My ROMANIA Page

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I WAS BORN AND GREW UP IN BUCHAREST, ROMANIA, WHICH IS SITUATED IN CENTRAL-EASTERN EUROPE. FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, I DECIDED TO INCLUDE SOME INFORMATION AND PICTURES ABOUT ROMANIA. ENJOY!

FACTS ABOUT ROMANIA:

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History: Romania has been a Latin outpost in Central Europe since Roman times. After joining the Allies to defeat the Axis powers in World War II, Romania suffered under a totalitarian communist regime for much of the postwar period. Ion Iliescu was elected President of Romania, first in May of 1990, and again under the country's new constitution in September 1992. In 1994, Romania became the first Central European country to join NATO's Partnership for Peace program. At the most recent presidential elections, on November 17, 1996, Emil Constantinescu became the new president of Romania. Population: In 1992, Romania's population stood at 22,760,000, making it the second largest country after Poland in Central Europe. Ethnic Romanians account for 89.4% of the population. The primary religions practiced are Orthodox (86.8%) and Roman Catholic (5.0%). The country's official language is Romanian. English, French and German are widely spoken. Area: With 91,500 square miles, Romania is roughly the size of Oregon. Major Cities: The major cities of Romania include its capital, Bucharest (2,354,000), the Black Sea port of Constanta (350,000), Iasi (344,000), Timisoara (334,000), Cluj (328,000), Galati (326,000), and Brasov (323,000). Transportation: Romania has an expansive railway network of 7,050 miles, including 2,280 miles of electrified track. The country has over 10,000 miles of fully modern roads. The Danube River and the Black Sea include several major ports and there are three international airports in the country. Natural Resources: Romania boasts significant subsoil resources. It is a major producer of oil and the 9th largest producer of natural gas (1990). There are also significant deposits of coal, iron ore, non-ferrous ore, salt and others. Arable land covers 39.6% of the country's total area. International Affiliations: Romania is a member of the following organizations: NATO Partnership for Peace, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, United Nations, International Finance Corporation, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Council of Europe, World Trade Organization, and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency. Major Treaties and Agreements: Romania is party to the following noteworthy agreements: Agreement on Trade Relation with the United States (1993) including Most-Favored-Nation Status, General System of Preferences with the United States (1994), Bilateral Investment Treaty with the United States (1993), Associate member agreement signed with the European Union (1993), and Free Trade Agreement with EFTA (1993). Key Recent Developments: On March 21, 1995, the World Bank and Romania signed a new $175 million loan agreement for an Industrial Development Project aimed at improving international competitiveness in exporting, trade financing, and privatization. The overall value of the project, including financing from European and local banks, is $334 million. The IMF, World Bank and G-24 countries combined to pledge over $1 billion in loans and guarantees to Romania in 1994.