Information
Official Name: Romania
Location: (Southeastern) Central Europe
Time Zone: Seven hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time (GMT + 2)
Area: 91,725 sq. miles (237,502 sq. km)
Population: 21,400,000 (2009 mid-year estimate)
Ethnic Groups: Romanian 89%, Hungarian 7.5%, Gipsy 1.9%, German, Other 1.6%
Religions: Christian Orthodox 87%, Roman Catholic 5%, Protestant 5%,
Greek-Catholic, Jewish, Unitarian
Official Language: Romanian
Currency: Romanian Leu (RON)
Capital: Bucharest (Bucureşti)
Form of State: Semi-parliamentary Republic with two legislative bodies: Senate (Senat) and Chamber of Representatives (Camera Deputatilor)
Legal system: Based on European models and Constitution of 1991.
Electoral System: Universal direct suffrage over the age of 18.
Parties must win at least five percent of the national vote to gain representation in the Parliament.
Head of State: President of the Republic. Romania’s president is allowed to serve two consecutive five-year terms.
National Government: The government is led by the Prime Minister, confirmed by the Parliament on the nomination of the President of Romania.
Head of the Government: the Prime Minister
Regional Government: Forty-one County Councils (Consiliu Judeţean).
Geography
Located halfway between the Equator and the North Pole, Romania is the 12th largest country in Europe.
Romania’s terrain is almost evenly divided between mountains, hills and plains.
The Carpathian Mountains
Although not as high as the Alps, the Carpathian Mountains extend over 600 miles in Romania, in the shape of an arch. They are divided into three major ranges: the Eastern (Oriental) Carpathians, the Southern Carpathians (also known as the Transylvanian Alps), and the Western Carpathians. Each of these ranges features a variety of landscapes, due to the different types of terrain (glacial, karstic, structural, and volcanic).
Romania’s mountains are a great destination for numerous outdoor activities including: climbing, hiking, biking and river-rafting. Some of the most popular ski resorts are Poiana Braşov, Sinaia, Predeal, Vatra Dornei, Lake Bâlea and Păltiniş.
Climate
Romania has a temperate climate, similar to the northeastern United States, with four distinct seasons.
Spring is pleasant with cool mornings and nights and warm days.
Summer is quite warm, with extended sunny days. The hottest areas in summer are the lowlands in southern and eastern Romania where 100 F is often reached in July and August. Temperatures are always cooler in the mountains.
Autumn is dry and cool, with fields and trees producing colorful foliage, much like New England.
Winters can be cold, especially in the mountains. While not the rule, abundant snowfalls may occur throughout the country, from December to mid-March.
There are significant regional differences of the climate between different regions of Romania.
The above temperatures are averages. Please keep in mind that variances can be as high as +/- 60°F at midday during the summer or over night during the winter.
Facts about Romania’s climate:
Warmest month: July
Coldest month: January
Record High Temperature:
44.5°C (112°F) – August 10, 1951 South-Eastern Romania
Record Low Temperature:
-38.5°C (-37.3°F) – January 24, 1942 (Central Romania)
Average annual Rainfall: 26 inches.
