Member States of the EU

Romania

Year of EU entry: 2007
Political system: Republic
Capital city: Bucharest
Total area: 237 500 km²
Population: 21.5 million
Currency: Romanian leu
Listen to the official EU language:
Romanian

Detailed map - click on the map

Romania, in southeast Europe, is mountainous in the north while the main feature in the south is the vast Danube valley. The river forms a delta as it approaches the Black Sea, which is a wildlife reserve for countless native and migratory birds.

The Romanian parliament consists of two chambers, the Senat (Senate) and the Camera Deputaţilor (Chamber of Deputies). The members of both are chosen in elections held every four years.

Ethnically, the population is 90% Romanian and 7% Hungarian. The Romanian language, like a number of others in southern Europe, is directly descended from Latin, although Romania is separated from other Romance-language countries by Slav speakers. Romania has considerable natural resources – oil, natural gas, coal, iron, copper and bauxite. Metal-working, petrochemicals and mechanical engineering are the main industries.

The ruins of Count Vlad Dracul’s castle Romanian speciality dishes include grilled meatballs, meat wrapped in cabbage leaves, pork stew with garlic and onions and doughnuts made with cream and cheese.

The spine-chilling tale of Dracula was inspired by the 15^th century Romanian Count Vlad Dracul whose son was famous in wartime for impaling captured enemies. Less notorious Romanians include the writer Eugene Ionesco, the gymnast Nadia Comăneci and the composer George Enescu.

National public administration portal
The official website of the Romanian Government presents the political programme of the government as well as the profile of the Prime Minister, speeches and press releases. The website also serves as a gateway to the websites of all government ministries. The “Headline” section features the most recent government news.
Introduction to the country
The Romanian National Tourist Office offers a wide range of information on the country, its institutions, economy and people. The website also contains a “Tourist attractions” section with practical tips on the main cities and places. One of the special features is the “Trip planner”, a step-by-step guide for tourists wishing to plan a visit to Romania.