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
46 00 N, 25 00 E
Europe
total: 237,500 sq km ; land: 230,340 sq km ; water: 7,160 sq km
slightly smaller than Oregon
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
225 km
territorial sea: 12 nm ; contiguous zone: 24 nm ; exclusive economic zone: 200 nm ; continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
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
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m ; highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m
petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower
arable land: 39.49% ; permanent crops: 1.92% ; other: 58.59% (2005)
30,770 sq km (2003)
42.3 cu km (2003)
Total: 6.5 cu km/yr (9%/34%/57%) ; Per capita: 299 cu m/yr (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
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
controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine
22,276,056 (July 2007 est.)
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.)
total: 36.9 years ; male: 35.5 years ; female: 38.2 years (2007 est.)
-0.127% (2007 est.)
10.67 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
11.81 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
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.)
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.)
total population: 71.91 years ; male: 68.41 years ; female: 75.62 years (2007 est.)
1.38 children born/woman (2007 est.)
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
6,500 (2001 est.)
350 (2001 est.)
noun: Romanian(s) ; adjective: Romanian
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%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write ; total population: 97.3% ; male: 98.4% ; female: 96.3% (2002 census)


conventional long form: none ; conventional short form: Romania ; local long form: none ; local short form: Romania
republic
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
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; revision effective 29 October 2003
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
18 years of age; universal
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%
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
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 [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)
various human rights and professional associations
ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating state), EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, 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
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
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
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





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.
$246.7 billion (2007 est.)
$86.84 billion (2007 est.)
5.9% (2007 est.)
$11,100 (2007 est.)
agriculture: 7.9% ; industry: 35.6% ; services: 56.5% (2007 est.)
9.35 million (2007 est.)
agriculture: 31.6% ; industry: 30.7% ; services: 37.7% (2004)
4.5% (2007 est.)
25% (2005 est.)
lowest 10%: 3.3% ; highest 10%: 24.4% (2003)
31 (2005)
4.6% (2007 est.)
26.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
revenues: $52.96 billion ; expenditures: $56.85 billion (2007 est.)
18.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; eggs, sheep
textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining
8% (2007 est.)
56.91 billion kWh (2005)
fossil fuel: 62.5% ; hydro: 27.6% ; nuclear: 9.9% ; other: 0% (2001)
48.17 billion kWh (2005)
5.224 billion kWh (2005)
2.321 billion kWh (2005)
122,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)
236,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
92,510 bbl/day (2004)
181,100 bbl/day (2004)
955.6 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
11.22 billion cu m (2005 est.)
17.46 billion cu m (2005 est.)
0 cu m (2005 est.)
6.234 billion cu m (2005)
96.41 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
-$20.95 billion (2007 est.)
$39.62 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products
Italy 17.9%, Germany 15.7%, Turkey 7.7%, France 7.5%, Hungary 4.9%, UK 4.7% (2006)
$63.16 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Germany 15.2%, Italy 14.5%, Russia 7.8%, France 6.5%, Turkey 4.9%, China 4.3% (2006)

$37.06 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
$85.86 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
$40.69 billion (2006 est.)
$278 million (2006 est.)
$32.78 billion (2006)
"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
ROL
lei per US dollar - 2.45 (2007), 2.809 (2006), 3 (2005), 3 (2004), 3 (2003)
calendar year
$914.3 million (2004)
4.231 million (2006)
17.4 million (2006)
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)
AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)
7.2 million (1997)
48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)
5.25 million (1997)
.ro
1.406 million (2007)
38 (2000)
5.063 million (2006)

61 (2007)
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)
total: 36 ; 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 ; 914 to 1,523 m: 12 ; under 914 m: 22 (2007)
2 (2007)
gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2006)
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)
total: 198,817 km ; paved: 60,043 km (includes 228 km of expressways) ; unpaved: 138,774 km (2004)
1,731 km ; note: includes 1,075 km on Danube River, 524 km on secondary branches, and 132 km on canals (2006)
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)
Braila, Constanta, Galati, Tulcea

Land Forces, Naval Forces, Romanian Air Force (Fortele Aeriene Romane, FAR), Special Operations (2006)
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)
males age 20-49: 5,061,984 ; females age 20-49: 4,975,427 (2005 est.)
males age 20-49: 3,932,579 ; females age 20-49: 4,076,288 (2005 est.)
males age 18-49: 172,093 ; females age 20-49: 165,547 (2005 est.)
2.47% (2005 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

