from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Romania
Introduction
Background: 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
March of 2004 and completed accession talks with the
European Union (EU) in December 2004; it is scheduled
to accede to the EU in 2007.
Geography
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between
Bulgaria and Ukraine
Geographic 46 00 N, 25 00 E
coordinates:
Map Europe
references:
Area: total: 237,500 sq km
land: 230,340 sq km
water: 7,160 sq km
Area - slightly smaller than Oregon
comparative:
Land total: 2,508 km
boundaries: border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km,
Moldova 450 km, Serbia 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km,
Ukraine (east) 169 km
Coastline: 225 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation
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
Elevation lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
extremes: highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m
Natural petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas,
resources: coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 39.49%
permanent crops: 1.92%
other: 58.59% (2005)
Irrigated 30,770 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest;
hazards: geologic structure and climate promote landslides
Environment - soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air
current pollution in south from industrial effluents;
issues: contamination of Danube delta wetlands
Environment - party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent
international Organic Pollutants, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
agreements: 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
Geography - controls most easily traversable land route between the
note: Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine
People
Population: 22,303,552 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.7% (male 1,799,072/female 1,708,030)
15-64 years: 69.6% (male 7,724,368/female 7,797,065)
65 years and over: 14.7% (male 1,347,392/female
1,927,625) (2006 est.)
Median age: total: 36.6 years
male: 35.3 years
female: 37.9 years (2006 est.)
Population -0.12% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 10.7 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 11.77 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration -0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 25.5 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 28.64 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 22.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 71.63 years
expectancy at male: 68.14 years
birth: female: 75.34 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.37 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 6,500 (2001 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 350 (2001 est.)
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Romanian(s)
adjective: Romanian
Ethnic groups: 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)
Religions: 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)
Languages: Romanian (official), Hungarian, German
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 99.1%
female: 97.7% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Romania
local long form: none
local short form: Romania
Government republic
type:
Capital: 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
Administrative 41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1
divisions: 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
Independence: 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)
National Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1
holiday: December (1918)
Constitution: 8 December 1991; revision effective 29 October 2003
Legal system: former mixture of civil law system and communist legal
theory; is now based on the constitution of France's
Fifth Republic
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: President Traian BASESCU (since 20
branch: 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 (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
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%
Legislative bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the
branch: 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 Camera 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
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%; 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%; seats by party - PSD
111, PNL 66, PD 45, PRM 34, ex-PRM (Ciontu Group) 12,
UDMR 22, PC 20, PIN (GUSA Group) 3, independent 1,
ethnic minorities 18
Judicial Supreme Court of Justice (comprised of 11 judges
branch: 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
Political Conservative Party or PC [Dan VOICULESCU], formerly
parties and Humanist Party or PUR; Democratic Party or PD [Emil
leaders: 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
Political various human rights and professional associations
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD,
organization ESA (cooperating state), EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9,
participation: G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest),
NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Carge d'Affaires
representation Daniela GITMAN
in the US: 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
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Nicholas F. TAUBMAN
representation embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest
from the US: mailing address: 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
information office: Cluj-Napoca
Flag three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side),
description: 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
Economy - Romania began the transition from Communism in 1989
overview: 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 GDP 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. IMF
concerns about Romania's tax policy and budget deficit
led to a breakdown of this agreement in 2005. In the
past, the IMF has criticized the government's fiscal,
wage, and monetary policies. Meanwhile, macroeconomic
gains have only recently started to spur creation of a
middle class and address Romania's widespread poverty,
while corruption and red tape continue to handicap the
business environment. Romanian government confidence in
continuing disinflation was underscored by its currency
revaluation in 2005, making 10,000 "old" lei equal 1
"new" leu.
GDP $181.8 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $72.7 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 4.1% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $8,100 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 10.1%
composition by industry: 35%
sector: services: 54.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 9.31 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 31.6%
by occupation: industry: 30.7%
services: 37.7% (2004)
Unemployment 5.9% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population 25% (2005 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 2.4%
income or highest 10%: 27.6% (2003)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 28.8 (2003)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 9% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 24.3% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $29.97 billion
expenditures: $31.37 billion; including capital
expenditures of $2.2 billion (2005 est.)
Public debt: 20.3% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed,
products: potatoes, grapes; eggs, sheep
Industries: textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto
assembly, mining, timber, construction materials,
metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum
refining
Industrial 1.9% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 51.7 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 62.5%
production by hydro: 27.6%
source: nuclear: 9.9%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 45.16 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 3.3 billion kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 380 million kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 119,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
production:
Oil - 235,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Oil - proved 1.055 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
reserves:
Natural gas - 12.3 billion cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 18 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 5.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 100.7 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
proved
reserves:
Current $-8.456 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $27.72 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - textiles and footwear, metals and metal products,
commodities: machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals,
agricultural products
Exports - Italy 19.4%, Germany 14%, Turkey 7.9%, France 7.4%, UK
partners: 5.5%, Hungary 4.1%, US 4.1% (2005)
Imports: $38.15 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals,
commodities: textile and products, basic metals, agricultural
products
Imports - Italy 15.5%, Germany 14%, Russia 8.3%, France 6.8%,
partners: Turkey 4.9%, China 4.1% (2005)
Reserves of $21.6 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $35.68 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Currency leu (ROL) is being phased out in 2006; "new" leu (RON)
(code): was introduced in 2005 due to currency revaluation:
10,000 ROL = 1 RON
Currency code: ROL
Exchange lei per US dollar - 3 (2005), 3 (2004), 3 (2003), 3
rates: (2002), 3 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 4.391 million (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 13.354 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: rapidly improving domestic and
system: international service, especially in wireless telephony
domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic;
liberalization in 2003 is transforming
telecommunications; there has been 20% growth in fixed
lines with a penetration rate of 58% of households;
nation-wide wireless service is growing even faster
with four major providers and a penetration rate of 32%
international: country code - 40; satellite earth
station - 10 (Intelsat 4); digital, international,
direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest (2005)
Radio AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 7.2 million (1997)
Television 48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 5.25 million (1997)
Internet .ro
country code:
Internet 57,470 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 38 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 4.94 million (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 61 (2006)
Airports - total: 25
with paved over 3,047 m: 4
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2006)
Airports - total: 36
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 23 (2006)
Heliports: 1 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2006)
Railways: total: 11,385 km
standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge (3,888 km
electrified)
broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge
narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 198,817 km
paved: 60,043 km (including 228 km of expressways)
unpaved: 138,774 km (2003)
Waterways: 1,731 km
note: includes 1,075 km on Danube River, 524 km on
secondary branches, and 132 km on canals (2005)
Merchant total: 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 198,767 GRT/246,732
marine: DWT
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 15, passenger 1,
passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off
1
foreign-owned: 1 (Italy 1)
registered in other countries: 48 (Georgia 11, North
Korea 11, Malta 9, Panama 9, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 1, Syria 3, unknown 4) (2006)
Ports and Braila, Constanta, Galati, Tulcea
terminals:
Military
Military Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces
branches: (AMR), Special Operations (2005)
Military all military inductees (including women) are volunteers
service age who contract for an initial five-year term of service;
and subsequent voluntary service contracts are for
obligation: successive three-year terms until the age of 36;
minimum age for voluntary military service is 18 (2006)
Manpower males age 20-49: 5,061,984
available for females age 20-49: 4,975,427 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 20-49: 3,932,579
for military females age 20-49: 4,076,288 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 172,093
reaching females age 20-49: 165,547 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $985 million (2002)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 2.47% (2002)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - Romania and Ukraine have taken their dispute over
international: 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
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