Location
The country is located at the crossing of the 450 parallel with the 250 meridian, south-east of Europe and north of the Balkan Peninsula.
Area - 238,394 km.

The Capital City - Bucharest.
National Day - 1 December
National Anthem " Awake, Ye, Romanian! "
wrote by: lyrics - Andrei Muresianu; music - Anton Pann





Borders (neighbours)
Ukraine (north, south-west); The Moldavian Republic (east); Bulgaria (south); Yugoslavia (south-west); Hungary (west).


Form of Government
At present Romania is a republic, led by a president and a two-chambers parliament (Senate and the Chamber of Deputies). State powers are separated.


Administrative Divisions
Divided into 41 counties.


Population
Over 23,000,000 inhabitants are living at present in Romania of Whom 88 % are Romanians and then Hungarians, Germans, Serbs, Jews, Tartars, Turks, Bulgarians and other nationalities.



Language
The official language is Romanian, of Latin origin, as old as the history of the Romanian people.



Access ways:
• by flight - international airports: Otopeni (Bucharest), Constanta, Timisoara, Arad.
• by sea - in the Port of Constanta, the most modern on the Black See Coast, packet boats of different weights are landing and Mangalia.
• by river - the Danube's ports Sulina, Tulcea, Galati, Braila, Oltenita, Drobeta-Turnu Severin and Giurgiu
• by train - international trains provide the connection of the main central European capitals with Bucharest, the sea coast and other main cities of the country; Romania is a member of the international railway tariff systems RIT and Inter-Rail ( click here for more information National Romanian Railways Society ).
• road traffic - the following European roads facilitation easy traffic all over the country:

E 81 Berlin - Warshaw - Budapest - Petea
E 60 Vienna - Prague - Budapest - Bors
E 87 Istambul - Tirana - Sofia - Vama Veche
E 64 Vienna - Prague - Budapest - Arad
E 70 Trieste - Belgrade - Portile de Fier
E 79 Athens - Tirana - Sofia - Calafat
E 85 Athens - Istambul - Sofia - Giurgiu
E 671 Oradea - Timisoara
E 580 Moscow - Kiew - Kishinev - Albita
E 571 Suceava - Cluj Napoca
E 572 Bacau - Pitesti

All the roads are marked according to the international regulations



Climate
Climate in Romania is temperate-continental, characteristic of the Central Europe.
The annual average temperature is: +110C in the plains and +20C in the mountains (in winter - 30C; in spring +100C; in summer +240C; in autums +100C).


Relief
The Carpathian Mountains cross Romania from north to south-west, covering 31% of the total surface. Maximum altitude is 2,543m in the Fagaras Masif - Moldoveanu Peak. Sub-Carpathian hills and table lands strech over 36% of the national territory; there are worth mentioning the orchards, vineyards, pastures, flowing waters of great importance.
Plains cover the rest of 33% of Romania's surface, representing the main agricultural base of the country where grain crops are prevailing.


Hydrography
The Danube river in the south of the country is our greatest river, with 1,075 km of its total 2,850 km lenght from source till it enters the Black Sea.
The Danube Delta is situated to the east country. The Danube divides into three branches approaching the Black Sea.: Chilia, Sulina and Sf. Gheorghe. It represents the area where the Danube flows into the Black Sea, including 4,472 sq. km of water, brooks, sand banks, lakes, salt marshes, forests of tropical aspect, sea beaches - the youngest land of our continent, Romania's main natural reserve that, since 1991, has been declared internationally a Biosphere Reserve.
Other major rivers Arges, Bistrita, Buzau, Ialomita, Jiu, Mures, Olt, Prut, Siret, Somes.


Official time
two hours ahead GMT ( World standard times ); between the last Sunday of March and that of September : the summer time-table (3 hours ahead GMT)


Electricity
The electric current is 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. Sockets with two round pins.


Tourist Visas
Entrance or transit visas may be obtained from the diplomatic and consular offices from abroad by all those having valid passports, recognized by the Romanian state.


Romanian Localities
Alba
Iulia
Alexandria
Arad
Bacau
Baia Mare
Baile Felix
Baile Govora
Baile Herculane
Baile Olanesti
Baile Tusnad
Bistrita
Borsa
Borsec
Botosani
Braila
Brasov
Bucharest
Busteni
Buzau
Calarasi
Calimanesti
Câmpulung M.
Cheia
Cluj
Constanta
Costinesti
Craiova
Dej
Deva
Eforie Nord
Eforie Sud
Focsani
Galati
Geoagiu-Bai
Giurgiu
Hunedoara
Iasi
Jupiter
Lacu Rosu
Mamaia
Mangalia
Medias
Miercurea Ciuc
Moneasa
Neptun
Odorheiu Secuiesc
Olimp
Oradea
Paltinis
Piatra Neamt
Pitesti
Ploiesti
Poiana Brasov
Predeal
Râmnicu Vâlcea
Resita
Satu Mare
Sapanta
Sfântu Gheorghe
Sibiu
Sighisoara
Sinaia
Sîngeorz-Bai
Slanic-Moldova
Slatina
Slobozia
Sovata
Suceava
Targoviste
Targu Jiu
Târgu Mures
Târgu Neamt
Techirghiol
Timisoara
Tulcea
Turnu Severin
Vaslui
Vatra Dornei
Venus
Zalau