Romania at a Glance

Here's a clickable map of Romania showing major cities:


Here's a physical map of Romania:


I think Romania looks sort of like a butterfly fish. The mountains you see running through the middle of the country are the Carpathians (every time I mention the Carpathiains, I think of Ghostbusters II and Vigo). I really, really hope I get the chance to explore some of those peaks.

Here are some quick facts about Romania:

Official Name: Romania
Flag: Blue, Yellow, Red (Vertical stripes Left to Right)
Capital City: Bucharest
Geographic Coordinates: 44 26 N, 26 06 E (Bucharest)
Land Area: 88,934 sq miles (~ the size of Oregon)
Coastline: 140 miles
Water: 4400+ sq miles
Borders: Ukraine (North); Moldova (Northeast) Black Sea (East); Bulgaria (South); Serbia & Montenegro (Southwest); Hungary (Northwest)
Population: 22,303,552 (July 2006 est.)
Ethnic Groups: Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Rroma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002 census)
Languages: Romanian (official), Hungarian, German
Religions: Eastern Orthodox 86.8%, Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%
Transportation: Airports- 61, Railways- 7,074 total miles, Roadways- 123,544 total miles (37,310 paved, 86,235 unpaved)
Communications: Telephone- 4.39 million mainlines in use, Mobile Cellular- 13.35 million lines (2005), Television- 48 broadcast stations, Internet users- 4.94 million (2005), Internet country code- '.ro'
GDP Real Growth Rate: 6.5% (est 2006)
Official Currency: Leu
Exchange Rates: lei per US dollar - 2.809 (2006), 3 (2005), 3 (2004), 3 (2003), 3 (2002)
Unemployment: 6.1%
Population below poverty line: 25% (2005 est)
Literacy: 98.4%
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
Geography: Romania is the largest country in southeastern Europe and the twelfth-largest in Europe. A large part of Romania's border with Serbia and Bulgaria is formed by the Danube River.
The Carpathian Mountains dominate the center of Romania, with fourteen of its peaks reaching above the altitude of 6561 feet. The highest mountain in Romania is Moldoveanu Peak (8346 feet). In south-central Romania, the Carpathians sweeten into hills, towards the Bărăgan Plains.
The country has the largest brown bear population in Europe (about 54,000), while wolves, chamois (from what I gather, a goat-like creature) and lynx are also known to roam the Carpathians. On Romania'a farthest east border is the Danube River Delta, which spills into the Black Sea. It is a rich wildlife habitat, home to many species of birds, and a World Heritage Biosphere Reserve.