ROMANIA

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT: Transylvania, an extensive elevated plateau region that reaches a maximum height of about 600 m, occupies most of central and northwestern Romania. Transylvania is divided by wide valleys and rivers and is fringed by the Carpathian Mountains. This mountain chain rises in a wide arc that reaches from northeastern Romania to the southwest, and it has several divisions. The Eastern Carpathians extend from the northern border to the center of the country and contain the forested region of Bukovina; the Southern Carpathians, also known as the Transylvanian Alps, stretch westward from the Eastern Carpathian range; and the Western Carpathians traverse the western portion of Romania. The Southern Carpathians contain the country’s highest peak, Moldoveanu, which rises to an elevation of 2,543 m. Powerful earthquakes centered in the Carpathians are not uncommon. In 1977 an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter scale inflicted serious damage on Bucharest and claimed more than 1,500 lives. The areas stretching outward from Romania’s mountainous interior contain hills and tablelands full of orchards and vineyards, and flat lowlands where cereal and vegetable farming takes place. The Tisza Plain dominates western Romania and borders both Hungary and Serbia; the section of the plain that borders Serbia is generally known as the region of Banat, while the section that borders Hungary is commonly referred to as Crişana-Maramureş. To the east of central Romania, stretching from the Carpathians to the Prut River along the Moldovan border, lies the region of Moldavia. Southern Romania contains the region of Walachia, which stretches from the southernmost mountains to the Danube and contains the city of Bucharest. The small region of Dobruja, located in the extreme southeast between the Danube River and the Black Sea, is home to fertile croplands and coastal tourist resorts. The most important river of Romania is the Danube. Its lower course forms a delta that covers much of northeastern Dobruja. All of Romania’s major rivers are part of the Danube system. These include the Mureş, the Someş, the Olt, the Prut, and the Siret. Romania has many small, freshwater mountain lakes, but the largest lakes are saline lagoons on the coast of the Black Sea; the largest of these is Lake Razelm. The principal resources of Romania are agricultural. About 43 percent of land in Romania is cultivated for crops or used for orchards, and the soils in most parts of the country are fertile. In Banat, Walachia, and Moldavia, soils consist mainly of chernozem, or black earth, highly suited for growing grain. Soils in Transylvania are generally less fertile. Romania also holds a wealth of mineral deposits, particularly petroleum, natural gas, salt, hard coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, bauxite, chromium, manganese, lead, and zinc. The nation’s thick forests are another important natural resource.
AGRICULTURE: Agriculture remains an important part of Romania’s economy, occupying approximately 40 percent of the Romanian work force. Field crops or orchards cover 43 percent of land in Romania. Romania’s principal crops include cereal grains, such as corn, wheat, barley, and rye; potatoes; grapes; and sugar beets. Cattle, pigs, sheep, horses, and poultry are the most important types of livestock. Wine production plays a significant role in Romanian agriculture. In the mid-1980s more than 80 percent of farms in Romania were either owned by the state or organized as collectives. In collective farms, workers received wages, farm products, and a portion of the farm’s profits. Because of the communist government’s emphasis on industrial development, agricultural improvements and investments were neglected and the agricultural sector grew notoriously inefficient; food shortages developed in the 1980s. After the communist regime was overthrown, Romania’s new government began the process of dissolving collective farms and distributing land to individual farm workers. Although state farms were not broken up, farm workers whose land had been incorporated into state farms were compensated. Today, most of Romania’s farmland has been returned to private hands.
ENERGY: Thermal power plants fueled by petroleum, natural gas, and coal supply 60 percent of Romania’s electricity, while most of the rest comes from hydroelectric facilities . The country has two major hydroelectric plants, operated jointly with Serbia at the Iron Gate gorge on the Danube. A nuclear power plant opened in 1996 at Cernavodă.
TOURISM: Romania’s tourism industry has expanded significantly since the end of the communist period, although there is considerable room for further growth. Popular attractions include skiing and hiking in the Carpathian Mountains; the Danube delta region, which draws fishing enthusiasts and birdwatchers from around the world; the medieval castles of Transylvania and the painted monasteries of Bukovina; and the seaside resorts and beaches of the Black Sea. During the early part of the communist period, Romania’s foreign trade was conducted almost exclusively with the Soviet Union and other communist countries. However, in the 1960s trade restrictions were eased somewhat and Romania began expanding its contacts with Western nations. In 2004 exports totaled $23.5 billion and imports totaled $32.7 billion. Principal exports include metals and metal products, mineral products, textiles, and electrical machines and equipment. Imports include minerals, machinery and equipment, textiles, and agriculture goods. Leading purchasers of Romania’s exports are Germany, Italy, France, Turkey, The Netherlands, and China. Chief sources for imports are Germany, Italy, Russia, France, the United States, and Egypt.