2000 Edition

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.

Area

land

230,340 sq km

total

237,500 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

highest point

Moldoveanu 2,544 m

lowest point

Black Sea 0 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

border countries

Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia and Montenegro 476 km (all with Serbia), Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km

total

2,508 km

Land use

arable land

41%

forests and woodland

29%

other

6% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

3%

permanent pastures

21%

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, hydro power

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: 18% (male 2,111,320; female 2,015,347) 15-64 years: 68% (male 7,597,958; female 7,707,498) 65 years and over: 14% (male 1,237,368; female 1,741,630) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

10.76 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

12.29 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

19.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Romanian, Hungarian, German

Life expectancy at birth

female

73.99 years (2000 est.)

male

66.1 years

total population

69.93 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

95% (1992 est.)

male

98%

total population

97%

Nationality

adjective

Romanian

noun

Romanian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

22,411,121 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.21% (2000 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: 1.05 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 (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.35 children born/woman (2000 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

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 James C. ROSAPEPE

embassy

Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest

mailing address

American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch)

telephone

(1) 210 01 49, 210 40 42

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Mircea Dan GEOANA

telephone

(202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

chief of state

President Emil CONSTANTINESCU (since 29 November 1996)

election results

percent of vote - Emil CONSTANTINESCU 54.4%, Ion ILIESCU 45.6%

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 November/December 2000); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Mugur ISARESCU (since 22 December 1998)

FAX

(202) 232-4748

(1) 210 03 95

branch office

Cluj-Napoca

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles and New York

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, 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, 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 (143 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 (343 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)

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

elections

Senate - last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held fall 2000); Chamber of Deputies - last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held fall 2000)

National holiday

National Day of Romania, 1 December (1990)

Political parties and leaders

Agrarian Democratic Party of Romania or PDAR ; Alliance Party for Romania or APR [Tedor MELESCANU]; Civic Alliance Party or PAC ; Democratic Party or PD ; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR ; Liberal Party '93 or PL-93 [Dinu PATRICIU]; National Liberal Party or PNL ; National Liberal Party-Democratic Convention or PNL-CD [Nicolae CERVENI]; National Peasants' Christian and Democratic Party or PNTCD ; Party of Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR [Ion ILIESCU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Romanian National Unity Party or PUNR ; Romanian Social Democratic Party or PSDR ; Socialist Labor Party or PSM ; Socialist Party or PS ; The Democratic Convention or CDR

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 ; PD and PSDR form the Union of Social Democrats or USD ; 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

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$12.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

revenues

$11.2 billion

Currency

1 leu (L) = 100 bani

Debt - external

$9 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$510.1 million (1995)

Economy - overview

After the collapse of the Soviet Bloc in 1989-91, Romania was left with an obsolete industrial base and a pattern of industrial capacity wholly unsuited to its needs. In February 1997, Romania embarked on a comprehensive macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform program, but reform subsequently has been a frustrating stop-and-go process. Restructuring programs include liquidating large energy-intensive industries and major agricultural and financial sector reforms. In 1999 Romania's economy contracted for a third straight year - by an estimated 4.8%. Romania reached an agreement with the IMF in August for a $547 million loan, but release of the second tranche was postponed in October because of unresolved private sector lending requirements and differences over budgetary spending. Bucharest avoided defaulting on mid-year lump-sum debt payments, but had to significantly draw down reserves to do so; reserves rebounded to an estimated $1.5 billion by yearend 1999. The government's priorities include: obtaining renewed IMF lending, tightening fiscal policy, accelerating privatization, and restructuring unprofitable firms. Romania was invited by the EU in December 1999 to begin accession negotiations.

Electricity - consumption

49.552 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

537 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

1.269 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

52.495 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

59%

hydro

31.67%

nuclear

9.33%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

lei (L) per US$1 - 17,996.4 (December 1999), 15,332.8 (1999), 8,875.6 (1998), 7,167.9 (1997), 3,084.2 (1996), 2,033.3 (1995)

Exports

$8.4 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

textiles and footwear 33.4%, metals and metal products 19.1%, machinery and equipment 9.5%, minerals and fuels 6.1% (1998)

Exports - partners

Italy 22%, Germany 19.6%, France 5.9%, US 3.8% (1998)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $87.4 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

23%

industry

51%

services

26% (1997)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $3,900 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-4.8% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$9.6 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment 23%, fuels and minerals 14.2%, chemicals 8.7%, textiles and footwear 17.1% (1998)

Imports - partners

Germany 17.5%, Italy 17.4%, France 6.9%, US 4.2% (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

-8.7% (1999 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

44% (1999 est.)

Labor force

9.6 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 36.5%, industry 34.4%, services 29.1% (1994)

Population below poverty line

21.5% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

11% (1999 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

30 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios

7.2 million (1997)

Telephone system

domestic

poor service; 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

3.84 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular

52,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

130 (plus about 400 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

5.25 million (1997)

Airports

62 (1999 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 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 23 (1999 est.)

Heliports

1 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

103,671 km (including 133 km of expressways)

total

153,359 km

unpaved

49,688 km (1998 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 15, cargo 110, container 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 5, rail car carrier 2, roll-on/roll-off 6, specialized tanker 1 (1999 est.)

total

142 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,154,127 GRT/1,612,314 DWT

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

narrow gauge

487 km (1996)

standard gauge

10,898 km

total

11,385 km (3,888 km electrified)

Waterways

1,724 km (1984)

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$650 million (FY96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.5% (FY96)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 5,899,912 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 4,960,011 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

20 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

190,083 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

dispute with Ukraine over continental shelf of the Black Sea under which significant gas and oil deposits may exist; agreed in 1997 to two-year negotiating period, after which either party can refer dispute to the ICJ

Illicit drugs

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

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