Romania

Radio broadcast stations

AM 12, FM 5, shortwave 0 note: in 1995, 135 local radio stations were registered

Radios

4.64 million (1992 est.)

Telephone system

domestic: poor service; 89% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is microwave radio relay; roughly 3,300 villages with no service (February 1990 est.) international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; new digital international direct-dial exchanges are in Bucharest (1993 est.)

Telephones

2.6 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

436 cable TV stations, 66 local TV stations

Televisions

4.58 million (1992 est.)

Agriculture - products

wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; milk, eggs, meat

Budget

revenues: $6 billion expenditures: $7.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

Currency

1 leu (L) = 100 bani

Debt - external

$7.8 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $81 million (1993)

Economy - overview

Romania, one of the poorer countries in Central and Eastern Europe, began the transition from Communism with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. Over the past seven years, economic restructuring has lagged behind most other countries in the region. Consequently, economic performance is declining, with slowing GDP growth, ballooning budget deficits, accelerating inflation, a plunging exchange rate, and anemic foreign investment. Unemployment was low at about 6% at the end of 1996, but the rate will rise when restructuring gets underway. A new government elected in November 1996 promises to accelerate economic reform, restructuring, and privatization, introduce fiscal and monetary austerity, reduce the state's role in the economy, and open Romania to foreign investment. The government will tackle its formidable economic problems in two stages, with an emergency plan over the winter of 1996/97 to ensure social and political stability, followed by a radical structural reform program over its remaining three-and-one-half years aimed eventually at EU accession. At the same time, it wants to keep campaign promises to increase benefits to disadvantaged groups. Bucharest hopes to receive financial and technical assistance from international financial institutions and western governments and negotiations over a new IMF standby agreement are underway. If reform stalls, however, Romania's bond rating - just below investment grade - could fall and needed capital from both public and private sources could quickly dry up. Rich agricultural and oil resources are strengths for the future.

Electricity - capacity

22.06 million kW (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

2,245 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

52.48 billion kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

lei (L) per US$1 - 5,970 (January 1997), 3,085.39 (1996), 2,033.28 (1995), 1,655.09 (1994), 760.05 (1993), 307.95 (1992)

Exports

total value: $7.7 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: textiles and footwear 25.2%, metals and metal products 19.4%, fuels and mineral products 10.0%, chemicals 9.4%, other 36.0% (1995) partners : Germany 17.8%, Italy 15.6%, France 5.7%, Turkey 4.5%, Netherlands 3.0%, China 3.0% (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $113.2 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 20% industry: 33.4% services: 46.6% (1995)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,200 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.1% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value : $93.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: fuels and minerals 25.1%, machinery and transport equipment 19.4%, food and agricultural goods 6.1%, chemicals 9.0%, other 40.4% (1995) partners: Germany 17.1%, Italy 13.2%, Russia 12.6%, France 5.2%, US 4.2%, Egypt 4.1% (1995)

Industrial production growth rate

7% (1996 est.)

Industries

mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, machine building, food processing, petroleum production and refining

Inflation rate - consumer price index

56.9% (1996 est.)

Labor force

total : 10.1 million (1996 est.) by occupation: industry 28.8%, agriculture 36.4%, other 34.8% (1994)

Unemployment rate

6.1% (1996 est.)

Area

total: 237,500 sq km land: 230,340 sq km water : 7,160 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Oregon

Climate

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

Coastline

225 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point : Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to : Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

Geographic coordinates

46 00 N, 25 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

31,020 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total : 2,508 km border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia and Montenegro 476 km (all with Serbia), Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (south) 169 km

Land use

arable land: 41% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures : 21% forests and woodland: 29% other: 6% (1993 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

contiguous zone : 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

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

Terrain

central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

Administrative divisions

40 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau, Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea

Constitution

8 December 1991

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form : Romania local long form: none local short form: Romania

Data code

RO

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission : Ambassador Alfred H. MOSES embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Consulate General (Bucharest), Unit 1315, APO AE 09213-1315 telephone: [40] (1) 210 01 49, 210 40 42

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Mircea Dan GEOANA chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851

Executive branch

chief of state : President Emil CONSTANTINESCU (since 29 November 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Victor CIORBEA (since 12 December 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 3 November 1996, with runoff between the top two candidates held 17 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote - Emil CONSTANTINESCU 54.4%, Ion ILIESCU 45.6%

FAX

[1] (202) 232-4748 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

FAX

[40] (1) 210 03 95 branch office: Cluj-Napoca

Flag description

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flags of Andorra and Chad

Government type

republic

Independence

1881 (from Turkey; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)

International organization participation

ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (143 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (343 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); Chamber of Deputies - last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CDR 30.7%, PDSR 23.1%, USD 13.2%, UDMR 6.8%, PRM 4.5%, PUNR 4.2%, others 17.5%; seats by party - CDR 53, PDSR 41, USD 23, UDMR 11, PRM 8, PUNR 7; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CDR 30.2%, PDSR 21.5%, USD 12.9%, UDMR 6.6% PRM 4.5%, PUNR 4.4%, others 19.9%; seats by party - CDR 122, PDSR 91, USD 53, UDMR 25, PRM 19, PUNR 18, ethnic minorities 15

National capital

Bucharest

National holiday

National Day of Romania, 1 December (1990)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party or DP [Petre ROMAN]; Romanian Social Democratic Party or PSDR [Sergiu CUNESCU]; Party of Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR [Adrian NASTASE]; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Mircea IONESCU-QUINTUS]; National Peasants' Christian and Democratic Party or PNTCD [Ion DIACONESCU]; Romanian National Unity Party or PUNR [Valeriu TABARA]; Socialist Labor Party or PSM [Ilie VERDET]; Agrarian Democratic Party of Romania or PDAR [Victor SURDU]; The Democratic Convention or CDR [Ion DIACONESCU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Civic Alliance Party or PAC [Nicolae MANOLESCU, chairman]; Liberal Party '93 or PL-93 [Dinu PATRICIU]; National Liberal Party-Democratic Convention or PNL-CD [Nicolae CERVENI]; Socialist Party or PS [Tudor MOHORA] note: to increase their voting strength several of the above-mentioned parties united under umbrella organizations: PNTCD, PNL, and PNL-CD form the bulk of the Democratic Convention or CDR [Ion DIACONESCU]; PD and PSDR form the Union of Social Democrats or USD [Petre ROMAN]; and PAC and PL-93 form the National Liberal Alliance or ANL [Nicolae MANOLESCU]; PSM, PS, ANL, and numerous other small parties failed to gain representation in the most recent election

Political pressure groups and leaders

various human rights and professional associations

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Paramilitary Forces, Civil Defense

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$650 million (1996)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.5% (1996)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 5,884,704 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 4,955,267 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

20 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 201,752 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 19% (male 2,223,136; female 2,130,497) 15-64 years : 68% (male 7,586,237; female 7,679,992) 65 years and over: 13% (male 1,186,948; female 1,656,267) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

9.8 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

11.75 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

Romanian 89.1%, Hungarian 8.9%, German 0.4%, Ukrainian, Serb, Croat, Russian, Turk, and Gypsy 1.6%

Infant mortality rate

19.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

Romanian, Hungarian, German

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.11 years male : 66.28 years female: 74.13 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male : 98% female: 95% (1992 est.)

Nationality

noun: Romanian(s) adjective: Romanian

Net migration rate

-0.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

22,463,077 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.28% (1997 est.)

Religions

Romanian Orthodox 70%, Roman Catholic 6% (of which 3% are Uniate), Protestant 6%, unaffiliated 18%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.23 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

dispute with Ukraine over continental shelf of the Black Sea under which significant gas and oil deposits may exist; agreed to two-year negotiating period, after which either party can refer dispute to the International Court of Justice

Illicit drugs

important transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for Western Europe RUSSIA

Airports

156 (1994 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 27 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 (1994 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 129 2,438 to 3,047 m : 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 108 (1994 est.)

Highways

total : 153,170 km paved: 78,117 km (including 113 km of expressways) unpaved: 75,053 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 234 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,445,810 GRT/3,654,660 DWT ships by type: bulk 39, cargo 167, container 2, oil tanker 13, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 9 note : Romania owns an additional 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,025,108 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Bermuda, Cyprus, Liberia, Malta, and Syria (1996 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 2,800 km; petroleum products 1,429 km; natural gas 6,400 km (1992)

Ports and harbors

Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea

Railways

total : 11,365 km broad gauge: 45 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 10,893 km 1.435-m gauge (3,723 km electrified; 3,060 km double track) narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (1994)

Waterways

1,724 km (1984)