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 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.

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N 25 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 237,500 km²
Land: 230,340 km²
Water: 7,160 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries
Total: 2,508 km
Border countries: (5) Bulgaria 608 km; , Hungary 443 km; , Moldova 450 km; , Serbia and Montenegro 476 km; , Ukraine (north) 362 km; , Ukraine (east) 169 km

Coastline: 225 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
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
Extremes lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Natural resources: petroleum (reserves declining) timber natural gas coal iron ore salt arable land: hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 40.82%
Permanent crops: 2.25%
Other: 56.93% (2001)

Irrigated land: 28,800 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides

Geography
Note: controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans Moldova and Ukraine

Population: 22,355,551 (July 2004 est.)
Growth rate: -0.11% (2004 est.)
Below poverty line: 44.5% (2000)

Nationality
Noun: Romanian
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)

Languages: Romanian (official) Hungarian German

Religions: Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 87% Protestant 6.8% Catholic 5.6% other (mostly Muslim) 0.4% unaffiliated 0.2% (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.)

Median age
Total: 36.1 years
Male: 34.7 years
Female: 37.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.11% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 10.69 births/1000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 11.69 deaths/1000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.13 migrant(s)/1000 population (2004 est.)

Environment
Current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male/female
Total population: 0.95 male/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 27.24 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 30.41 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 23.86 deaths/1000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 71.12 years
Male: 67.63 years
Female: 74.82 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.35 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 6,500 (2001 est.)
Deaths: 350 (2001 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98.4%
Male: 99.1%
Female: 97.7% (2003 est.)

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Romania
Local long form: none
Local short form: Romania

Government type: republic

Capital: Bucharest

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)

National holiday: Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania) 1 December (1918)

Constitution: 8 December 1991; revision came into force 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 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
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
In the us chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 332-4,846, 4,848, 4,851
In the us fax: [1] (202) 232-4,748
In the us consulates general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Jack Dyer CROUCH II
From the us embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State, 5,260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20,521-5,260 (pouch)
From the us telephone: [40] (21) 210-4,042
From the us fax: [40] (21) 210-0395
From the us branch offices: 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 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.

Real gdp growth rate: 4.9% (2003 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2003 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 13.1%
Industry: 38.1%
Services: 48.8% (2003)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 2.3% (2003)

Labor force: 9.28 million (2003 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 41.4%
By occupation industry: 27.3%
By occupation services: 31.3% (2000)

Unemployment rate: 7.2% (2003)

Population below poverty line: 44.5% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.2%
Highest 10: 25% (1998)

Distribution of family income gini index: 31.1 (1998)

Budget
Revenues: $17.06 billion
Expenditures: $18.38 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Public debt: 25.5% of GDP (2003)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 15.3% (2003)

Current account balance: $-3.368 billion (2003)

Exports: $17.63 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: textiles and footwear metals and metal products machinery and equipment minerals and fuels chemicals agricultural products
Partners: Italy 24.3% Germany 15.7% France 7.4% UK 6.7% Turkey 5.1% (2003)

Imports: $22.17 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment fuels and minerals chemicals textile and products basic metals agricultural products
Partners: Italy 19.6% Germany 14.9% Russia 8.3% France 7.3% (2003)

Debt external: $18.34 billion (2003 est.)

Exchange rates: lei per US dollar - 33,200 (2003) 33,055 (2002) 29,061 (2001) 21,709 (2000) 15,333 (1999)

Electricity
Production: 50.86 billion kWh (2001)
Consumption: 46.1 billion kWh (2001)
Exports: 1.6 billion kWh (2001)
Imports: 400 million kWh (2001)

Natural gas
Production: 14.3 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Consumption: 19.7 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Imports: 5.4 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Proven reserves: 111.1 billion m³ (1 January 2002)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 4.3 million (2003)
Mobile cellular: 6.9 million (2003)

Telephone 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)

Internet
Country code: .ro
Hosts: 50,807 (2004)
Users: 4 million (2003)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $985 million (2002)
Percent of gdp: 2.47% (2002)

Airports: 62 (2003 est.)
With paved runways total: 25
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 9
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 12 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 36
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 24 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Pipelines: gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2004)

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)

Waterways: 1731 km (2004)

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.)

Disputes 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