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Romania

Romania

Capital:Bucharest
Population:22.2M
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

About the People

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.

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

Greetings, Gestures & Visiting

Greetings on a first-name basis are usually made only between close friends and relatives. However, adults normally address young people by their first names. Where applicable, using a person's title before the surname is most polite. Adults commonly greet each other with a handshake, but a man usually waits for a woman to extend her hand first.

Diet

Romanian food is characterized by distinctive ethnic specialties including mititei (grilled meatballs), patricieni (grilled sausage), and mamaliga (cornmeal mush served like mashed potatoes). Breakfast usually consists of eggs, cheese, rolls or other breads, and coffee. Lunch is the main meal of the day and generally consists of soup, meat, potatoes, bread, and vegetables. Wine or beer is usually served as the drink. Pastries are popular for dessert.

Transporation in Romania

Family

The father maintains a dominant role in the family. Most women work outside the home, but they remain responsible for the upkeep of the home and the children. Grandparents often live with the family. Many families, urban and rural, lack proper housing and most go without modern conveniences.

Dating Customs

Couples in rural areas marry relatively early and follow local and ethnic customs regarding courtship and marriage. In the past, most students in the cities waited until completion of university or other graduate training before getting married. More recently, however, students have begun to marry in their last year of education because getting housing and a job in a city is easier if a person is married.

Recreation

Children start playing sports early, usually gymnastics, volleyball, handball, and skating, depending on their school.

Student Life

Usually, before going to school, a typical Romanian child would take care of their hygiene and eat breakfast. In the rural area, some of the children might feed the livestock. Some kids choose not to eat breakfast before school, if they choose to eat breakfast, it is usually some eggs, milk or tea, cheese, ham or bread and butter.

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

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

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

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.

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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
22,171,287
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)

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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 (137 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 (332 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 28 November 2004 (next expected to be held in November 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 28 November 2004 (next expected to be held November 2008) election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR 37.1%, PNL-PD 31.8%, PRM 13.6%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 44, PNL 30, PD 20, PRM 20, PC 11, UDMR 10, independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR 36.8%, PNL-PD 31.5%, PRM 13%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 111, PNL 66, PD 45, PRM 34, ex-PRM (Ciontu Group) 12, UDMR 22, PC 20, PIN (GUSA Group) 3, independent 1, 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
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. Following a difficult decade of reform, Romania joined NATO in 2004 and the European Union in 2007, milestones that accelerated its economic modernization. The country has since become one of the EU's faster-growing economies, with GDP expanding at an average annual rate of around 4% in the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic. After contracting in 2020, the economy rebounded strongly before slowing again amid high inflation and the regional impact of Russia's war in Ukraine.

Today, Romania has an upper-middle-income, mixed economy with a GDP of roughly $350 billion, ranking it among the larger economies in Central and Eastern Europe. Services account for the largest share of output, followed by industry — particularly automotive manufacturing, machinery, and IT — and a still-significant agricultural sector. Romania has emerged as a regional hub for information technology and software development, while its energy sector benefits from substantial domestic oil, natural gas, and renewable resources.

Despite considerable progress, structural challenges persist. Romania continues to register one of the highest poverty and social exclusion rates in the EU, and significant disparities remain between urban centers such as Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and Timi?oara and the country's rural regions. Corruption, bureaucratic inefficiency, an aging workforce, and labor shortages driven by emigration remain obstacles to sustained growth and foreign investment. The government continues to pursue EU-backed reforms, including absorption of funds under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, aimed at modernizing infrastructure, digitalization, and the green transition.

Snapshot

Currency Name and Code
Leu (RON)
GDP — official exchange rate
$72,700,000,000 (USD)
GDP Real Growth Rate
4.5%
Gini Index
28.8

Banknotes

Romania Money - Front
Romania Money - Front
Romania Money - Back
Romania Money - Back

Budget & Public Finance

Fiscal Year
calendar year
Annual Budget
$31,370,000,000 (USD)
Public Debt (% of GDP)
21.2%
External Debt
$29,470,000,000 (USD)
Investment (% of GDP)
23.5%
Current Account Balance
-$9,541,000,000 (USD)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange
$2,147,483,647 (USD)

Labor, Industry & Trade

Labor Force by Occupation
agriculture 41.4%; industry 27.3%; services 31.3%
Household Income — highest 10%
27.6%
Industries
textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining
Agriculture Products
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; eggs, sheep
Export Commodities
textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products
Export Partners
Italy 25.2%, Germany 15.6%, France 7.6%, UK 5.8%, US 4.3%, Turkey 4.1%
Import Commodities
machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile and products, basic metals, agricultural products
Import Partners
Italy 20.8%, Germany 14.9%, Russia 7.2%, France 6.4%

Energy

Oil Production
119,000 bbl/day
Oil Consumption
235,000 bbl/day
Oil Reserves
1,055,000,000 bbl/day
Natural Gas Production
12,300,000,000 cu m
Natural Gas Consumption
18,000,000,000 cu m
Natural Gas Imports
5,400,000,000 cu m
Natural Gas Exports
0 cu m
Natural Gas Reserves
100,700,000,000 cu m

Communications

Telephone System
general assessment: the telecommunications sector is being expanded and modernized; domestic and international service improving rapidly, especially mobile-cellular services domestic: more than 90 percent of telephone network is automatic; fixed-line teledensity exceeds 20 telephones per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 110 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 40; the Black Sea Fiber Optic System provides connectivity to Bulgaria and Turkey; satellite earth stations - 10; digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest
Internet Country Code
.ro

News & Weather

Current 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.

Videos

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Romania?
The population of Romania is approximately 22.2M.
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