Romania

Romania is a country in south-eastern Europe, above the Balkan Peninsula. Romania has a population of around 22,000,000 and is made up of several historical and geographic regions: Banat and Crisana, Dobrogea, Bucovina, Moldova, Wallachia, and Transylvania.


Romania is known abroad as the country of Vlad Dracul, due to the fiction novel of Bram Stocker, based on which a motion picture was made by famous director Francis Ford Coppola. It is also known as the country of origin of the prestigious gymnast Nadia Comaneci and football player Gheorghe Hagi. It is a country that foreigners grow to like as they discover the openness to new influences and trends, in large cities, the hospitality of inhabitants in rural areas, the gorgeous landscapes in mountain areas, the beauty of the Danube Delta (UNESCO heritage), the mystery surrounding medieval cities in Transylvania and the significance that natives associate to religious life.


Romania is a tourist destination adequate for all types of travel/holidays and tourist profiles:

• Interested in the medieval Romania? Check out: Transylvania with cities of Sibiu, Brasov and Sighisoara, the medieval fortress;
• For cultural activities consider: Sibiu, Brasov, Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara, Iasi, Bucharest, Piatra-Neamt, Alba-Iulia;
• If you are interested in historical religious churches don't miss: Moldova, Bucovina (Voronet Monastery with its famous and mysterious outside walls), Maramures (18th century wooden churches and tall wooden gates as well as the Merry Cemetery of Sapanta);
• For just relaxation or spas, consider the resorts: Calimanesti-Caciulata, Baile Herculane, Baile Felix, Techirghiol, as well as the Black Sea resorts;
• Want some fun in the sun? The Black Sea resorts range from the elegant (Mamaia), family destinations (Eforie, Neptun, Olimp, Costinesti, Venus) and rustic or bohemian Vama Veche;
• If you are the nature type, Romania's Danube Delta is a unique treasure and a UNESCO World Heritage site;
• For those looking for the simple life or agrotourism, come visit the locals and experience hundreds of years of tradition in Moldova, Tara Motilor, Tara Hategului;
• For the adventurous types, Romania offers well market hiking and biking trails in Carpathian Mountains, on Prahova Valley, Olt Valley.

Romania is a young democracy. It is a state that lived under communism for entire decades, under dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, who took power in 1965. Romanians lived under terror of state police, Securitate, that grew as an oppresive force in the 80's. With the 1989 Revolution, Romania won its freedom from communism. It joined NATO in 2004 and the European Union in 2007.


The total surface of Romania is 2.508 km. Neighboring countries are Bulgaria, Hungary Moldova, Serbia, Ukraine.


The landscape of Romania is diverse: mountains, hills, fields, valleys, Danube Delta, seaside.


Climate is temperate: cold winters with heavy snowfalls and sunny, warm summers with frequent rainfalls and storms.


The population's structure according to the 2002 census was: Romanians 89.5%, Hungarians 6.6%, Rroma population 2.5%, Ukrainians 0.3%, Germans 0.3%, Russians 0.2%, Turks 0.2%, other ethnic groups 0.4%.


Romania's transport infrastructure has 53 airports, 2 heliports, 10.788 kms of railway, 198.817 kms of roadway, as well as ports and terminals of Braila, Constanta, Galati and Tulcea.

Places

Transylvania Moldova Wallachia Dobrogea Bucovina Banat and Crisana Bucharest Maramures