcaster operates multiple stations; roughly 100 private national, regional, and local stations operating; more than 75% of households are connected to multi-channel cable or satellite TV systems that provide access to Romanian, European, and international stations; state-owned public radio broadcaster operates 4 national networks and regional and local stations; more than 100 private radio stations broadcasting (2008)

.ro

2.464 million (2010)

7.787 million (2009)

54 (2010)

3 (2010)

gas 3,652 km; oil 2,424 km (2010)

1,731 km (includes 1,075 km on the Danube River, 524 km on secondary branches, and 132 km on canals) (2006)

Braila, Constanta, Galati (Galatz), Mancanului (Giurgiu), Midia, 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