Romania
republicIndependence 9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from Turkey
Romania as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 128 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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 full 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.
Geography
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine
18 fieldsLand useshare of 237,500 sq km
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 declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower
Natural hazards
earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides
Environment - current issues
- soil erosion and degradation;
- water pollution;
- air pollution in south from industrial effluents;
- contamination of Danube delta wetlands
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Air Pollution, 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:
- Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note
controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine
People
19 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2004 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2002)
Religions(2002)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 16.2% (male 1,861,801; female 1,770,746)
- 15-64 years:
- 69.4% (male 7,712,612; female 7,791,900)
- 65 years and over:
- 14.4% (male 1,330,994; female 1,887,498) (2004 est.)
Sex ratio
- 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:
- 0.71 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Government
Republic; President Traian BASESCU (since 20 December 2004); Prime Minister Calin Popescu TARICEANU (since 29 December 2004)
18 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Senate, 332 seats, elected 28 November 2004seats by party
Percent of vote
Country name
- conventional long form:
- none
- conventional short form:
- Romania
- local long form:
- none
- local short form:
- Romania
Administrative divisions
- 41 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, Ilfov, Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea
Independence
9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from Turkey; independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin; kingdom proclaimed 26 March 1881); 30 December 1947 (republic proclaimed)
Legal system
former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic
Executive branch
- 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%
Legislative branch
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
Judicial branch
Supreme Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates)
Political parties and leaders
- Democratic Party or PD [Emil BOC];
- Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO];
- Humanist Party or PUR [Dan VOICULESCU];
- National Liberal Party or PNL [Calin Popescu TARICEANU];
- Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR];
- Social Democratic Party or PSD [Adrian NASTASE], formerly known as the Party of Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR
International organization participation
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), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, 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
Diplomatic representation in the US
- 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
Diplomatic representation from the US
- 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
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
Economy
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.
45 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2003)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
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, was 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 had successfully concluded an IMF agreement since the 1989 revolution. In July 2004, the Executive Board of the IMF approved a 24-month standby arrangement for $367 million.
The Romanian authorities do not intend to draw on this arrangement, viewing it as a precaution. Meanwhile, recent macroeconomic gains have done little to address Romania's widespread poverty, and corruption and red tape handicap the business environment.
Agriculture - products
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; eggs, sheep
Industries
textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining
Exports - commodities
textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products
Imports - commodities
machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile and products, basic metals, agricultural products
Exchange rates
lei per US dollar - 33,200.1 (2003), 33,055.4 (2002), 29,060.8 (2001), 21,708.7 (2000), 15,332.8 (1999)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- 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)
Transportation
10 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Railways
- 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 (2003)
Merchant marine
- total:
- 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 395,350 GRT/510,232 DWT
- by type:
- bulk 7, cargo 26, container 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 4, rail car carrier 2, roll on/roll off 4
- foreign-owned:
- Greece 1, Italy 2
- registered in other countries:
- 39 (2004 est.)
Military
Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (AMR), Civil Defense
7 fieldsMilitary manpower - military age and obligation
- 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)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
- has not resolved claims to Ukrainian-administered Zmyinyy (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary despite ongoing talks based on 1997 friendship treaty to find a solution in two years;
- Hungary amended status law extending special social and cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in Romania, who had objected to the law
Illicit drugs
- 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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Romania.” The World Factbook 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/romania/2004.