Romania

republicIndependence 1881 (from Turkey

Romania as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 79 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

LocationSoutheastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea between Bulgaria and the

Populationas each edition published it

23.17 million July 1993 est. · 23.27m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.02% 1993 est. · -0.86% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 35.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

71.25 years 1993 est. · 76.9 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.83 children per woman 1993 est. · 2.2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

21.2 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 19 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$2,700 1992 est. · $40,600 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

-15% 1992 est. · 0.8% in 2025

Geography

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

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Land useshare of 237,500 km2

arable land 43%permanent crops 3%meadows and pastures 19%forest and woodland 28%other 7%irrigated 34,500 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

237,500km2

land area: 230,340 km2comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon

Coastline

225km

contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

2,508km

total · Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia and Montenegro 476 km (all with Serbia), Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (south) 169 km

Location

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

Map references

Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

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

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

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, Moldova, and Ukraine

People

14 fields

Population

23,172,362

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 0.02% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

13.66Death

10.17Net migration

-3.27

Religions

Romanian Orthodox 70%Roman Catholic 6% (of which 3% are Uniate)Protestant 6%unaffiliated 18%

Labor force

10,945,700

by occupation: industry 38%, agriculture 28%, other 34% (1989)

Literacy

15and over can read and write

age · (1978)total population: 98%male: NA%female: NA%

Infant mortality rate

21.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 71.25 years
male:: 68.32 years
female:: 74.34 years (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Romanian(s)
adjective:: Romanian

Ethnic divisions

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

Government

Republic

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Presidential electionpercent of vote

61.4%

Ion ILIESCU 61.4%Emil CONSTANTINESCU 38.6%

Names

conventional long form:: none
conventional short form:: Romania
local long form:: none
local short form:: Romania

40 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality* (municipiu);, Alba, Arad, Arges, Bucuresti*, Buzau, Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna,, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati, 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

8 December 1991

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)

Political parties and leaders

National Salvation Front (FSN), Petre ROMAN;
Democratic National Salvation Front (DNSF), Oliviu GHERMAN;
Magyar Democratic Union (UDMR), Geza DOMOKOS;
National Liberal Party (PNL), Mircea IONESCU-QUINTUS;
National Peasants' Christian and Democratic Party (PNTCD), Corneliu COPOSU;
Romanian National Unity Party (PUNR), Gheorghe FUNAR;
Socialist Labor Party (PSM), Ilie VERDET;
Agrarian Democratic Party of Romania (PDAR), Victor SURDU;
The Democratic Convention (CDR), Emil CONSTANTINESCU;
Romania Mare Party (PRM), Corneliu Vadim TUDOR

note: there are dozens of smaller parties; although the Communist Party has ceased to exist, small proto-Communist parties, notably the Socialist Labor Party, have been formed

Other political or pressure groups

various human right and professional associations

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Elections

President:: last held 27 September 1992 - with runoff between top two candidates on 11 October 1992 (next to be held NA 1998);
results - Ion ILIESCU 61.4%, Emil CONSTANTINESCU 38.6%
Senate:: last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA 1998);
results - DFSN 27.5%, CDR 22.5%, FSN 11%, others 39%;
seats - (143 total) DFSN 49, CDR 34, FSN 18, PUNR 14, UDMR 12, PRM 6, PDAR 5, PSM 5
House of Deputies:: last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA 1998);
results - DFSN 27.5%, CDR 22.5%, FSN 11%, others 38.5%;
seats - (341 total) DFSN 117, CDR 82, FSN 43, PUNR 30, UDMR 27, PRM 16, PSM 13, other 13

Executive branch

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, Constitutional Court

Leaders

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 Nicolae VACAROIU (since November 1992)

Member of

BIS, BSEC, CCC, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-9, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Aurel-Dragos MUNTEANU
chancery:: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: (202) 232-4747, 6634, 5693
FAX:: (202) 232-4748

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador John R. DAVIS, Jr.
embassy:: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest
mailing address:: AmConGen (Buch), Unit 25402, APO AE 09213-5260
telephone:: [40] (0) 10-40-40
FAX:: [40] (0) 12-03-95

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 about one-third of the labor force and | generates over half the GDP, suffers from an aging capital plant and | persistent shortages of energy.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$2,700

(1992 est.)

Real growth rate

-15%

(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -17% (1991 est.); accounts for 48% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

200%

(1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

(January 1993)

Budget

Revenues

$19 billionExpenditures

$20 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $2.1 billion (1991 est.)

Overview

Industry, which accounts for about one-third of the labor force and generates over half the GDP, suffers from an aging capital plant and persistent shortages of energy. The year 1991 witnessed a 17% drop in industrial production because of energy and input shortages and labor unrest.

In recent years the agricultural sector has had to contend with flooding, mismanagement, shortages of inputs, and disarray caused by the dismantling of cooperatives. A shortage of inputs and a severe drought in 1991 contributed to a poor harvest, a problem compounded by corruption and an obsolete distribution system.

The new government has instituted moderate land reforms, with more than one-half of cropland now in private hands, and it has liberalized private agricultural output. Private enterprises form an increasingly important portion of the economy largely in services, handicrafts, and small-scale industry.

Little progress on large scale privatization has been made since a law providing for the privatization of large state firms was passed in August 1991. Most of the large state firms have been converted into joint-stock companies, but the selling of shares and assets to private owners has been delayed.

While the government has halted the old policy of diverting food from domestic consumption to hard currency export markets, supplies remain scarce in some areas. The new government continues to impose price ceilings on key consumer items. In 1992 the economy muddled along toward the new, more open system, yet output and living standards continued to fall.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $63.4 billion (1992 est.)

Exports

$3.5 billion (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:: machinery and equipment 29.3%, fuels, minerals and metals 32.1%, manufactured consumer goods 18.1%, agricultural materials and forestry products 9.0%, other 11.5% (1989)
partners:: USSR 27%, Eastern Europe 23%, EC 15%, US 5%, China 4% (1987)

Imports

$5.1 billion (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:: fuels, minerals, and metals 56.0%, machinery and equipment 25.5%, agricultural and forestry products 8.6%, manufactured consumer goods 3.4%, other 6.5% (1989)
partners:: Communist countries 60%, non-Communist countries 40% (1987)

External debt

$3 billion (1992)

Electricity

22,500,000 kW capacity; 59,000 million kWh produced, 2,540 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for 18% of GDP and 28% of labor force;
major wheat and corn producer;
other products - sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, milk, eggs, meat, grapes

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route

Economic aid

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

Currency

1 leu (L) = 100 bani

Exchange rates

lei (L) per US$1 - 470.10 (January 1993), 307.95 (1992), 76.39 (1991), 22.432 (1990), 14.922 (1989), 14.277 (1988)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

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Merchant marine, 249 ships by type

passenger-cargo 1cargo 170container 2rail-car carrier 1roll-on/roll-off cargo 9oil tanker 15bulk 51249 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,882,727 GRT/4,463,879 DWT

Networkskm

Highways

72,799 (1985)Railroads

11,275 (1987)Inland waterways

1,724 (1984)

Highways: ; 35,970 km paved; 27,729 km gravel, crushed stone, and other stabilized surfaces; 9,100 km unsurfaced roads · Railroads: ; 10,860 km 1.435-meter gauge, 370 km narrow gauge, 45 km broad gauge; 3,411 km electrified, 3,060 km double track; government owned