Last updated on April 19th, 2022
15 Interesting facts about Romania
36. In a very remote area in Romania’s Apuseni National Park, cave drawings were discovered that are around 32,000 years old. The 13 drawings of rhinos, buffalos, horses, and cats are in the Coliboaia cave. Experts believe the drawings are very well preserved because this area is not subject to flooding.
37. In the Pestera cu Oase (“Cave with Bones”) a human fossil was discovered in 2002 that is estimated to be between 37,800 to 42,000 years old, the earliest dated European human fossil.
38. The tallest rock sculpture in Europe is located in Romania. The statue of Dacian king Decebal is 135 feet tall and is carved in a rocky bank near the Danube.
39. An earthquake with a 7.4 magnitude occurred in Romania in March 1977. The quake killed more than 1,500 people and injured 11,000 more. Damages were estimated at over $2 billion dollars.
40. In the city of Brad is The Gold Museum, also known as the Mineralogical Collection of Brad. The only one of its kind in Europe, it was founded 100 years ago and has a collection of over 2,000 pieces of gold from all around the world.
41. The world’s largest salt mine museum is in Transylvania inside the old Turda Salt Mines. These massive mines were formed by machine and hand without using explosives.
42. Pele Castle was Europe’s first castle lit entirely by electrical current. The castle’s own plant produced the electricity. Still functional and used today, the castle’s central heating system was built in 1888.
43. The first city in Europe to have electric street lights was Timisoara, Romania (1889).
44. In 1986, Steaua Bucureşti (Bucharest’s soccer team) won the European Cup. They are the only team from a Communist country to ever do so.
45. The second largest building in the world is the Romanian Palace of Parliament. It is second only to the Pentagon in the United States.
46. Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” is not the only famous novel inspired by Romania. So was Jules Verne’s “The Castle in the Carpathians”.
47. Bucharest is home to thousands of stray dogs. Approximately 10,000 people are bitten by these abandoned dogs every year. Be careful and watch where you step.
48. Near the Ukrainian border is the Merry Cemetery. Local woodcarver Stan Ion Patras designed it in 1940 and it is both tourist destination and open-air museum. Known for its colorful carved wooden crosses painted with scenes of the deceased’s life, each tombstone features a funny poem about the decedent. It is said to be the happiest cemetery on earth.
49. Prince Charles of Great Britain loves the beauty of Romania and admires the spirit of her people. He visits often and owns land in Transylvania.
50. Instituted on January 1, 2011, Romania implemented a black magic tax. Witches and fortune tellers are recognized in the country as legitimate business people. As such, they are subject to taxes. Witches must carry a permit with them as well.
Romania – the country at a glance
| Independence | 9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire; independence recognized on 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin); 26 March 1881 (kingdom proclaimed); 30 December 1947 (republic proclaimed) |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Bucharest (44°25′N 26°06′E) |
| Largest City | Bucharest (44°25′N 26°06′E) |
| Total area | total: 238,391 sq km land: 229,891 sq km water: 8,500 sq km |
| Population | 18,519,899 (2022 est.) |
| Demonym | Romanian |
| Official Language | Romanian |
| Land borders | Bulgaria, Hungary, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine. |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
| Currency | Romanian leu (RON) |
| Literacy rate | 98.8% (2018) |
| Religions | Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 81.9%, Protestant (various denominations including Reformed and Pentecostal) 6.4%, Roman Catholic 4.3%, other (includes Muslim) 0.9%, none or atheist 0.2%, unspecified 6.3% (2011 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | 75.75 years (2022 est.) Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life. |
| 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 Moldavian Plateau on the east by the Eastern Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps |
| Mean elevation | 414 m |
| Lowest point | Black Sea 0 m |
| Highest point | Moldoveanu 2,544 m |
| Natural resources | petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower |
| Agricultural land | 60.7% |
| Government type | semi-presidential republic |
| President | Klaus Iohannis |
| Prime Minister | Nicolae Ciucă |
| National symbol | golden eagle |
| National holiday | Unification Day (unification of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918) |
| National colors | blue, yellow, red |
| National anthem | "Desteapta-te romane!" (Wake up, Romanian!) |
| Birth rate | 8.76 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) |
| Death rate | 15.26 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.) |
| Sex ratio | 0.94 male(s)/female (2022 est.) |
| Industries | electric machinery and equipment, auto assembly, textiles and footwear, light machinery, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining, mining, timber, construction materials |
| Exports | $93.01 billion (2020 est.) cars and vehicle parts, insulated wiring, refined petroleum, electrical control boards, seats (2019) |
| Imports | $104.16 billion (2020 est.) cars and vehicle parts, crude petroleum, packaged medicines, insulated wiring, broadcasting equipment (2019) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $28,800 (2020 est.) |
| Time Zone | UTC+02:00 |
| Internet country code | .ro |
| Calling Code | +40 |
| Drives on the | Right |
| Table last updated | August 12, 2022 |
References:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Romanian_history
- http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/world/romania-history.html
- http://www.localhistories.org/rumania.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Romanian
- http://romaniatourism.com/
- http://truenomads.com/2013/12/interesting-facts-about-romania/
- http://travelaway.me/things-you-didnt-know-about-romania/
- http://listverse.com/2013/11/21/revised-10-interestingawesome-facts-about-romania/
- http://www.stefanrtw.com/interesting-facts-about-romania/
- http://www.romania-insider.com/25-interesting-facts-about-romania/
- https://www.justlanded.com/english/Romania/Romania-Guide/Culture/10-things-you-didn-t-know-about-Romania
- http://www.romaniaexperience.com/fun-facts-about-romania-things-you-certainly-didnt-know/
- http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Romania.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romania