Romania ( i/romeni/ roh-MAY-nee-; also spelled: Rumania,[6] dated: Roumania;[7]

Romanian: Romnia [romni.a] ( listen)) is a country located at the crossroads of Central

and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch,
bordering on the Black Sea.[8] Romania shares a border with Hungary and Serbia to the west,
Ukraine and Moldova to the northeast and east, and Bulgaria to the south.
At 238,391 square kilometers (92,043 sq mi), Romania is the ninth largest country of the
European Union by area, and has the seventh largest population of the European Union with
21.9 million people.[9] Its capital and largest city is Bucharest (Romanian: Bucureti [buku
ret] ( listen)), the sixth largest city in the EU with about two million people.
Romania has a climate that is transitional between temperate and continental, with four
distinct seasons. The average annual temperature is 11 C (52 F) in the south and 8 C (46
F) in the north.[111] The extreme recorded temperatures were 44.5 C (112.1 F) at Ion Sion in
1951 and 38.5 C (37.3 F) at Bod in 1942.[112]
Spring is pleasant with cool mornings and nights and warm days. Summers are generally very
warm to hot, with summer (June to August) average maximum temperatures in Bucharest
rising to 28 C (82 F), and temperatures over 35 C (95 F) fairly common in the lower-lying
areas of the country. Minima in Bucharest and other lower-lying areas are around 16 C (61
F). Autumn is dry and cool, with fields and trees producing colorful foliage. Winters can be
cold, with average maxima even in lower-lying areas reaching no more than 2 C (36 F) and
below 15 C (5 F) in the highest mountains.[113] Precipitation is average with over 750 mm
(30 in) per year only on the highest western mountainsmuch of it falling as snow, which
allows for an extensive skiing industry. In the south-central parts of the country (around
Bucharest) the level of precipitation drops to around 600 mm (24 in),[114] while in the Danube
Delta, rainfall levels are very low, and average only around 370 mm.
Because of Romania's geographic location, respectively the regional orographic peculiarities,
there exists a varied range of local winds. Humid winds from the northwest are most common,
but often the drier winds from the northeast are strongest. A hot southwesterly wind, the
austru (cf. lat. Auster), blows over western Romania, particularly in summer. In winter, cold
and dense air masses encircle the eastern portions of the country, with the cold northeasterly
known as the criv blowing in from the Russian Plain, and oceanic air masses from the
Azores, in the west, bring rain and mitigate the severity of the cold. Other wind types present
locally are nemirul, black wind, foehn, bltreul, zephyr, cosava etc. Romania enjoys four
seasons, though there is a rapid transition from winter to summer. Autumn is frequently
longer, with dry warm weather from September to late November.[115]

[edit] Natural environment

Main articles: Flora of Romania, List of mammals of Romania, and Protected areas of
Romania
A high percentage (47% of the land area) of the country is covered with natural and seminatural ecosystems.[116] Since almost half of all forests in Romania (13% of the country) have
been managed for watershed conservation rather than production, Romania has one of the
largest areas of undisturbed forest in Europe.[116] The integrity of Romanian forest ecosystems
is indicated by the presence of the full range of European forest fauna, including 60% and
40% of all European brown bears and wolves, respectively.[117] There are also almost 400

unique species of mammals (of which Carpathian chamois are best known[citation needed]), birds,
reptiles and amphibians in Romania.[118] The fauna consists of 33,792 species of animals,
33,085 invertebrate and 707 vertebrate.[119]
Some 3,700 plant species have been identified in the country, from which to date 23 have
been declared natural monuments, 74 missing, 39 endangered, 171 vulnerable and 1,253 rare.
[119]
The three major vegetation areas in Romania are the alpine zone, the forest zone and the
steppe zone. The vegetation is distributed in a storied manner in accordance with the
characteristics of soil and climate and includes various species of oaks, sycamores, beeches,
spruces, firs, willows, poplars, meadows, and pines.[120][121]
There are almost 10,000 km2 (3,900 sq mi) (about 5% of the total area) of protected areas in
Romania covering 13 national parks and three biosphere reserves: the Danube Delta, Retezat
National Park, and Rodna National Park.[122] The Danube Delta Reserve Biosphere is the
largest and least damaged wetland complex in Europe, covering a total area of 5,800 km2
(2,200 sq mi).[123] The significance of the biodiversity of the Danube Delta has been
internationally recognised. It was declared a Biosphere Reserve in September 1990, a Ramsar
site in May 1991, and over 50% of its area was placed on the World Heritage List in
December 1991.[124] Within its boundaries lies one of the most extensive reed bed systems in
the world.[125]
Romania is divided into 41 counties and the municipality of Bucharest. Each county is
administered by a county council, responsible for local affairs, as well as a prefect responsible
for the administration of national affairs at the county level. The prefect is appointed by the
central government but cannot be a member of any political party.[126]
Each county is further subdivided into cities and communes, which have their own mayor and
local council. There are a total of 319 cities and 2,686 communes in Romania.[127
Politics of Romania take place in a framework of a semi-presidential parliamentary
representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Romania is the head of
government and the President of Romania exercises the functions of head of state. Romania
has a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power
is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament, the Chamber of
Deputies and the Senate. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Romania's 1991 constitution, amended in 2003 proclaims Romania a democratic and social
republic, deriving its sovereignty from the people. It also states that "human dignity, civic
rights and freedoms, the unhindered development of human personality, justice, and political
pluralism are supreme and guaranteed values".
The constitution provides for a President, a Parliament, a Constitutional Court and a separate
system of lower courts that includes The High Court of Cassation and Justice. The right to
vote is granted to all citizens over 18 years of age.
Romania has a multiparty system, which makes a majority government virtually impossible.
The last eight years saw a settlement of the political scene, with merging of small
parliamentary parties with larger ones. Despite that, the politics of Romania are still vivid and
unpredictable. Currently there are five parliamentary parties (excluding the 18 ethnic
minorities parties that have one representative each):

Party Name
Democratic
Liberal Party
Democratic
Union of
Hungarians in
Romania

Party Name
(Romanian)
Partidul
DemocratLiberal (PD-L)
Uniunea
Democrat
Maghiar din
Romnia
(UDMR)

Ideology

Leader

liberal
conservative,
centre-right

Emil Boc

centrist,
Hunor
Hungarian
Kelemen
minority party

Notes
ruling party

ruling party (in coalition with

PD-L)

opposition party, formerly part

of the union PSD+PC (until
Social
social
Partidul Social
Victor
2010). Currently in a political
Democratic
democratic,
Democrat (PSD)
Ponta
alliance with the National
Party
center-left
Liberal Party and the
Conservative Party in USL.
opposition party, part of the
National Liberal Partidul Naional liberal, centre- Crin
ACD. The alliance is itself
Party
Liberal (PNL)
right
Antonescu part of the USL together with
Social Democratic Party.
opposition party, part of the
ACD, formerly part of the
Conservative
Partidul
Daniel
union PSD+PC (until 2010).
conservative
Party
Conservator (PC)
Constantin The alliance is itself part of
the USL together with Social
Democratic Party.
With a GDP of around $254 billion and a GDP per capita (PPP) of $11,860[152] for the year
2010, Romania is an upper-middle income country economy[153] and has been part of the
European Union since 1 January 2007.

Dacia Duster concept at the Geneva Motor Show, 2009

After the Communist regime was overthrown in late 1989, the country experienced a decade
of economic instability and decline, led in part by an obsolete industrial base and a lack of
structural reform. From 2000 onwards, however, the Romanian economy was transformed
into one of relative macroeconomic stability, characterised by high growth, low
unemployment and declining inflation. In 2006, according to the Romanian Statistics Office,
GDP growth in real terms was recorded at 7.7%, one of the highest rates in Europe.[154]
Growth dampened to 6.1% in 2007,[155] but was expected to exceed 8% in 2008 because of a
high production forecast in agriculture (3050% higher than in 2007). The GDP grew by 8.9%

in the first nine months of 2008, but growth fell to 2.9% in the fourth quarter and stood at
7.1% for the whole 2008 because of the financial crisis.[156] Thereafter, the country fell into a
recession in 2009 and 2010, where the GDP contracted 7.1% and 1.3% respectively. It is
estimated by the IMF that the GDP will grow again by 1.5% in 2011 and 4.4% in 2012.[152]
According to Eurostat data, the Romanian PPS GDP per capita stood at 45% of the EU
average in 2010.[157] Inflation in 2010 was 6.1%.[152] Unemployment in Romania was at 7.6%
in 2010,[152] which is very low compared to other middle-sized or large European countries
such as Poland, France and Spain. General government gross debt is also comparatively low,
at 34.8% of GDP.[158] Exports have increased substantially in the past few years, with a 13%
annual rise in exports in 2010. Romania's main exports are cars, software, clothing and
textiles, industrial machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, metallurgic products, raw
materials, military equipment, pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and agricultural products
(fruits, vegetables, and flowers). Trade is mostly centred on the member states of the
European Union, with Germany and Italy being the country's single largest trading partners.
The current account balance in 2010 held a deficit of $6.842 billion.[152]
After a series of privatisations and reforms in the late 1990s and early 2000s, government
intervention in the Romanian economy is somewhat lower than in other European economies.
[159]
In 2005, the government replaced Romania's progressive tax system with a flat tax of 16%
for both personal income and corporate profit, resulting in the country having the lowest fiscal
burden in the European Union,[160] a factor which has contributed to the growth of the private
sector. The economy is predominantly based on services, which account for 51.2% of GDP,
even though industry and agriculture also have significant contributions, making up 36% and
12.8% of GDP, respectively. Additionally, 29.6% of the Romanian population was employed
in 2006 in agriculture and primary production, one of the highest rates in Europe.[158]
Since 2000, Romania has attracted increasing amounts of foreign investment, becoming the
single largest investment destination in Southeastern and Central Europe. Foreign direct
investment was valued at 8.3 billion in 2006.[161] According to a 2006 World Bank report,
Romania currently ranks 55th out of 175 economies in the ease of doing business, scoring
higher than other countries in the region such as the Czech Republic.[162] Additionally, the
same study judged it to be the world's second-fastest economic reformer (after Georgia) in
2006.[163]
The average gross wage per month in Romania was 1855 lei in May 2009,[164] equating to
442.48 (US$627.70) based on international exchange rates, and $1110.31 based on
purchasing power parity.[165] In 2009 the Romanian economy contracted as a result of the
global economic downturn. Gross domestic product contracted 7.2% in the fourth quarter of
2009 from the same period a year earlier,[166] and the budget deficit for 2009 reached 7.2% of
GDP.[167] Industrial output growth however reached 6.9% year-on-year in December 2009, the
highest in the EU-27
The official language of Romania is Romanian, a Romance language related to Italian,
French, Spanish, Portuguese, and other languages adjacent to the aforesaid. Romanian is
spoken as a first language by 91% of the population. Hungarian and Vlax Romani are the
most important minority languages, spoken by 6.7% and 1.1% of the population, respectively.
[199]
Until the early 1990s, there were also a substantial number of German-speaking
Transylvanian Saxons, even though most have since emigrated to Germany, leaving only

45,000 native German speakers in Romania. There are approximately 32,000 Turkish
speakers in Romania.[205]
Romania is a secular state and has no state religion. However, an overwhelming majority of
the country's citizens identify themselves as Christians. 86.7% of the country's population
identified as Orthodox Christian according to the 2002 census, the vast majority of which
belongs to the Romanian Orthodox Church. Other major Christian denominations include
Protestantism (5.2%), Roman Catholicism (4.7%) and the Romanian Greek-Catholic Church
(0.9%).[199] The latter two religious organizations suffered most severely under the Communist
regime. The Greek-Catholic Church was outlawed by the Communist government in 1948;[209]
later, under the Ceauescu regime, several churches in Transylvania were demolished.
Since the Romanian Revolution of 1989, the Romanian educational system has been in a
continuous process of reform that has been both praised and criticized.[222] According to the
Law on Education adopted in 1995, the educational system is regulated by the Ministry of
Education and Research. Each level has its own form of organization and is subject to
different legislation. Kindergarten is optional for children between 3 and 6 years old.
Schooling starts at age 7 (sometimes 6), and is compulsory until the 10th grade (which usually
corresponds to the age of 17 or 16).[223] Primary and secondary education are divided into 12
grades. Higher education is aligned with the European higher education area.

The library building of Politehnica University of Bucharest, one of the most prestigious
technical universities in Romania
Aside from the official schooling system, and the recently[when?] added private equivalents,
there exists a semi-legal, informal, fully private tutoring system. Tutoring is mostly used
during secondary as a preparation for the various examinations, which are notoriously
difficult. Tutoring is widespread, and it can be considered a part of the Education System. It
has subsisted and even prospered during the Communist regime.[224]
In 2004, some 4.4 million of the population were enrolled in school. Out of these, 650,000 in
kindergarten, 3.11 million (14% of population) in primary and secondary level, and 650,000
(3% of population) in tertiary level (universities).[225] In the same year, the adult literacy rate
was 97.3% (45th worldwide), while the combined gross enrollment ratio for primary,
secondary and tertiary schools was 75% (52nd worldwide).[226]
The results of the PISA assessment study in schools for the year 2000 placed Romania on the
34th rank out of 42 participant countries with a general weighted score of 432 representing
85% of the mean OECD score.[227] According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities,
in 2006 no Romanian university was included in the first 500 top universities world wide.[228]
Using similar methodology to these rankings, it was reported that the best placed Romanian
university, Bucharest University, attained the half score of the last university in the world top

500.[229] Notably, Bucharest boasts the largest university in Europe by number of students,
Spiru Haret University.[230]
Romania reached the Davis Cup finals three times (1969, 1971, 1972). The tennis player Ilie
Nstase won several Grand Slam titles and dozens of other tournaments, and was the first
player to be ranked as number 1 by ATP from 1973 to 1974. His doubles and Davis Cup
Partner as well as mentor, Ion iriac is now the most successful businessman in the country
the 1976 Summer Olympics, the gymnast Nadia Comneci became the first gymnast ever to
score a perfect ten. She also won three gold medals, one silver and one bronze, all at the age
of fifteen
Along with religious aspects, in Romania, the Easter symbolizes the rebirth and the renewal
of daily life. It's usual like in the Easter morning, after the returning of villagers from
churches, children go to neighbors' homes, to bring luck and wealth, in exchange for a red
egg. Also, in the Christmas Eve, young people carol the village homes, hosts giving in
exchange nuts, sponge cakes, apples, pretzels and other delicacies. The Star boys' singing
procession is a very important part of Romanian Christmas festivity. In the week between
Christmas and New Year, in all villages, groups of lads prepare for "bid", complex system of
customs and habits. On the evening, in the eve of respective year which arises promising, are
expected to occur "Ursul", "Capra", "Bunghierii", "Ciuii", "Malanca", "Jienii", "Mascaii"
and others.[263]

Folkloric dance group wearing Romanian traditional costumes, Cluj-Napoca

The Romanian folkloric costumes characterize own attributes of the Romanian people and
contribute essentially at the definition of ethnic specificity. Closely related to human
existence, the folkloric costume reflected over time, as reflected nowadays, mentality and
artistic conception of the people. The folkloric costume has been developed with history,
being a genuine expression of coherent traditions throughout centuries. Distinct clothing
ornamentation, traditional methods used for sewing and tailoring the pieces of clothing, and
wide variety of costumes from one region to another customize the defining spirit of the
Romanian people.[264]
Also, the folklore of Romania is defined by its mythology, branch of folk literature that
integrates a variety of ancestral habits, tales, fables and ballads, whose authors are
anonymous. The rural character of the Romanian communities resulted in an exceptionally
vital and creative traditional culture. So, in Romanian mythology were conceived fabulous
beings, unreal characters endowed with supernatural powers. These include Baba Cloana, a

misshapen and recondite witch, Iele, inconstant virgins endowed with unapproachable ability
of seduction and superhuman features, Muma Pdurii, a hag that lives in deep forest, Strigoi,
troubled souls of the dead rising from the grave and Ft-Frumos, a knight hero that fights
with griffons, dragons and witches to liberate his heart chosen, Ileana Cosnzeana.[265] The
words "longing" and "mourning" have correspondent in another language, but the
nonfigurative character remains undecipherable and define specificity of the Romanian soul.
Doina, characteristic only Romanian literary folklore, represents the lyric creation that
Romanian expresses the most varied and complex range of feelings, strongly rooted in his
spiritual structure. In the Romanian folkloric tradition, "doina" was played mainly orally or
accompanied by a single instrument, being the song of elegy, played for self comforting and
not intended for festive events because of its sober nature.

[edit] Cuisine
Main article: Romanian cuisine

Amandine cakes
Romanian cuisine is a diverse blend of different dishes from several traditions with which it
has come into contact, but it also maintains its own character. It has been greatly influenced
by Ottoman cuisine but also includes influences from the cuisines of other neighbours, such as
the Greeks (musaca), Bulgarians (zacusc), Turks (pilaf), and Hungarians (langoi). Quite
different types of dishes are sometimes included under a generic term; for example, the
category ciorb includes a wide range of soups with a characteristic sour taste. These may be
meat and vegetable soups, tripe and calf foot soups, or fish soups, all of which are soured by
lemon juice, sauerkraut juice, vinegar, or traditionally bor (fermented wheat bran). Popular
main courses include mititei, frigrui and the niel. One of the most common dishes is
mmliga, a cornmeal mush served on its own or as an accompaniment. Pork and chicken are
the preferred meats, but beef, lamb and fish are also popular.
Sarmale are prepared from minced meat (pork, beef, mutton, poultry or fish meat, especially
in the Danube Delta), mixed with rice and other aliments (pap, couscous etc.) and wrapped in
cabbage (fresh or sour) or vine leaves in the form of rolls. Usually, they are served with
polenta and smetana, but can be served with a spoonful of fresh butter.
The list of desserts includes names like amandine, cltite, chec, cozonac, gogoi, gri cu lapte,
lapte de pasre etc. In the north-western Romania, are prepared so-called ciureghe, gomboi
cu prune, pancove, plcinte cree, while in the north-eastern Romania, the traditional desserts
are chec cu viine, tart cu mere, alivenci moldoveneti.[266]

Palinc de prune, a traditional fruit brandy

uic is a strong plum brandy that is widely regarded as the country's traditional alcoholic
beverage, along with wine. Romania is the world's second largest plum producer (after the
United States)[267] and as much as 75% of Romania's plum production is processed into the
famous uic, a plum brandy obtained through one or more distillation steps.[268] Alcoholic
beverages are also obtained from other fruits (see rachiu, palinc and viinat).[269] Wine,
however, is the preferred drink, and Romanian wines have a tradition of over three millennia.
[269]
Romania is currently the world's 9th largest wine producer, and recently[when?] the export
market has started to grow.[269] Romania produces a wide selection of domestic varieties
(Feteasc, Gras, Tamioas, Bbeasc), as well as varieties from across the world (Italian
Riesling, Merlot, Sauvignon blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Muscat Ottonel). Beer
is also highly regarded, generally blonde pilsener beer, the traditional methods of preparation
being generally influenced by German wheat beers. There are some Romanian breweries with
a long tradition, such as Timioreana, Ursus and Azuga. Since the 19th century, beer has
become increasingly popular, and today Romanians are amongst the heaviest beer drinkers in
the world.[270]
Certain recipes are made in direct connection with the season or the holidays. At Christmas,
each family usually sacrifice a pig and prepare a large variety of dishes of its meat and organs
(crnai, caltaboi, chiftele, tob, niele). At Easter, is customary to sacrifice a lamb,
preparing of its meat drob de miel and roast lamb with thyme, as dessert being served pasc
cu brnz and cozonac cu nuc.[271]