Romania Travel Guide

Romania — Country and Tourist Information

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Country Facts

Location: Southeastern Europe.
Language: Romanian is the official language. Some Hungarian and German are spoken in border areas, while mainly French and some English are spoken by those connected with the tourist industry.
Area: 238,391 sq km (92,043 sq miles).
Time Zone: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are of the two-pin type.
Population: 22.2 million (2009).
Population Density: 93 per sq km.
Capital City: Bucharest. Population: 1.9 million (2009).
Government: Democratic Republic since 1991.
Head of Government: Prime Minister Emil Boc since 2008. In October 2009 Emil Boc was diminished to Acting Prime Minister after he and his cabinet received a vote of no confidence.
Head of State: President Traian Basescu since 2004.
Religion: 87% Romanian Orthodox, with Greek and Roman Catholic, Reformed/Lutheran, Unitarian, Muslim and Jewish minorities.

Recent History

The fall and execution of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989 left Romania in a precarious state. Since this time Romania has worked hard to improve alliances with the western world. It joined the European Union in 2007, has increased its foreign investment and has sprouted a small, and albeit fledgling, middle class. Issues of corruption are rife however and do not work in tune to EU regulations. Poverty, unemployment, poor medical care and organized crime are also real issues Romanian citizens face on a daily basis. The global recession has not helped its financial status either and the country is dependent on an IMF loan worth 20 billion Euros.

The end of 2009 saw a turbulent period in Romania's government, amid the worldwide financial crisis. The unsteady coalition government, with Emil Boc as prime minister, collapsed in October 2009 when the Social Democrat Party pulled out and Boc lost a vote of no confidence. However, the beleaguered prime minister remains in power of his a new coalition government. The situation is not helped by a disagreement with the president, Traian Basescu, whose own nomination for prime minister was not accepted by parliament. Basecu, however, won a new term as president in December 2009, meaning the government remains at odds with the president and the political situation remains uncertain.

Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +40. Public telephones are widely available and can be used for direct international calls; most require a calling card. Hotels often impose a high service charge for long-distance calls, but usually do not charge for local calls.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with many international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good around Bucharest but variable elsewhere. Local mobile phone hire is available.

Internet

Romania has numerous Internet cafés, some offering Wi-Fi.

Media

Romania's media are among the most lively in the region. The 1991 constitution upholds freedom of expression, but prohibits 'defamation of the country'. Private radio stations began to appear in 1990; over 100 of them now broadcast alongside state-run Radio Romania. A boom in the newspaper market followed the 1989 revolution, but many were later forced to close owing to rising costs. Daily papers include Adevarul, Libertatea, Evenimentul Zillei, Romania Libera and Jurnalul National, which has English-language pages. English newspapers and publications include Bucharest Business Week, Nine O'Clock and Vivid Magazine.

Post

Airmail to Western Europe takes one week.Mon-Fri 0730-2000, Sat 0800-1400.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2010
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec Second Day of Christmas

2011
1 Jan - 2 Jan New Year
6 Jan Epiphany
25 Apr Easter Monday (Orthodox)
1 May Labor Day
12 Jun Whit Monday
1 Dec National Day
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec Second Day of Christmas

2012
1 Jan - 2 Jan New Year
6 Jan Epiphany
16 Apr Easter Monday (Orthodox)
1 May Labor Day
27 May Whit Monday
1 Dec National Day
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec Second Day of Christmas

Contact Information

Embassy of Romania in the UK

Arundel House, 4 Palace Green, London W8 4QD, UK
Tel: (020) 7937 9666.
Website: http://londra.mae.ro
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700.
Consular section: MEIC House, 344 Kensington High Street, London W14 8NS, UK
Tel: (020) 7602 9777 or 9662.
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 1000-1300.