Difference between revisions of "Romania" - New World Encyclopedia

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'''This article is claimed for Mike Butler and will be imported when he is ready to begin. Thank you. Mary Anglin 05-29-2007.'''
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{{Infobox Country or territory
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|native_name              = ''România''
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|conventional_long_name  = Romania
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|common_name              = Romania
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|image_flag              = Flag of Romania.svg
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|image_coat              = Romania Coat of Arms.svg
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|image_map                = EU location ROM.png
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|map_caption              = {{map_caption |region=on the [[Europe|European continent]] |subregion=the [[European Union]] |legend=European location legend en.png}}
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|national_motto              = <br><small>(each main institution has its own [[Mottos of Romanian institutions|motto]])</small>
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|national_anthem          = ''[[Deşteaptă-te, române!]]''
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|official_languages      = [[Romanian language|Romanian]]<sup>1</sup>
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|government_type          = [[Semi-presidential]] [[Unitary State|Unitary]] [[Democratic]] [[Republic]]
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|capital                  = [[Bucharest]]&nbsp;(''Bucureşti'')
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|latd=44 |latm=25 |latNS=N |longd=26 |longm=06 |longEW=E
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|largest_city            = capital
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|leader_title1            = [[President of Romania|President]]
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|leader_title2            = [[Prime Minister of Romania|Prime Minister]]
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|leader_name1            = [[Traian Băsescu]]
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|leader_name2            = [[Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu]]
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|area_rank                = 82nd
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|area_magnitude          = 1_E+11
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|area                    = 238,392
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|areami²                  = 92,043 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
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|percent_water            = 3
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|population_estimate_year = July 2007
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|population_estimate      = 22,276,056 <!--2006 CIA estimates: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ro.html—>
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|population_estimate_rank = 50th <!--UN ranking—>
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|population_census_year  = 2002
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|population_census        = 21,680,974
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|population_density      = 91
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|population_densitymi²    = 236 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
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|population_density_rank  = 104th
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|GDP_PPP_year            = 2007
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|GDP_PPP                  = $229.9 billion
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|GDP_PPP_rank            = 43rd
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|GDP_PPP_per_capita      = $10,661<ref>
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[http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2007/01/data/weorept.aspx?pr.x=21&pr.y=2&sy=2007&ey=2006&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=914%2C946%2C137%2C962%2C122%2C181%2C124%2C963%2C138%2C918%2C964%2C182%2C968%2C960%2C423%2C935%2C128%2C965%2C936%2C961%2C939%2C184%2C172%2C132%2C134%2C174%2C144%2C944%2C186%2C178%2C136%2C112%2C941&s=PPPPC&grp=0&a= GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity], [[IMF]] World Economic Outlook Database, April 2007</ref> 
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|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank  = 67th
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|HDI_year                = 2004
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|HDI                      = {{increase}} 0.805
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|HDI_rank                = 60th
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|HDI_category            = <font color="green">high</font>
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|Gini                    = 31
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|Gini_year                = 2003
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|Gini_category            = <font color="#ffcc00">medium</font>
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|sovereignty_type        = [[Independence]]
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|established_event1      = Declared
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|established_event2      = Recognised
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|established_date1        = [[9 May]] [[1877]] ([[Old Style and New Style dates|O.S.]])<sup>2</sup>
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|established_date2        = [[13 July]] [[1878]]<sup>3</sup>
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|accessionEUdate          = [[January 1]] [[2007]]
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|currency                = [[Romanian leu|Leu]]
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|currency_code            = RON
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|time_zone                = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
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|utc_offset              = +2
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|time_zone_DST            = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]]
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|utc_offset_DST          = +3
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|cctld                    = [[.ro]]<sup>4</sup>
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|calling_code            = 40
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|footnotes                = <sup>1</sup> Other languages, such as [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]], [[German language|German]], [[Romani language|Romani]], [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]] and [[Serbian language|Serbian]], are official at various local levels.<br/><sup>2</sup> [[Romanian War of Independence]].<br/><sup>3</sup> [[Treaty of Berlin (1878)|Treaty of Berlin]].<br/><sup>4</sup> The [[.eu]] domain is also used, as it is shared with other [[European Union]] member states.
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}}
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'''Romania''' ({{lang-ro|România}}, {{IPA2|ro.mɨˈni.a}}) is a country in Southeastern [[Europe]]. Romania borders [[Hungary]] and [[Serbia]] to the west, [[Ukraine]] and [[Republic of Moldova|Moldova]] to the northeast, and [[Bulgaria]] to the south. Romania has a stretch of sea coast along the [[Black Sea]], and the eastern and southern [[Carpathian Mountains]] run through its center.
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The modern state of Romania was formed by the merging of the Danubian Principalities of [[Moldavia]] and [[Wallachia]] in [[1859]].The state united with [[Transylvania]] in [[1918]]. Its capital and largest city is [[Bucharest]] ({{lang-ro|Bucureşti}} {{Audio-IPA|Ro-Bucureşti.ogg|/bu.kuˈreʃtʲ/}}), the sixth largest city in the EU. Romania joined [[NATO]] on [[March 29]], [[2004]], and the [[European Union]] (EU) on [[January 1]] [[2007]]. Romania has the [[List of European Union member states by population|seventh largest population]] and the [[List of European Union member states by area|ninth largest territory in the EU]].
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==Name==
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{{main|Etymology of Romania}}
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The name of ''Romania'' (''[[România]]'') comes from ''Român'' (Romanian) which is a derivative of the word ''Romanus'' ("[[Ancient Rome|Roman]]") from [[Latin]]. The fact that Romanians call themselves a derivative of ''Romanus'' (Rom.: Român/Rumân) is scholarly mentioned as late as the 16th century by many authors among whom Italian Humanists travelling in Transylvania, Moldavia and Walachia.
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The oldest surviving document written in the [[Romanian language]] is a 1521 letter (known as "[[Neacşu|Neacşu's Letter]] from Câmpulung") which notifies the mayor of [[Braşov]] about the imminent attack of the [[Ottoman Turks]]. This document is also notable for having the first occurrence of "Rumanian" in a Romanian written text, [[Wallachia]] being here named The Rumanian Land - Ţeara Rumânească (Ţeara <!-- Yes, this is Ţeara, not Ţara, it is quoting an old document —> < Latin Terra = land). In the following centuries, Romanian documents use interchangeably two spelling forms: ''Român'' and ''Rumân''. Socio-linguistic evolutions in the late 17th century lead to a process of semantic differentiation: the form ''"rumân"'', presumably usual among lower classes, got the meaning of "bondsman", while the form ''"[[român]]"'' kept an ethno-linguistic meaning. After the abolition of the serfage in 1746, the form "rumân" gradually disappears and the spelling definitively stabilises to the form ''"român", "românesc"''. The name "[[România]]" as common homeland of all Romanians is documented in the early 19th century. Many Romanians take pride in being the most eastern [[Romance languages|Romance]] people, completely surrounded by non-Latin peoples ("a Latin island in a Slavic sea").
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==History==
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{{main|History of Romania}}
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One of the fossils found - a male, adult jawbone - has been dated to be between 34,000 and 36,000 years old, which would make it one of the oldest fossils found to date of modern humans in Europe.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3129654.stm</ref> In 513&nbsp;BC, south of the [[Danube]], the tribal confederation of the [[Dacia|Getae]] were defeated by the [[Persian Empire|Persian]] Emperor [[Darius I of Persia|Darius the Great]] during his campaign against the [[Scythians]] (Herodotus IV). Over half a millennium later, the Getae (also named ''Daci'' by Romans) were defeated by the [[Roman Empire]] under Emperor [[Trajan]] in two campaigns stretching from 101&nbsp;AD to 106&nbsp;AD, and the core of their kingdom was turned into the [[Roman province]] of [[Dacia]]. The [[Goths|Gothic]] and [[Carpians|Carpi]]c campaigns in the [[Balkan]]s during 238–269&nbsp;AD(from the beginning of the period of military anarchy to the [[battle of Naissus]]), forced the Roman Empire to reorganize a new Roman province of Dacia south of the Danube, inside former [[Moesia Superior]].
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[[Image:Sibiu.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The medieval city of [[Sibiu]]]]
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[[Image:Sighisoara-Tower-Clock.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The medieval city of [[Sighisoara]]]]
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In either [[271]] or [[275]] the Roman army and administration left Dacia, which was invaded by the [[Goths]]. The Goths lived with the local people until the [[4th century]], when another nomadic people, the [[Huns]], arrived. The [[Gepids]] and the [[Eurasian Avars|Avars]] ruled [[Transylvania]] until the [[8th century]], after which the [[Bulgarians]] included the territory of modern Romania in [[First Bulgarian Empire|their Empire]] until [[1018]]. Transylvania was part of the [[Kingdom of Hungary]] from the 10-11th century until the 16th century, when the independent Principality of Transylvania was formed. The [[Pechenegs]], the [[Cumans]] and [[Uzes]] were also mentioned by historic chronicles on the territory of Romania, until the founding of the Romanian principalities of [[Wallachia]] by [[Basarab I]], and [[Moldavia]] by [[Dragoş]] during the 13th and 14th centuries respectively. Several competing theories have been generated to explain the origin of modern Romanians. Linguistic and geo-historical analyses tend to indicate that Romanians have coallesced as a major ethnic group both South and North of the Danube.
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In the [[Middle Ages]], Romanians lived in two distinct independent Romanian principalities: [[Wallachia]] ([[Romanian language|Romanian]]: ''Ţara Românească'' - "Romanian Land"), [[Moldavia]] ([[Romanian language|Romanian]]: ''Moldova'') as well as in the Hungarian-ruled principality of [[Transylvania]].
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[[Image:Suceava-Old-Monastery.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Old Monastery in [[Suceava county]]]]
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In 1475, [[Stephen III of Moldavia|Stephen the Great]] of Moldavia scored a temporary victory over the [[Ottoman Empire]] at the [[Battle of Vaslui]]. However, Wallachia and Moldavia would come gradually under the [[suzerainty]] of the [[Ottoman Empire]] during the 15th and 16th centuries (1476 for Wallachia, 1514 for Moldavia). As vassal tributary states they had complete internal autonomy and an external independence which was finally lost in the 18th century. One of the greatest Hungarian kings, [[Matthias Corvinus]] (known in Romanian as [[Matei Corvin]]), who reigned from 1458-1490, was born in Transylvania. He is claimed by the Romanians because of his Romanian father, [[John Hunyadi|Iancu de Hunedoara]] (Hunyadi János in Hungarian), and by the Hungarians because of his Hungarian mother. Later, in 1541, [[Transylvania]] became a multi-ethnic principality under the suzerainty of the [[Ottoman Empire]] following the [[Battle of Mohács]]. [[Michael the Brave]] (Romanian: Mihai Viteazul) (1558-9 August 1601) was the Prince of Wallachia (1593-1601), of Transylvania (1599-1600), and of Moldavia (1600). During his reign the three principalities largely inhabited by Romanians were for the first time united under a single rule.
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[[Image:CJROCluj-Napoca 19.jpg|250px|thumb|right|[[Cluj-Napoca]], panorama from the Belvedere]]
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In 1775, the [[Habsburg Monarchy]] annexed the northern part of Moldova, [[Bukovina]], and the [[Ottoman Empire]] its south-eastern part, [[Budjak]]. In 1812 the [[Russian Empire]] annexed its eastern half, [[Bessarabia]], which was partially returned by the 1856 [[Treaty of Paris (1856)|Treaty of Paris]] after the [[Crimean War]]. At the end of the 19th century, the [[Habsburg Monarchy]] incorporated Transylvania into what later became the [[Austrian Empire]]. During the period of the dual monarchy of [[Austria-Hungary]] (1867-1918), Romanians in Transylvania experienced a period of severe oppression under the [[Magyarization]] policies of the Hungarian government.<ref>http://www.genealogy.ro/cont/13.htm</ref>
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[[Image:Voronet-Old-Monastery.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Voroneţ Monastery]]]]
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[[Image:Iasi cultural palace.jpg|thumb|right|250px| The [[Palace of Culture (Iaşi)|Palace of Culture]] in [[Iaşi]]]]
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The modern state of Romania was formed by the merging of the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia in 1859 under the Moldavian [[domnitor]] [[Alexandru Ioan Cuza]]. [[Alexandru Ioan Cuza|Cuza]] led an agricultural reform distributing land to poor and attracting enemies. Via a 1866 coup d'etat, also known as the Abominable Revolution, [[Alexandru Ioan Cuza|Cuza]] was exiled and replaced by Prince Karl of [[Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen]], who became known as Prince Carol of Romania. During the [[Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78|Russo-Turkish War]], Romania fought on the Russian side; in the 1878 [[Treaty of Berlin, 1878|Treaty of Berlin]], Romania was recognized as an independent state by the Great Powers. In return for ceding to Russia the three southern districts of Bessarabia that had been regained by Moldavia after the Crimean War in 1852, the [[Kingdom of Romania]] acquired [[Dobruja]]. In 1881, the [[principality]] was raised to a [[monarchy|kingdom]] and Prince Carol became [[Monarch|King]] [[Carol I]].
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[[Image:Centru bv.JPG|250px|thumb|right|[[Braşov Council Square (Piaţa Sfatului)]]]]
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Romania entered [[World War I]] on the side of the Allies [[Triple Entente]]. The [[Romanian Campaign (World War I)|Romanian military campaign]] ended in disaster for Romania as the [[Central Powers]] conquered most of the country and captured or killed the majority of its [[Romanian Army|army]] within four months. By war's end, Austria-Hungary and the Russian Empire had collapsed, allowing Bessarabia, Bukovina and Transylvania to unite with the Kingdom of Romania in 1918. By the 1920 [[Treaty of Trianon]], [[Hungary]] was forced by the Entente powers to renounce in favour of Romania all of claims of the [[Austro-Hungarian Monarchy]] over rights and titles to historically multi-ethnic Transylvania. During [[World War II]], in 1940, the [[Soviet Union]] occupied [[Northern Bukovina]] and Bessarabia, Hungary occupied [[Northern Transylvania]], and Bulgaria occupied southern [[Dobruja]]. The authoritarian [[Carol II of Romania|King Carol II]] abdicated in 1940, succeeded by the [[National Legionary State]], in which power was shared by [[Ion Antonescu]] and the [[Iron Guard]]. Within months, Antonescu had crushed the Guard, and the subsequent year Romania entered the war on the side of the [[Axis powers of World War II|Axis powers]]. By means of the [[Operation Barbarossa|Axis invasion of the Soviet Union]], Romania recovered Bessarabia and northern Bukovina from the Soviet Russia, under the leadership of general [[Ion Antonescu]]. Germany awarded the territory [[Transnistria (World War II)|Transnistria]] to Romania. The Antonescu regime played a role in the [[Holocaust]], following the [[Nazi]] policy of oppression and massacre of the [[Jew]]s, and, to a lesser extent, [[Roma people|Roma]]s. According to a report released in 2004 by [[Wiesel Commission|a commission]] appointed by former Romanian president [[Ion Iliescu]] and chaired by [[Nobel Laureate]] [[Elie Wiesel]], the Romanian authorities were the main perpetrators in the planning and implementation of the killing of between 280,000 to 380,000 Jews,<ref>International Commission on the Holocaust in Romania. [http://www.ushmm.org/research/center/presentations/features/details/2005-03-10/pdf/english/executive_summary.pdf Executive Summary, Final Report of the International Commission on the Holocaust in Romania.] [[United States Holocaust Memorial Museum]]</ref> primarily in the Eastern territories Romania recovered or occupied from the Soviet Union and in [[Moldavia]].
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[[Image:Piata Unirii.jpg|250px|thumb|right|[[Timişoara]]]]
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In August 1944, Antonescu was toppled and arrested by King [[Michael I of Romania]]. Romania changed sides and joined the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]], but its role in the defeat of [[Nazi Germany]] was not recognized by the [[Paris Peace Treaties, 1947|Paris Peace Conference]] of 1947. With the [[Red Army]] forces still stationed in the country and exerting ''de facto'' control, [[communism|Communists]] and their allied parties claimed 90% of the vote, through a combination of vote manipulation,<ref>http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/rotoc.html#ro0037</ref> elimination and forced mergers of competing parties, establishing themselves as the dominant force. In 1947, [[Michael I of Romania|King Michael I]] was forced by the Communists to abdicate and leave the country.[[Image:pelescastle.jpg|thumb|right|250 px|[[Peleş Castle]], retreat of Romanian monarchs]] Romania was proclaimed a [[republic]], and remained under direct military and economic control of the [[Soviet Union|USSR]] until the late 1950s. During this period, Romania's resources were drained by the "[[SovRom]]" agreements: mixed Soviet-Romanian companies established to mask the looting of Romania by the Soviet Union, in addition to excessive war reparations paid to the USSR. A large number of people were arbitrarily imprisoned for political, economic or unknown reasons: detainees in prisons or camps, deported, persons under house arrest, and administrative detainees. Political prisoners were also detained as psychiatric patients. Estimations vary, from 60,000,<ref> Cartea albă a Securităţii, vol. 2</ref> 80,000,<ref> Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, ''Speech at the Plenary session of the Central Committee of the Romanian Workers' Party'', 30 November 1961</ref> up to two million.<ref>''Recensământul populaţiei concentraţionare din România în anii 1945-1989'' - report of the "Centrul Internaţional de Studii asupra Comunismului", Sighet, 2004</ref> There were hundreds of thousands of abuses, deaths and incidents of torture against a large range of people, from political opponents to ordinary citizens.<ref>Cicerone Ioniţoiu, Victimele terorii comuniste. Arestaţi, torturaţi, întemniţaţi, ucişi. Dicţionar. Editura Maşina de scris, Bucureşti, 2000. ISBN 973-99994-2-5.</ref> Most political prisoners were freed in a series of amnesties between 1962 and 1964.
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After the negotiated retreat of Soviet troops, in 1958, Romania started to pursue independent policies, including the condemnation of the Soviet-led 1968 invasion of [[Czechoslovakia]] (Romania was the only [[Warsaw Pact]] country not to take part in the invasion), the continuation of diplomatic relations with [[Israel]] after the [[Six-Day War]] of 1967 (again, the only [[Warsaw Pact]] country to do so), the establishment of economic (1963) and diplomatic (1967) relations with the [[Federal Republic of Germany]], and so forth. Also, close ties with the [[Arab]] countries (and the [[PLO]]) allowed Romania to play a key role in the [[Israel]]-[[Egypt]] and Israel-PLO peace processes (intermediated the visit of Sadat in Israel.<ref> Middle East policies in Communist Romania [http://countrystudies.us/romania/80.htm]</ref>) A short-lived period of relative economic well-being and openness followed in the late 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s. As Romania's foreign debt sharply increased between 1977 and 1981 (from 3 to 10 billion US dollars), the influence of international financial organisations such as the [[IMF]] or the [[World Bank]] grew, conflicting with [[Nicolae Ceauşescu]]'s [[autarky|autarchic]] policies. Ceauşescu eventually initiated a project of total reimbursement of the foreign debt (completed in 1989, shortly before his overthrow). To achieve this goal, he imposed policies that impoverished Romanians and exhausted the Romanian economy. He profoundly deepened Romania's [[Securitate|police state]] and imposed a [[cult of personality]] which led to his overthrow and death in the [[Romanian Revolution of 1989]].
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After the fall of Ceauşescu, the [[National Salvation Front]] (FSN), led by [[Ion Iliescu]] and lacking a clear political platform, restored civil order and took partial democratic measures. Several major political parties of the pre-war era, such as the [[Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party (Romania)|National Christian Democrat Peasant's Party (PNŢCD)]], the [[National Liberal Party (Romania)|National Liberal Party (PNL)]] and the [[Romanian Social Democrat Party|Romanian Social Democrat Party (PSDR)]] were resurrected. After several major political rallies, especially in January, in April 1990, a sit-in protest contesting the results of the recently held parliamentary elections began in the [[University Square, Bucharest]]. The protesters accused the FSN of being made up of former Communists and members of the [[Securitate]]. The protesters did not recognize the results of the election, which they deemed undemocratic, and were asking for the exclusion from the political life of the former high-ranking Communist Party members. The protest rapidly grew to become an ongoing mass demonstration (known as the [[Golaniad]]). The peaceful demonstrations degenerated into violence. After the police failed to bring the demonstrators to order, [[Ion Iliescu]] called on the "men of good will" to come and defend the Bucharest and State institutions. Coal miners of the [[Jiu River|Jiu Valley]] answered the call and arrived in Bucharest on [[June 14]]. Their violent intervention is remembered as the [[June 1990 Mineriad]].
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{{IPA|}}
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[[Image:Ateneul Roman b.jpg|thumb|250px|left|The [[Romanian Athenaeum]] in Bucharest]]
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The subsequent disintegration of the FSN produced several political parties including the [[Democratic Party (Romania)|Democratic Party]] (PD), the Romanian Democrat Social Party (PDSR, later  [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|Social Democratic Party]], PSD), and the ApR ([[List of political parties in Romania#Other post-1989 parties|Alliance for Romania]]). The Socialist parties that emerged from the [[National Salvation Front|FSN]] governed Romania from 1990 until 1996 through several coalitions and governments with Ion Iliescu as head of state. Since then there have been three democratic changes of government: in 1996, the democratic-liberal opposition and its leader [[Emil Constantinescu]] acceded to power; in 2000 the Social Democrats returned to power, with [[Iliescu]] once again president; and in 2004 [[Traian Băsescu]] was elected president, with an electoral coalition called [[Justice and Truth|Justice and Truth Alliance]] (DA). The government was formed by a larger coalition which also includes the [[Conservative Party (Romania)|Conservative Party]] and the [[UDMR|ethnic Hungarian party]].
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Post-[[Cold War]] Romania developed closer ties with [[Western Europe]], eventually joining [[NATO]] in 2004. The country applied in June 1993 for membership in the [[European Union]] (EU). It became an Associated State of the EU in 1995, an Acceding Country in 2004, and a member on [[January 1]], [[2007]].
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==Government and politics==
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{{main|Politics of Romania}}<!--Please add new information into relevant articles of the series—>
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[[Image:BucharestParliament2007 03 10b.JPG|thumb|left|250px|The [[Palace of the Parliament]], the seat of the Romania's bicameral parliament ([[:Image:Lamppost bgiu.jpg|Closeup]] of the lights in front)]]
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Romania is a [[semi-presidential]] democratic republic where executive functions are shared between the [[presidents of Romania|president]] and the [[Prime ministers of Romania|prime minister]]. The president is elected by popular vote, and resides at [[Cotroceni Palace]]. Since the constitutional amendment of 2003, the president's term is five years (previously it was four). The [[Government of Romania|Romanian Government]], which is based at [[Victoria Palace]], is headed by a [[Prime ministers of Romania|prime minister]], who appoints the other members of his or her cabinet and who is nearly always the head of the party or coalition that holds a majority in the parliament. If, however, none of the parties hold 50% + 1 of the total seats in parliament, the president will appoint the prime minister. Before beginning its term, the government is subject to a parliamentary vote of approval.
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The legislative branch of the government, collectively known as the [[Parliament of Romania|Parliament]] (''Parlamentul României''), consists of [[Bicameralism|two chambers]] &ndash; the [[Senate of Romania|Senate]] (''Senat''), which has 137 members, and the [[Chamber of Deputies of Romania|Chamber of Deputies]] (''Camera Deputaţilor''), which has 332 members. The members of both chambers are elected every four years under a system of [[party-list proportional representation]].
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The justice system is independent of the other branches of government, and is made up of a hierarchical system of courts culminating in the [[High Court of Cassation and Justice]], which is the supreme court of Romania. There are also courts of appeal, county courts and local courts. The Romanian judicial system is strongly influenced by the [[French law|French model]], considering that it is based on [[civil law]] and is [[inquisitorial system|inquisitorial]] in nature. The [[Curtea Constituţională|Constitutional Court]] (''Curtea Constituţională'') is responsible for judging the compliance of laws and other state regulations to the [[Romanian Constitution]], which is the fundamental law of the country. The constitution, which was introduced in 1991, can only be amended by a public referendum; the last amendment was in 2003. The Romanian Constitutional Court structure is based on the [[Constitutional Council of France]], being made up of nine judges who serve nine-year, non-renewable terms. Following the 2003 constitutional amendment, the court's decisions cannot be overruled by any majority of the parliament.
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The country's entry into the [[European Union]] in 2007 has been a significant influence on its domestic policy.
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As part of the process, Romania has instituted reforms including [[judicial reform]], increased judicial cooperation with other member states, and measures to combat corruption.{{Fact|date=June 2007}}
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==Counties==
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{{main|Administrative divisions of Romania}}
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[[Image:Romania counties.png|thumb|250px|Administrative map of Romania outlining the [[Counties of Romania|forty-one counties]]. The map also shows the historical region of [[Transylvania]] in green, [[Wallachia]] in blue, [[Moldova (Romanian region)|Moldavia]] in red, and [[Dobrogea]] in yellow.]]
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Romania is divided into forty-one [[Counties of Romania|counties]] (judeţe), as well as the municipality of [[Bucharest]] (Bucureşti), which is its own administrative unit. Each county is administered by a county council (''consiliu judeţean''), responsible for local affairs, as well as a prefect, who is appointed by the central government but cannot be a member of any political party. In alphabetical order, the counties are:
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{|
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|
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*[[Alba (county)|Alba]]
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*[[Arad County|Arad]]
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*[[Argeş County|Argeş]]
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*[[Bacău County|Bacău]]
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*[[Bihor County|Bihor]]
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*[[Bistriţa-Năsăud County|Bistriţa-Năsăud]]
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*[[Botoşani County|Botoşani]]
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*[[Braşov County|Braşov]]
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*[[Brăila County|Brăila]]
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|
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*[[Buzău County|Buzău]]
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*[[Caraş-Severin County|Caraş-Severin]]
 +
*[[Călăraşi County|Călăraşi]]
 +
*[[Cluj County|Cluj]]
 +
*[[Constanţa County|Constanţa]]
 +
*[[Covasna County|Covasna]]
 +
*[[Dâmboviţa County|Dâmboviţa]]
 +
*[[Dolj County|Dolj]]
 +
*[[Galaţi County|Galaţi]]
 +
|
 +
*[[Giurgiu County|Giurgiu]]
 +
*[[Gorj County|Gorj]]
 +
*[[Harghita County|Harghita]]
 +
*[[Hunedoara County|Hunedoara]]
 +
*[[Ialomiţa County|Ialomiţa]]
 +
*[[Iaşi County|Iaşi]]
 +
*[[Ilfov County|Ilfov]]
 +
*[[Maramureş County|Maramureş]]
 +
*[[Mehedinţi County|Mehedinţi]]
 +
|
 +
*[[Mureş County|Mureş]]
 +
*[[Neamţ County|Neamţ]]
 +
*[[Olt County|Olt]]
 +
*[[Prahova County|Prahova]]
 +
*[[Satu Mare County|Satu Mare]]
 +
*[[Sălaj County|Sălaj]]
 +
*[[Sibiu County|Sibiu]]
 +
*[[Suceava County|Suceava]]
 +
*[[Teleorman County|Teleorman]]
 +
|valign="top"|
 +
*[[Timiş County|Timiş]]
 +
*[[Tulcea County|Tulcea]]
 +
*[[Vaslui County|Vaslui]]
 +
*[[Vâlcea County|Vâlcea]]
 +
*[[Vrancea County|Vrancea]]
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
Alongside the county structure, Romania is also divided into eight [[development regions of Romania|development regions]], which correspond to [[Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics|NUTS-II]] divisions in the European Union, but which have no administrative capacity and are instead used for co-ordinating regional development projects and statistical purposes. The country is further subdivided into 2686 [[Communes of Romania|communes]], which are rural localities, and 265 [[cities in Romania|towns]]. Communes and towns have their own local councils and are headed by a mayor (''primar''). Larger and more urbanised towns gain the status of [[Municipalities of Romania|municipality]], which gives them greater administrative power over local affairs.
 +
 
 +
==Geography==
 +
{{main|Geography of Romania}}
 +
[[Image:Physical map of Romania.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Topographic map of Romania.]]
 +
With a surface area of 238,391&nbsp;km², Romania is the largest country in [[southeastern Europe]] and the twelfth-largest in Europe. A large part of Romania's border with [[Serbia]] and [[Bulgaria]] is formed by the [[Danube]]. The [[Danube]] is joined by the [[Prut River]], which forms the border with the [[Republic of Moldova]]. The Danube flows into the [[Black Sea]] on Romanian territory, forming the [[Danube Delta]], the largest delta in Europe, which is currently a biosphere reserve and World Heritage-listed site due to its biodiversity. The country's most significant rivers are the [[Danube]], which marks part of the border between Romania and Bulgaria, the [[Siret River|Siret]], running vertically through [[Moldavia]], the [[Olt River|Olt]], running from the oriental Carpathian Mountains to [[Oltenia]], the [[Tisa]], marking a part of the border between Romania and Hungary, the [[Mureş River|Mureş]], running through [[Transylvania]] from East to West, and the [[Someş]]. Romania's terrain is distributed roughly equally between mountainous, hilly and lowland territories. The [[Carpathian Mountains]] dominate the centre of Romania, with fourteen of its peaks reaching above the altitude of 2,000 metres. The highest mountain in Romania is [[Moldoveanu Peak]] (2544 m). In south-central Romania, the Carpathians sweeten into hills, towards the [[Bărăgan Plain]]s. Romania's geographical diversity has led to an accompanying diversity of flora and fauna. The country has the largest [[brown bear]] population in Europe, while [[chamois]] are also known to live in the [[Carpathian Mountains]], which dominate the centre of Romania.
 +
 
 +
==Economy==
 +
{{main|Economy of Romania}}
 +
[[Image:Bucharest Chamber of Commerce.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Bucharest]] Chamber of Commerce]]
 +
[[Image:Hotel.Europa.Iasi-Romania.JPG|<center>Hotel Europa </center>|thumb|right|250px|World Trade Center in [[Iaşi]].]]
 +
With a [[List of countries by GDP per capita (PPP)|GDP per capita]] ([[purchasing power parity|PPP]]) of $10,661<ref name="imf-outlook">[http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2007/01/data/weorept.aspx?pr.x=21&pr.y=2&sy=2007&ey=2006&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=914%2C946%2C137%2C962%2C122%2C181%2C124%2C963%2C138%2C918%2C964%2C182%2C968%2C960%2C423%2C935%2C128%2C965%2C936%2C961%2C939%2C184%2C172%2C132%2C134%2C174%2C144%2C944%2C186%2C178%2C136%2C112%2C941&s=PPPPC&grp=0&a= GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity Economic Indicators for Romania, 2004-2007, IMF World Economic Outlook, April 2007]</ref> estimated for 2007, Romania is considered an upper-middle income economy<ref>[http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/DATASTATISTICS/0,,contentMDK:20421402~pagePK:64133150~piPK:64133175~theSitePK:239419,00.html#Upper_middle_income World Bank Country Classification Groups], 2005</ref> and has been part of the [[European Union]] since 1 January 2007. After the [[Communist Romania|Communist regime]] was [[Romanian Revolution of 1989|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 [[National Institute of Statistics (Romania)|Romanian Statistics Office]], GDP growth was recorded at 7.7%, one of the highest rates in Europe.<ref>{{ro icon}} [http://www.insse.ro/statistici/comunicate/pib/pibr06.pdf Produsul Intern Brut în anul 2006], Romanian Statistics Office</ref> Unemployment in Romania was at 4.5% in April 2007<ref>{{ro icon}} [http://www.insse.ro/cms/files/statistici/comunicate/lunar_indicatori/a07/sic04r07.pdf Main Macroeconomic Indicators, April 2007], [[National Institute of Statistics]], Romania</ref> which is very low compared to other middle-sized or large European countries such as [[Poland]], [[France]], [[Germany]] and [[Spain]]. Foreign debt is also comparatively low, at 20.3% of GDP.<ref name="CIA">[https://cia.gov/cia//publications/factbook/geos/ro.html Romania], [[CIA World Factbook]] 2006</ref> Exports have increased substantially in the past few years, with a 25% year-on-year rise in exports in the first quarter of 2006. Romania's main exports are clothing and textiles, industrial machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, metallurgic products, raw materials, cars, military equipment, software, 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 country, however, maintains a large trade deficit, as it imports 37% more goods than it exports.
 +
 
 +
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.<ref>[http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/country.cfm?id=Romania Romania], Index of Economic Freedom 2006</ref> In 2005, the [[National Liberal Party (Romania)|liberal]]-[[Democratic Party (Romania)|democrat]] [[Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu|Tăriceanu]] 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,<ref>[http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/PGP_PRD_CAT_PREREL/PGE_CAT_PREREL_YEAR_2007/PGE_CAT_PREREL_YEAR_2007_MONTH_06/2-26062007-EN-AP.PDF Taxation trends in the EU], [[Eurostat]], 26 June 2007</ref> a factor which has contributed to the growth of the private sector. The economy is predominantly based on services, which account for 55% of GDP, even though industry and agriculture also have significant contributions, making up 35% and 10% of GDP, respectively. Additionally, 32% of the Romanian population is employed in agriculture and primary production, one of the highest rates in Europe.<ref name="CIA" /> 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.<ref>[http://www.portalino.it/nuke/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=20346 Romania: FDI reached over EUR 8.3 bn]</ref> According to a 2006 [[World Bank]] report, Romania currently ranks 49th out of 175 economies in the ease of doing business, scoring higher than other countries in the region such as [[Hungary]], [[Poland]] and the [[Czech Republic]].<ref>[http://www.doingbusiness.org/EconomyRankings/ Economy Rankings], Doing Business 2007 Report, World Bank</ref> Additionally, the same study judged it to be the world's second-fastest economic reformer in 2006.<ref>[http://www.doingbusiness.org/main/Top10Reformers.aspx Top 10 Reformers], Doing Business 2007 Report, World Bank</ref> The average gross wage per month in Romania is 1387 lei as of April 2007,<ref>{{ro icon}} [http://www.insse.ro/cms/files/statistici/comunicate/castiguri/a07/cs04r07.pdf Câştigul salarial mediu în luna martie 2007] ("Average salary in April 2007"), National Institute of Statistics, Romania</ref> equating to €443.13 (US$600.17) based on international exchange rates and $827.57 based on purchasing power parity.<ref>[http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2006/02/data/weorept.aspx?pr.x=43&pr.y=16&sy=2003&ey=2007&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=968&s=PPPEX&grp=0&a= Implied PPP conversion rate for Romania], IMF, 2006</ref> 88% of all Romanian citizens have a color television set in their household and 90% a refrigerator.<ref>{{ro icon}} A CURS poll published in the ''Jurnalul Naţional'' newaspaper: [http://old.jurnalul.ro/articol_45285/romanasul_high_tech.html "Românaşul High-Tech"]</ref>
 +
 
 +
==Demographics==
 +
{{main|Demographics of Romania}}
 +
[[Image:CJROothodox.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Dormition of the Theotokos Cathedral, Cluj-Napoca|Romanian Orthodox cathedral]] in [[Cluj-Napoca]].]]
 +
[[Image:Bucharest-Hotel-Union.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Bucharest]], the largest city in Romania]]
 +
According to the 2002 census, Romania has a population of 21,680,974 and, similarly to other countries in the region, is expected to gently decline in the coming years as a result of [[sub-replacement fertility rate]]s. [[Romanians]] make up 89.5% of the population. The largest [[Minorities of Romania|ethnic minorities]] are [[Hungarian minority in Romania|Hungarians]], who make up 6.6% of the population and [[Roma minority in Romania|Roma]], who make up 2% - 9% of the population. By the official census 409,000, by the estimations 1,500,000-2,000,000 Roma live in Romania.[http://www.migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?id=308] Hungarians, who are a sizeable minority in [[Transylvania]], constitute a majority in the counties of [[Harghita County|Harghita]] and [[Covasna County|Covasna]]. [[Ukrainians of Romania|Ukrainians]], [[Germans of Romania|Germans]], [[Lipovans]], [[Turks of Romania|Turks]], [[Tatars of Romania|Tatars]], [[Serbs of Romania|Serbs]], [[Slovaks of Romania|Slovaks]], [[Banat Bulgarians|Bulgarians]], [[Croats of Romania|Croats]], [[Greeks of Romania|Greeks]], [[History of the Jews in Romania|Jews]], [[Czechs of Romania|Czechs]], [[Polish minority in Romania|Poles]], [[Italians of Romania|Italians]], [[Chinese of Romania|Chinese]], [[Armenians in Romania|Armenians]], as well as other ethnic groups, account for the remaining 1.4% of the population.<ref name="census">[http://www.recensamant.ro/pagini/rezultate.html 2002 Census Results]</ref>
 +
The population density of the country as a whole has doubled since [[1900]] although, in contrast to other central [[European]] states, there is still considerable room for further growth. The overall density figures, however, conceal considerable regional variation. Population densities are naturally highest in the towns, with the plains (up to altitudes of some 700 feet) having the next highest density, especially in areas with intensive agriculture or a traditionally high birth rate (e.g., northern [[Moldavia]] and the “contact” zone with the [[Subcarpathians]]); areas at altitudes of 700 to 2,000 feet, rich in mineral resources, [[orchards]], [[vineyards]], and [[pastures]], support the lowest densities.
 +
 
 +
The official language of Romania is [[Romanian language|Romanian]], an [[Eastern Romance languages|Eastern Romance language]] related to [[French language|French]], [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[Catalan language|Catalan]], [[Italian language|Italian]] and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]. Romanian is spoken as a first language by 91% of the population, with [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]] and [[Romani]] being the most important minority languages, spoken by 6.7% and 1.1% of the population, respectively.<ref name="census" /> Until the 1990s, there was also a substantial number of German-speaking [[Transylvanian Saxons]], even though many have since emigrated to Germany, leaving only 45,000 native German speakers in Romania. In localities where a given ethnic minority makes up more than 20% of the population, that minority's language can be used in the public administration and justice system, while native-language education and signage is also provided. [[English language|English]] and [[French language|French]] are the main foreign languages taught in schools. English is spoken by 5 million Romanians, French is spoken by 4-5 million, and German, Italian and Spanish are each spoken by 1-2 million people.<ref>[http://www.anis.ro/index.php?page=afaceri&sec=afaceri_avantaje&lang=ro Outsourcing IT în România], Asociaţia Patronală a Industrie de Software şi Servicii (Owners Association of the Software and Service Industry), retrieved [[13 November]] [[2005]]</ref> Historically, French was the predominant foreign language spoken in Romania, even though English has since superseded it. Consequently, Romanian English-speakers tend to be younger than Romanian French-speakers. Romania is, however, a full member of [[La Francophonie]], and hosted the Francophonie Summit in 2006. German has been taught predominantly especially in Transylvania, due to traditions tracing back to the Austro-Hungarian rule in this province.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
 +
 
 +
Romania is a [[secular state]], thus having no [[state religion|national religion]]. The dominant religious body is the [[Romanian Orthodox Church]]; its members make up 86.7% of the population according to the 2002 census. Other important religions include [[Roman Catholicism in Romania|Roman Catholicism]] (4.7%), [[Protestantism]] (3.7%), [[Pentecostal]] denominations (1.5%) and the [[Romanian Greek-Catholic Church]] (0.9%).<ref name="census" /> Romania also has a historically significant [[Islam in Romania|Muslim]] minority concentrated in [[Dobrudja|Dobrogea]], who are mostly of Turkish ethnicity and number 67,500 people. [http://www.recensamant.ro/] Based on the 2002 census data, there are also 6,179 [[History of the Jews in Romania|Jews]], 23,105 people who are of no religion and/or [[atheism|atheist]], and 11,734 who refused to answer. On December 27, 2006, President [[Traian Băsescu]] approved a new Law on Religion; under the new legislation, religious denominations can only receive official registration if they have at least 20,000 members, or about 0.1 percent of Romania's total population.<ref>http://www.bosnewslife.com/europe/romania/2674-romania-president-approves-europes-worst/</ref>
 +
<br clear=both>
 +
 
 +
The largest Romanian cities are: [[Bucharest]] (Bucureşti) with 2,082,334 inhabitants, [[Iaşi]] with 320,888, [[Cluj-Napoca]] with 318,027, [[Timişoara]] with 317,660, and [[Constanţa]] with 310,471.<ref>"[http://www.insse.ro/rpl2002rezgen/5.pdf National Institute of Statistics, 2002 Census]</ref>
 +
 
 +
==National holidays==
 +
{{main|National holidays of Romania}}
 +
The [[Christianity|Christian]] holidays of [[Christmas]] and (Orthodox) [[Easter]] are celebrated (they are official, non-working, holidays). Unlike some other [[Eastern Orthodoxy|Eastern Orthodox]] Churches, the [[Romanian Orthodox Church]] celebrates Christmas on [[25 December]]; however, they follow the usual Eastern Orthodox practice for the date of Easter. Other official holidays (non-working) are [[New Year's Day]] ([[January 1]]), [[Labour Day]] ([[May 1]]), and the National Day of Romania ([[December 1]], the [[Union Day (Romania)|Union Day]]). For [[Christmas]] and for Labour Day, it is common for businesses to shut down more than a single day.
 +
 
 +
Minor, but widely observed, holidays include [[Mărţişor]] ([[March 1]]), marking the start of spring, [[Dragobete]] ([[February 24]]), day of lovers, and [[International Women's Day]] ([[March 8]]). Some businesses give women employees the day off for International Women's Day. Some holidays celebrated in the [[United States]] or in other parts of Europe have recently been gaining some currency in Romania, for example [[Valentine's Day]] ([[February 14]]).
 +
 
 +
==Culture==
 +
{{main|Culture of Romania}}
 +
 
 +
The '''culture of Romania''' is rich and varied. Like Romanians themselves, it is fundamentally defined as the meeting point of three regions: [[Central Europe]], [[Eastern Europe]], and the [[Balkans]], but cannot be fully included in any of them. The Romanian identity formed on a substratum of mixed [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] and quite possibly [[Dacia]]n elements (although the latter is controversial), with many other influences. During late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, the major influences came from the [[Slavic peoples]] who migrated and settled in nearby [[Bulgaria]], [[Serbia]], [[Ukraine]] and eventually [[Russia]]; from medieval [[Greece|Greeks]] and the [[Byzantine Empire]]; from a long domination by the [[Ottoman Empire]]; from the [[Hungarian people|Hungarians]]; and from the [[Transylvanian Saxons|Germans]] living in Transylvania. Modern Romanian culture emerged and developed over roughly the last 250 years under a strong influence from [[Western culture]], particularly [[French Culture|French]] and [[German Culture|German]] culture.
 +
 
 +
===Literature===
 +
{{main|Literature of Romania}}
 +
[[Image:Eminescu.jpg|thumb|150px|[[Mihai Eminescu]], [[national poet]] of Romania and Moldova]]
 +
The older classics of Romanian literature remain very little known outside Romania. [[Mihai Eminescu]], a famous 19th century Romanian poet is still very much loved in Romania (especially his [[poems]]), along with several other "true classics" like [[George Coşbuc]] and [[Tudor Arghezi]]. [[The Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas|The revolutionary year 1848]] had its echoes in the Romanian principalities and in Transylvania, and a new elite from the middle of the 19th century emerged from the revolutions: [[Mihail Kogălniceanu]] (writer, politician and the first prime minister of Romania), [[Vasile Alecsandri]] (politician, playwright and poet), [[Andrei Mureşanu]] (publicist and the writer of the current [[Deşteaptă-te, române!|Romanian National Anthem]]) and [[Nicolae Bălcescu]] (historian, writer and revolutionary). Other classic Romanian writers whose works are still widely read in their native country are playwright [[Ion Luca Caragiale]] (the [[National Theatre Bucharest]] is officially named in his honor) and [[Ion Creangă]] (best known for his children's stories). The works of composer [[George Enescu]] are well-known to Romanians, many of whom consider him their national musician. The symphony orchestra of [[Bucharest]] is named in Enescu's honor. Romanian literature has recently gained some renown outside the borders of Romania (mostly through translations into German, French and English). Some modern Romanian authors became increasingly popular in Germany, France and Italy, especially [[Eugen Ionescu]], [[Mircea Eliade]], [[Emil Cioran]], [[Tristan Tzara]] and [[Mircea Cărtărescu]].
 +
 
 +
===Architecture===
 +
{{main|Architecture of Romania}}
 +
[[Image:evo mediaş.JPG|thumb|200px|right|[[Mediaş]], historic city centre]]
 +
The [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site|List of World Heritage Sites]] includes Romanian sites such as the [[Saxon villages with fortified churches in Transylvania]], the [[Painted churches of northern Moldavia]] with their fine exterior and interior frescoes, the [[Wooden Churches of Maramures]] unique examples that combine Gothic style with traditional timber construction, the citadel of [[Sighişoara]] and the [[Dacian Fortresses of the Orăştie Mountains]]. Also, in [[2007]], the city of [[Sibiu]] is the [[European Capital of Culture]] alongside the city of [[Luxembourg]].
 +
 
 +
===Media and television===
 +
{{main|Media and television in Romania}}
 +
[[Reporters Without Borders]] ranks Romania 58th in its Worldwide Press Freedom Index, the same level as Poland and Hong-Kong.<ref>[http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19388 Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2006]</ref> The public television company [[Televiziunea Română]] and the public radio [[Societatea Română de Radiodifuziune]] cover all the country and have also international programs. The state also owns a public news agency [[ROMPRES]]. The private media is grouped in media companies such as [[Intact (group of companies)|Intact Media Group]], [[Pro TV|Media Pro]], [[Realitatea-Caţavencu]], [[Ringier]], [[SBS Broadcasting Group]], [[Naţional TV|Centrul Naţional Media]] and other smaller independent companies. [[Cable television]] is widely available even in some villages and offers besides the national channels a great number of international and specialized channels. [[FM broadcasting|FM stations]] cover most cities and most of them belong to national radio networks. Overall readership of most newspapers is slowly declining due to increasing competition from television and the Internet. [[Tabloid]]s and sport newspapers are among the most read national newspapers. In every large city there is at least one local newspaper, which usually covers the rest of the county. An Audit Bureau of Circulations<ref>[http://www.brat.ro Romanian Audit Bureau of Circulations]</ref> exists since 1998 and a large number of publications are its members.
 +
 
 +
*[[List of Romanian language television channels]]
 +
 
 +
==Sports in Romania==
 +
{{main|Sport in Romania}}
 +
 
 +
In the [[1976 Summer Olympics]], the gymnast [[Nadia Comăneci]] 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. Her success continued in the [[1980 Summer Olympics]], where she was awarded two gold medals and two silver medals. [[Ilie Năstase]], the tennis player, is another internationally known Romanian sports star. He won several [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] titles and dozens of other tournaments; he also was a successful doubles player. Romania has also reached the [[Davis Cup]] finals three times. [[Virginia Ruzici]] was a successful tennis player in the 1970s. [[Football (soccer)]] is popular in Romania, the most internationally known player being [[Gheorghe Hagi]], who played for [[Steaua Bucureşti]] (Romania), [[Real Madrid]], [[FC Barcelona]] (Spain) and [[Galatasaray S.K.|Galatasaray]] (Turkey), among others. In 1986, the Romanian soccer club Steaua Bucureşti became the first Eastern European club ever to win the prestigious [[European Champions Cup]] title. Other Romanian clubs are Dinamo Bucureşti, [[Rapid Bucureşti]], Naţional Bucureşti, Universitatea Cluj, UTA Arad, [[FCU Politehnica Timişoara]], Universitatea Craiova, Petrolul Ploieşti, CFR Cluj, Poli Iaşi, FC Braşov, Galaţi, Bacău, Sportul, Bistriţa, Piteşti, Farul Constanţa, etc. Though maybe not the force they once were, the Romanian [[Romania national rugby union team|national rugby team]] has so far competed at every [[Rugby World Cup]].
 +
 
 +
==Image gallery==
 +
<center><gallery>
 +
<!image:palaceofpeopleromania.jpg|[[Palatul Parlamentului|Palace of the Parliament]], [[Bucharest]]>
 +
image:BucharestParliament2007_03_10b.JPG|[[Palatul Parlamentului|Palace of the Parliament]], [[Bucharest]]
 +
image:Romanian-Athenaeum-1.JPG|[[Romanian Athenaeum|Romanian Athenaeum]], [[Bucharest]]
 +
image:The_University.JPG|[[University of Bucharest]]
 +
Image:Bucharest modern building 2.jpg|Headquarters of the Romanian Development Bank, [[Bucharest]]
 +
Image:Suceava-Saint-Ioan-Cel-Nou-Old-Monastery.jpg|Saint Ioan cel Nou Monastery in [[Suceava County]]
 +
Image:Iasi-Old-Monastery.jpg|Old Monastery in [[Iasi County]]
 +
Image:MitropoliaMoldovei siBucovinei.Iasi.Romania.JPG|<center>Metropolitan Seat of [[Moldavia]] and [[Bucovina]], located in [[Iaşi]]</center>
 +
Image:University of Medicine&Farmacy.IASI-ROMANIA.JPG | Gr. T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy [[Iaşi]]
 +
image:BCU.Iasi.Romania.JPG|The University's Central Library [[Mihai Eminescu]], [[Iaşi]]
 +
image:CJROcatholic.jpg|Roman Catholic Church, [[Cluj-Napoca]]
 +
Image:Brasov casa sfatului at night.jpg|[[Braşov]] Old Council Building at night
 +
Image:Borzesti Side view.jpg|[[Borzeşti Church]], [[Borzeşti]]
 +
Image:Sighisoara_IMG_5624.jpg|Medieval Town [[Sighişoara]]
 +
Image:Romania Voronet Monestry.JPG|[[Voroneţ Monastery]]
 +
Image:Timisoara cathedral.jpg|[[Timişoara Orthodox Cathedral]]
 +
Image:Cretzulescu palace.JPG|The [[Creţulescu Palace]] in [[Bucharest]]
 +
Image:Office1.jpg|[[Charles de Gaulle]] square in [[Bucharest]]
 +
</gallery></center>
 +
 
 +
==International rankings==
 +
* [[A.T. Kearney]]/[[Foreign Policy|Foreign Policy Magazine]]: [http://www.atkearney.com/main.taf?p=5,4,1,116 Globalization Index 2005], ranked 35 out of 62 countries
 +
* [[Bertelsmann]]: [http://www.bertelsmann-transformation-index.de/37.0.html?&L=1 Bertelsmann Transformation Index 2006], ranked 19th out of 119 countries
 +
* [[IMD International]]: [http://www01.imd.ch/wcy/ World Competitiveness Yearbook 2006], ranked 57 out of 61 economies (countries and regions)
 +
* [[Reporters without borders]]: [http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19388 Annual worldwide press freedom index (2006)], ranked 58 out of 168 countries
 +
* [[The Wall Street Journal]]: [http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/country.cfm?id=Romania 2007] [[Index of Economic Freedom]], ranked 67 out of 157 countries
 +
* [[The Economist]]: [http://www.economist.com/theworldin/international/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3372495&d=2005 The World in 2005 - Worldwide quality-of-life index, 2005], ranked 58 out of 111 countries
 +
* [[Transparency International]]: [http://www.transparency.org/news_room/in_focus/cpi_2006/cpi_table Corruption Perceptions Index 2006], ranked 84 out of 163 countries
 +
* [[World Economic Forum]]: [http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/Growth+Competitiveness+Index+rankings+2005+and+2004+comparisons Global Competitiveness Report 2005-2006 - Growth Competitiveness Index Ranking], ranked 67 out of 117 countries
 +
 
 +
* [[World Bank]]: [http://www.doingbusiness.org/ExploreEconomies/Default.aspx?economyid=158 Doing Business 2006], ranked 49th out of 175
 +
* [[United Nations|United Nations Conference on Trade and Development]]: [http://www.unctad.org/sections/dite_dir/docs/wir05_fs_ro_en.pdf Foreign Direct Investment Performance Index 2005], ranked 24th out of 141<ref>{{ro icon}} [http://www.gandul.info/articol_17740/cota_unica_a_urcat_romania_cu_7_locuri_in_topul_atractivitatii_pentru_investitii.html Cota unica a urcat Romania cu 7 locuri in topul atractivitatii pentru investitii], Gândul, 18 October 2006</ref>
 +
 
 +
==See also==
 +
{{Romanian Topics}}
 +
 
 +
==References==
 +
<div class="references-small">
 +
*''Much of the material in these articles comes from the [[CIA World Factbook]] 2006 and the 2005 U.S. Department of State website.''
 +
 
 +
<references/></div>
 +
 
 +
==External links==
 +
===Official links===
 +
{{sisterlinks|Romania}}
 +
{{portal|Romania|Flag of Romania.svg}}
 +
 
 +
===Overviews===
 +
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/country_profiles/1057466.stm BBC News Country Profile - ''Romania'']
 +
*[http://dmoz.org/Regional/Europe/Romania Open Directory Project - ''Romania'']
 +
*[http://www.state.gov/p/eur/ci/ro/ US Department of State - ''Romania'']
 +
*[http://www.jordibusque.com/Index/Stories/Romania/Romania_01.html Romania in EU (2007)] Photographic essay with texts offering a general impression about the country
 +
*[http://www.alllocale.com/group/romania About Romania] at alllocale.com
 +
 
 +
===Travel guides===
 +
*{{wikitravel}}
 +
*[http://www.romaniatravel.com/index.php Romania Travel]<!--Official site of the National authority for Tourism—>
 +
*[http://www.romania.org 1st portal about Romania estd. 1996]
 +
*[http://www.spirit.ro Romania - journals, stories, travel photography]
 +
*[http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/romania Lonely Planet Guide - Romania]
 +
*[http://www.traveltoromania.com Travel To Romania]
 +
*[http://www.vacance-roumanie.com Your Holidays in Romania in a rural setting]
 +
*[http://www.kazare.ro Your accommodation guide allover Romania]
 +
*[http://www.radugrozescu.com/nature-photography.html Danube Delta Photos]
 +
*[http://romania.pentru-toti.ro Romania presented in images]
 +
*[http://privateguideromania.info Visiting Romania with Private Guide]
 +
 
 +
===Economy links===
 +
*[http://www.bnro.ro/En/Info/curs_ext.asp Exchange Rates] - from the [[National Bank of Romania]]
 +
*[http://www.denominare.ro/common/htmls/en.htm Information about redenomination]
 +
 
 +
===Culture links===
 +
*[http://libraries.theeuropeanlibrary.org/Romania/treasures_en.xml Treasures of the national library of Romania]
 +
 
 +
===Timelines links===
 +
*[http://www.badley.info/history/Romania.index.html Chronology of Romania from the World History Database]
 +
 
 +
{{credit|143325541}}

Revision as of 07:56, 9 July 2007


România
Romania
Flag of Romania Coat of arms of Romania
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:
(each main institution has its own motto)
Anthem: Deşteaptă-te, române!
Location of Romania
Location of  Romania (orange)
– on the European continent (camel  white)
– in the European Union (camel)   [Legend]
Capital Bucharest (Bucureşti)
44°25′N 26°06′E
Largest city capital
Official languages Romanian1
Government Semi-presidential Unitary Democratic Republic
 - President Traian Băsescu
 - Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
Independence  
 - Declared 9 May 1877 (O.S.)2 
 - Recognised 13 July 18783 
Accession to EU January 1 2007
Area
 - Total 238,392 km² (82nd)
92,043 sq mi 
 - Water (%) 3
Population
 - July 2007 estimate 22,276,056
 - 2002 census 21,680,974
 - Density 91/km²
236/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2007 estimate
 - Total $229.9 billion
 - Per capita $10,661[1]
HDI  (2004) Green Arrow Up (Darker).png 0.805 (high)
Currency Leu (RON)
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 - Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Internet TLD .ro4
Calling code +40
1 Other languages, such as Hungarian, German, Romani, Ukrainian and Serbian, are official at various local levels.
2 Romanian War of Independence.
3 Treaty of Berlin.
4 The .eu domain is also used, as it is shared with other European Union member states.

Romania (Romanian: România, IPA: [ro.mɨˈni.a]) is a country in Southeastern Europe. Romania borders Hungary and Serbia to the west, Ukraine and Moldova to the northeast, and Bulgaria to the south. Romania has a stretch of sea coast along the Black Sea, and the eastern and southern Carpathian Mountains run through its center.

The modern state of Romania was formed by the merging of the Danubian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia in 1859.The state united with Transylvania in 1918. Its capital and largest city is Bucharest (Romanian: Bucureşti /bu.kuˈreʃtʲ/ ), the sixth largest city in the EU. Romania joined NATO on March 29, 2004, and the European Union (EU) on January 1 2007. Romania has the seventh largest population and the ninth largest territory in the EU.

Name

The name of Romania (România) comes from Român (Romanian) which is a derivative of the word Romanus ("Roman") from Latin. The fact that Romanians call themselves a derivative of Romanus (Rom.: Român/Rumân) is scholarly mentioned as late as the 16th century by many authors among whom Italian Humanists travelling in Transylvania, Moldavia and Walachia. The oldest surviving document written in the Romanian language is a 1521 letter (known as "Neacşu's Letter from Câmpulung") which notifies the mayor of Braşov about the imminent attack of the Ottoman Turks. This document is also notable for having the first occurrence of "Rumanian" in a Romanian written text, Wallachia being here named The Rumanian Land - Ţeara Rumânească (Ţeara < Latin Terra = land). In the following centuries, Romanian documents use interchangeably two spelling forms: Român and Rumân. Socio-linguistic evolutions in the late 17th century lead to a process of semantic differentiation: the form "rumân", presumably usual among lower classes, got the meaning of "bondsman", while the form "român" kept an ethno-linguistic meaning. After the abolition of the serfage in 1746, the form "rumân" gradually disappears and the spelling definitively stabilises to the form "român", "românesc". The name "România" as common homeland of all Romanians is documented in the early 19th century. Many Romanians take pride in being the most eastern Romance people, completely surrounded by non-Latin peoples ("a Latin island in a Slavic sea").

History

One of the fossils found - a male, adult jawbone - has been dated to be between 34,000 and 36,000 years old, which would make it one of the oldest fossils found to date of modern humans in Europe.[2] In 513 BC, south of the Danube, the tribal confederation of the Getae were defeated by the Persian Emperor Darius the Great during his campaign against the Scythians (Herodotus IV). Over half a millennium later, the Getae (also named Daci by Romans) were defeated by the Roman Empire under Emperor Trajan in two campaigns stretching from 101 AD to 106 AD, and the core of their kingdom was turned into the Roman province of Dacia. The Gothic and Carpic campaigns in the Balkans during 238–269 AD(from the beginning of the period of military anarchy to the battle of Naissus), forced the Roman Empire to reorganize a new Roman province of Dacia south of the Danube, inside former Moesia Superior.

The medieval city of Sibiu
File:Sighisoara-Tower-Clock.jpg
The medieval city of Sighisoara

In either 271 or 275 the Roman army and administration left Dacia, which was invaded by the Goths. The Goths lived with the local people until the 4th century, when another nomadic people, the Huns, arrived. The Gepids and the Avars ruled Transylvania until the 8th century, after which the Bulgarians included the territory of modern Romania in their Empire until 1018. Transylvania was part of the Kingdom of Hungary from the 10-11th century until the 16th century, when the independent Principality of Transylvania was formed. The Pechenegs, the Cumans and Uzes were also mentioned by historic chronicles on the territory of Romania, until the founding of the Romanian principalities of Wallachia by Basarab I, and Moldavia by Dragoş during the 13th and 14th centuries respectively. Several competing theories have been generated to explain the origin of modern Romanians. Linguistic and geo-historical analyses tend to indicate that Romanians have coallesced as a major ethnic group both South and North of the Danube.

In the Middle Ages, Romanians lived in two distinct independent Romanian principalities: Wallachia (Romanian: Ţara Românească - "Romanian Land"), Moldavia (Romanian: Moldova) as well as in the Hungarian-ruled principality of Transylvania.

File:Suceava-Old-Monastery.jpg
Old Monastery in Suceava county

In 1475, Stephen the Great of Moldavia scored a temporary victory over the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Vaslui. However, Wallachia and Moldavia would come gradually under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire during the 15th and 16th centuries (1476 for Wallachia, 1514 for Moldavia). As vassal tributary states they had complete internal autonomy and an external independence which was finally lost in the 18th century. One of the greatest Hungarian kings, Matthias Corvinus (known in Romanian as Matei Corvin), who reigned from 1458-1490, was born in Transylvania. He is claimed by the Romanians because of his Romanian father, Iancu de Hunedoara (Hunyadi János in Hungarian), and by the Hungarians because of his Hungarian mother. Later, in 1541, Transylvania became a multi-ethnic principality under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire following the Battle of Mohács. Michael the Brave (Romanian: Mihai Viteazul) (1558-9 August 1601) was the Prince of Wallachia (1593-1601), of Transylvania (1599-1600), and of Moldavia (1600). During his reign the three principalities largely inhabited by Romanians were for the first time united under a single rule.

File:CJROCluj-Napoca 19.jpg
Cluj-Napoca, panorama from the Belvedere

In 1775, the Habsburg Monarchy annexed the northern part of Moldova, Bukovina, and the Ottoman Empire its south-eastern part, Budjak. In 1812 the Russian Empire annexed its eastern half, Bessarabia, which was partially returned by the 1856 Treaty of Paris after the Crimean War. At the end of the 19th century, the Habsburg Monarchy incorporated Transylvania into what later became the Austrian Empire. During the period of the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary (1867-1918), Romanians in Transylvania experienced a period of severe oppression under the Magyarization policies of the Hungarian government.[3]

File:Iasi cultural palace.jpg
The Palace of Culture in Iaşi

The modern state of Romania was formed by the merging of the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia in 1859 under the Moldavian domnitor Alexandru Ioan Cuza. Cuza led an agricultural reform distributing land to poor and attracting enemies. Via a 1866 coup d'etat, also known as the Abominable Revolution, Cuza was exiled and replaced by Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, who became known as Prince Carol of Romania. During the Russo-Turkish War, Romania fought on the Russian side; in the 1878 Treaty of Berlin, Romania was recognized as an independent state by the Great Powers. In return for ceding to Russia the three southern districts of Bessarabia that had been regained by Moldavia after the Crimean War in 1852, the Kingdom of Romania acquired Dobruja. In 1881, the principality was raised to a kingdom and Prince Carol became King Carol I.

File:Centru bv.JPG
Braşov Council Square (Piaţa Sfatului)

Romania entered World War I on the side of the Allies Triple Entente. The Romanian military campaign ended in disaster for Romania as the Central Powers conquered most of the country and captured or killed the majority of its army within four months. By war's end, Austria-Hungary and the Russian Empire had collapsed, allowing Bessarabia, Bukovina and Transylvania to unite with the Kingdom of Romania in 1918. By the 1920 Treaty of Trianon, Hungary was forced by the Entente powers to renounce in favour of Romania all of claims of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy over rights and titles to historically multi-ethnic Transylvania. During World War II, in 1940, the Soviet Union occupied Northern Bukovina and Bessarabia, Hungary occupied Northern Transylvania, and Bulgaria occupied southern Dobruja. The authoritarian King Carol II abdicated in 1940, succeeded by the National Legionary State, in which power was shared by Ion Antonescu and the Iron Guard. Within months, Antonescu had crushed the Guard, and the subsequent year Romania entered the war on the side of the Axis powers. By means of the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union, Romania recovered Bessarabia and northern Bukovina from the Soviet Russia, under the leadership of general Ion Antonescu. Germany awarded the territory Transnistria to Romania. The Antonescu regime played a role in the Holocaust, following the Nazi policy of oppression and massacre of the Jews, and, to a lesser extent, Romas. According to a report released in 2004 by a commission appointed by former Romanian president Ion Iliescu and chaired by Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, the Romanian authorities were the main perpetrators in the planning and implementation of the killing of between 280,000 to 380,000 Jews,[4] primarily in the Eastern territories Romania recovered or occupied from the Soviet Union and in Moldavia.

In August 1944, Antonescu was toppled and arrested by King Michael I of Romania. Romania changed sides and joined the Allies, but its role in the defeat of Nazi Germany was not recognized by the Paris Peace Conference of 1947. With the Red Army forces still stationed in the country and exerting de facto control, Communists and their allied parties claimed 90% of the vote, through a combination of vote manipulation,[5] elimination and forced mergers of competing parties, establishing themselves as the dominant force. In 1947, King Michael I was forced by the Communists to abdicate and leave the country.

Peleş Castle, retreat of Romanian monarchs

Romania was proclaimed a republic, and remained under direct military and economic control of the USSR until the late 1950s. During this period, Romania's resources were drained by the "SovRom" agreements: mixed Soviet-Romanian companies established to mask the looting of Romania by the Soviet Union, in addition to excessive war reparations paid to the USSR. A large number of people were arbitrarily imprisoned for political, economic or unknown reasons: detainees in prisons or camps, deported, persons under house arrest, and administrative detainees. Political prisoners were also detained as psychiatric patients. Estimations vary, from 60,000,[6] 80,000,[7] up to two million.[8] There were hundreds of thousands of abuses, deaths and incidents of torture against a large range of people, from political opponents to ordinary citizens.[9] Most political prisoners were freed in a series of amnesties between 1962 and 1964.

After the negotiated retreat of Soviet troops, in 1958, Romania started to pursue independent policies, including the condemnation of the Soviet-led 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia (Romania was the only Warsaw Pact country not to take part in the invasion), the continuation of diplomatic relations with Israel after the Six-Day War of 1967 (again, the only Warsaw Pact country to do so), the establishment of economic (1963) and diplomatic (1967) relations with the Federal Republic of Germany, and so forth. Also, close ties with the Arab countries (and the PLO) allowed Romania to play a key role in the Israel-Egypt and Israel-PLO peace processes (intermediated the visit of Sadat in Israel.[10]) A short-lived period of relative economic well-being and openness followed in the late 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s. As Romania's foreign debt sharply increased between 1977 and 1981 (from 3 to 10 billion US dollars), the influence of international financial organisations such as the IMF or the World Bank grew, conflicting with Nicolae Ceauşescu's autarchic policies. Ceauşescu eventually initiated a project of total reimbursement of the foreign debt (completed in 1989, shortly before his overthrow). To achieve this goal, he imposed policies that impoverished Romanians and exhausted the Romanian economy. He profoundly deepened Romania's police state and imposed a cult of personality which led to his overthrow and death in the Romanian Revolution of 1989.

After the fall of Ceauşescu, the National Salvation Front (FSN), led by Ion Iliescu and lacking a clear political platform, restored civil order and took partial democratic measures. Several major political parties of the pre-war era, such as the National Christian Democrat Peasant's Party (PNŢCD), the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Romanian Social Democrat Party (PSDR) were resurrected. After several major political rallies, especially in January, in April 1990, a sit-in protest contesting the results of the recently held parliamentary elections began in the University Square, Bucharest. The protesters accused the FSN of being made up of former Communists and members of the Securitate. The protesters did not recognize the results of the election, which they deemed undemocratic, and were asking for the exclusion from the political life of the former high-ranking Communist Party members. The protest rapidly grew to become an ongoing mass demonstration (known as the Golaniad). The peaceful demonstrations degenerated into violence. After the police failed to bring the demonstrators to order, Ion Iliescu called on the "men of good will" to come and defend the Bucharest and State institutions. Coal miners of the Jiu Valley answered the call and arrived in Bucharest on June 14. Their violent intervention is remembered as the June 1990 Mineriad.

File:Ateneul Roman b.jpg
The Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest

The subsequent disintegration of the FSN produced several political parties including the Democratic Party (PD), the Romanian Democrat Social Party (PDSR, later Social Democratic Party, PSD), and the ApR (Alliance for Romania). The Socialist parties that emerged from the FSN governed Romania from 1990 until 1996 through several coalitions and governments with Ion Iliescu as head of state. Since then there have been three democratic changes of government: in 1996, the democratic-liberal opposition and its leader Emil Constantinescu acceded to power; in 2000 the Social Democrats returned to power, with Iliescu once again president; and in 2004 Traian Băsescu was elected president, with an electoral coalition called Justice and Truth Alliance (DA). The government was formed by a larger coalition which also includes the Conservative Party and the ethnic Hungarian party. Post-Cold War Romania developed closer ties with Western Europe, eventually joining NATO in 2004. The country applied in June 1993 for membership in the European Union (EU). It became an Associated State of the EU in 1995, an Acceding Country in 2004, and a member on January 1, 2007.

Government and politics

File:BucharestParliament2007 03 10b.JPG
The Palace of the Parliament, the seat of the Romania's bicameral parliament (Closeup of the lights in front)

Romania is a semi-presidential democratic republic where executive functions are shared between the president and the prime minister. The president is elected by popular vote, and resides at Cotroceni Palace. Since the constitutional amendment of 2003, the president's term is five years (previously it was four). The Romanian Government, which is based at Victoria Palace, is headed by a prime minister, who appoints the other members of his or her cabinet and who is nearly always the head of the party or coalition that holds a majority in the parliament. If, however, none of the parties hold 50% + 1 of the total seats in parliament, the president will appoint the prime minister. Before beginning its term, the government is subject to a parliamentary vote of approval.

The legislative branch of the government, collectively known as the Parliament (Parlamentul României), consists of two chambers – the Senate (Senat), which has 137 members, and the Chamber of Deputies (Camera Deputaţilor), which has 332 members. The members of both chambers are elected every four years under a system of party-list proportional representation.

The justice system is independent of the other branches of government, and is made up of a hierarchical system of courts culminating in the High Court of Cassation and Justice, which is the supreme court of Romania. There are also courts of appeal, county courts and local courts. The Romanian judicial system is strongly influenced by the French model, considering that it is based on civil law and is inquisitorial in nature. The Constitutional Court (Curtea Constituţională) is responsible for judging the compliance of laws and other state regulations to the Romanian Constitution, which is the fundamental law of the country. The constitution, which was introduced in 1991, can only be amended by a public referendum; the last amendment was in 2003. The Romanian Constitutional Court structure is based on the Constitutional Council of France, being made up of nine judges who serve nine-year, non-renewable terms. Following the 2003 constitutional amendment, the court's decisions cannot be overruled by any majority of the parliament.

The country's entry into the European Union in 2007 has been a significant influence on its domestic policy. As part of the process, Romania has instituted reforms including judicial reform, increased judicial cooperation with other member states, and measures to combat corruption.[citation needed]

Counties

Administrative map of Romania outlining the forty-one counties. The map also shows the historical region of Transylvania in green, Wallachia in blue, Moldavia in red, and Dobrogea in yellow.

Romania is divided into forty-one counties (judeţe), as well as the municipality of Bucharest (Bucureşti), which is its own administrative unit. Each county is administered by a county council (consiliu judeţean), responsible for local affairs, as well as a prefect, who is appointed by the central government but cannot be a member of any political party. In alphabetical order, the counties are:

  • Alba
  • Arad
  • Argeş
  • Bacău
  • Bihor
  • Bistriţa-Năsăud
  • Botoşani
  • Braşov
  • Brăila
  • Buzău
  • Caraş-Severin
  • Călăraşi
  • Cluj
  • Constanţa
  • Covasna
  • Dâmboviţa
  • Dolj
  • Galaţi
  • Giurgiu
  • Gorj
  • Harghita
  • Hunedoara
  • Ialomiţa
  • Iaşi
  • Ilfov
  • Maramureş
  • Mehedinţi
  • Mureş
  • Neamţ
  • Olt
  • Prahova
  • Satu Mare
  • Sălaj
  • Sibiu
  • Suceava
  • Teleorman
  • Timiş
  • Tulcea
  • Vaslui
  • Vâlcea
  • Vrancea

Alongside the county structure, Romania is also divided into eight development regions, which correspond to NUTS-II divisions in the European Union, but which have no administrative capacity and are instead used for co-ordinating regional development projects and statistical purposes. The country is further subdivided into 2686 communes, which are rural localities, and 265 towns. Communes and towns have their own local councils and are headed by a mayor (primar). Larger and more urbanised towns gain the status of municipality, which gives them greater administrative power over local affairs.

Geography

Topographic map of Romania.

With a surface area of 238,391 km², Romania is the largest country in southeastern Europe and the twelfth-largest in Europe. A large part of Romania's border with Serbia and Bulgaria is formed by the Danube. The Danube is joined by the Prut River, which forms the border with the Republic of Moldova. The Danube flows into the Black Sea on Romanian territory, forming the Danube Delta, the largest delta in Europe, which is currently a biosphere reserve and World Heritage-listed site due to its biodiversity. The country's most significant rivers are the Danube, which marks part of the border between Romania and Bulgaria, the Siret, running vertically through Moldavia, the Olt, running from the oriental Carpathian Mountains to Oltenia, the Tisa, marking a part of the border between Romania and Hungary, the Mureş, running through Transylvania from East to West, and the Someş. Romania's terrain is distributed roughly equally between mountainous, hilly and lowland territories. The Carpathian Mountains dominate the centre of Romania, with fourteen of its peaks reaching above the altitude of 2,000 metres. The highest mountain in Romania is Moldoveanu Peak (2544 m). In south-central Romania, the Carpathians sweeten into hills, towards the Bărăgan Plains. Romania's geographical diversity has led to an accompanying diversity of flora and fauna. The country has the largest brown bear population in Europe, while chamois are also known to live in the Carpathian Mountains, which dominate the centre of Romania.

Economy

File:Hotel.Europa.Iasi-Romania.JPG
World Trade Center in Iaşi.

With a GDP per capita (PPP) of $10,661[11] estimated for 2007, Romania is considered an upper-middle income economy[12] and has been part of the European Union since 1 January 2007. 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 was recorded at 7.7%, one of the highest rates in Europe.[13] Unemployment in Romania was at 4.5% in April 2007[14] which is very low compared to other middle-sized or large European countries such as Poland, France, Germany and Spain. Foreign debt is also comparatively low, at 20.3% of GDP.[15] Exports have increased substantially in the past few years, with a 25% year-on-year rise in exports in the first quarter of 2006. Romania's main exports are clothing and textiles, industrial machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, metallurgic products, raw materials, cars, military equipment, software, 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 country, however, maintains a large trade deficit, as it imports 37% more goods than it exports.

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.[16] In 2005, the liberal-democrat Tăriceanu 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,[17] a factor which has contributed to the growth of the private sector. The economy is predominantly based on services, which account for 55% of GDP, even though industry and agriculture also have significant contributions, making up 35% and 10% of GDP, respectively. Additionally, 32% of the Romanian population is employed in agriculture and primary production, one of the highest rates in Europe.[15] 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.[18] According to a 2006 World Bank report, Romania currently ranks 49th out of 175 economies in the ease of doing business, scoring higher than other countries in the region such as Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic.[19] Additionally, the same study judged it to be the world's second-fastest economic reformer in 2006.[20] The average gross wage per month in Romania is 1387 lei as of April 2007,[21] equating to €443.13 (US$600.17) based on international exchange rates and $827.57 based on purchasing power parity.[22] 88% of all Romanian citizens have a color television set in their household and 90% a refrigerator.[23]

Demographics

File:CJROothodox.jpg
Romanian Orthodox cathedral in Cluj-Napoca.
File:Bucharest-Hotel-Union.jpg
Bucharest, the largest city in Romania

According to the 2002 census, Romania has a population of 21,680,974 and, similarly to other countries in the region, is expected to gently decline in the coming years as a result of sub-replacement fertility rates. Romanians make up 89.5% of the population. The largest ethnic minorities are Hungarians, who make up 6.6% of the population and Roma, who make up 2% - 9% of the population. By the official census 409,000, by the estimations 1,500,000-2,000,000 Roma live in Romania.[2] Hungarians, who are a sizeable minority in Transylvania, constitute a majority in the counties of Harghita and Covasna. Ukrainians, Germans, Lipovans, Turks, Tatars, Serbs, Slovaks, Bulgarians, Croats, Greeks, Jews, Czechs, Poles, Italians, Chinese, Armenians, as well as other ethnic groups, account for the remaining 1.4% of the population.[24] The population density of the country as a whole has doubled since 1900 although, in contrast to other central European states, there is still considerable room for further growth. The overall density figures, however, conceal considerable regional variation. Population densities are naturally highest in the towns, with the plains (up to altitudes of some 700 feet) having the next highest density, especially in areas with intensive agriculture or a traditionally high birth rate (e.g., northern Moldavia and the “contact” zone with the Subcarpathians); areas at altitudes of 700 to 2,000 feet, rich in mineral resources, orchards, vineyards, and pastures, support the lowest densities.

The official language of Romania is Romanian, an Eastern Romance language related to French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian and Portuguese. Romanian is spoken as a first language by 91% of the population, with Hungarian and Romani being the most important minority languages, spoken by 6.7% and 1.1% of the population, respectively.[24] Until the 1990s, there was also a substantial number of German-speaking Transylvanian Saxons, even though many have since emigrated to Germany, leaving only 45,000 native German speakers in Romania. In localities where a given ethnic minority makes up more than 20% of the population, that minority's language can be used in the public administration and justice system, while native-language education and signage is also provided. English and French are the main foreign languages taught in schools. English is spoken by 5 million Romanians, French is spoken by 4-5 million, and German, Italian and Spanish are each spoken by 1-2 million people.[25] Historically, French was the predominant foreign language spoken in Romania, even though English has since superseded it. Consequently, Romanian English-speakers tend to be younger than Romanian French-speakers. Romania is, however, a full member of La Francophonie, and hosted the Francophonie Summit in 2006. German has been taught predominantly especially in Transylvania, due to traditions tracing back to the Austro-Hungarian rule in this province.[citation needed]

Romania is a secular state, thus having no national religion. The dominant religious body is the Romanian Orthodox Church; its members make up 86.7% of the population according to the 2002 census. Other important religions include Roman Catholicism (4.7%), Protestantism (3.7%), Pentecostal denominations (1.5%) and the Romanian Greek-Catholic Church (0.9%).[24] Romania also has a historically significant Muslim minority concentrated in Dobrogea, who are mostly of Turkish ethnicity and number 67,500 people. [3] Based on the 2002 census data, there are also 6,179 Jews, 23,105 people who are of no religion and/or atheist, and 11,734 who refused to answer. On December 27, 2006, President Traian Băsescu approved a new Law on Religion; under the new legislation, religious denominations can only receive official registration if they have at least 20,000 members, or about 0.1 percent of Romania's total population.[26]

The largest Romanian cities are: Bucharest (Bucureşti) with 2,082,334 inhabitants, Iaşi with 320,888, Cluj-Napoca with 318,027, Timişoara with 317,660, and Constanţa with 310,471.[27]

National holidays

The Christian holidays of Christmas and (Orthodox) Easter are celebrated (they are official, non-working, holidays). Unlike some other Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Romanian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on 25 December; however, they follow the usual Eastern Orthodox practice for the date of Easter. Other official holidays (non-working) are New Year's Day (January 1), Labour Day (May 1), and the National Day of Romania (December 1, the Union Day). For Christmas and for Labour Day, it is common for businesses to shut down more than a single day.

Minor, but widely observed, holidays include Mărţişor (March 1), marking the start of spring, Dragobete (February 24), day of lovers, and International Women's Day (March 8). Some businesses give women employees the day off for International Women's Day. Some holidays celebrated in the United States or in other parts of Europe have recently been gaining some currency in Romania, for example Valentine's Day (February 14).

Culture

The culture of Romania is rich and varied. Like Romanians themselves, it is fundamentally defined as the meeting point of three regions: Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Balkans, but cannot be fully included in any of them. The Romanian identity formed on a substratum of mixed Roman and quite possibly Dacian elements (although the latter is controversial), with many other influences. During late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, the major influences came from the Slavic peoples who migrated and settled in nearby Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine and eventually Russia; from medieval Greeks and the Byzantine Empire; from a long domination by the Ottoman Empire; from the Hungarians; and from the Germans living in Transylvania. Modern Romanian culture emerged and developed over roughly the last 250 years under a strong influence from Western culture, particularly French and German culture.

Literature

Mihai Eminescu, national poet of Romania and Moldova

The older classics of Romanian literature remain very little known outside Romania. Mihai Eminescu, a famous 19th century Romanian poet is still very much loved in Romania (especially his poems), along with several other "true classics" like George Coşbuc and Tudor Arghezi. The revolutionary year 1848 had its echoes in the Romanian principalities and in Transylvania, and a new elite from the middle of the 19th century emerged from the revolutions: Mihail Kogălniceanu (writer, politician and the first prime minister of Romania), Vasile Alecsandri (politician, playwright and poet), Andrei Mureşanu (publicist and the writer of the current Romanian National Anthem) and Nicolae Bălcescu (historian, writer and revolutionary). Other classic Romanian writers whose works are still widely read in their native country are playwright Ion Luca Caragiale (the National Theatre Bucharest is officially named in his honor) and Ion Creangă (best known for his children's stories). The works of composer George Enescu are well-known to Romanians, many of whom consider him their national musician. The symphony orchestra of Bucharest is named in Enescu's honor. Romanian literature has recently gained some renown outside the borders of Romania (mostly through translations into German, French and English). Some modern Romanian authors became increasingly popular in Germany, France and Italy, especially Eugen Ionescu, Mircea Eliade, Emil Cioran, Tristan Tzara and Mircea Cărtărescu.

Architecture

File:Evo mediaş.JPG
Mediaş, historic city centre

The UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites includes Romanian sites such as the Saxon villages with fortified churches in Transylvania, the Painted churches of northern Moldavia with their fine exterior and interior frescoes, the Wooden Churches of Maramures unique examples that combine Gothic style with traditional timber construction, the citadel of Sighişoara and the Dacian Fortresses of the Orăştie Mountains. Also, in 2007, the city of Sibiu is the European Capital of Culture alongside the city of Luxembourg.

Media and television

Reporters Without Borders ranks Romania 58th in its Worldwide Press Freedom Index, the same level as Poland and Hong-Kong.[28] The public television company Televiziunea Română and the public radio Societatea Română de Radiodifuziune cover all the country and have also international programs. The state also owns a public news agency ROMPRES. The private media is grouped in media companies such as Intact Media Group, Media Pro, Realitatea-Caţavencu, Ringier, SBS Broadcasting Group, Centrul Naţional Media and other smaller independent companies. Cable television is widely available even in some villages and offers besides the national channels a great number of international and specialized channels. FM stations cover most cities and most of them belong to national radio networks. Overall readership of most newspapers is slowly declining due to increasing competition from television and the Internet. Tabloids and sport newspapers are among the most read national newspapers. In every large city there is at least one local newspaper, which usually covers the rest of the county. An Audit Bureau of Circulations[29] exists since 1998 and a large number of publications are its members.

  • List of Romanian language television channels

Sports in Romania

In the 1976 Summer Olympics, the gymnast Nadia Comăneci 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. Her success continued in the 1980 Summer Olympics, where she was awarded two gold medals and two silver medals. Ilie Năstase, the tennis player, is another internationally known Romanian sports star. He won several Grand Slam titles and dozens of other tournaments; he also was a successful doubles player. Romania has also reached the Davis Cup finals three times. Virginia Ruzici was a successful tennis player in the 1970s. Football (soccer) is popular in Romania, the most internationally known player being Gheorghe Hagi, who played for Steaua Bucureşti (Romania), Real Madrid, FC Barcelona (Spain) and Galatasaray (Turkey), among others. In 1986, the Romanian soccer club Steaua Bucureşti became the first Eastern European club ever to win the prestigious European Champions Cup title. Other Romanian clubs are Dinamo Bucureşti, Rapid Bucureşti, Naţional Bucureşti, Universitatea Cluj, UTA Arad, FCU Politehnica Timişoara, Universitatea Craiova, Petrolul Ploieşti, CFR Cluj, Poli Iaşi, FC Braşov, Galaţi, Bacău, Sportul, Bistriţa, Piteşti, Farul Constanţa, etc. Though maybe not the force they once were, the Romanian national rugby team has so far competed at every Rugby World Cup.

Image gallery

International rankings

See also

Template:Romanian Topics

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Much of the material in these articles comes from the CIA World Factbook 2006 and the 2005 U.S. Department of State website.
  1. GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity, IMF World Economic Outlook Database, April 2007
  2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3129654.stm
  3. http://www.genealogy.ro/cont/13.htm
  4. International Commission on the Holocaust in Romania. Executive Summary, Final Report of the International Commission on the Holocaust in Romania. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
  5. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/rotoc.html#ro0037
  6. Cartea albă a Securităţii, vol. 2
  7. Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, Speech at the Plenary session of the Central Committee of the Romanian Workers' Party, 30 November 1961
  8. Recensământul populaţiei concentraţionare din România în anii 1945-1989 - report of the "Centrul Internaţional de Studii asupra Comunismului", Sighet, 2004
  9. Cicerone Ioniţoiu, Victimele terorii comuniste. Arestaţi, torturaţi, întemniţaţi, ucişi. Dicţionar. Editura Maşina de scris, Bucureşti, 2000. ISBN 973-99994-2-5.
  10. Middle East policies in Communist Romania [1]
  11. GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity Economic Indicators for Romania, 2004-2007, IMF World Economic Outlook, April 2007
  12. World Bank Country Classification Groups, 2005
  13. (Romanian) Produsul Intern Brut în anul 2006, Romanian Statistics Office
  14. (Romanian) Main Macroeconomic Indicators, April 2007, National Institute of Statistics, Romania
  15. 15.0 15.1 Romania, CIA World Factbook 2006
  16. Romania, Index of Economic Freedom 2006
  17. Taxation trends in the EU, Eurostat, 26 June 2007
  18. Romania: FDI reached over EUR 8.3 bn
  19. Economy Rankings, Doing Business 2007 Report, World Bank
  20. Top 10 Reformers, Doing Business 2007 Report, World Bank
  21. (Romanian) Câştigul salarial mediu în luna martie 2007 ("Average salary in April 2007"), National Institute of Statistics, Romania
  22. Implied PPP conversion rate for Romania, IMF, 2006
  23. (Romanian) A CURS poll published in the Jurnalul Naţional newaspaper: "Românaşul High-Tech"
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 2002 Census Results
  25. Outsourcing IT în România, Asociaţia Patronală a Industrie de Software şi Servicii (Owners Association of the Software and Service Industry), retrieved 13 November 2005
  26. http://www.bosnewslife.com/europe/romania/2674-romania-president-approves-europes-worst/
  27. "National Institute of Statistics, 2002 Census
  28. Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2006
  29. Romanian Audit Bureau of Circulations
  30. (Romanian) Cota unica a urcat Romania cu 7 locuri in topul atractivitatii pentru investitii, Gândul, 18 October 2006

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