Romania Travel Guide - Key Facts

Southeastern Europe.

GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

238,391 sq km (92,043 sq miles).

21.6 million (UN estimate 2006).

90.6 per sq km.

Bucharest. Population: 2 million (2005).

Romania is bordered to the north and east by Moldova and Ukraine, the southeast by the Black Sea, the south by Bulgaria, the southwest by Serbia and in the west by Hungary. The country is divided into four geographical areas. Transylvania (a belt of Alpine massifs and forests) and Moldavia compose the northern half of the country, which is divided down the middle by the north-south strip of the Carpathian Mountains. South of the east-west line of the Carpathians lies the flat Danube plain of Wallachia with the capital Bucharest, its border with Bulgaria being defined by the course of the Danube. Romania's coastline is along the Black Sea, incorporating the port of Constanta and the Danube Delta.

Member since 2007.

Democratic Republic since 1991.

President Traian Basescu since 2004.

Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu since 2004.

Traian Basescu won Romania's presidential election in 2004, defeating incumbent prime minister Adrian Nastase of the leftist Social Democratic party. Calin Tariceanu became prime minister following parliamentary elections in November 2004. His government is an alliance of Liberals and Democrats and has members from four reformist parties. The government accelerated the legal and judicial reforms necessary to ensure EU membership for Romania in 2007 and is engaged in fighting poverty and corruption. 

Basescu gained a second endorsement from the electorate in a May 2007 referendum when they rejected an attempt by parliament to impeach him. MPs had decided by a large majority to remove him from office, accusing him of exceeding his constitutional powers.

Romanian is the official language. Some Hungarian and German are spoken in border areas, while mainly French and some English are spoken by those connected with the tourist industry.

87% Romanian Orthodox, with Greek and Roman Catholic, Reformed/Lutheran, Unitarian, Muslim and Jewish minorities.

220 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are of the two-pin type.

Handshaking is the most common form of greeting, but Romanian men may kiss a woman's hand when being introduced. Mr or Mrs should be used when greeting someone for the first time. Visitors should follow normal European courtesies on social occasions. Dress tends to be rather conservative but casual wear is suitable. Beachwear should not be worn away from the beach or poolside. If visiting a home, a small wrapped gift should be given to the host, such as flowers or chocolates (to women only), wine or liquor. Flowers should be given as a gift in odd numbers only. Many Romanians are smokers and gifts of Western cigarettes are greatly appreciated. Other well-appreciated gifts include toiletries. 

Photography: Military installations should not be photographed. Some tourist attractions require visitors to pay a fee (sometimes hefty) for taking photographs.

Smoking: The Romanian government bans smoking in every public place, but, as in many countries in Eastern Europe, smokers have little respect for non-smokers and for smoking laws. Smoking is forbidden on planes, on buses and on some trains. Luxury hotels have designated no-smoking floors but very few restaurants have no-smoking sections.