Romania

in transition from Communist state to republicIndependence 1881 (from Turkey)

Romania as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 68 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBucharest

Area237,500 km2

Populationas each edition published it

23.4 million July 1991 · 23.27m in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 0.02% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 35.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 71.25 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.1 children per woman 1991 · 2.2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

18 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 19 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $2,700 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition -15% in 1993

Geography

10 fields

Total area

237,500km2

land area: 230,340 km2Comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries

2,904km total

Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, USSR 1,307 km, Yugoslavia 546 km

Coastline

225 km Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

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

Terrain

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

Natural resources

crude oil (reserves being exhausted), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt

Land use

arable land 43%;
permanent crops 3%;
meadows and pastures 19%;
forest and woodland 28%;
other 7%;
includes irrigated 11%

Environment

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

Note

controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans and western USSR

People

14 fields

Population

23,397,054

(July 1991), growth rate 0.5% (1991)

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth

16Death

Religion

Romanian Orthodox 70%Roman Catholic 6%Greek Catholic (Uniate) 3%Protestant 6%unaffiliated 15%

Literacy

96%

(male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1970 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Romanian 89.1%;
Hungarian 8.9%;
German 0.4%;
Ukrainian, Serb, Croat, Russian, Turk, and Gypsy 1.6%

Labor force

10,690,000; industry 34%, agriculture 28%, other 38% (1987)

Organized labor

until December 1989, a single trade union system organized by the General Confederation of Romanian Trade Unions (UGSR) under control of the Communist Party;
since Ceausescu's overthrow, newly-created trade and professional trade unions are joining three umbrella organizations--Organization of Free Trade Unions, Fratia (Brotherhood), and the Alfa Cortel;
many other trade unions have been formed

Government

In transition from Communist state to republic

16 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

85%

Ion ILIESCU 85%Radu CAMPEANU 10.5%Ion RATIU 3.8%20 May 1990 (next to be held NA 1992)

Senate, 118 seats, elected 20 May 1990one dot, one seat

FSN 92UDMR 12PNL 9AUR 2PNTCD 1MER 1other 1

Percent of vote

FSN 67%other 33%

Type

in transition from Communist state to republic

Administrative divisions

40 counties (judete, singular--judet) and 1 municipality* (municipiu);
Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau, Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea

Independence

1881 (from Turkey); republic proclaimed 30 December 1947

Constitution

21 August 1965; new constitution being drafted

Legal system

former mixture of civil law system and Communist legal theory that increasingly reflected Romanian traditions is being revised

National holiday

National Day of Romania, 1 December (1990)

Executive branch

president, vice president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate (Senat) and a lower house or House of Deputies (Adunarea Deputatilor)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice Chief of State--President Ion ILIESCU (since 20 June 1990, previously President of Provisional Council of National Unity since 23 December 1989);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Teodor STOLOJAN (since 2 October 1991) National Salvation Front (FSN), Ion STOICA;
Magyar Democratic Union (UDMR), Geza DOMOKOS;
National Liberal Party (PNL), Radu CAMPEANU;
National Peasants' Christian and Democratic Party (PNTCD), Corneliu COPOSU;
Ecology Movement (MER), leader NA;
Romanian National Unity Party (AUR), Radu CEONTEA;
there are now more than 100 other parties;
note--although the Communist Party has ceased to exist, a small proto-Communist party, the Socialist Labor Party, has been formed

Suffrage

universal at age 18 President--last held 20 May 1990 (next to be held NA 1992);
results--Ion ILIESCU 85%, Radu CAMPEANU 10.5%, Ion RATIU 3.8%;
Senate--last held 20 May 1990 (next to be held NA 1992);
results--FSN 67%, other 33%;
seats--(118 total) FSN 92, UDMR 12, PNL 9, AUR 2, PNTCD 1, MER 1, other 1;
House of Deputies--last held 20 May 1990 (next to be held NA 1992);
results--FSN 66%, UDMR 7%, PNL 6%, MER 2%, PNTCD 2%, AUR 2%, other 15%;
seats--(387 total) FSN 263, UDMR 29, PNL 29, PNTCD 12, MER 12, AUR 9, other 33

Communists

3,400,000 (November 1984); Communist Party has ceased to exist

BIS, CCC, CSCE, ECE, FAO, G-9, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBEC, IBRD, ICAO, IFAD, IFC, IIB, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM (guest), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Virgil CONSTANTINESCU;
Chancery at 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 232-4747;
US--Ambassador Alan GREEN, Jr.;
Embassy at Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest (mailing address is APO New York 09213);
telephone [40] (0) 10-40-40

Flag

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 flags of Andorra and Chad

Economy

Industry, which accounts for one-third of the labor force and generates over half the GNP, suffers from an aging capital plant and persistent shortages of energy.

16 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

50%

(1990 est.)

External debt

$400million

(mid-1990)

Exports $9.2 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)commodities, where a share is given

machinery and equipment

34.7%minerals and metals

24.7%manufactured consumer goods

16.9%agricultural materials and forestry products

11.9%

also fuels, other 11.6% (1986); partners--USSR 27%, Eastern Europe 23%, EC 15%, US 5%, China 4% (1987)

Imports $10.9 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)

and metals

51.0%machinery and equipment

26.7%agricultural and forestry products

11.0%

also fuels, minerals, manufactured consumer goods 4.2% (1986); partners--Communist countries 60%, non-Communist countries 40% (1987)

Budget

Revenues

$28.4 billionExpenditures

$28.4 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $12.3 billion (1989)

Overview

Industry, which accounts for one-third of the labor force and generates over half the GNP, suffers from an aging capital plant and persistent shortages of energy. The year 1990 witnessed about a 20% drop in industrial production because of energy and input shortages and labor unrest.

In recent years the agricultural sector has had to contend with drought, mismanagement, and shortages of inputs. A drought in 1990 contributed to a lackluster harvest, a problem compounded by corruption and a poor distribution system. The new government is slowly loosening the tight central controls of Ceausescu's command economy.

It has instituted moderate land reforms, with close to one-half of cropland now in private hands, and it has allowed changes in prices for private agricultural output. Also, the new regime is permitting the establishment of private enterprises, largely in services, handicrafts, and small-scale industry.

New laws providing for the privatization of large state firms have been passed. However, most of the early privatization will involve converting state firms into joint-stock companies. The selling of shares to the public has not yet been worked out. Furthermore, the government has halted the old policy of diverting food from domestic consumption to hard currency export markets.

So far, the government does not seem willing to adopt a thoroughgoing market system, that is, there is great caution in decontrolling prices because of public opposition. The government has sharply raised price ceilings instead of lifting them entirely.

GNP

$69.9 billion, per capita $3,000; real growth rate - 10.8% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industrial production

growth rate - 20% (1990 est.)

Electricity

22,700,000 kW capacity; 64,200 million kWh produced, 2,760 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, machine building, food processing, petroleum

Agriculture

accounts for 15% of GNP and 28% of labor force;
major wheat and corn producer;
other products--sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, milk, eggs, meat, grapes

Economic aid

donor--$4.4 billion in bilateral aid to non-Communist less developed countries (1956-89)

Currency

leu (plural--lei); 1 leu (L) = 100 bani

Exchange rates

lei (L) per US$1--60.00 (June 1991), 22.432 (1990), 14.922 (1989), 14.277 (1988), 14.557 (1987), 16.153 (1986), 17.141 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Merchant marine, 294 ships by type

passenger-cargo 1cargo 191container 2rail-car carrier 1roll-on/roll-off cargo 11livestock carrier 2petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 15bulk 69combination ore/oil 2294 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,767,465 GRT/5,893,700 DWT

Airports, 165 total, 165 usable

permanent-surface runways

25runways 2,440-3,659 m

15runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

72,799 (1985)Railroads

11,275 (1987)Inland waterways

1,724 (1984)Pipelines

2,800

Highways: ; 15,762 km concrete, asphalt, stone block; 20,208 km asphalt treated; 27,729 km gravel, crushed stone, and other paved surfaces; 9,100 km unpaved roads · Railroads: ; 10,860 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 370 km narrow gauge, 45 km broad gauge; 3,411 km electrified, 3,060 km double track; government owned · Pipelines: ; 1,429 km refined products; 6,400 km natural gas

Railroads

11,275 km total;
10,860 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 370 km narrow gauge, 45 km broad gauge;
3,411 km electrified, 3,060 km double track;
government owned (1987)

Highways

72,799 km total;
15,762 km concrete, asphalt, stone block;
20,208 km asphalt treated;
27,729 km gravel, crushed stone, and other paved surfaces;
9,100 km unpaved roads (1985)

Pipelines

2,800 km crude oil;
1,429 km refined products;
6,400 km natural gas

Ports

Constanta, Galati, Braila, Mangalia; inland ports are Giurgiu, Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Orsova

Civil air

59 major transport aircraft

Telecommunications

about 2.3 million telephone customers;
89% of phone network is automatic;
present phone density is 9.85 per 100 residents;
roughly 3,300 villages with no service (February 1990);
stations--39 AM, 29 FM, 39 TV (1990)

Defense Forces

French--Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

3 fields

Defense expenditures

15billion lei

(unofficial), NA% of GDP (1991); note--conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the official administratively set exchange rate would produce misleading results

Branches

French--Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

Manpower availability

males 15-49, 5,801,986;
4,912,789 fit for military service;
192,996 reach military age (20) annually

Central Intelligence Agency. “Romania.” The World Factbook 1991. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/romania/1991.

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