Romania country profile

28 August 2006
by eub2 -- last modified 04 January 2008

Romania, in southeast Europe, is mountainous in the north while the main feature in the south is the vast Danube valley. Romania became a member state of the European Union on 1 January 2007.

România

Romania, in southeast Europe, is mountainous in the north while the main feature in the south is the vast Danube valley. The river forms a delta as it approaches the Black Sea, which is a wildlife reserve for countless native and migratory birds.

The Romanian parliament consists of two chambers, the Senat (Senate), which has 140 members, and the Camera Deputaţilor (Chamber of Deputies), which has 345 members. The members of both chambers are chosen in elections held every four years.

Ethnically, the population is 90% Romanian and 7% Hungarian. The Romanian language, like a number of others in southern Europe, is directly descended from Latin, although Romania is separated from other Romance-language countries by Slav speakers. Romania has considerable natural resources – oil, natural gas, coal, iron, copper and bauxite. Metal-working, petrochemicals and mechanical engineering are the main industries.

Romanian specialities include grilled meatballs, pork stew with garlic and onions and doughnuts made with cream and cheese.

The spine-chilling tale of Dracula is based on the 15th century Romanian Count Vlad Dracul whose son was famous in wartime for impaling captured enemies. Well-known Romanians include the writer Eugene Ionesco, the gymnast Nadia Comaneci and the composer George Enesco.

Area: 237 500 km²
Population: 21.6 million
Capital city: Bucharest
Currency: 1 new leu = 100 bani, 1 euro = 3.44 new leu (RON) (Dec. 2006)
National day: 1 December
EU-membership: 1 January 2007

Head of State: President Traian Băsescu
Head of Government: Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
Foreign Minister: Adrian Cioroianu

GDP: € 74.2 billion (2005)
GDP per capita in PPS: € 2 319 (2005)
Economic growth in real terms: + 4.1% (2005)

Links:
Head of State: http://www.presidency.ro
Government: http://www.gov.ro
Foreign Minister: http://www.mae.ro
Parliament: http://www.cdep.ro

Map of Romania


Source: European Commission, Slovenia EU Presidency, World Factbook