Romania

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

38 (2000)

Internet country code

.ro

Internet users

600,000 (2000)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios

7.2 million (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: poor domestic service, but improving domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is mostly microwave radio relay, with some fiber-optic cable; about one-third of exchange capacity is digital; roughly 3,300 villages have no service international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; new digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest; note - Romania is an active participant in several international telecommunication network projects (1999)

Telephones - main lines in use

3.777 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

645,500 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions

5.25 million (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $11.7 billion expenditures: $12.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Currency

leu (ROL)

Currency code

ROL

Debt - external

$9.3 billion (2000 est.)

Economy - overview

Romania, one of the poorest countries in Central and Eastern Europe, began the transition from communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. Over the past decade economic restructuring has lagged behind most other countries in the region. Consequently, living standards have continued to fall - real wages are down over 40%. Corruption too has worsened. The EU ranks Romania last among enlargement candidates, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) rates Romania's transition progress the region's worst. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets. A new government elected in November 2000 promises to promote economic reform. Bucharest hopes to receive financial and technical assistance from international financial institutions and Western governments; negotiations over a new IMF standby agreement are to begin early in 2001. If reform stalls, Romania's ability to borrow from both public and private sources could quickly dry up, leading to another financial crisis.

Electricity - consumption

44.768 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

1.935 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

1.1 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

49.036 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 53.99% hydro: 36.18% nuclear: 9.81% other: 0.02% (1999)

Exchange rates

lei per US dollar - 26,243.0 (January 2001), 21,708.7 (2000), 15,332.8 (1999), 8,875.6 (1998), 7,167.9 (1997), 3,084.2 (1996); note - lei is the plural form of leu

Exports

$11.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities

textiles and footwear 26%, metals and metal products 15%, machinery and equipment 11%, minerals and fuels 6% (1999)

Exports - partners

Italy 23%, Germany 18%, France 6%, Turkey 5%, US (1999)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $132.5 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 13.9% industry: 32.6% services: 53.5% (2000)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,900 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.2% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.8% highest 10%: 20.2% (1992)

Imports

$11.9 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Italy 20%, Germany 19%, France 7%, Russia 6% (1999)

Industrial production growth rate

8% (2000)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

45.7% (2000 est.)

Labor force

9.9 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Population below poverty line

44.5% (2000)

Unemployment rate

11.5% (1999)

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto 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, Yugoslavia 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 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, arable land, hydropower

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

Capital

Bucharest

Constitution

8 December 1991

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador James C. ROSAPEPE embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch) telephone: [40] (1) 210 40 42

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Executive branch

chief of state: President Ion ILIESCU (since 20 December 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Adrian NASTASE (since 29 December 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 November 2000, with runoff between the top two candidates held 10 December 2000 (next to be held NA November/December 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote - Ion ILIESCU 66.84%, Corneliu Vadim TUDOR 33.16%

FAX

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

FAX

[40] (1) 210 03 95 branch office(s): 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 flag of Chad, also resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova

Government type

republic

Independence

1881 (from Turkey; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)

International organization participation

ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, 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, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, 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 the 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 (140 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (345 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in the fall of 2004); Chamber of Deputies - last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in the fall of 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDSR 37.1%, PRM 21.0%, PD 7.6%, PNL 7.5%, UDMR 6.9%; seats by party - PDSR 65, PRM 37, PD 13, PNL 13, UDMR 12; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PDSR 36.6%, PRM 19.5%, PD 7.0%, PNL, 6.9%, UDMR 6.8%; seats by party - PDSR 155, PRM 84, PD 31, PNL 30, UDMR 27, ethnic minorities 18

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party or PD [Petre ROMAN]; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Mircea IONESCU-QUINTUS]; Party of Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR [Adrian NASTASE]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; The Democratic Convention or CDR [Ion DIACONESCU]

Political pressure groups and leaders

various human rights and professional associations

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Soviet occupation following World War II led to the formation of a communist "peoples republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of President Nicolae CEAUSESCU became increasingly draconian through the 1980s. He was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former communists dominated the government until 1996 when they were swept from power. Much economic restructuring remains to be carried out before Romania can achieve its hope of joining the EU.

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$720 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.2% (FY00)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 5,899,536 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 4,962,807 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - military age

20 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 179,951 (2001 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 17.95% (male 2,054,323; female 1,959,196) 15-64 years: 68.51% (male 7,605,751; female 7,715,434) 65 years and over: 13.54% (male 1,255,880; female 1,773,438) (2001 est.)

Birth rate

10.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate

12.28 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethnic groups

Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 7.1%, Roma 1.8%, German 0.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, other 0.8% (1992)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.02% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

350 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

7,000 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

19.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages

Romanian, Hungarian, German

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.16 years male: 66.36 years female: 74.19 years (2001 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

-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population

22,364,022 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.21% (2001 est.)

Religions

Romanian Orthodox 70%, Roman Catholic 3%, Uniate Catholic 3%, Protestant 6%, unaffiliated 18%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.35 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

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

Airports

62 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 25 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 23 (2000 est.)

Heliports

1 (2000 est.)

Highways

total: 153,359 km paved: 103,671 km (including 133 km of expressways) unpaved: 49,688 km (1998 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 95 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 695,227 GRT/931,598 DWT ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 71, container 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, railcar carrier 2, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1 (2000 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: 11,385 km (3,888 km electrified) standard gauge: 10,898 km narrow gauge: 487 km (1996)

Waterways

1,724 km (1984)