General background: Soviet occupation following World War II led to the formation of a Communist "peoples republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former communists dominated the government until 1996 when they were swept from power by a fractious coalition of center-right parties. Today the Communist Party, renamed the Party of Social Democracy, rules in cooperation with the ethnic Hungarian minority rights party. Much economic restructuring remains to be carried out before Romania can achieve its hope of joining the EU.

Area comparative: Slightly smaller than Oregon.

Climate: Temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms.

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.

Population: 22,317,730 (July 2002 est.)

Ethnic groups: Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 7.1%, Roma 1.8%, German 0.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, other 0.8% (1992)

Religions: Romanian Orthodox 70%, Roman Catholic 6%, Protestant 6%, unaffiliated 18%

Language: Romanian, Hungarian, German

Government type: Republic

Capital: Bucharest

Legal system: Former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic.

Economic overview: Romania, one of the poorest countries of Central and Eastern Europe, began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. Over the past decade economic restructuring has lagged behind most other countries in the region. Consequently, living standards have continued to fall - real wages are down perhaps 40%. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets, and despite the global slowdown in 2001, strong domestic activity in construction, agriculture, and consumption led to 4.8% growth. A standby agreement with the IMF - covering the period October 2001 to March 2003 - provides a key opportunity for vigorous privatization, regulatory reform, deficit reduction, and the curbing of inflation. The government in the past has not been able to fully implement IMF agreements; its degree of success in this case will affect prospects for joining the EU.

Communication/Telephone system: Poor service, but improving.

Places of interest: Romania has majestic castles, medieval towns, great hiking and wildlife, and the cheap skiing in beautiful mountains.

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