What YFC is Doing
Romania YFC’s ministries to young people include clubs, “Team 3″, Music-Sport Evangelism; Project Serve and rallies like “Manafest.”
Prayer Needs
- Recruitment of staff and volunteers.
- Resources for operations and events.
- Guidance in developing and funding new programs.
About Romania
Romania
Introduction
The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted the new name of Romania. The country gained recognition of its independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and acquired new territories - most notably Transylvania - following the conflict. In 1940, Romania allied with the Axis powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a Communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the government until 1996 when they were swept from power. Romania joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.
Geography
Location
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine
Geographic Coordinates: 46 00 N, 25 00 E
Area
Total Area: 238,391 sq km Rank: 82
Land Area: 229,891 sq km
Water Area: 8,500 sq km
Comparison: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land Boundaries: 2,508 km
Bordering Countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km
Coastline: 225 km
Climate
temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
Terrain
central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Moldavian Plateau on the east by the Eastern Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps
Elevations
Lowest Point: Black Sea 0 m
Highest Point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m
Natural Resources
petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower
Land Use
Arable land: 39.49%
Permanent Crops: 1.92%
Other: 58.59% (2005)
Irrigated Land: 30,770 sq km (2003)
Renewable Water Resources: 42.3 cu km (2003)
Total Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): 6.5 cu km/yr (9%/34%/57%)
Freshwater Withdrawal Per Capita: 299 cu m/yr (2003)
Environment
Natural Hazards: earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides
Environmental Issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands
Environmental Agreements: Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
Geography Notes
controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine
People
Population: 22,215,421 (July 2010 est.) Rank: 51
Age Structure
0-14 years: 15.5% (male 1,772,583/female 1,681,539)
15-64 years: 69.7% (male 7,711,062/female 7,784,041)
65 years and over: 14.7% (male 1,332,120/female 1,934,076) (2010 est.)
Median Age: 36.9 years
Population Growth
Growth Rate: -0.147% (2010 est.) Rank: 215
Birth Rate: 10.53 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 185
Death Rate: 11.88 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Rank: 37
Net Migration Rate: -0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 92
Urbanization
Urban Population: 54% of total population (2008)
Rate of Urbanization: -0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Life and Death
Infant Mortality Rate: 22.9 deaths/1,000 live births Rank: 92
Life Expectancy at Birth: 72.45 years Rank: 119
Fertility Rate: 1.4 children born/woman (2010 est.) Rank: 198
Health and Disease
HIV/AIDS - Adult Prevalence Rate: less than 0.1% (2007 est.) Rank: 127
People living with HIV/AIDS: 15,000 (2007 est.) Rank: 87
HIV/AIDS Deaths: 350 (2001 est.) Rank: 102
Nationality and Culture
Noun: Romanian(s)
Adjective: Romanian
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% (2002 census)
Religion: 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)
Languages: Romanian 91% (official), Hungarian 6.7%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.1%, other 1.2%
Education
Literacy (Meaning, age 15 and over can read and write): 97.3% Male: 98.4% Female: 96.3% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): 14 years Male: 14 years Female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures: 3.5% of GDP (2005) Rank: 130
Government
Country Name
Conventional Long Form: none
Conventional Short Form: Romania
Local Long Form: none
Local Short Form: Romania
Government Type: republic
Capital: Bucharest Geographic Coordinates: 44 26 N, 26 06 E
Administrative divisions
41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti (Bucharest)*, Buzau, Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov, Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea
Independence: 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)
National holiday: Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918)
Constitution: 8 December 1991; revised 29 October 2003
Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive Branch
Chief of State: President Traian BASESCU (since 20 December 2004)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Emil BOC (since 22 December 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Marko BELA (since 23 December 2009)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 22 November 2009 with runoff on 6 December 2009 (next to be held in November-December 2014); prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the Parliament
Election Results: Traian BASESCU reelected president; percent of vote - Traian BASESCU 50.3%, Mircea GEOANA 49.7%
Legislative Branch
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (137 seats; members elected by popular vote in a mixed electoral system to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera Deputatilor (334 seats; members elected by popular vote in a mixed electoral system to serve four-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last held on 30 November 2008 (next expected to be held in November 2012); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 30 November 2008 (next expected to be held in November 2012)
Election Results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PC 34.2%, PD-L 33.6%, PNL 18.7%, UDMR 6.4%, other 7.1%; seats by alliance/party - PSD-PC 49, PD-L 51, PNL 28, UDMR 9; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PC 33.1%, PD-L 32.4%, PNL 18.6%, UDMR 6.2%, ethnic minorities 3.6%, other 6.1%; seats by alliance/party - PD-L 115, PSD-PC 114, PNL 65, UDMR 22, ethnic minorities 18
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
Politics
Political Parties and Leaders: Conservative Party or PC [Daniela POPA] (formerly Humanist Party or PUR); Democratic Liberal Party or PDL [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Crin ANTONESCU]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Mircea Dan GEOANA] (formerly Party of Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR)
Political pressure groups and leaders: various human rights and professional associations
International Organization Participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Flag Description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the three colors were used by various national revolutionary movements in the 19th century; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed
Note: now similar to the flag of Chad, whose blue band is darker; also resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova
Economy
Economy Overview: Romania, which joined the European Union on 1 January 2007, began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets. Domestic consumption and investment have fueled strong GDP growth in recent years, but have led to large current account imbalances. Romania's macroeconomic gains have only recently started to spur creation of a middle class and address Romania's widespread poverty. Corruption and red tape continue to handicap its business environment. Inflation rose in 2007-08, driven in part by strong consumer demand and high wage growth, rising energy costs, a nation-wide drought affecting food prices, and a relaxation of fiscal discipline, but fell in 2009 as a result of the world recession. Romania's GDP growth contracted markedly in the last quarter of 2008 as the country began to feel the effects of a global downturn in financial markets and trade, and GDP fell more than 7% in 2009, and unemployment nearly doubled. Romania hopes to adopt the euro by 2014.
Gross Domestic Product
GDP (purchasing power parity): $254.7 billion (2009 est.) Rank: 43
GDP - real growth rate: -7.1% (2009 est.) Rank: 201
GDP - per capita (PPP): $11,500 (2009 est.) Rank: 95
GDP - Composition by Sector: Agriculture: 12.4% Industry: 35% Services: 52.6% (2009 est.)
Labor Force
Labor Force: 9.33 million (2009 est.) Rank: 52
Labor force - by occupation: Agriculture: 29.7% Industry: 23.2% Services: 47.1% (2006)
Unemployment Rate: 7.8% (2009 est.) Rank: 80
Poverty
Population below poverty line: 25% (2005 est.)
$1.48 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
standard gauge:
10,731 km 1.435-m gauge (3,965 km electrified) (2008)
Transnational Issues
International Disputes: the ICJ gave Ukraine until December 2006 to reply, and Romania until June 2007 to issue a rejoinder, in their dispute submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary delimitation; Romania also opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea
