1995 Edition

Area

total area: 237,500 sq km land area: 230,340 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon

Climate

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

Coastline

225 km

Environment

current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands natural hazards: earthquakes most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

International disputes

certain territory of Moldova and Ukraine - including Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina - are considered by Bucharest as historically a part of Romania; this territory was incorporated into the former Soviet Union following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1940

Irrigated land

34,500 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

total 2,508 km, 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: 43% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 19% forest and woodland: 28% other: 7%

Location

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

Map references

Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, 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 resources

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

Note

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

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 21% (female 2,413,933; male 2,534,019) 15-64 years: 67% (female 7,737,531; male 7,732,038) 65 years and over: 12% (female 1,604,210; male 1,176,599) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate

13.71 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate

9.93 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

18.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force

11.3 million (1992) by occupation: industry 38%, agriculture 28%, other 34% (1989)

Languages

Romanian, Hungarian, German

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.24 years male: 69.31 years female: 75.35 years (1995 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Romanian(s) adjective: Romanian

Net migration rate

-2.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population

23,198,330 (July 1995 est.) note: the Romanian census of January 1992 gives the population for that date as 22.749 million; the government estimates that population declined in 1993 by 0.3%

Population growth rate

0.09% (1995 est.)

Religions

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

Total fertility rate

1.82 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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

Digraph

RO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Mihai Horia BOTEZ 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 June 1990, previously President of Provisional Council of National Unity since 23 December 1989); election last held 27 September 1992, with runoff between top two candidates on 11 October 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - Ion ILIESCU 61.4%, Emil CONSTANTINESCU 38.6% head of government: Prime Minister Nicolae VACAROIU (since November 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister

FAX

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

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

Flag

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

House of Deputies (Adunarea Deputatilor)

elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - PSDR 34.0%, CDR 16,4%, DP-FSN 12.3%, others 37.3%; seats - (341 total) PSDR 116, CDR 56, DP-FSN 42, PUNR 29, UDMR 27, PL-93 19, PRM 15, PSM 13, PAC 5, other 19

Independence

1881 (from Turkey; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice, Constitutional Court

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

Member of

ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI (associate members), EBRD, ECE, FAO, G- 9, G-77, GATT, 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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOSOM, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Names

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

National holiday

National Day of Romania, 1 December (1990)

Other political or pressure groups

various human rights and professional associations

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party (DP-FSN), Petre ROMAN; Social Democratic Party of Romania (PSDR), Adrian NASTASE; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), Bela MARKO; National Liberal Party (PNL), Mircea IONESCU-QUINTUS; National Peasants' Christian and Democratic Party (PNTCD), Corneliu COPOSU; Romanian National Unity Party (PUNR), Gheorghe FUNAR; Socialist Labor Party (PSM), Ilie VERDET; Agrarian Democratic Party of Romania (PDAR), Victor SURDU; The Democratic Convention (CDR), Emil CONSTANTINESCU; Romania Mare Party (PRM), Corneliu Vadim TUDOR; Civic Alliance Party (PAC), Nicolae MANOLESCU, chairman note: numerous other small parties exist but almost all failed to gain representation in the most recent election

Senate (Senat)

elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - PSDR 34.3%, CDR 18.2%, DP-FSN 12.6%, others 34.9%; seats - (143 total) PSDR 49, CDR 26, DP-FSN 18, PUNR 13, UDMR 12, PRM 6, PAC 6, PDAR 5, PSM 5, PL-93 2 other 1

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type

republic

US diplomatic representation

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

Agriculture

accounts for 18% of GDP and 28% of labor force; major wheat and corn producer; other products - sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, milk, eggs, meat, grapes

Budget

revenues: $8.3 billion expenditures: $9.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Currency

1 leu (L) = 100 bani

Economic aid

$NA

Electricity

capacity: 22,180,000 kW production: 50.8 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,076 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

lei (L) per US$1 - 1,776.00 (January 1995), 1,655.09 (1994), 760.05 (1993), 307.95 (1992), 76.39 (1991), 22.432 (1990)

Exports

$6 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: metals and metal products 17.6%, mineral products 11.9%, textiles 18.5%, electric machines and equipment 8.4%, transport materials 6.5% (1994) partners: EC 36.1%, developing countries 27.4%, East and Central Europe 14.9%, EFTA 5.1%, Russia 5%, Japan 1.4%, US 1.3% (1993)

External debt

$4.4 billion (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for southwest Asian heroin and Latin American cocaine transiting the Balkan route

Imports

$6.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: minerals 21.1%, machinery and equipment 19.7%, textiles 11.5%, agricultural goods 9.2% (1994) partners: EC 45.8%, East and Central Europe 8.6%, developing countries 22.6%, Russia 11%, EFTA 6.2%, US 5.0%, Japan 0.8% (1993)

Industrial production

growth rate -1% (1993 est.); accounts for 45% of GDP

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

62% (1994)

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $64.7 billion (1994 est.)

National product per capita

$2,790 (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate

3.4% (1994 est.)

Overview

Despite the continuing difficulties in moving away from the former command system, the Romanian economy seems to have bottomed out in 1993-94. Market oriented reforms have been introduced fitfully since the downfall of CEAUSESCU in December 1989, with the result a growing private sector, especially in services. The slow pace of structural reform, however, has exacerbated Romania's high inflation rate and eroded real wages. Agricultural production rebounded in 1993 from the drought-reduced harvest of 1992. The economy continued its recovery in 1994, further gains being realized in agriculture, construction, services, and trade. Food supplies are adequate but expensive. Romania's infrastructure had deteriorated over the last five years due to reduced levels of public investment. Residents of the capital reported frequent disruptions of heating and water services. The slow and painful process of conversion to a more open economy will continue in 1995.

Unemployment rate

10.9% (December 1994)

Radio

broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 5, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telephone system

about 2.3 million telephones; 99 telephones/1,000 persons; 89% of phone network is automatic; poor service; cable and open wire local: NA intercity: trunk network is microwave; roughly 3,300 villages with no service (February 1990) international: 1 INTELSAT earth station; new digital international direct dial exchanges are in Bucharest (1993)

Television

broadcast stations: 13 (1990) televisions: NA

Airports

total: 156 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 4 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 17 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 108

Highways

total: 461,880 km paved: 235,559 km (113 km of expressways) unpaved: 226,321 km (1992)

Inland waterways

1,724 km (1984)

Merchant marine

total: 238 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,528,971 GRT/3,849,943 DWT ships by type: bulk 46, cargo 167, container 2, oil tanker 14, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7 note: in addition, Romania owns 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,207,388 DWT that operate under Liberian, Maltese, Cypriot, and Bahamian registry

Pipelines

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

Ports

Braila, Constanta, Galatz, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea

Railroads

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)

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

1,260 billion lei, 3% of GDP (1994); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results ________________________________________________________________________ RUSSIA

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 5,934,524; males fit for military service 5,002,287; males reach military age (20) annually 196,587 (1995 est.)