Romania

Government: Semi-presidential Republic
Official language: Romanian
Alphabet: Latin
Religion: Eastern Orthodox
Time zone: UTC +2
Currency: Romanian Leu
Capital: Bucharest
Area: 238 391 km2
Population: 22 246 862
Phone code: +40
Internet domain: .ro


Useful information:
Romania (Romanian: România) is located in the south part of Central Europe, north-east of the Balkans, occupies big part of the basin of the lower current of river Danube and shares borders on north-west with Hungary, on south-west with Serbia, on south with Bulgaria (the natural border between the countries is river Danube), on south-east and north with Black sea, on east with Ukraine. Romania spreads on both sides of Carpathian Mountains, which is natural border between both basins of river Danube.

In the Ist millennium B.C. Dacians, who were part of the big family of Thracian tribes, settled down north of River Danube, on the territory of today’s Romania. In 29 B.C. northern Thrace along the course of the river Danube fell under Roman authority and forms the provinces Lower Moesia and Dacia. In the first war with Dacians (101-102 A.D.), Emperor Trajan engages almost half of his army. After two years of incessant battles, he conquered these territories. Dacians promised to supply soldiers for the Roman army and to destroy their fortifications, but failed to comply with what was promised. Second war with Dacians (105-106 A.D.) began with attack led by the Romans in the summer of 105 and ended up with setting of Roman control over two thirds of the territory of today’s Romania. Roman domination continues until the middle of 3rd century A.D. Between 5th and 7th century that area was repeatedly seized from different nomadic tribes. Later came the turn of Mongols, Hungarians and Turks, who conquer Moldavia, Wallachia and Transylvania.

During the Ottoman occupation all provinces north of river Danube enjoyed much greater autonomy than other provinces and in the big cities the feeling for national self-awareness stared to take shape. 18th and 19th centuries are marked with conflicts between Russia and Turkey. As a solution for that rivalry, at last independence for Romania was proclaimed and on 23rd December 1863 Alexandru Ioan Kuza announced the union of the two Romanian principalities – Moldavia and Wallachia. The newly formed state accepted the name Romania, with capital Bucharest.

Full and definitive independence from the Ottoman Empire was officially proclaimed in 1878. Romanian kingdom was officially born in 1881. Prince Carol of Romania or Carol I was proclaimed king on 26th March 1881. He is the first monarch from the royal family Hohenzollen-Sigmaringen, who reigned in the country, and that dynasty would be at the head of the state until the announcement of the republic in 1947. During his reign Carol I personally led Romanian forces in the Russo-Turkish conflict (1877-1878) and took command of the Russo-Romanian forces during the siege of the town of Pleven in Bulgaria.

During WW I the Romanians took the side of the Entante and after their victory in 1918 the regions of Bukovina, Transylvania and Bessarabia were associated to “Greater Romania”.

During WW II the Romanian armies fought on the side of the Germans against the Soviet Union, on Ukrainian territory as far as Stalingrad. With the peace treaty, signed in September 1944 all the power went practically into the Soviet authorities. On 30th December 1947 King Michael l was forced to abdicate and the very same day Peoples Republic of Romania was proclaimed. The totalitarian regime continues 45 years. In December 1989 national unrest starts to spread throughout the country and Romania took the road of reorganization and free market policy. In 2004 treaty to join NATO was signed and on 1st January 2007 Romania was accepted as a full member of the European Union.