This country of 22,687,000 people("Map Machine) covers an area of 92,043 square miles("Romania General"), 55% of which is urban(Blij A-1). The capital city of Bucharest is the largest city in Romania with a population of 2,080,363("Romania General"). Other "major cities include Cluj-Napoca, Timi oara, and Ia i"("Romania" Concise). Although the official language is Romanian, some citizens speak Hungarian and German("Romania General"). When it comes to religion, 83% of the Romanian people are Romanian Orthodox("Map Machine" "Romanian General"). The last 17% is composed of "Roman Catholics, Reformed/Lutheran, Unitarian, Muslim, and Jewish"("Romania General").

Romania’s economy is 65% industrial("Romania" Concise). "Leading manufacturers include iron and steel, machinery, transport vehicle, and chemicals"("Romania" Concise). Romania is also a "major producer of petroleum and natural gas"("Romania" Concise). The average income of a normal Romanian family is $1,120.00 per year("Map Machine").

Romania is bordered to the north and east by Moldova and the Ukraine, the southeast by the Black Sea, the south by Bulgaria, the southwest by Yugoslavia, and in the west by Hungary("Romania General" "Romania" Concise "Romania" American Heritage).

The Carpathian Mountains, which include the Transylvanian Alps, cut through Romania from the north to the southwest("Romania" Concise). The major rivers of Romania are "the Danube, and its tributary, the Prut"("Romania" Concise).

Romania is divided into four major geographic regions. The first is Transylvania. This region consists mainly "a belt of Alpine massifs and forests"("Romania General"). This region of Romania is also home to the infamous legend of Dracula. The second region is called Moldavia. Moldavia is divided down the middle by the Carpathian Mountain range. Transylvania and Moldavia, when put together, "compose the northern half of the country"("Romania General"). The third region of Romania is the Danube plain of Walachia("Romania General"). The Danube Plain contains Romania’s capital city, Bucharest, in this region. The region’s border is "defined by the winding course of the Danube"("Romania General"). The last of the four regions of Romania is called the Danube Delta. In this region is the Black Sea port city of Constanta, which is the only major port city in Romania("Romania General").

The climate of Romania is normal, considering the area in which is located. In the highlands of Romania, the winters are very cold, and they receive about 30 inches of precipitation in a single year(Blij 15,17). In the lower elevations, the winters are still very cold, but the summers are also very cool. The lower areas receive from 20 to 40 inches of precipitation in a year, depending on the area of Romania one is in(Blij 15,17).

History

The Romania people are decedents of the Dacians, "one of the Romanized Thoracian tribes that inhabited the Balkan Peninsula during the first millennium BC"("Romania General"). After going through many invasions and conflicts, Romania became an independent country in 1881("Romania General"). This newly independent country began its government the old-fashioned way: with a monarchy("Romania" General).

During World War II, Romania joined on the side of the Axis powers. After suffering military defeats, the communists overthrew "the regime in 1944"("Romania General"), and replaced it with a "coalition government of communists . . . "("Romania General"). Once in power, the communist quickly began to influence the government. In 1947, the monarchy was disposed of and the communist declared Romania the "Romanian People’s Republic"("Romania General"). In 1965, Nicolae Ceausescu took the position of First Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party, and retained power until the "dramatic, bloody, and unpredicted revolution during Christmas of 1989"("Romania General"). During this revolution "government security police killed demonstrators in TimiŸoara, and Bucharest"("Map Machine"), which led to the escalating of the already ferocious anti government revolution. Finally, in late 1989, Ceausescu’s own army turned against him("Romania" Concise) and he fled. Romanians eventually captured Ceausescu and his wife, quickly tried, and executed. In May of 1990, after the execution of Ceausescu, Ion Iliescu, representing the National Salvation Front, won a national election with 85% of the vote("Romania" Concise). During his term, Iliescu began Romania’s type of legislature that is still at work today.

In 1994, Petre Roman was elected Prime Minister of Romania("Romania General"). Under his leadership, Roman began programs not only to help stabilize the economy, but also to help Romania’s image abroad("Romania General"). Many times during his term, civil unrest broke out between those who supported the new government, and those who still had communist tendencies("Romania General").

The rule of Ceausescu left Romania in shambles. He failed to recognize state-run industries, and thereby creating an "economic crisis"("Romania" Concise).

It’s only natural to assume that if Romania was left in shambles economically, the social climate was left in shambles as well. During the communist period, much of the Romanian landscape was "swept away to make room for endless rows of apartment buildings"(Blij 104).

In the cities, tens of thousands of unwanted orphans languish with minimal care in institutions, products of Ceausescu’s repugnant population policies that required all women to bear five children. Once known as Eastern Europe’s most civilized society, its capital the Paris of the region, Romania today is the basket case of the Balkans(Blij 104).

Today, under the provisions of the constitution adopted in December 1991, Romania is a republic. Executive power is held by a government subordinate to the president("Romania General"). The legislation of Romania, which is called the National Assembly, is composed of two branches: the Assembly of Deputies, and the Senate("Romania General" "Romania" Concise). The Assembly of Deputies contains 387 seats, and the Senate contains 119 seats. The Deputies and Senators of Romania are elected every four years.