The 1996 CIA World Factbook page on Romania

From: The CIA'sTHE WORLD FACTBOOK 1996

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Romania

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Map

Location: 46 00 N, 25 00 E -- Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine

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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

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Geography

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine
Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total area: 237,500 sq km
land area: 230,340 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon
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
Coastline: 225 km
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
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
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
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
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m
Natural resources: petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt
Land use:
arable land: 43%
permanent crops: 3%
meadows and pastures: 19%
forest and woodland: 28%
other: 7%
Irrigated land: 34,500 sq km (1989 est.)
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
Geographic note: controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine

People

Population: 21,657,162 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 2,180,023; female 2,088,496)
15-64 years: 68% (male 7,261,160; female 7,393,531)
65 years and over: 12% (male 1,138,583; female 1,595,369) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: -1.21% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 9.77 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 12.27 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -9.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 23.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.42 years
male: 65.51 years
female: 73.57 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.25 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Romanian(s)
adjective: Romanian
Ethnic divisions: Romanian 89.1%, Hungarian 8.9%, German 0.4%, Ukrainian, Serb, Croat, Russian, Turk, and Gypsy 1.6%
Religions: Romanian Orthodox 70%, Roman Catholic 6% (of which 3% are Uniate), Protestant 6%, unaffiliated 18%
Languages: Romanian, Hungarian, German
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1992 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 95%

Government

Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Romania
local long form: none
local short form: Romania
Data code: RO
Type of government: republic
Capital: Bucharest
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
Independence: 1881 (from Turkey; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)
National holiday: National Day of Romania, 1 December (1990)
Constitution: 8 December 1991
Legal system: former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is now based on the Constitution of France's Fifth Republic
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ion ILIESCU (since 20 June 1990, previously President of Provisional Council of National Unity since 23 December 1989) was elected for a four-year term by universal suffrage; 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 NA November 1992) was appointed by the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
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
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
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice, judges are appointed by the president on recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates
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), Ion DIACONESCU; 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; Liberal Party 1993 (PL-93)
note: numerous other small parties exist but almost all failed to gain representation in the most recent election
Other political or pressure groups: various human rights and professional associations
International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarset, 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
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mircea Dan GEOANA
chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851
FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
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, APO AE 09213-1315
telephone: [40] (1) 210 01 49, 210 40 42
FAX: [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

Economy

Economic overview: Romania, one of the poorer East European countries moving away from the command economy, posted its third straight year of growth in 1995. Bucharest also was successful in reducing its inflation rate to 25% - less than half the 1994 rate - because of tight monetary and fiscal policies, while unemployment fell to 9% as the private sector hired more workers. Despite these successes on the economic front, Romania has lagged much of Central and Eastern Europe in the restructuring process. The private sector accounted for only 40% of GDP in 1995 with over 90% of industry remaining in state hands. Privatization is slated to pick up in 1996, but Bucharest faces other economic problems that could stall recovery, including a growing budget deficit, limited reform of the agricultural and energy sectors, and accumulated decay of the infrastructure.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $105.7 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 5.4% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $4,600 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 19.6%
industry: 36.3%
services: 44.1% (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25% (1995)
Labor force: 11.3 million (1992)
by occupation: industry 38%, agriculture 28%, other 34% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 8.9% (December 1995)
Budget:
revenues: $5.35 billion
expenditures: $6.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Industries: mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, machine building, food processing, petroleum production and refining
Industrial production growth rate: 3.3% (1994 est.)
Electricity:
capacity: 22,180,000 kW
production: 50.8 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 2,076 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; milk, eggs, meat
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and Latin American cocaine transiting the Balkan route
Exports: $6.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: textiles and footwear 23.8%, metals and metal products 17.3%, fuels and mineral products 11.6%, machinery and transport equipment 14.8%, chemicals 7.9%, food and agricultural goods 6.5%, other 18.1% (1994)
partners: developing countries 30.3%, East and Central Europe 8.4%, Russia 3.4%, OECD 57.9% (EU 50%, US 3.1%) (1994)
Imports: $7.1 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities: fuels and minerals 26.8%, machinery and transport equipment 25.1%, textiles and footwear 12.3%, food and agricultural goods 9.3%, chemicals 7.9%, other 18.6% (1994)
partners: OECD 60% (EU 44.5%, US 6.5%), East and Central Europe 6.1%, developing countries 16.6%, Russia 13.8%, other 3.5% (1994)
External debt: $4.7 billion (1995)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $81 million (1993)
Currency: 1 leu (L) = 100 bani
Exchange rates: lei (L) per US$1 - 2,599.24 (January 1996), 2,033.28 (1995), 1,655.09 (1994), 760.05 (1993), 307.95 (1992), 76.39 (1991)
Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation

Railways:
total: 11,374 km
broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 10,887 km 1.435-m gauge (3,866 km electrified; 3,060 km double track)
narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (1994)
Highways:
total: 153,014 km
paved: 78,037 km (including 113 km of expressways)
unpaved: 74,977 km (1992 est.)
Waterways: 1,724 km (1984)
Pipelines: crude oil 2,800 km; petroleum products 1,429 km; natural gas 6,400 km (1992)
Ports: Braila, Constanta, Galatz, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea
Merchant marine:
total: 233 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,425,729 GRT/3,641,741 DWT
ships by type: bulk 39, cargo 166, container 2, oil tanker 13, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 9
note: Romania owns an additional 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,078,490 DWT operating under the registries of Liberia, Malta, Cyprus, and The Bahamas (1995 est.)
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 2 437 m: 1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 17
with unpaved runways under 914 m: 108 (1994 est.)

Communications

Telephones: 2.3 million (1990 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.)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 5, shortwave 0
Radios: 4.64 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 13 (1990 est.)
Televisions: 4.58 million (1992 est.)

Defense

Branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Paramilitary Forces, Civil Defense
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 5,572,383
males fit for military service: 4,693,376
males reach military age (20) annually: 198,125 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $885 million, 3.0% of GDP (1995)

Original publicaton at http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/nsolo/wfb-all.htm (June 17, 1997).