[305], Romania is a net exporter of electrical energy and is 52nd worldwide in terms of consumption of electric energy. [7] Samuel Damian's name appears as far back as 1748, when he placed an advertisement in the South Carolina Gazette announcing the electrical demonstrations he planned to give and inviting the public to attend. [421] In the Easter, traditions such as painting the eggs are very common. This time, they settled mostly in California, Florida and New York and they came from throughout Romania. [418][419] The traditional Romanian dress that otherwise has largely fallen out of use during the 20th century, is a popular ceremonial vestment worn on these festivities, especially in rural areas. Romania is a picturesque and fascinating country with something for everyone, whether you’re looking for fantastic food, exhilarating hiking, cultural diversity, or turbulent history.It was no small task, but we’ve done you the favor of picking out 10 of the most beautiful Romanian cities and towns so that you can plan your trip with ease. [343] In January 2011, Parliament passed a law that enforces "strict quality control on universities and introduces tough rules for funding evaluation and peer review". After the 1989 revolution, the National Salvation Front (NSF), led by Ion Iliescu, took partial multi-party democratic and free market measures. I'm sociable and friendly. [225] This led to Romania borrowing from the International Monetary Fund. [353] In 2014, 31.2% of births were to unmarried women. These would last until the 15th century. Cold and strained during the early post-war period, U.S. bilateral relations with Romania began to improve in the early 1960s with the signing of an agreement providing for partial settlement of American property claims. [332] Victor Babeș discovered more than 50 types of bacteria;[333] biologist Nicolae Paulescu discovered insulin,[334] while Emil Palade received the Nobel Prize for his contributions to cell biology. Although 54.0% of the population lived in urban areas in 2011,[3] this percentage has been declining since 1996. This page was last edited on 2 December 2020, at 02:05. [127][126] Uniate and Orthodox clerics and laymen jointly signed a plea for the Transylvanian Romanians' emancipation in 1791, but the monarch and the local authorities refused to grant their requests. [387] Romania has achieved the highest team score in the competition, after China, Russia, the United States and Hungary. The former governed Romania from 1990 until 1996 through several coalitions and governments, with Ion Iliescu as head of state. Marriage in Romania. [176], Romania entered World War II soon after the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. [68], The Magyars (or Hungarians) took control of the steppes north of the Lower Danube in the 830s, but the Bulgarians and the Pechenegs jointly forced them to abandon this region for the lowlands along the Middle Danube around 894. [454] They were also Europa League semi-finalists in 2006. Approximately 25.8% of the Romanian workforce is employed in agriculture, one of the highest rates in Europe. In December 2005, Secretary Rice visited Bucharest to meet with President Băsescu and to sign a bilateral defense cooperation agreement that would allow for the joint use of Romanian military facilities by U.S. troops. The legislative branch of the government, collectively known as the Parliament (residing at the Palace of the Parliament), consists of two chambers (Senate and Chamber of Deputies) whose members are elected every four years by simple plurality. But it can make for a wonderful summer destination as well. From the remaining population, 195,569 people belong to other Christian denominations or have another religion, which includes 64,337 Muslims (mostly of Turkish and Tatar ethnicity) and 3,519 Jewish (Jews once constituted 4% of the Romanian population—728,115 persons in the 1930 census). [233], Following the experience of economic instability throughout the 1990s, and the implementation of a free travel agreement with the EU, a great number of Romanians emigrated to Western Europe and North America, with particularly large communities in Italy, Germany and Spain. [226] Worsening economic conditions led to unrest and triggered a political crisis in 2012. Each county is administered by a county council, responsible for local affairs, as well as a prefect responsible for the administration of national affairs at the county level. It is further divided into six sectors[235]:6 and has a prefect, a general mayor (primar), and a general city council. ", "Arad: "Bătrâna Doamnă", UTA Arad, împlinește, joi, 74 de ani. [56] The Council of Preslav declared Old Church Slavonic the language of liturgy in the First Bulgarian Empire in 893. [70][71] The Gesta also listed many peoples—Slavs, Bulgarians, Vlachs, Khazars, and Székelys—inhabiting the same regions. [272][273] Its combat mission in the country concluded in 2014. [74][75][76] The Pechenegs seized the lowlands abandoned by the Hungarians to the east of the Carpathians. Amintiri târzii cu 'Gerd Muller al României' – Fanatik.ro", "Kicker: "Nemuritorul" Dorinel Munteanu | Romania Libera", "Middlesbrough seek UEFA Cup cure – UEFA.com", "Cum putea Dinamo domina Europa, în viziunea lui Lucescu! Since 2012, compulsory schooling starts at age 6 with the "preparatory school year" (clasa pregătitoare)[383] and is compulsory until tenth grade. [28] Romania is also the official English-language spelling used by the Romanian government. [80][81] Significant Pecheneg groups fled to the Byzantine Empire in the 1040s; the Oghuz Turks followed them, and the nomadic Cumans became the dominant power of the steppes in the 1060s. [40][43], The Romans reached Dacia during Burebista's reign and conquered Dobruja in 46 AD. As Romania's foreign debt increased sharply between 1977 and 1981 (from US$3 billion to $10 billion),[205] the influence of international financial organisations—such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank—grew, gradually conflicting with Ceaușescu's autocratic rule. Romania’s capital city, Bucharest, is one of Europe’s most affordable European capitals and Bucharest’s cheap accommodation and low cost of living makes it an attractive destination for digital nomads, expats, and long-term travelers who want to settle for a bit. The annual George Enescu Festival is held in Bucharest in honour of the 20th-century composer. It is estimated that there are one million Romani people in the United States.Though the Romani population in the United States has largely assimilated into American society, the largest concentrations are in Southern California, the Pacific Northwest, Texas and the Northeast as well as in cities such as Chicago and St. Louis.. After the Romanian Revolution, increased numbers of Romanians came to the US, taking advantage of the new relaxation of Romania's emigration policies (during the communist rule, the borders were officially closed, although some people managed to migrate, including to the US). [69] Centuries later, the Gesta Hungarorum wrote of the invading Magyars' wars against three dukes—Glad, Menumorut and the Vlach Gelou—for Banat, Crișana and Transylvania. [8], The first major wave of Romanian immigrants to the United States took place between 1895 and 1920, in which 145,000 Romanians entered the country. Some scholars regard it as a basically accurate account, others describe it as a literary work filled with invented details. [120][121] The Phanariot princes pursued oppressive fiscal policies and dissolved the army. [303] Romania's rail transport experienced a dramatic decline after 1989 and was estimated at 99 million passenger journeys in 2004, but has experienced a recent (2013) revival due to infrastructure improvements and partial privatisation of lines,[252] accounting for 45% of all passenger and freight movements in the country. [94] The Mongols' Golden Horde emerged as the dominant power of Eastern Europe, but Béla IV of Hungary's land grant to the Knights Hospitallers in Oltenia and Muntenia shows that the local Vlach rulers were subject to the king's authority in 1247. Women’s Handball: CSM Bucharest Wins Champions League Trophy! That is where you see great historical insight into Romania’s rural architecture. According to the 2017 American Community Survey, 478,278 Americans indicated Romanian as their first or second ancestry. [312], There were almost 18.3 million connections to the Internet in June 2014. [37][38] Among the native peoples, Herodotus listed the Getae of the Lower Danube region, the Agathyrsi of Transylvania and the Syginnae of the plains along the river Tisza at the beginning of the 5th century BC. Modern Romania was formed in 1859 through a personal union of the Danubian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. [134] Bishop Andrei Șaguna proposed the unification of the Romanians of the Habsburg Monarchy in a separate duchy, but the central government refused to change the internal borders. [264] After the 2009 protests in Moldova and the subsequent removal of Communists from power, relations between the two countries have improved considerably. The Embassy of Romania located in Washington, D.C. Saint Stefan's Romanian Orthodox Church in Minnesota, An album of Romanian music issued by Romanian Jewish immigrants in New York at the beginning of the 20th century, Romanian immigrants in New York City (1891). [464] Romania reached the Davis Cup finals three times in 1969, 1971 and 1972. "Romanian film "Child's Pose" wins Berlin Golden Bear", "Report on the Nominations from Luxembourg and Romania for the European Capital of Culture 2007", "Muzeul National Peles | Site-ul oficial al castelelor Peles si Pelisor", "Traditii si obiceiuri romanesti. This surprise victory was attributed by many analysts to the implication of the Romanian diaspora in the voting process, with almost 50% casting ballots for Klaus Iohannis in the first round, compared to only 16% for Ponta. ", "Ansamblul sculptural Constantin Brancusi din Targu Jiu", "How important is tourism in Romania's economy? Romanian culture has merged with American culture, characterized by Romanian-born Americans adopting American culture or American-born people having strong Romanian heritage. There are a total of 320 cities and 2,861 communes in Romania. Romanian Americans are Americans who have Romanian ancestry. [158] A new electoral system granted voting rights to all adult male citizens, and a series of radical agrarian reforms transformed the country into a "nation of small landowners" between 1918 and 1921. The first fortified settlements appeared around 1800 BC, showing the militant character of Bronze Age societies. [299] After joining the EU in 2007, Romania is expected to adopt the Euro in 2024. [160] Calypso Botez established the National Council of Romanian Women to promote feminist ideas. This is a list of cities and towns in Romania, ordered by population according to the 2002 … [258] Romania also declared its public support for Turkey, and Croatia joining the European Union. [323], Rural tourism, focusing on folklore and traditions, has become an important alternative,[324] and is targeted to promote such sites as Bran and its Dracula's Castle, the painted churches of northern Moldavia, and the wooden churches of Maramureș, or the villages with fortified churches in Transylvania. ; U.S. citizens may enter and remain in Romania without a … It is an important education and research centers n Romania and accommodates more than 60,000 students in five public universities. [267], The Air Force currently operates modernised Soviet MiG-21 Lancer fighters. [298], Since 1867 the official currency has been the Romanian leu ("lion") and following a denomination in 2005. The 1984 Summer Olympics was their most successful run, where they won 53 medals in total, 20 of them gold, ultimately placing 2nd to the hosts United States in the medal rankings. The time in Romania is now 12:47:17am Calling Romania from the United States explained: 011 - US exit code; dial first for international calls made from the USA or Canada [213] In 2019, Iohannis was re-elected president in a landslide victory over former Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă. [386], Romania ranks fifth in the all-time medal count at the International Mathematical Olympiad with 316 total medals, dating back to 1959. [40][41] He also conquered the Greek colonies in Dobruja and the neighbouring peoples as far as the Middle Danube and the Balkan Mountains between around 55 and 44 BC. Meet people ... Meeting people in a new city. [179][182], After the Soviet victory in the Battle of Stalingrad in 1943, Iuliu Maniu, a leader of the opposition to Antonescu, entered into secret negotiations with British diplomats who made it clear that Romania had to seek reconciliation with the Soviet Union. [466], The second most popular team sport is handball. Since then, Romania has experienced a population decline that puts the population at about 19.24 million people for 2020. [235]:17 It lies between latitudes 43° and 49° N and longitudes 20° and 30° E. The terrain is distributed roughly equally between mountains, hills, and plains. [1] The oldest Romanian-American Community newspaper in New York [337] In recent years, Romania has ranked the lowest or second-lowest in the European Union by research and development spending as a percentage of GDP, standing at roughly 0.5% in 2016 and 2017, substantially below the EU average of just over 2%. Romanian Americans are Americans who have Romanian ancestry. [155][156] Peace treaties with Austria, Bulgaria and Hungary delineated the new borders in 1919 and 1920, but the Soviet Union did not acknowledge the loss of Bessarabia. Post … [113], The united armies of the Holy League expelled the Ottoman troops from Central Europe between 1684 and 1699, and the Principality of Transylvania was integrated into the Habsburg Monarchy. – FC Petrolul Ploiești", "EL: Roma and Astra Giurgiu celebrate | Football Italia", "Viitorul confirmed as Romanian champions after row over rules", "Studiu IRES: Fotbalul, cel mai iubit sport in Romania; Simona Halep, locul patru in clasamentul celor mai mari sportivi romani ai tuturor timpurilor – Fotbal – HotNews.ro", "Handball World Mourns the Loss of Icon, Friend & Teacher", "Neagu and Hansen named 2018 World Players of the Year | IHF". [116] The Orthodox Church was restored in Transylvania only after Orthodox monks stirred up revolts in 1744 and 1759. Following the war, under the occupation of the Red Army's forces, Romania became a socialist republic and a member of the Warsaw Pact. Chinezii v-or avea 51% din actiuni – Nicolae Moga (PSD) – Energie – HotNews.ro", "Numărul conexiunilor la internet a crescut cu 22,8%. The market for professional football in Romania is roughly €740 million according to UEFA. [217][218], Nevertheless, there have been efforts to tackle corruption. The charges for which they were executed were, among others, genocide by starvation. [8][9], There were several Romanians who became officers in the Union Army during the American Civil War, including Brevet Brigadier General George Pomutz, commander of the 15th Iowa Infantry Regiment, Captain Nicolae Dunca, who fought and died in the Battle of Cross Keys, and Captain Eugen Ghica-Comănești, of the 5th New York Volunteer Infantry. The birth rate (9.49‰, 2012) is much lower than the mortality rate (11.84‰, 2012), resulting in a shrinking (−0.26% per year, 2012) and aging population (median age: 41.6 years, 2018), one of the oldest populations in the world,[352] with approximately 16.8% of total population aged 65 years and over. Overall, it has played in seven World Cups and had its most successful period during the 1990s, when it finished 6th at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, eventually being ranked 3rd by FIFA in 1997.[432]. [7] Damian remained in the States some years living in South Carolina, then travelled on to Jamaica. [159] Gender equality as a principle was enacted, but women could not vote or be candidates. A journey of three of four hours, by car or train, can take you from the Danube River to a beautiful, intact, medieval town; from Bucharest - Romania's capital city - to the Black Sea; from Southern Transylvania to the historic regions of Bucovina or Maramures. [329], Historically, Romanian researchers and inventors have made notable contributions to several fields. But not even Oradea can come up to the greatness of arichecture marvel in Bucharest. Bran Castle, near Brașov, is one of the most famous attractions in Romania, drawing hundreds of thousands of tourists every year as it is often advertised as being Dracula's Castle. [278] The cities and communes correspond to the NUTS-5 level divisions, but there are no current NUTS-4 level divisions. [12] In June–August 1940, as a consequence of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and Second Vienna Award, Romania was compelled to cede Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina to the Soviet Union, and Northern Transylvania to Hungary. [265], The Romanian Armed Forces consist of land, air, and naval forces led by a Commander-in-chief under the supervision of the Ministry of National Defence, and by the president as the Supreme Commander during wartime. [385], Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, University of Bucharest, and West University of Timișoara have been included in the QS World University Rankings' top 800. Since the Romanian Revolution of 1989, the Romanian educational system has been in a continuous process of reform that has received mixed criticism. The most common causes of death are cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The River Danube, Europe's second-longest river, rises in Germany's Black Forest and flows in a generally southeasterly direction for 2,857 km (1,775 mi), coursing through ten countries before emptying into Romania's Danube Delta. With many different sides to it, Romania is just as much rolling forest-clad hills and picturesque mountains as it is beautiful medieval towns, ancient monasteries, and breathtaking castles. Romanian Americans are distributed throughout the U.S., with concentrations found in the Midwest, such as in the states of Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois; the Northeast, in New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware, as well as California (Los Angeles and Sacramento). [286] Romania's net average monthly wage increased to 666 euro as of 2020,[287] and an inflation rate of −1.1% in 2016. [423] Ciorbă includes a wide range of sour soups, while mititei, mămăligă (similar to polenta), and sarmale are featured commonly in main courses. As of August 2019, its acceptance into the Schengen Area is hampered because the European Council has misgivings about Romania's adherence to the rule of law,[259] a fundamental principle of EU membership. The frigate the Regele Ferdinand participated in the 2011 military intervention in Libya. The Romania national football team played its first match in 1922 and is one of only four national teams to have taken part in the first three FIFA World Cups, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium. [82] Cooperation between the Cumans and the Vlachs against the Byzantine Empire is well documented from the end of the 11th century. [115] The Church Union strengthened the Romanian intellectuals' devotion to their Roman heritage. Sper să nu prind ziua când ne vor bate iar, "Ne-a părăsit Ştefan Sameş, fostul mare fundaş al Stelei", "L'Equipe: Nicolae Dobrin, cel mai valoros jucător român din istorie. [157] Romania achieved its greatest territorial extent, expanding from the pre-war 137,000 to 295,000 km2 (53,000 to 114,000 sq mi). In November 2014, Sibiu (German: Hermannstadt) former FDGR/DFDR mayor Klaus Iohannis was elected president, unexpectedly defeating former Prime Minister Victor Ponta, who had been previously leading in the opinion polls. [98][99] The second Romanian principality, Moldavia, achieved full autonomy during the reign of Bogdan I around 1360. [284] However, a recession following the global financial crisis of 2008–2009 forced the government to borrow externally, including an IMF €20 billion bailout program. [87] Colonists from the Holy Roman Empire—the Transylvanian Saxons' ancestors—came to the province in the 1150s. [192] Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, a Communist party leader imprisoned in 1933, escaped in 1944 to become Romania's first Communist leader. It is a semi-presidential republic where executive functions are held by both the government and the president. [306] Around a third of the produced energy comes from renewable sources, mostly as hydroelectric power. For example, the legend of Dracula and the Dacian history are unique to Romania. [285] According to The World Bank, GDP per capita in purchasing power parity grew from $13,687 in 2007 to $28,206 in 2018.