Background: The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their autonomy in 1856; they were de facto linked in 1859 and formally united in 1862 under 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 2004 and the EU in 2007.

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N 25 00 E

Area
Rank: 83
Land: 229,891 km²
Water: 8,500 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries
Border countries: (5) Bulgaria 608 km; Hungary 443 km; Moldova 450 km; Serbia 476 km; Ukraine (north) 362 km; Ukraine (east) 169 km

Coastline: 225 km

Maritime 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 Moldavian Plateau on the east by the Eastern Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

Elevation
Extremes highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

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

Land use
Permanent crops: 1.86%
Other: 60.41% (2011)

Irrigated land: 6,153 km² (2007)

Total renewable water resources: 211.9 km³ (2011)

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: 21,790,479 (July 2013 est.)
Rank: 57
Growth rate: -0.27% (2013 est.)
Growth rate rank: 216
Below poverty line: 22.2% (2011 est.)

Nationality
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)

Languages: Romanian (official) 91% Hungarian 6.7% Romany (Gypsy) 1.1% other 1.2%

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)

Age structure
15-24 years: 11.8% (male 1,317,820/female 1,255,982)
25-54 years: 45.5% (male 5,000,720/female 4,904,527)
55-64 years: 13% (male 1,319,066/female 1,508,158)
65 years and over: 15.1% (male 1,326,641/female 1,958,185) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 21.6 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 21.7 %
Potential support ratio: 4.6 (2013)

Median age
Male: 38 years
Female: 41 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.27% (2013 est.)
Rank: 216

Birth rate: 9.4 births/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 203

Death rate: 11.86 deaths/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 30

Net migration rate: -0.25 migrant(s)/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 123

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: -0.18% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: BUCHAREST (capital) 1.933 million (2009)

Environment
Current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 26 (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 142
Male: 11.82 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 8.98 deaths/1000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 110
Male: 70.99 years
Female: 78.13 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.31 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Rank: 213

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 69.8%

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 2.39 physicians/1000 population (2010)

Hospital bed density: 6.3 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 162
People living with hivaids: 16,000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 83
Deaths: fewer than 1000 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 74

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 19.1% (2008)
Rank: 101

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 3.5% (2002)
Rank: 100

Education expenditures: 4.3% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 101

Literacy
Total population: 97.7%
Male: 98.3%
Female: 97.1% (2011 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 14 years
Female: 15 years (2010)

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

Government type: republic

Capital
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 divisions: 41 counties (judete singular - judet) and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba Arad Arges Bacau Bihor Bistrita-Nasaud Botosani Braila Brasov Bucuresti (Bucharest)* Buzau Calarasi Caras-Severin Cluj Constanta Covasna Dambovita Dolj Galati Gorj Giurgiu Harghita Hunedoara Ialomita Iasi Ilfov Maramures Mehedinti Mures Neamt Olt Prahova Salaj Satu Mare Sibiu Suceava Teleorman Timis Tulcea Vaslui Valcea Vrancea

Independence: 9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire; independence recognized on 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin); 26 March 1881 (kingdom proclaimed); 30 December 1947 (republic proclaimed)

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

Constitution: several previous; latest adopted 21 November 1991 approved by referendum and effective 8 December 1991 (2013)

Legal system: civil law system

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Prime Minister Victor-Viorel PONTA (since 7 May 2012)
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 on 22 November 2009 with runoff on 6 December 2009 (next to be held in November-December 2014); prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the Parliament
Election results: Traian BASESCU reelected president; percent of vote - Traian BASESCU 50.3% Mircea GEOANA 49.7%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (176 seats; members elected by popular vote in a mixed electoral system to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera Deputatilor (412 seats; members elected by popular vote in a mixed electoral system to serve four-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last held on 9 December 2012 (next by December 2016); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 9 December 2012 (next by December 2016)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party - USL 60.1% ARD 16.7% PP-DD 14.6% UDMR 5.3% other 3.3%; seats by alliance/party - USL 122 ARD 24 PP-DD 21 UDMR 9; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by alliance/party - USL 58.6% ARD 16.5% PP-DD 14% UDMR 5.2% ethnic minorities 2.6% other 3.1%; seats by alliance/party - USL 273 ARD 56 PP-DD 47 UDMR 18 ethnic minorities 18

Judicial branch
Judge selection and term of office: High Court of Cassation and Justice judges appointed by the president upon nomination by the Superior Council of Magistracy an 11-member body mostly of judges prosecutors and law specialists; judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms; Supreme Constitutional Court members appointed - 6 by Parliament and 3 by the president; members serve 9-year non-renewable terms
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; regional tribunals; first instance courts; military and arbitration courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: Australia Group BIS BSEC CBSS (observer) CD CE CEI EAPC EBRD EIB ESA EU FAO G-9 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) LAIA (observer) MIGA MONUSCO NATO NSG OAS (observer) OIF OPCW OSCE PCA SELEC UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO Union Latina UNMIL UNMISS UNOCI UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
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 4,852
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 232-4,748
In the us consulate general: Chicago Los Angeles New York
From the us embassy: Bulevardul Dr. Liviu Librescu 4-6 District 1 Bucharest 15,118
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest US Department of State 5,260 Bucharest Place Washington DC 20,521-5,260 (pouch)
From the us telephone: [40] (21) 200-3,300
From the us FAX: [40] (21) 200-3,442

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side) yellow and red; modeled after the flag of France the colors are those of the principalities of Walachia (red and yellow) and Moldavia (red and blue) which united in 1862 to form Romania; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed

National symbols: golden eagle

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Andrei MURESIANU/Anton PANN

Economy overview: Romania which joined the European Union on 1 January 2007 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. Domestic consumption and investment fueled strong GDP growth but led to large current account imbalances. Romania's macroeconomic gains have only recently started to spur creation of a middle class and to address Romania''s widespread poverty. Corruption and red tape continue to permeate the business environment. Inflation rose in 2007-08 driven by strong consumer demand high wage growth rising energy costs a nation-wide drought and a relaxation of fiscal discipline. As a result of the increase in fiscal and current account deficits and the global financial crisis Romania signed on to a $26 billion emergency assistance package from the IMF the EU and other international lenders. Worsening international financial markets as well as a series of drastic austerity measures implemented to meet Romania''s obligations under the IMF-led bail-out agreement contributed to a GDP contraction of 6.6% in 2009 followed by a 1.1% GDP contraction in 2010. The economy returned to positive growth in 2011 due to strong exports a better than expected harvest and weak domestic demand. In 2012 however growth slowed to less than 1% partially due to slackening export demand and an extended drought that resulted in an exceptionally poor harvest. In March 2011 Romania and the IMF/EU/World Bank signed a 24-month precautionary stand-by agreement worth $6.6 billion to promote fiscal discipline encourage progress on structural reforms and strengthen financial sector stability. The Romanian authorities announced that they do not intend to draw funds under the agreement.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 49

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 168

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 101

Gross national saving:
Rank: 58

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 6.6%
Investment in fixed capital: 26.7%
Investment in inventories: 0.3%
Exports of goods and services: 40%
Imports of goods and services: -45.2%: (2012 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 35%
Services: 54.9% (2012 est.)

Agriculture products: wheat corn barley sugar beets sunflower seed potatoes grapes; eggs sheep

Industries: electric machinery and equipment textiles and footwear light machinery and auto assembly mining timber construction materials metallurgy chemicals food processing petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate: -0.8% (2012 est.)
Rank: 144

Labor force: 9.252 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 52
By occupation industry: 21.1%
By occupation services: 47.3% (2010)

Unemployment rate: 5.1% (2011 est.)
Rank: 57

Population below poverty line: 22.2% (2011 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 19.8% (2011 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index: 30 (2003)
Rank: 97

Budget
Expenditures: $59.95 billion (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -2.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 99

Taxes and other revenues: 33.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 78

Public debt: 32.4% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 98

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5.8% (2011 est.)
Rank: 103

Central bank discount rate: 5.75% (31 December 2011)
Rank: 63

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 12.12% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 67

Stock of narrow money: $25.7 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 62

Stock of broad money: $63.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 65

Stock of domestic credit: $82.73 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 57

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 62

Current account balance: $-8.344 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 167

Exports: $55.81 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 59
Commodities: machinery and equipment metals and metal products textiles and footwear chemicals agricultural products minerals and fuels
Partners: Germany 18.9% Italy 12.3% France 7.1% Turkey 5.5% Hungary 5.5% (2012)

Imports: $68.36 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 47
Commodities: machinery and equipment chemicals fuels and minerals metals textile and products agricultural products
Partners: Germany 17.5% Italy 11% Hungary 9.1% France 5.7% Russia 4.4% Poland 4.3% Austria 4.2% Kazakhstan 4.1% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $48.19 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 41

Debt external: $129.8 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 43

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $73.97 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 46

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $2.61 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 71

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 60.39 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 44
Consumption: 53.74 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 45
Exports: 2.457 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 38
Imports: 1.04 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 63
Installed generating capacity: 24.98 million kW (2011 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 34
Generation sources fossil fuels: 61.7% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 132
Generation sources nuclear: 9.4% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 20
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 27% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 82
Generation sources other renewable sources: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 70

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 101,600 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 50
Crude oil exports: 1604 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 69
Crude oil imports: 122,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 45
Crude oil proven reserves: 600 million bbl (1 January 2013 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 47

Refined petroleum
Products production: 218,700 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 53
Products consumption: 218,200 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 54
Products exports: 75,480 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 52
Products imports: 44,070 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 75

Natural gas
Production: 10.61 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 42
Consumption: 14.2 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 40
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 169
Imports: 3.16 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 42
Proven reserves: 105.5 billion m³ (1 January 2013 es)
Proven reserves rank: 53

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 86.19 million Mt (2011 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 43

Telephones
Main lines in use: 4.68 million (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 32
Mobile cellular: 22.7 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 45

Telephone system
Domestic: more than 90 percent of telephone network is automatic; fixed-line teledensity exceeds 20 telephones per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 110 telephones per 100 persons
International: country code - 40; the Black Sea Fiber Optic System provides connectivity to Bulgaria and Turkey; satellite earth stations - 10; digital international direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest (2011)

Broadcast media: a mixture of public and private TV stations; the public broadcaster operates multiple stations; roughly 100 private national regional and local stations; more than 75% of households are connected to multi-channel cable or satellite TV systems that provide access to Romanian European and international stations; state-owned public radio broadcaster operates 4 national networks and regional and local stations; more than 100 private radio stations (2008)

Internet
Country code: .ro
Hosts: 2.667 million (2012)
Hosts rank: 35
Users: 7.787 million (2009)
Users rank: 37

Military expenditures: 1.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Rank: 74

Military service age and obligation: 20-35 years of age for compulsory male military service; conscription ended 2006 but military service remains mandatory; 18 years of age for male and female voluntary service; all military inductees (including women) contract for an initial 5-year term of service with subsequent successive 3-year terms until age 36 (2012)

Airports: 45 (2013)
Rank: 97
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 10
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 11
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With unpaved runways: 14 (2013)

Heliports: 2 (2013)

Pipelines: gas 3,726 km; oil 2,451 km (2013)

Railways
Rank: 22
Broad gauge: 134 km 1.524-m gauge
Standard gauge: 10,639 km 1.435-m gauge (4,020 km electrified)
Narrow gauge: 4 km 1.000-m gauge (2012)

Roadways
Rank: 56
Paved: 49,873 km (includes 337 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 34,312 km (2012)

Waterways: 1731 km (includes 1075 km on the Danube River 524 km on secondary branches and 132 km on canals) (2010)
Rank: 46

Merchant marine
Rank: 127
By type: cargo 1 passenger/cargo 2 petroleum tanker 1 roll on/roll off 1
Foreign owned: 1 (Russia 1)
Registered in other countries: 31 (Georgia 7 Liberia 3 Malta 7 Marshall Islands 2 Moldova 2 Panama 3 Russia 1 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1 Sierra Leone 2 Tanzania 1 Togo 1 unknown 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Braila Constanta Galati (Galatz) Mancanului (Giurgiu) Midia Tulcea

Disputes international: the ICJ ruled largely in favor of Romania in its dispute submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary delimitation; Romania opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea

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