Romania

Internet country code

.ro

Internet hosts

50,807 (2004)

Internet users

4 million (2003)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)

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: country code - 40; 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

4.3 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

6.9 million (2003)

Television broadcast stations

48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $17.06 billion expenditures: $18.38 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Currency

leu (ROL)

Currency code

ROL

Current account balance

$-3.368 billion (2003)

Debt - external

$18.34 billion (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

31.1 (1998)

Economy - overview

Romania began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets. Despite the global slowdown in 2001-02, strong domestic activity in construction, agriculture, and consumption have kept growth above 4%. An IMF standby agreement, signed in 2001, was accompanied by slow but palpable gains in privatization, deficit reduction, and the curbing of inflation. The IMF Board approved Romania's completion of the standby agreement in October 2003, the first time Romania had successfully concluded an IMF agreement since the 1989 revolution. In July 2004, the Executive Board of the IMF approved a 24-month standby arrangement for $367 million. The Romanian authorities do not intend to draw on this arrangement, viewing it as a precaution. Meanwhile, recent macroeconomic gains have done little to address Romania's widespread poverty, and corruption and red tape handicap the business environment.

Electricity - consumption

46.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

1.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

400 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

50.86 billion kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

lei per US dollar - 33,200.1 (2003), 33,055.4 (2002), 29,060.8 (2001), 21,708.7 (2000), 15,332.8 (1999)

Exports

$17.63 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Italy 24.3%, Germany 15.7%, France 7.4%, UK 6.7%, Turkey 5.1% (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $155 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 13.1% industry: 38.1% services: 48.8% (2003)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.9% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 25% (1998)

Imports

$22.17 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile and products, basic metals, agricultural products

Imports - partners

Italy 19.6%, Germany 14.9%, Russia 8.3%, France 7.3% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

2.3% (2003)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

15.3% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed)

22.5% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

9.28 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 41.4%, industry 27.3%, services 31.3% (2000)

Natural gas - consumption

19.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

5.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

14.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

111.1 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption

215,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

127,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

1.055 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line

44.5% (2000)

Public debt

25.5% of GDP (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$10.37 billion (2003)

Unemployment rate

7.2% (2003)

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geographic coordinates

46 00 N, 25 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

28,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 40.82% permanent crops: 2.25% other: 56.93% (2001)

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

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

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

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

Capital

Bucharest

Constitution

8 December 1991; revision came into force 29 October 2003

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 Dr. Jack Dyer CROUCH II embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch) telephone: [40] (21) 210-4042 FAX: [40] (21) 210-0395 branch office(s): Cluj-Napoca

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Sorin Dumitru DUCARU chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Traian BASESCU (since 20 December 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Calin Popescu TARICEANU (since 29 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 28 November 2004, with runoff between the top two candidates held 12 December 2004 (next to be held 28 November 2009 and 12 December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote - Traian BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian NASTASE 48.77%

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

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

International organization participation

ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, 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 (137 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 (332 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 28 November 2004 (next to be held 28 November 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 28 November 2004 (next to be held 28 November 2008) election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR 37.1%, PNL-PD 31.8%, PRM 13.6%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 46, PNL 28, PD 21, PRM 21, PUR 11, UMDR 10; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR 36.6%, PNL-PD 31.3%%, PRM 12.9%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 113, PNL 64, PD 48, PRM 48, UDMR 22, PUR 19, ethnic minorities 18

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party or PD [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; Humanist Party or PUR [Dan VOICULESCU]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Calin Popescu TARICEANU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Adrian NASTASE], formerly known as the Party of Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR

Political pressure groups and leaders

various human rights and professional associations

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted the new name of Romania. The country gained full independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and acquired new territories following the conflict. In 1940, it allied with the Axis powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a Communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the government until 1996, when they were swept from power by a fractious coalition of centrist parties. In 2000, the center-left Social Democratic Party (PSD) became Romania's leading party, governing with the support of the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR). The opposition center-right alliance formed by the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Party (PD) scored a surprise victory over the ruling PSD in December 2004 presidential elections. The PNL-PD alliance maintains a parliamentary majority with the support of the UDMR, the Humanist Party (PUR), and various ethnic minority groups. Although Romania completed accession talks with the European Union (EU) in December 2004, it must continue to address rampant corruption - while invigorating lagging economic and democratic reforms - before it can achieve its hope of joining the EU, tentatively set for 2007. Romania joined NATO in March of 2004.

Military branches

Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (AMR), Civil Defense

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$985 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.47% (2002)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 5,952,834 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 5,007,375 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

20 years of age for compulsory military service, 18 in wartime; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 163,577 (2004 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.2% (male 1,861,801; female 1,770,746) 15-64 years: 69.4% (male 7,712,612; female 7,791,900) 65 years and over: 14.4% (male 1,330,994; female 1,887,498) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

10.69 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

11.69 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

350 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

6,500 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 27.24 deaths/1,000 live births male: 30.41 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

Romanian (official), Hungarian, German

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.12 years male: 67.63 years female: 74.82 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.4% male: 99.1% female: 97.7% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 36.1 years male: 34.7 years female: 37.5 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Romanian(s) adjective: Romanian

Net migration rate

-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

22,355,551 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.11% (2004 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 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 (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.35 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

has not resolved claims to Ukrainian-administered Zmyinyy (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary despite ongoing talks based on 1997 friendship treaty to find a solution in two years; Hungary amended status law extending special social and cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in Romania, who had objected to the law

Illicit drugs

major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for Western Europe; although not a significant financial center, role as a narcotics conduit leaves it vulnerable to laundering which occurs via the banking system, currency exchange houses, and casinos

Airports

62 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 25 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 24 (2004 est.)

Heliports

1 (2003 est.)

Highways

total: 198,603 km paved: 98,308 km (including 113 km of expressways) unpaved: 100,295 km (2000)

Merchant marine

total: 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 395,350 GRT/510,232 DWT by type: bulk 7, cargo 26, container 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 4, rail car carrier 2, roll on/roll off 4 foreign-owned: Greece 1, Italy 2 registered in other countries: 39 (2004 est.)

Pipelines

gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea

Railways

total: 11,385 km (3,888 km electrified) standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)

Waterways

1,731 km (2004)