Info

Romania

Location
Climate
Romania after the revolution 1989
Social
Economy
Crime
Nightlife
Culture
Dracula s Mith
The Mountains
The Black Sea
Danube Delta
Fishing and hunting

Location.
Romania is a country located in South-East Central Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea. Almost all of the Danube Delta is located within its territory. It shares a border with Hungary and Serbia to the west, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova to the northeast, and Bulgaria to the south, bordering the Black Sea between Bulgaria and Ukraine.

Climate.
Romania has a temperate-continental climate of transitional type, specific to Central Europe, with four clearly defined seasons. Local differences are caused by altitude and by slight oceanic (to the west), mediterranean (to the south-west) and continental (to the east) influences.

Romania after the revolution 1989.
After the revolution from 1989, with the fall of communism, Romania started a series of political and economic reforms. While Romania s income level remains one of the lowest in the European Union, reforms have increased the growth speed. Romania is now an upper-middle income country economy.
In 2007, Sibiu, an imprtant city in Transylvania area from Romania, was chosen as a European Capital of Culture. Romania also joined NATO on March 29, 2004, and is also a member of the Latin Union, of the Francophonie and of OSCE. Romania joined European Union in January 1, 2007.

Social.
The only official language is romanian (latin language) but there are several other spoken languages by minorities like hungarian (mostly in Transylvania region), german (mostly in Transylvania region), ukrainian (mostly in Maramures county but also in Suceava and Timis counties), russian (in Tulcea county), turkish (in Dobrogea region). Other spoken languages by minorities are: serbian, slovak, bulgarian, croatian, greek, romani.
Most Romanians living in towns and cities are able to communicate in English, Italian, French, Spanish or German. In smaller villages only younger people and children speak one or more foreign languages.
Romania offers a rich tapestry of tourist attractions and vacation experiences unique in Central-Eastern Europe: medieval towns in Transylvania, the world-famous Painted Monasteries in Bucovina, traditional villages in Maramures, the magnificent architecture of Bucharest, the romantic Danube Delta, fairy-tale castles, the Black Sea resorts, the majestic Carpathian Mountains, spas and much more.
The Romanian s hospitality and open nature turn even a short holiday into an unforgettable experience of human warmth and friendship.
The main ingredients used by Romanian chefs are meats such as pork, beef and lamb, fish, vegetables, dairy products and fruit. A traditional drink enjoyed with appetizers is "tuica" (a potent plum brandy) which varies in strength, dryness and bouquet according to the production area.
Romania is one of the world s top-ranking producers of numerous delicious wines, some of which never leave its borders.

Economy.
For many centuries Romania s economy was based on agriculture. In the 1930s Romania was one of the main European producers of wheat, corn and meats and it used to be called "the bread basket of Europe." There has been a shift towards heavy industries since the 1970s but the agriculture is still economically important and employs about one-third of the workforce.
39.2% of Romania s territory is arable land, 28% forests, 21% pastures, hayfields and orchards and 2.5% vineyards. Since 1990, successive governments have concentrated on turning Romania into a market economy. After a series of privatisations and reforms in the late 1990s and early 2000s, government intervention in the Romanian economy is somewhat lower than in other European economies.
In 2005, the government replaced Romania s progressive tax system with a flat tax of 16% for both personal income and corporate profit, resulting in the country having the lowest fiscal burden in the European Union, a factor which has contributed to the growth of the private sector. The economy is predominantly based on services, which account for 55% of GDP, even though industry and agriculture also have significant contributions, making up 35% and 10% of GDP, respectively.
Since 2000, Romania has attracted increasing amounts of foreign investment, becoming the single largest investment destination in Southeastern and Central Europe.

Crime.
While most crimes in Romania are non-violent and non-confrontational, crimes do occur in which victims suffer personal harm. Crimes against tourists, including robbery, mugging, pickpocketing and confidence schemes, remain a problem in Romania. Organized groups of thieves and pickpockets, sometimes including minors, operate in train stations and on trains, subways, and buses in major cities.

Nightlife.
All over Romania, you will find so many things to do, see and experience, you may not have enough time to do everything. Romania is full of interesting places, where one can easily pass many hours enjoying the entertainment. The are also a wide range of bars, cafes, discos and nightclubs all over the country. Bucharest and tourist resorts in Romania have some of the most popular clubs in the country. The club scene is booming in Bucharest and many venues have lasers and skimpily clad dancers atop stages or bars. Whatever type of bar or club you are looking for, you will find it.

Culture.
In spite of these modern developments, Romania still offers a variety of customs, traditions, and forms of folk art. Wood carvings, brightly ornamented costumes, skillfully woven carpets, pottery, and other elements of traditional Romanian culture remain popular and, with the onset of tourism, have become known internationally. Folk art is characterized by abstract or geometric designs and stylized representations of plants and animals. In embroidery and textiles, designs and colour schemes can be associated with particular regions of the country. Special folk arts of Romania are the decoration of highly ornamental Easter eggs and painting on glass, which, however, is becoming a lost skill. Folk music includes dance music, laments and ballads, and pastoral music. Major instruments are the violin, the cobza (a stringed instrument resembling a lute), the tambal (a dulcimer played with small hammers), and the flute. Folk melodies are preserved in the music of modern Romanian composers such as Georges Enesco.
Romanian culture is largely derived from the Roman, with strains of Slavic, Magyar (Hungarian), Greek, and Turkish influence. Poems, folktales, and folk music have always held a central place inRomanian culture. Romanian literature, art, and music attained maturity in the 19th century. Although Romania has been influenced by divergent Western trends, it also has a rich native culture. Romanian art, like Romanian literature, reached its peak during the 19th century. Among the leading painters were Theodor Aman, a portraitist, and landscape painter Nicolae Grigorescu. Between 1945 and 1989 Romanian art was dominated by socialist realism, a school of art that was officially sponsored by the Communist government, and through which socialist ideals were promoted and advanced. A notable contribution to modern concepts of 20th-century art was the work of Romanian-born French sculptor Constantin Brancusi.
The Romanian language, although developing over the centuries in difficult historical conditions, is as Latin as any other Romance language and, like the culture as a whole, continues to exhibit a remarkable vitality. This fact is perhaps paralleled by some of the Modernist tendencies in the Romanian fine arts: the sculptor Constantin Brancusi, a promoter of absolute Modernism coupled with a firm sense of classical Mediterranean values, had great international influence early in the 20th century. Romanian poets and writers, too, have operated in a cultural tradition somewhat different from that in neighbouring countries; in architecture, the Bucharest television centre is but one example of another Modernist trend.

Dracula s Myth.
Count Dracula, a fictional character in the Dracula novel, was inspired by one of the best-known figures of the Romanian history - Vlad Dracula, nicknamed Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler) - who was a ruler of Wallachia (1456-1462). Many "Dracula Tours" are being offered throughout Romania. They include the most important historical places related with Vlad Tepes, such as 14th Century town of Sighisoara - Vlad s birthplace. The house in which Vlad Dracula was born has a small plaque on the door and now is a restaurant and small museum of medieval weapons.Other Dracula sights are: the Snagov Monastery - where, according to legend, Vlad is said to have been buried after his assassination; Castle Bran (Castle Dracula); the Poenari fortress; the village of Arefu - where many Dracula legends are still told; the city of Brasov - where Vlad led raids against the Saxons merchants; and, of course, Curtea Domneasca - Dracula s palace in Bucharest. Some tours also cover the folkloric aspects of the fictional Dracula. For instance, eating the meal Jonathan Harker ate at The Golden Crown in Bistrita, and sleeping at Castle Dracula Hotel - built no so long ago on the Borgo Pass, approximately where the fictional castle of the Count is supposed to be.

The Mountains.
The pure air and the breathtaking landscapes attract in Romania thousands of tourists every year for skiing and hiking.
The mountain resorts along the mountain chain that crosses Romania from the north to south, offer their guests excellent facilities for recreation in the summer and winter.
There are opportunities for hiking, caving, nature observing or skiing on well-marked slopes.

The Black Sea.
Warm climate, miles of sand beaches, ancient monuments, vineyards and modern resorts invite travelers to seriously consider Romania s Black Sea Coast as their summer vacation destination.
Romania s main sea resorts are centred on 45 miles of fine sand beaches and include Mamaia, Eforie, Neptun, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Cap Aurora and Mangalia.
The Black Sea coast has long been known for cures of arthritic, rheumatic, internal and nervous disorders. Eforie Nord and Mangalia Spas specialize in mud baths (the mud is taken from the area s salty lake waters) as well as in world famous "Gerovital" and "Aslavital" original rejuvenation treatments. Beaches, stretching from Mangalia to Mamaia, are dotted with fine resorts and hotels, and countless sports and entertainment facilities.

Danube s Delta.
The Danube Delta is situated in the eastern part of Romania, in the Tulcea county. The waters of the Danube, which flow into the Black Sea, form the largest and best preserved of Europe s deltas - The Danube Delta (Delta Dunarii), also best preserved on the continent.
The Danube Delta has the third ecological significance among the 300 UNESCO reserves in the world. Through UNESCO resolution of 02.02.1999, the Danube Delta reserve received the international certificate of Biosphere Reserve. An exotic place with across 1200 of species of trees and plants, with most rich ornithic fauna from continent ( more than 300 of species, among which unique colonies of pelicans) and ichthyologic( represented by approximate 100 of species, from which we remember the herring of Danube and the sturgeons, whereof is obtained pretiosul caviar). This wetlands preserve covers more than 1,678,000 acres (2,622 sq. miles) comprising channels and canals widening into tree-fringed lakes, reed islands, numerous lakes and marshes, oak forests intertwined with lianas and creepers, desert dunes and traditional fishermen villages.

Fishing and hunting.
Hunting in Romania has proved to be a great adventure for those who have tried it. Many foreigners, especially italians, uses to come to Romania for hunting. A great variety of landscapes populated by a large number of wild animals are waiting to be discovered.
There are many fishing places in Romania like rivers, lakes, ponds, but the best of them is the Danube s Delta and its floodlands. With more than 160 species of game fish, the Danube Delta is truly a fisherman s paradise. Trophy-size catfish, carp, pike, sturgeon and more thrive in the hundreds of lakes and rivers that dot the land of Romania.