Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor
Population
21,848,504
109,011
Life Expectancy
74.220 years
73.300 years
Capital City
Bucharest
Largest city
Bucharest (population: 1,877,160)
Saint George's (population: 7,500)
Human Development Index
0.825
0.774
GDP per capita
$12,600 US
Literacy Rate
97.3%
96%
Corruption Perception Index
3.8
NA
Percentage of Women in Parliament
9.6%
21.4%
Wealthiest Citizens
Dinu Patriciu ($1.8bn US)
NA
Unemployment Rate
5.100%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished in practice
Political System
republic
parliamentary democracy
Independence date
9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire; independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin); 26 March 1881 (kingdom proclaimed); 30 December 1947 (republic proclaimed)
Religions
Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%, Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census)
Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%
Languages
Romanian 91% (official), Hungarian 6.7%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.1%, other 1.2%
English (official), French patois
Exports
machinery and equipment, textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products
External Debt
$136,100,000,000 $
Exchange Rate
lei (RON) per US dollar - 2.5 (2008 est.), 2.43 (2007), 2.809 (2006), 3 (2005), 3 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
8
0
Location
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Area
238,391 km sq
344 km sq
Coastline
225 km
121 km
Climate
temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms