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Romania

Romania

Capital:Bucharest
Population:19.1M
Currency:Leu (RON)
Language:Romanian (official), Hungarian, German
Bucharest, Romania

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Quick Look Factsheet

A multi-page overview of Romania.

Romania Factsheet

Customs and Culture

Cultural Attributes

The conflicting attitudes about the future of the nation have led to violence, instability, and the rise of dangerous tensions between ethnic groups. The country is not well developed our country is not so developed, but people intend to spend more money on education, and they tend to strive for financial stability. Wealth is defined in properties, possessions such as car, apartment, rest home, money and power.

Bucharest, Romania

Realm of the Danube Delta

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6 more cultural topics for members

Social Customs & Etiquette · Diet · Family · Dating Customs · Recreation · Student Life

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Holidays

  • Unification Day

    12/1

    Independence Day

    of Romania and Transylvania

  • Christmas

    12/25

    Christmas

    Romania has enjoyed Christmas since the ninth century. The Christmas season extends from Christmas Eve until Epiphany. St Nicholas’s Day is also observed on December 6th. On the eve of St. Nicholas’s Day children place their boots near an entrance where Mos Nicolae (Old Nicholas) can fill them with candy and treats. Naughty children receive sticks.

    Colindatul (Caroling) on Christmas Eve is one of the most important traditions and involves everyone in the community. Large groups organize and travel from door to door singing a mixture of sacred and secular colinde (carols).

    Christmas Eve customs include decorating the home with fir branches and the Christmas tree with multicolored ornaments and candles.

    Christmas Eve meal features roast pork, cabbage, breads, and turta (a pastry of thick rolled dough that represents the swaddling clothes of the Christ child). The holiday gift giver is Mos Craciun (a figure similar to Santa Claus).

Dates of Interest

  • October

    This annual festival in Piatra Neam? celebrates the Neolithic culture of the Cucuteni-Trypillian civilization with crafts, workshops, and exhibitions.

How do people greet each other in Romania?

Adults commonly greet with a handshake, and using a person's title before the surname is the most polite form of address. First-name greetings are usually reserved for close friends and relatives.

Do

  • Wait for a woman to extend her hand first if you are a man
  • Use a title before the surname where applicable
  • Use 'Buna dimineata' (Good Morning), 'Buna ziua', or 'Buna seara'
  • Say 'La revedere' or 'Pa' when parting

Good to know

  • 'Salut' or 'Buna' is an informal greeting for any time of day
  • Hugs are possible between close friends in informal situations

What are dining customs like in Romania?

Continental-style eating is used, and lunch is the main meal, typically including soup, meat, potatoes, bread, and vegetables with wine or beer. Toasting is common at both formal and informal meals.

Do

  • Keep both hands above the table during a meal
  • Wait for the hostess to indicate when the meal begins and ends
  • Take part in toasting at lunches and dinners

Don’t

  • Don't keep your elbows on the table

Good to know

  • Try specialties like mititei (grilled meatballs), patricieni (grilled sausage), and mamaliga (cornmeal mush)
  • Pastries are popular for dessert
  • The head of the family usually sits at the head of the table

What etiquette should I know when visiting Romanians?

Guests are usually offered tea, coffee, or wine, and it's polite to bring a small gift when invited to dinner.

Do

  • Bring an odd number of flowers or an inexpensive gift when invited to dinner
  • Keep a decent space during conversation
  • Maintain eye contact
  • Cover your mouth when yawning

Good to know

  • Say 'Noroc' (Bless you) or 'sanatate' (Good health) when someone sneezes
  • On public transportation, men generally offer their seats to women
  • Gentlemen remove their hats before entering buildings, except stores

How should I dress in Romania?

People generally dress conservatively in public, with conservative business suits appropriate for men. Younger people follow more relaxed trends.

Good to know

  • The elderly are more likely to wear dark-colored clothes
  • Traditional clothes with silver or gold detailing are usually seen only in museums or villages during holidays

What is family life like in Romania?

The father maintains a dominant role, and while most women work outside the home, they remain responsible for the home and children. Grandparents often live with the family.

Good to know

  • Many families, urban and rural, lack proper housing and modern conveniences

What do people do for recreation in Romania?

Sports start early with gymnastics, volleyball, handball, and skating, while open-air activities and water sports are also popular.

Good to know

  • Hiking, cycling, and cave exploring are common pastimes
  • Windsurfing, water skiing, and scuba diving are enjoyed at the Black Sea tourist area
  • Rivers and lakes attract canoeists

Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Sources: CountryReports

Photos of Romania

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Travel and Tourism

Travel Alert Status
Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
Currency
lei (RON)
Time Difference
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
Romania has a continental climate, particularly in the Old Kingdom (east and south of the Carpathians). A long, and occasionally harsh, winter (December-March), a hot summer (May-August), and a prolonged autumn (September-November) are the principal seasons. The average daily minimum temperature for Bucharest (February) is 28.6ºF, and the average daily maximum (August) is 95ºF. Rainfall, heaviest from April through July, averages 5 inches in June.
Airports
62
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Recipes

Featured Dish

Transylvanian Cabbage Rolls

Main Dish

Browse all 22 recipes

History

Historical Eras

  1. Dacian & Roman Era

    700 BCE – 271

    The Dacians, a Thracian people, established a powerful kingdom in the Carpathian-Danubian region before Roman Emperor Trajan conquered Dacia in 106 AD, transforming it into a Roman province. Over roughly 165 years of Roman rule, the indigenous population intermarried with colonists and adopted Latin language and culture, forming the ethnolinguistic foundation of the Romanian people. Roman legions withdrew under Emperor Aurelian in 271, leaving behind a Romanized population amid encroaching barbarian migrations.

  2. Medieval Principalities

    271 – 1859

    Following Rome's withdrawal, successive waves of Goths, Huns, Avars, and Mongols swept through the territory before Romanians established the principalities of Wallachia (c. 1310) and Moldavia (c. 1352). Leaders such as Mircea the Elder, Stephen the Great, and Vlad III ("the Impaler") defended these principalities against Ottoman expansion, though by the sixteenth century both had fallen under Ottoman suzerainty. Transylvania, meanwhile, remained a semi-autonomous principality under Hungarian and later Habsburg dominion, home to a repressed Romanian majority.

  3. United Principalities

    1859 – 1881

    Following the Crimean War, the Congress of Paris (1856) ended direct Russian protection over Wallachia and Moldavia, creating conditions for national unification. In 1859, both principalities elected Alexandru Ioan Cuza as their common prince, effectively merging into a single state under the name Romania. Cuza enacted sweeping reforms including land redistribution and secularization of monastic estates before being forced to abdicate in 1866; his successor, Prince Carol I of the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen dynasty, steered Romania to full independence, recognized internationally in 1878, and proclaimed a kingdom in 1881.

  4. Kingdom of Romania

    1881 – 1947

    The Romanian Kingdom expanded dramatically after World War I, in which Romania joined the Allies in 1916 and gained Transylvania, Bessarabia, and Bukovina through the 1918 treaties, creating "Greater Romania." The interwar period brought parliamentary instability, rising fascist movements, and King Carol II's royal dictatorship of 1938. Romania entered World War II aligned with the Axis in 1941, suffered catastrophic losses at Stalingrad, and in August 1944 King Michael led a coup that switched the country to the Allied side, only for Soviet occupation to rapidly extinguish the monarchy by 1947.

  5. Communist Romania

    1947 – 1989

    The Romanian People's Republic, proclaimed in 1948 under Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, imposed a Soviet-style constitution and collectivized agriculture while ruthlessly suppressing political opposition. Nicolae Ceaușescu succeeded in 1965 and, while cultivating an independent foreign policy that earned brief Western favour, built a suffocating cult of personality and deployed the Securitate secret police to enforce ideological conformity. Economic austerity programs in the 1980s, driven by Ceaușescu's obsession with repaying foreign debt, produced severe food and energy shortages that fueled mounting popular resentment.

  6. Post-Communist Romania

    1989 – present

    The December 1989 revolution overthrew and executed Ceaușescu, though former communists under Ion Iliescu dominated politics through the early 1990s amid violent suppression of protesters. A centrist coalition swept to power in 1996, accelerating democratic consolidation and market reforms. Romania joined NATO in 2004 and acceded to the European Union in 2007, cementing its integration into Western institutions while continuing to address challenges of corruption, judicial independence, and economic modernization.

Overview

Alexandru Ioan Cuza, prince of the United Principalities of

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Timeline of Key Events

  1. 15 BCE

    The Romans extend their empire to include Dacia which was re-named as Romania

    The Romans had begun to extend their empire to include Dacia which was re-named as Romania.

  2. 103

    The Roman provinces of Moesia Superior and Dacia were connected by a bridge

    The Roman provinces of Moesia Superior and Dacia were connected by a bridge over the Danube for Emperor Trajan.

  3. 395 – 1453

    The Byzantine Empire

    The Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire was the eastern section of the Roman Empire, with its capital at Constantinople. The Byzantine Empire was called the Roman Empire or, in later centuries, Romania. Romania was made up of a number of small states, including Transylvania, Wallachia & Moldavia, each with an independent ruler.

  4. 1451

    Vlad Dracula the Impaler becomes Prince of Wallachia.

    Vlad Dracula the Impaler becomes Prince of Wallachia.

  5. 1859

    The modern Romania was born when the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia merged.

    The modern Romania was born when the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia merged.

  6. 1878

    Russia and the Ottomans signed the treaty of San Stefano.

    Russia and the Ottomans signed the treaty of San Stefano, granting independence to Serbia. With the Treaty of San Stefano (and subsequent negotiations in Berlin) in the wake of the last Russo-Turkish War, the Ottoman Empire lost its possession of numerous territories including Bulgaria, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia.

  7. 1895

    Romanians in Constantinople were massacred.

    Romanians in Constantinople were massacred.

View full timeline (21 events)
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Interesting Facts

  • The Danube River travels 2850 km through eight countries, drains the whole of Romania except the Black Sea coast, and completes its course in Romania's Danube Delta.

  • The legendary Dracula, Prince Vlad Tepes, lived in Bran Castle in the Transylvania region of Romania.

  • The largest Gypsy community in the world, an estimated two million people, lives in Romania. They are the country's largest ethnic minority and are called Romany.

  • The Ploiesti oil fields north of Bucharest have been pumping out oil for over a century.

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Geography and Environment

The Republic of Romania is the 12th largest country in Europe. It occupies the greater part of the lower basin of the Danube River system and the hilly eastern regions of the middle Danube Basin. Its 91,700 square miles make it similar in size to the United Kingdom and the State of Oregon.
Terrain
central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps
Climate
Romania has a continental climate, particularly in the Old Kingdom (east and south of the Carpathians). A long, and occasionally harsh, winter (December-March), a hot summer (May-August), and a prolonged autumn (September-November) are the principal seasons. The average daily minimum temperature for Bucharest (February) is 28.6ºF, and the average daily maximum (August) is 95ºF. Rainfall, heaviest from April through July, averages 5 inches in June.
Natural Hazards
earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides
Current Environmental Issues
soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands
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People & Demographics

Religion

Languages Spoken

Romanian (official), Hungarian, German

  • Romanian
  • Hungarian
  • German

Population

Population
19,051,562
Population in Major Urban Areas
BUCHAREST (capital) 1.937 million
Nationality Noun
Romanian(s)
Ethnic Groups
Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4%
Language Note
The Germans and Hungarians speak their native ethnic tongues. The Roma speak Romany.

Education

Literacy Definition
age 15 and over can read and write

In a typical classroom there are desks for every one or two persons, a blackboard, the teacher's desk and some paintings on the walls. There are laboratories equipped with PCs or audiovisuals for the courses that require such stuff. However some schools in the rural areas lack central heating in winter (they still use fire as a heat source) and the bathrooms are impractical. The most serious problem they face in schools is the lack of personal as the pay is extremely low and no one wants to become a teacher any more. For books there are libraries in the school which every child has access to.

Pre-school education is organized in groups for children aged 3-7 (lower, middle, upper, and preparatory groups) in kindergartens with standard, extended, or weekly programs. Primary education (compulsory) includes grades 1-4 and is organized in schools as full-time education.

Lower secondary education (gymnasiums), including grades 5- 9, is compulsory and involves taking a “capacity examination”; pupils who pass this examination get a “certificate of capacity.”

Higher secondary education (high school education) includes grades 10-12, 13 – full-time education and grades 9/10-13 – part-time education and evening classes.

High school education has the following branches: 1. Theoretical; 2. Technology; 3. Vocational. Enrollment is made on the basis of the results in the capacity exam. High school studies end up with a “baccalaureate examination”. After passing this examination, the graduates get the “baccalaureate diploma”.

Vocational education (1-2/3 years), is organized as full-time education or as evening classes in “vocational schools” and apprentice schools with a duration of 2-3 years and 1-3 years respectively. Lower secondary education graduates whether they are “capacity certificate” holders or not, can enroll in the “vocational schools’ and in the apprentice schools. Admission is granted on the basis of practical tests, specific to the selected profession. The courses of “vocational” and 12 apprentice schools end up with a ‘graduation exam” followed by the obtaining of a “graduation diploma” (occupational proficiency certificate)

Health Information

Life Expectancy at Birth
Life expectancy at birth in Romania stands at approximately 75 years overall, with women living notably longer than men — women averaging around 79 years compared to approximately 71 years for men. This gender gap of roughly eight years is among the more pronounced in the European Union and reflects differences in lifestyle factors, occupational hazards, and healthcare-seeking behavior between Romanian men and women. Romania's life expectancy figures fall below the EU average, which hovers near 81 years, placing the country among the lower-ranking member states in this metric. This gap has persisted for decades and is closely tied to several structural and behavioral factors. High rates of cardiovascular disease remain the leading cause of premature death in Romania, accounting for a significant portion of mortality across all age groups. Stroke and ischemic heart disease are particularly prevalent, influenced by diet, smoking rates, physical inactivity, and limited preventive healthcare access in rural regions. The Romanian healthcare system, while publicly funded, faces ongoing challenges including underfunding, a shortage of medical professionals, and uneven distribution of services between urban centers and rural communities. Many Romanians — particularly in villages and smaller towns — have limited access to specialist care, diagnostic screening, and preventive health programs, all of which contribute to lower life outcomes compared to Western European neighbors. Romania has made measurable progress over recent decades. In the early 1990s, life expectancy at birth hovered near 69–70 years, meaning the country has added several years to its average lifespan over the past thirty years. This improvement reflects advances in neonatal care, reduced infant mortality, and gradually improving living standards following the country's transition from communism and its accession to the European Union in 2007. Despite these gains, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a notable temporary decline in life expectancy between 2020 and 2021, a trend observed across much of Europe but felt more sharply in Romania due to lower vaccination rates and strained hospital capacity. Recovery has been gradual, and the country continues working toward closing the gap with broader EU health benchmarks.

Life Expectancy

Life Expectancy at Birth
Life expectancy at birth in Romania stands at approximately 75 years overall, with women living notably longer than men — women averaging around 79 years compared to approximately 71 years for men. This gender gap of roughly eight years is among the more pronounced in the European Union and reflects differences in lifestyle factors, occupational hazards, and healthcare-seeking behavior between Romanian men and women. Romania's life expectancy figures fall below the EU average, which hovers near 81 years, placing the country among the lower-ranking member states in this metric. This gap has persisted for decades and is closely tied to several structural and behavioral factors. High rates of cardiovascular disease remain the leading cause of premature death in Romania, accounting for a significant portion of mortality across all age groups. Stroke and ischemic heart disease are particularly prevalent, influenced by diet, smoking rates, physical inactivity, and limited preventive healthcare access in rural regions. The Romanian healthcare system, while publicly funded, faces ongoing challenges including underfunding, a shortage of medical professionals, and uneven distribution of services between urban centers and rural communities. Many Romanians — particularly in villages and smaller towns — have limited access to specialist care, diagnostic screening, and preventive health programs, all of which contribute to lower life outcomes compared to Western European neighbors. Romania has made measurable progress over recent decades. In the early 1990s, life expectancy at birth hovered near 69–70 years, meaning the country has added several years to its average lifespan over the past thirty years. This improvement reflects advances in neonatal care, reduced infant mortality, and gradually improving living standards following the country's transition from communism and its accession to the European Union in 2007. Despite these gains, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a notable temporary decline in life expectancy between 2020 and 2021, a trend observed across much of Europe but felt more sharply in Romania due to lower vaccination rates and strained hospital capacity. Recovery has been gradual, and the country continues working toward closing the gap with broader EU health benchmarks.
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Government & Politics

Country Identity

Country Name
Romania
Local - Short
Romania

Government Structure

Government Type
republic
Legal System
former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic
Executive Branch
chief of state: President Klaus IOHANNIS (since 21 December 2014; reelected 24 November 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Marcel CIOLACU (since 15 June 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and confirmed by Parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of Parliament election results: In the November 2019 presidential runoff, Klaus IOHANNIS won reelection with approximately 66.1% of the vote, defeating challenger Viorica DANCILA who received approximately 33.9%
Legislative Branch
Bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (136 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera Deputatilor (330 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) Elections: Senate - last held on 1 December 2024 (next expected to be held in December 2028); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 1 December 2024 (next expected to be held in December 2028) Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - AUR 17.9%, PSD 16.4%, POT 14.4%, PNL 13.3%, USR 11.9%, UDMR 5.8%, other 20.3%; seats by party - AUR 31, PSD 24, POT 21, PNL 20, USR 16, UDMR 8, other 16; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - AUR 18.4%, PSD 15.8%, POT 14.2%, PNL 13%, USR 12.2%, UDMR 5.8%, other 20.6%; seats by party - AUR 65, PSD 54, POT 46, PNL 47, USR 40, UDMR 22, ethnic minorities and other 56
Judicial Branch
Supreme Court of Justice (comprised of 11 judges appointed for three-year terms by the president in consultation with the Superior Council of Magistrates, which is comprised of the minister of justice, the prosecutor general, two civil society representatives appointed by the Senate, and 14 judges and prosecutors elected by their peers); a separate body, the Constitutional Court, validates elections and makes decisions regarding the constitutionality of laws, treaties, ordinances, and internal rules of the Parliament; it is comprised of nine members serving nine-year terms, with three members each appointed by the president, the Senate, and the Chamber of Deputies
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Constitution
8-Dec-91
Independence
9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from Turkey; independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin; kingdom proclaimed 26 March 1881; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)
National Holiday
Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918)

Capital City

Capital Name
Bucharest
Capital - geographic coordinate
44 26 N, 26 06 E
Capital Time Difference
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

related to the Romanian word "bucura" that is believed to be of Dacian origin and whose meaning is "to be glad (happy)"; Bucharest's meaning is thus akin to "city of joy"

Military

Branches: Land Forces, Naval Forces (Fortele Naval, FN), Romanian Air Force (Fortele Aeriene Romane, FAR)

Embassy / Diplomatic Mission

U.S. Embassy Bucharest

B-dul Dr. Liviu Librescu Nr. 4-6

Sector 1, Bucharest

015118 Romania

Telephone: (40) 21 200-3300 and/or (40) 21 270-6000

Emergency after-hours telephone: (40) 21 200-3433

Fax: (40) 21 200-3578

Email: ACSBucharest@state.gov

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Economy

Romania transitioned from communism in 1989 with an obsolete industrial base and an output structure poorly suited to the country's needs.

Snapshot

Currency Name and Code
Leu (RON)
GDP — official exchange rate
$72,700,000,000 (USD)
GDP Real Growth Rate
7.1%
Gini Index
28.8
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News & Weather

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Climate Overview

Romania has a continental climate, particularly in the Old Kingdom (east and south of the Carpathians). A long, and occasionally harsh, winter (December-March), a hot summer (May-August), and a prolonged autumn (September-November) are the principal seasons. The average daily minimum temperature for Bucharest (February) is 28.6ºF, and the average daily maximum (August) is 95ºF. Rainfall, heaviest from April through July, averages 5 inches in June.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Romania?
The population of Romania is approximately 19.1M.
How do people greet each other in Romania?
Adults commonly greet with a handshake, and using a person's title before the surname is the most polite form of address. First-name greetings are usually reserved for close friends and relatives. Do: Wait for a woman to extend her hand first if you are a man Use a title before the surname where applicable Use 'Buna dimineata' (Good Morning), 'Buna ziua', or 'Buna seara' Say 'La revedere' or 'Pa' when parting 'Salut' or 'Buna' is an informal greeting for any time of day Hugs are possible between close friends in informal situations
What are dining customs like in Romania?
Continental-style eating is used, and lunch is the main meal, typically including soup, meat, potatoes, bread, and vegetables with wine or beer. Toasting is common at both formal and informal meals. Do: Keep both hands above the table during a meal Wait for the hostess to indicate when the meal begins and ends Take part in toasting at lunches and dinners Don't: Don't keep your elbows on the table Try specialties like mititei (grilled meatballs), patricieni (grilled sausage), and mamaliga (cornmeal mush) Pastries are popular for dessert The head of the family usually sits at the head of the table
What etiquette should I know when visiting Romanians?
Guests are usually offered tea, coffee, or wine, and it's polite to bring a small gift when invited to dinner. Do: Bring an odd number of flowers or an inexpensive gift when invited to dinner Keep a decent space during conversation Maintain eye contact Cover your mouth when yawning Say 'Noroc' (Bless you) or 'sanatate' (Good health) when someone sneezes On public transportation, men generally offer their seats to women Gentlemen remove their hats before entering buildings, except stores
How should I dress in Romania?
People generally dress conservatively in public, with conservative business suits appropriate for men. Younger people follow more relaxed trends. The elderly are more likely to wear dark-colored clothes Traditional clothes with silver or gold detailing are usually seen only in museums or villages during holidays
What is family life like in Romania?
The father maintains a dominant role, and while most women work outside the home, they remain responsible for the home and children. Grandparents often live with the family. Many families, urban and rural, lack proper housing and modern conveniences
What do people do for recreation in Romania?
Sports start early with gymnastics, volleyball, handball, and skating, while open-air activities and water sports are also popular. Hiking, cycling, and cave exploring are common pastimes Windsurfing, water skiing, and scuba diving are enjoyed at the Black Sea tourist area Rivers and lakes attract canoeists
What is the capital of Romania?
Bucharest is the capital and largest city of Romania, serving as the country's political, economic, and cultural hub. Located in the southern part of the country on the Dâmbovița River, it developed as a major regional center under Ottoman suzerainty and grew significantly after Romanian unification in 1859. Today Bucharest is home to the government, major universities, and the Palace of the Parliament, one of the largest administrative buildings in the world, constructed during the Ceaușescu era.
Where is Romania located?
Romania is located in southeastern Europe, occupying a strategically significant position at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Balkan Europe. It lies on the northern side of the Balkan Peninsula and has a coastline along the Black Sea to the east. The country was formed from the historic principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, which united in 1859, and it gained full independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1878.
What countries border Romania?
Romania shares land borders with five countries: Ukraine to the north and northeast, Moldova to the northeast, Bulgaria to the south, Serbia to the southwest, and Hungary to the northwest. The Danube River forms much of the southern border with Bulgaria before emptying into the Black Sea through Romania's expansive Danube Delta, one of Europe's largest and best-preserved river deltas, draining the vast majority of the country's river system.
What is the main religion practiced in Romania?
Eastern Orthodox Christianity is by far the dominant religion in Romania, practiced by approximately 87% of the population. Protestant denominations account for roughly 6.8% of believers, while Roman Catholics make up around 5%. The Romanian Orthodox Church holds considerable cultural and social influence, and religious traditions are deeply woven into national identity, folk customs, and major calendar celebrations such as Easter, which is observed with particular solemnity and ceremony.
What is the currency of Romania?
The official currency of Romania is the Leu, with the ISO code RON. The leu, meaning "lion" in Romanian, has been the national currency in various forms since the nineteenth century. Romania is a member of the European Union, having joined in 2007, but has not yet adopted the euro and continues to conduct everyday transactions in lei. The National Bank of Romania manages monetary policy and currency issuance.
What language is spoken in Romania?
Romanian is the official and most widely spoken language, a Romance language descended from Latin that is closely related to Italian, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Hungarian is spoken by a significant minority, particularly in the Transylvania region, and German maintains a presence among historical Saxon and Swabian communities, though their numbers have declined sharply since the late twentieth century. Romania is home to an estimated two million Romany-speaking people, representing the largest Roma community in the world.
What is Romania known for?
Romania is known for several distinct cultural and historical landmarks. Bran Castle in Transylvania draws visitors worldwide as the legendary home of Prince Vlad Țepeș, the historical figure behind the Dracula myth. The Danube Delta, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, is celebrated for extraordinary biodiversity and wildlife. Romania is also recognized for its painted medieval monasteries in Bucovina, its tradition of hand-woven textiles and folk ceramics, and its production of țuică, a potent plum brandy that remains a staple of rural hospitality.
What is the geography of Romania like?
Romania's terrain is strikingly varied, combining three distinct geographic zones in roughly equal measure: the Carpathian Mountains arc through the center of the country, enclosing the Transylvanian plateau; fertile plains spread across the south (Wallachia) and west; and the Moldavian plateau occupies the northeast. The Danube River, which travels approximately 2,850 km through eight countries, drains nearly the entire Romanian landmass before completing its course in the Danube Delta on the Black Sea coast, forming one of Europe's most ecologically significant wetland systems.

Last reviewed 2026

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