Location
In the southeast of Central Europe, in the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula, on the lower Danube.
Borders
Romania’s borders total 3,149.9 km. Two-thirds of these (2,064.4 km) are defined by the Danube and the Prut and Tisza rivers or follow the Black Sea coastline, while one-third (1,085.5 km) represents land borders. Romanian territorial waters extend up to 12 nautical miles offshore in the Black Sea.
Neighbors
Romania borders five countries, with the sixth neighbor being the Black Sea. To the NE and E, it borders the Republic of Moldova (681.3 km); to the N and E, Ukraine (649.4 km); to the SE, the Black Sea (193.5 km); to the S, Bulgaria (631.3 km); to the SW, Serbia (546.4 km); and to the W, Hungary (448.0 km).
Area
It covers 238,391 km², comparable to Great Britain, ranking 80th in the world and 13th in Europe by size. Romania has an oval shape, stretching 735 km from west to east and 530 km from north to south.
Land distribution: arable land (39.2%), forests (28%), pastures and meadows (20.5%), vineyards and orchards (2.3%), buildings, roads (4.5%), waters and ponds (3.7%), other areas (1.8%).
Administrative Division
According to Article 3 of the Constitution, Romania’s territory is organized into communes, towns, and counties.
- Commune: the basic administrative unit, consisting of one or more villages, governed by a local council and an elected mayor. Romania has 2,685 communes totaling 13,285 villages (average of 5 villages per commune).
- Town: governed by a local council and an elected mayor; major towns may be declared municipalities. Romania has 263 towns, 82 of which are municipalities.
- County: governed by a county council and a prefect. The council coordinates local councils and focuses on county-level public services. The government appoints a prefect as its local representative. Romania has 41 counties plus the capital city Bucharest, which has county-level status. A county averages 5,800 km² and 500,000 inhabitants.
Capital
Bucharest is Romania’s largest and most important city, the political, administrative, and economic center. Located in the south-southeast, it covers 228 km² and has 2,016,000 inhabitants (9% of the country’s population and 15% of the urban population), ranking third in the region after Athens and Istanbul. First mentioned in 1459 as the seat of Wallachia under Vlad the Impaler, though the settlement dates back to the 14th century. Between the 17th–19th centuries, it was Wallachia’s capital, and in 1862 became Romania’s capital.
Cities
Of 263 towns, 25 have over 100,000 inhabitants. Eight have more than 300,000, including Bucharest (over 2,000,000), Iași (350,000), Constanța (327,000), Brașov (316,000), and Craiova (314,000).
Population
21,528,600 (January 2008). Romania ranks 43rd globally and 9th in Europe by population. 55% live in urban areas, 45% in rural areas. Male population: 48.7%; female: 51.3%.
Ethnic groups: Romanians 89.5%, Hungarians (including Székely) 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, others 1.4%.
Religions: Orthodox Christians 86.7%; Roman Catholics 4.7%; Protestants 3.2%; Greek Catholics 0.9%; Evangelicals 0.1%; Unitarians 0.3%; others 0.4%.
Official language: Romanian (native for 91% of the population). Minorities may use their language in schools, administration, courts, media, and culture. Hungarian is spoken by the largest minority; German by the German minority (Saxons and Swabians). Main foreign languages: English, French, German.
Currency
The official currency since 1867 is the leu (Romanian leu). The name comes from Löwentaler (a silver coin with a lion image, circulated in the Netherlands in the 16th century). Subdivision: ban (1 leu = 100 bani). Inflation rendered the subdivision obsolete after 1991. Internal convertibility introduced in November 1991; monetary liberalization in February 1998.
On July 1, 2005, the new leu was introduced (1 new leu = 10,000 old lei). Coins: 1, 5, 10, 50 bani; banknotes: 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 lei.
National Day
December 1, proclaimed in 1990, commemorates the Great Union of 1918 at Alba Iulia, marking the unification of Transylvania with Romania.
Public Holidays
January 1–2 (New Year), Easter Sunday and Monday, May 1, Pentecost Sunday and Monday (May/June), August 15 (Assumption), November 30 (St. Andrew), December 1 (National Day), December 25–26 (Christmas).
Official Time
Eastern European Time (GMT +2). Daylight saving (GMT +3) from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October. Same time zone as Moldova, Finland, Greece, Israel, Egypt, South Africa.
Romanian State
Form of government: republic. Romania is a sovereign, independent, national, unitary, and indivisible state. Organized under separation of powers: Legislative, Executive, Judiciary, within a constitutional democracy guaranteed by political pluralism.
President: Represents the state, guarantees independence, unity, and territorial integrity (5-year term). President: Traian Băsescu (second term won in 2009).
Legislative: Parliament (589 members, 2012–2016), two chambers: Senate (176 members) and Chamber of Deputies (412 members).
Executive: Government led by the Prime Minister, appointed by the President, with a program approved by Parliament.
Judiciary: Independence guaranteed by the Superior Council of Magistracy; judges are irremovable.
Romania is a member of the UN, NATO, and, since January 1, 2007, a full member of the EU.
Name: Romania, adopted in 1862 after the union of Wallachia and Moldavia in 1859.
International abbreviation: ROU.