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National Map
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Romania |
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National Flag
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Romania |
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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
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Romania |
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National Anthem
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Romania |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Romania |
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Background:
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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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Location:
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Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between
Bulgaria and Ukraine |
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Geographic coordinates:
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46 00 N,
25 00 E |
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total:
237,500 sq km
land: 230,340 sq km
water: 7,160 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
smaller than Oregon |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
2,508 km
border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443
km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia and Montenegro 476 km,
Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km |
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Coastline:
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225 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation |
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Climate:
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temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and
fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and
thunderstorms |
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Terrain:
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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 |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum
(reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron
ore, salt, arable land, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 40.82%
permanent crops: 2.25%
other: 56.93% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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28,800 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest;
geologic structure and climate promote landslides |
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Environment - current issues:
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soil
erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution
in south from industrial effluents; contamination of
Danube delta wetlands |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party
to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, 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 |
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Geography - note:
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controls
most easily traversable land route between the Balkans,
Moldova, and Ukraine |
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Population:
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22,329,977 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 15.9% (male 1,818,488/female 1,727,598)
15-64 years: 69.5% (male 7,726,903/female
7,801,441)
65 years and over: 14.6% (male 1,342,827/female
1,912,720) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
36.39 years
male: 35.04 years
female: 37.77 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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-0.12%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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10.7
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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11.74
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.13
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
26.43 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 29.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 71.35 years
male: 67.86 years
female: 75.06 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.36
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than
0.1% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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6,500
(2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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350 (2001
est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Romanian(s)
adjective: Romanian |
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Ethnic groups:
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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) |
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Religions:
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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) |
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Languages:
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Romanian
(official), Hungarian, German |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 99.1%
female: 97.7% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Romania
local long form: none
local short form: Romania |
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Government type:
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republic
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Capital:
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Bucharest
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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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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National holiday:
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Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1
December (1918) |
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Constitution:
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8
December 1991; revision effective 29 October 2003 |
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Legal system:
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former
mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory;
is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth
Republic |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Traian BASESCU (since 20
December 2004)
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; election last held 28 November 2004,
with runoff between the top two candidates held 12
December 2004 (next to be held 28 November 2009 and 12
December 2009); prime minister appointed by the
president
election results: percent of vote - Traian
BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian NASTASE 48.77% |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral
Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat
(137 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote
on a proportional representation basis to serve
four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea
Deputatilor (332 seats; members are elected by direct,
popular vote on a proportional representation basis to
serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 28 November 2004
(next to be held 28 November 2008); Chamber of Deputies
- last held 28 November 2004 (next to be held 28
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%; seats by party - PSD 46, PNL 28, PD 21, PRM
21, PUR 11, UMDR 10; Chamber of Deputies - percent of
vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR 36.6%, PNL-PD 31.3%%,
PRM 12.9%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 113, PNL 64,
PD 48, PRM 48, UDMR 22, PUR 19, ethnic minorities 18
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the president
on the recommendation of the Superior Council of
Magistrates, a board of eleven judges and six
prosecutors elected by parliament) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Conservative Party [Dan VOICULESCU], formerly Humanist
Party or PUR; Democratic Party or PD [Emil BOC];
Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela
MARKO]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Calin Popescu
TARICEANU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party)
or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic Party
or PSD [Mircea Dan GEOANA], formerly Party of Social
Democracy in Romania or PDSR |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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various
human rights and professional associations |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT,
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU
(applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA,
MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Sorin Dumitru DUCARU
chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851
FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and
New York |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Dr. Jack Dyer CROUCH II
embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest
mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest,
Department of State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington,
DC 20521-5260 (pouch)
telephone: [40] (21) 210-4042
FAX: [40] (21) 210-0395
branch office(s): Cluj-Napoca |
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Flag description:
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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 |
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Economy - overview:
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Romania
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. Despite the global
slowdown in 2001-02, strong domestic activity in
construction, agriculture, and consumption have kept
growth above 4%. An IMF standby agreement, signed in
2001, has been accompanied by slow but palpable gains in
privatization, deficit reduction, and the curbing of
inflation. The IMF Board approved Romania's completion
of the standby agreement in October 2003, the first time
Romania has successfully concluded an IMF agreement
since the 1989 revolution. In July 2004, the executive
board of the IMF approved a 24-month standby agreement
for $367 million. The Romanian authorities do not intend
to draw on this agreement, however, viewing it simply as
a precaution. Meanwhile, recent macroeconomic gains have
done little to address Romania's widespread poverty,
while corruption and red tape continue to handicap the
business environment. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$171.5
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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8.1%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $7,700 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 13.1%
industry: 33.7%
services: 53.2% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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9.66
million (2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 31.6%, industry 30.7%, services 37.7% (2004)
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Unemployment rate:
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6.3%
(2004 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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28.9%
(2002) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 2.4%
highest 10%: 27.6% (2003) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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28.8
(2003) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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9.6%
(2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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23.3% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $22.1 billion
expenditures: $23.2 billion, including capital
expenditures of $2.2 billion (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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23.6% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat,
corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes,
grapes; eggs, sheep |
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Industries:
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textiles
and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining,
timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals,
food processing, petroleum refining |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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4% (2004
est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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56.53
billion kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 62.5%
hydro: 27.6%
nuclear: 9.9%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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57.5
billion kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - exports:
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3.046
billion kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - imports:
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962
million kWh (2003) |
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Oil - production:
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128,000
bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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253,800
bbl/day (2003 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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1.055
billion bbl (1 January 2002) |
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Natural gas - production:
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12.6
billion cu m (2003 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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18.5
billion cu m (2003 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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5.4
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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111.1
billion cu m (1 January 2002) |
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Current account balance:
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$-3.631
billion (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$23.54
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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textiles
and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and
equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural
products |
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Exports - partners:
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Italy
21.4%, Germany 15%, France 8.5%, Turkey 7%, UK 6.6%
(2004) |
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Imports:
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$28.43
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery
and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile
and products, basic metals, agricultural products |
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Imports - partners:
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Italy
17.2%, Germany 14.9%, France 7.1%, Russia 6.8%, Turkey
4.2% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$16.21
billion (2004) |
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Debt - external:
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$24.59
billion (2004 est.) |
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Currency (code):
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leu (ROL)
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Currency code:
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ROL |
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Exchange rates:
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lei per
US dollar - 32,637 (2004), 33,200 (2003), 33,055 (2002),
29,061 (2001), 21,709 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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4.3
million (2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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6.9
million (2003) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: poor domestic service, but
improving
domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic;
trunk network is mostly microwave radio relay, with some
fiber-optic cable; about one-third of exchange capacity
is digital; roughly 3,300 villages have no service
international: country code - 40; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat; new digital, international,
direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest; note -
Romania is an active participant in several
international telecommunication network projects (1999)
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 40, FM
202, shortwave 3 (1998) |
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Radios:
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7.2
million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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48 (plus
392 repeaters) (1995) |
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Televisions:
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5.25
million (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.ro |
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Internet hosts:
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50,807
(2004) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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38 (2000)
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Internet users:
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4 million
(2003) |
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Railways:
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total:
11,385 km (3,888 km electrified)
standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge
broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge
narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2004) |
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Highways:
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total:
198,755 km
paved: 100,173 km (including 113 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 98,582 km (2002) |
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Waterways:
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1,731 km
(2004) |
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Pipelines:
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gas 3,508
km; oil 2,427 km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Braila,
Constanta, Galati, Tulcea |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 395,350 GRT/510,232 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 20, passenger 1,
passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off
4
foreign-owned: 2 (Italy 2)
registered in other countries: 39 (2005) |
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Airports:
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61 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
25
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 24 (2004 est.) |
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Heliports:
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1 (2004
est.) |
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Military branches:
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Land
Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (AMR),
Special Operations, Civil Defense (2005) |
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Military service age and obligation:
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20 years
of age for compulsory military service, 18 in wartime;
conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of
age for voluntary military service (2004) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 20-49: 5,061,984 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 20-49: 3,932,579 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
172,093 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$985
million (2002) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2.47%
(2002) |
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Disputes - international:
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Romania
and Ukraine have taken their dispute over
Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy (Snake) Island and Black
Sea maritime boundary to the ICJ for adjudication;
Romania also opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation
canal from the Danube border through Ukraine to the
Black Sea; Hungary amended the status law extending
special social and cultural benefits to ethnic
Hungarians in Romania, to which Romania had objected
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Illicit drugs:
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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 |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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