Romania Geography

What is the terrain and geography like in Romania?

Overview

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. Some consider Romania to be a "Latin Island," because it is bordered by two seas: one real, the Black Sea to which Romania owes its 150 miles of coastline and the other, the sea of non-Latin countries with which it shares its other borders.

The country is almost equally divided geographically into mountains, plains, hills, and plateaus. Apart from a stretch of tableland near the Black Sea coast, Romania's mountainous sector is part of the rugged Carpathian chain.

Geography - note

controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine

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.

Romania Use of Natural Resources

Romania Environment

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.

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

Natural Resources:

petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Natural Hazards:

earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides

Irrigated Land:

2,376 Square Miles
6,153 Square Kilometers

Environmental Issues:

soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands

Environment - International 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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Romania Geography

Geographic Location Europe
Total Area 92,043 Square Miles
238,391 Square Kilometers
Land Area 88,761 Square Miles
229,891 Square Kilometers
Water Area 3,282 Square Miles
8,500 Square Kilometers
Land Boundaries 1,558 Miles
2,508 Kilometers
Irrigated Land 2,376 Square Miles
6,153 Square Kilometers
Border Countries Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia and Montenegro 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km
Coastline 140 Miles
225 Kilometers
Geographic Coordinates 46 00 N, 25 00 E
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
Highest Point 2,544 Meters
Highest Point Location Moldoveanu 2,544 m
Lowest Point Location Black Sea 0 m
Natural Resources petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower
Time Zone UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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