Introduction to Geography of Romania
Romania, or Rumania, a country of Europe. It is in the Balkans, bounded by Ukraine, Moldova, the Black Sea, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro, and Hungary. Romania has an area of about 91,700 square miles (237,500 km 2). Its greatest length, east to west, is nearly 370 miles (595 km); its greatest width, about 300 miles (480 km).
Facts in brief about RomaniaCapital: Bucharest.Official language: Romanian.Official name: Republica Romania (Republic of Romania).Area: 92,043 mi2 (238,391 km2). Greatest distances—east-west, about 450 mi (724 km); north-south, about 320 mi (515 km). Coastline—130 mi. (209 km).Elevation: Highest—Mount Moldoveanu, 8,343 ft (2,543 m) above sea level. Lowest—sea level.Population: Current estimate—21,517,000; density, 234 per mi2 (90 per km2); distribution, 55 percent urban, 45 percent rural. 2002 census—21,680,974.Chief products: Agriculture—corn, potatoes, wheat, milk, sugar beets, grapes, wool. Manufacturing—machinery, cement, iron and steel, petroleum products, processed foods, clothing and shoes, wood products. Mining—petroleum, natural gas, coal.Flag and coat of arms: Romania's flag has three vertical stripes of blue, yellow, and red (left to right). The three stripes represent Romania's national colors. The eagle on Romania's coat of arms is a symbol of the region of Walachia. The other symbols on the coat of arms represent each of Romania's five other regions.National anthem: "Desteapta-te, Romane" ("Romanian, Arise").Money: Basic unit—new Romanian leu. One hundred new bani equal one new leu.Physical Geography
Romania is a country in eastern Europe.LandRomania is a land of plateaus and plains cut by an arc-shaped mountain system—the Carpathians. the Carpathians extend southeastward from the Ukrainian border to central Romania and then westward to Serbia and Montenegro. This western extension, known as the Transylvanian Alps, is the most rugged section of the Carpathians and contains the loftiest peaks. Moldoveanu, Romania's highest peak, rises to 8,343 feet (2,543 m) above sea level. Inside the arc of the Carpathians is Transylvania, a plateau and mountainous region that rises to an elevation of more than 6,000 feet (1,800 m) in the Bihor Mountains.
Low plateaus and fertile plains stretch from the Carpathian Mountains eastward through Moldavia to Moldova and Ukraine, and southward through Walachia to Bulgaria. Along the Black Sea coast south of the Danube's delta lies Dobruja, a hilly plateau region with steep cliffs facing the sea. The Banat, a part of the rich Pannonian Plain, is a fertile area in western Romania.
WaterVirtually all of Romania is drained by the Danube River and its tributaries, including such large ones as the Prut, Siret, Olt, Mures, and Somes. Only part of the Black Sea coast is outside the drainage basin of the Danube. Along part of the border between Romania and Serbia and Montenegro, the Danube flows through a gorge known as the Iron Gate. Here a dam, built jointly by Romania and Yugoslavia (now Serbia and Montenegro), provides flood control and hydroelectric power.
Romania has hundreds of lakes, most of which are small. Nearly all are found near the Danube east of the Iron Gate, especially in and around the delta. There is much marshy land along the Danube's lower course. Many mineral springs are found in the Carpathians.
ClimateRomania has a humid continental climate similar to that of most of eastern Europe and somewhat like that of the United States Midwest. Winters bring cold northerly winds, much cloudy weather, snow, and low temperatures, especially in the mountains, where the weather is often severe. Summers, dominated by westerly winds, are sunny and vary from warm to hot. Occasionally, there are droughts. Temperatures are highest in the Danube valley and decrease northward toward the mountains and eastward toward the black sea. In Bucharest, the capital and largest city, July averages about 73º F. (23º C); January, 27º F. (-3º C). Precipitation averages 23 inches (580 mm).
Yearly precipitation decreases from west to east and from mountains to plains, the amounts varying from as much as 50 inches (1,270 mm) in the Carpathians to as little as 15 inches (380 mm) on the Black Sea coast. Snow remains on the ground from one to three months each year.
Economy
Before the Communists came to power in 1947, Romania was an extremely poor, predominantly agricultural nation. Although Romania has experienced significant industrial growth since then, it remains among the less developed nations of Europe.
Until the early 1990's, Romania had a centrally planned economy, essentially modeled after that of the Soviet Union. The national government controlled foreign trade and owned all mining, banking, communications, transportation, and manufacturing facilities. The main emphasis was on heavy industry, which was directed by a series of five-year plans. Little emphasis was placed on the production of consumer goods.
With the collapse of the Communist economy in 1990, Romania began moving toward private enterprise and a free-market economy. Numerous economic problems followed, including widespread unemployment, high inflation, and shortages, especially of fuels and foods.
Romania's basic unit of currency is the leu. It is divided into 100 bani.
ManufacturingAbout 40 per cent of Romania's work force is usually employed in manufacturing industries. Petroleum refining and metallurgy are among the chief industries and produce important export commodities. To supply these industries, substantial quantities of crude petroleum, metals, and other raw materials are imported. Other major industrial activities that produce key exports are the making of machinery, construction materials, and chemicals. The processing of food and timber and the making of textiles and clothing are activities of long-standing importance. Factories and mills are found in or near the major cities, particularly Bucharest, Brasov, Timisoara, Arad, Galati, and Iasi.
AgricultureCollectivization of Romania's agriculture started in 1949 and was completed in 1962; privatization of the state farms and collectives began in 1990. About 25 per cent of the nation's work force is engaged in farming.
Agricultural land, including land used solely for grazing, accounts for about 60 per cent of the nation's total area. The chief croplands are on the plateaus and plains of Moldavia, Walachia, Dobruja, and Banat. Grains, especially corn and wheat, are the principal crops, and Romania normally ranks among the top five producers of grain in Europe. Other crops include sugar beets, potatoes, sunflowers (for the oil obtained from their seeds), vegetables, and fodder crops. There is also large production from orchards and vineyards. The chief animals raised are poultry, sheep, and hogs.
MiningPetroleum and natural gas are Romania's most valuable minerals. Since reaching a peak in the mid-1970's, petroleum output has declined as reserves are being depleted more rapidly than new wells are being discovered and exploited. The Ploiesti fields and Moldavian fields near the Carpathians account for most of the oil produced. Natural gas, which comes from oil fields and from gas fields in Transylvania, is an increasingly important resource. Romania is among Europe's largest producers of natural gas. Oil production offshore in the Black Sea began in 1987. Coal is mined in moderate amounts. Small quantities of bauxite, copper, iron, lead, zinc, and other metallic minerals are also produced.
TransportationDespite the rough terrain, Romania is generally well served by roads and railways. Road transportation has surpassed rail transport as the chief means of moving both passengers and freight. Pipelines carry oil and natural gas from the fields to processing centers.
Romania's main seaport is Constanta, on the Black Sea. A canal, opened in 1984, links Constanta and the Danube. Principal ports on the Danube are Galati, Brăila, and Giurgiu. TAROM, the national airline, provides international and domestic service; foreign airlines also provide international flights.
The People
The Romanians are a people of mixed stock, descendants of the ancient Thracians, Romans, and Slavs. They make up more than 85 per cent of the population. Hungarians, Gypsies, and Germans are the largest minority groups; Serbs and Croats are smaller minorities.
In 1996 Romania had an estimated population of 22,607,620. The density was 245 persons per square mile (95 per km 2). Industrial expansion has brought a decline in the rural population—from 75 per cent at the end of World War II to less than 50 per cent.
Language and ReligionThe principal language is Romanian, a Romance language. It contains mainly Latin word elements, with additions from Slavic languages and Hungarian, Greek, and Turkish. Other languages used include Hungarian, which is widely spoken in Transylvania, and German. About four-fifths of the people belong to the Romanian Orthodox church. Roman Catholicism predominates among the Hungarians.
EducationEducation is compulsory from the age of 6 to 16. After completing eight years of elementary education, most students enter a two-year general secondary school. Some students enter two-year specialized secondary schools that emphasize industrial arts, agricultural education, teacher-training, or the liberal arts. Further secondary education is available at professional schools and advanced technical schools. Universities are located in all the major cities. Ninety-eight per cent of the people are literate.
Government
The constitution of 1948 established Romania as a Communist state. In 1989 the Communist government was overthrown and an interim government was formed. The new government abolished the Communist party's monopoly on political power.
In 1991 a new constitution, making Romania a parliamentary democracy, was approved in a nationwide vote. Legislative power is vested in a bicameral parliament, made up of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The president, who is the head of state, is elected by popular vote. The prime minister, who is the head of government, is appointed by the president with the approval of parliament.