Romania in a Snapshot
Brief Background
Known for its wide, tree-lined boulevards, glorious Belle Epoque buildings and a reputation for the high life, Romania's capital was once known as the "little Paris".
Communist rule interrupted Bucharest's cosmopolitan days. Many years after the overthrown of the communist regime, the "House of the People" - the world's second largest building after the US Pentagon - reminds Romanians of the communist years. Romania took a bold step towards a free-market economy with the election of 1996. And today, Bucharest, the capital and the largest city of Romania, is experiencing renewed vigour.
Quick facts
Capital: Bucharest
Population: 22,430,000
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine
Time zone: GMT + 2
Climate: Temperate, four distinct seasons: pleasant temperatures during spring and autumn, hot summers, cold winters.
Capital: Bucharest
Population: 22,430,000
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine
Time zone: GMT + 2
Climate: Temperate, four distinct seasons: pleasant temperatures during spring and autumn, hot summers, cold winters.
Religions: Romanian Orthodox, Catholic, other
Literacy: Age 15 and over can read and write - total population 97%, male 98%, female 97%
Official Currency: Leu
Government: Republic with two legislative bodies - Senate and Chamber of Deputies
Date joined UN: 14 December 1955
GDP: Real growth rate - 5.3%
GDP: Per capita (purchasing power parity) - $6,970
GDP: Composition by sector - services 55%, industry 30%, agriculture 15%