2003 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.9% (male 1,932,204; female 1,838,240) 15-64 years: 69% (male 7,634,481; female 7,739,232) 65 years and over: 14% (male 1,290,343; female 1,837,339) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; eggs, sheep

Airports

65 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2002)

total

26

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

39

under 914 m

25 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 12

Area

land

230,340 sq km

total

237,500 sq km

water

7,160 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Oregon

Background

Soviet occupation following World War II led to the formation of a Communist "peoples 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. Currently, the Social Democratic Party forms a nominally minority government, which governs with the support of the opposition Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania. Bucharest must address rampant corruption, while invigorating lagging economic and democratic reforms, before Romania can achieve its hope of joining the European Union. Geography Romania

Birth rate

10.79 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$12.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

revenues

$11.7 billion

Capital

Bucharest

Climate

temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms

Coastline

225 km

Constitution

8 December 1991

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Romania

local long form

none

local short form

Romania

Currency

leu (ROL)

Currency code

ROL

Death rate

12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$13.7 billion (2002 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Michael E. GUEST

embassy

Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest

mailing address

American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch)

telephone

[40] (21) 210-4042

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Sorin Dumitru DUCARU

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

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; joint boundary commission is rectifying boundary with Bulgaria based on shifts in Danube since last delimitation in 1920; Hungary has yet to amend status law extending special social and cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in Romania, who protest the law

Distribution of family income - Gini index

31.1 (1998)

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, has been accompanied by slow but palpable gains in privatization, deficit reduction, and the curbing of inflation. Nonetheless, recent macroeconomic gains have done little to address Romania's widespread poverty, while corruption and red tape hinder foreign investment.

Electricity - consumption

46.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

1.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

400 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

50.86 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

62.5%

hydro

27.6%

nuclear

9.9%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Moldoveanu 2,544 m

lowest point

Black Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands

Environment - 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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

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)

Exchange rates

lei per US dollar - 33,055.4 (2002), 29,060.8 (2001), 21,708.7 (2000), 15,332.8 (1999), 8,875.58 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

chief of state

President Ion ILIESCU (since 20 December 2000)

election results

percent of vote - Ion ILIESCU 66.84%, Corneliu Vadim TUDOR 33.16%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 November 2000, with runoff between the top two candidates held 10 December 2000 (next to be held NA November/December 2004); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Adrian NASTASE (since 29 December 2000)

Exports

$13.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels

Exports - partners

Italy 24.4%, Germany 15.5%, France 7.7%, UK 5.4%, US 5%, Turkey 4.4% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 232-4748

[40] (21) 210-0395

branch office(s)

Cluj-Napoca

chancery

1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Romania

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 Romania

GDP

purchasing power parity - $169.3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

15%

industry

35%

services

50% (2001)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.9% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

46 00 N, 25 00 E

Geography - note

controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine People Romania

Government type

republic

Heliports

1 (2002) Military Romania

Highways

paved

98,308 km (including 113 km of expressways)

total

198,603 km

unpaved

100,295 km (2000)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

350 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

6,500 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

25% (1998)

lowest 10%

3.2%

Illicit drugs

major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for Western Europe This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$16.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment 23%, fuels and minerals 12%, chemicals 9%, textile and products 19% (1999)

Imports - partners

Italy 20.2%, Germany 18.1%, France 6.6%, Russia 5.6%, Austria 4.9%, Hungary 4.1% (2002)

Independence

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

Industrial production growth rate

6% (2002)

Industries

textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining

Infant mortality rate

female

16.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

20.31 deaths/1,000 live births

total

18.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

22.5% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, 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), MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Internet country code

.ro

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

38 (2000)

Internet users

1 million (2002) Transportation Romania

Irrigated land

28,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates)

Labor force

9.9 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 40%, industry 25%, services 35% (1998)

Land boundaries

border countries

Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia and Montenegro 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km

total

2,508 km

Land use

arable land

40.57%

other

57.03% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

2.4%

Languages

Romanian (official), Hungarian, German

Legal system

former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (140 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (345 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - PDSR (now PSD) 37.1%, PRM 21.0%, PD 7.6%, PNL 7.5%, UDMR 6.9%; seats by party - PSD 65, PRM 36, PNL 13, UDMR 12, PD 9, independents 5; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PDSR (now PSD) 36.6%, PRM 19.5%, PD 7.0%, PNL, 6.9%, UDMR 6.8%; seats by party - PSD 171, PRM 69, PD 29, PNL 27, UDMR 27, ethnic minorities 18, independents 4

elections

Senate - last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in the fall of 2004); Chamber of Deputies - last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in the fall of 2004)

Life expectancy at birth

female

74.59 years (2003 est.)

male

66.88 years

total population

70.62 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

97.7% (2003 est.) Government Romania

male

99.1%

total population

98.4%

Location

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 NM

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

200 NM

territorial sea

12 NM

Median age

female

37.1 years (2002)

male

34 years

total

35.4 years

Merchant marine

convenience

Greece 1, Italy 5 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

bulk 9, cargo 39, container 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, railcar carrier 2, roll on/roll off 4

total

61 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 494,670 GRT/650,863 DWT

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (AMR), Paramilitary Forces, Civil Defense, Border Guards

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$985 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.47% (2002) Transnational Issues Romania

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

5,912,284 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

4,974,240 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

157,840 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918)

Nationality

adjective

Romanian

noun

Romanian(s)

Natural gas - consumption

19.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

5.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

14.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

111.1 billion cu m (37257)

Natural hazards

earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides

Natural resources

petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Net migration rate

-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

215,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

127,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

1.055 billion bbl (37257)

Pipelines

gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party or PD [Traian BASESCU]; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Theodor STOLOJAN]; 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

Political pressure groups and leaders

various human rights and professional associations

Population

22,271,839 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

44.5% (2000)

Population growth rate

-0.21% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea

Radio broadcast stations

AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios

7.2 million (1997)

Railways

broad gage

60 km 1.524-m gauge

narrow gauge

427 km 0.760-m gauge (2002)

standard gauge

10,898 km 1.435-m gauge

total

11,385 km (3,888 km electrified)

Religions

Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 87%, Protestant 6.8%, Catholic 5.6%, other (mostly Muslim) 0.4%, unaffiliated 0.2% (2002)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

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

general assessment

poor domestic service, but improving

international

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

3.777 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

645,500 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions

5.25 million (1997)

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

Total fertility rate

1.36 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

8.3% (2002)

Waterways

1,724 km (1984)