Romania

Romaniais a country located at the crossroads ofCentral,EasternandSoutheast Europe. It bordersUkraineto the north and east,Hungaryto the west,Serbiato the southwest,Bulgariato the south,Moldovato the east, and theBlack Seato the southeast. It has a mainlycontinental climate, and an area of 238,397 km(92,046 sq mi) with a population of 19 million people. Romania is thetwelfth-largest countryin Europe and thesixth-most populousmember state of theEuropean Union. Europe's second-longest river, theDanube, empties into theDanube Deltain the southeast of the country. TheCarpathian Mountainscross Romania from the north to the southwest and includeMoldoveanu Peak, at an altitude of 2,544 m (8,346 ft).Bucharestis the country'slargest urban areaandeconomic center. Other majorurban centersincludeCluj-Napoca,Timișoara,Iași,ConstanțaandBrașov.
Settlement in the territory of modern Romania began in theLower Paleolithic, later becoming theDacian KingdombeforeRoman conquestandRomanizationby theRoman Empire. The modern Romanian state emerged in 1859 with the union ofWallachiaandMoldaviaunderPrince Alexandru Ioan Cuza,gaining independencefrom theOttoman Empirein 1877. AfterWorld War I,Transylvania,Banat,Bukovina, andBessarabiajoined theOld Kingdom, formingGreater Romania, which reached its largest territorial extent. In 1940, underAxispressure, Romania lost territories toHungary,Bulgaria, and theSoviet Union. Following the1944 Romanian coup d'état, Romania switched sides to jointhe Allies. AfterWorld War II, it regainedNorthern Transylvaniathrough the1947 Paris Peace Treaty. UnderSoviet occupation, it became asocialist republicandWarsaw Pactmember. After the1989 Revolution, Romaniabegan a transitiontoliberal democracyand amarket economy.
Romania is adeveloping countrywith ahigh-income economy, classified as amiddle powerininternational relations. It is aunitary republicwith amulti-party systemand asemi-presidentialrepresentative democracy. It is home to11UNESCO World Heritage Sitesand has become an increasingly popular tourist destination, attracting14 million foreign visitorsin 2024. Romania is anet exporter of automotive and vehicle partsworldwide and has established a growing reputation as atechnology center, with some of thefastest internet speeds globally. Romania is a member of severalinternational organizations, including theEuropean Union,NATO, and theBSEC.
"Romania" derives from the local name forRomanian(Romanian:român), which in turn derives fromLatinromanus, meaning "Roman" or "ofRome".This ethnonym for Romanians is first attested in the 16th century by Italian humanists travelling inTransylvania,Moldavia, andWallachia.The oldest known surviving document written inRomanianthat can be precisely dated, a 1521 letter known as the "Letter of Neacșu from Câmpulung",is notable for including the first documented occurrence ofRomanianin a country name: Wallachia is mentioned asȚara Rumânească. The earliest evidence of the name "Romanian" may be found in the 13th‑centuryNibelungenlied: "Duke Ramunch of the land of the Vlachs / with seven hundred warriors he runs to meet her / like wild birds, he was seen galloping."Ramunch may be a transliteration of "Romanian", representing in this context a symbolic leader of the Romanians.
It is believed that thetribesresponsible for creating theBronze Ageculture on the territory of modern Romania belonged to theIndo-Europeangroup ofThracians.Strabon, inGeographica, noted that the Getae spoke the same language as the Thracians, and the Dacians the same language as the Getae.However, the earliest account of the Getae is attributed toHerodotus.Theconquest of Dacia by the Romansled to the fusion of two cultures—the Daco-Romans became the ancestors of theRomanian people.AfterDaciabecame a province of theRoman Empire, elements of Roman culture and civilization—most notablyVulgar Latin, which laid the foundation for the development of theRomanian language—were introduced.
Based on information from the inscription atDionysupolisand the account ofIordanes, it is known that under the rule ofBurebista, assisted by the great priestDeceneu, the first Geto-Dacian state was formed.In 44 BCE, Burebista was assassinated by one of his servants.After his death, the Geto-Dacian state fragmented into four, and later five, kingdoms.The core of the state remained in the area of theȘureanu Mountains, where successive rulers such asDeceneu,Comosicus, andCoryllusheld power.The centralized Dacian state reached the peak of its development underDecebalus.During this period, a series of conflicts with theRoman Empirecontinued, with part of the Dacian state being conquered in 106 AD by the Roman emperorTrajan.Between 271–275 AD, the Aurelian retreat took place.
In thefirst millennium, waves ofnomadsswept across the territory of Romania: theGothsduring the 3rd–4th centuries,theHunsin the 4th century,theGepidsin the 5th century,theAvarsin the 6th century,theSlavsin the 7th century, theMagyarsin the 9th century, thePechenegs,theCumans,theUzesand theAlansduring the 10th–12th centuries, and theTatarsin the 13th century.
In the13th century, the firstKnyazsouth of theCarpathian Mountainsare attested.Later, in the context of the crystallization of feudal relations, as a result of the creation of favorable internal and external conditions (the weakening ofHungarianpressure and the diminishing ofTatarsdomination), autonomous feudal states emerged south and east of the Carpathians –Wallachiain 1310, underBasarab I, andMoldovain 1359, underBogdan I.Among the Romanian rulers who played a more important role can be mentioned:Alexander the Good,Stephen the Great,Petru Rareș, andDimitrie Cantemirin Moldova;Mircea the Elder,Vlad the Impaler,Michael the Brave, andConstantin Brâncoveanuin Wallachia; andJohn Hunyadiin Transylvania.
Beginning with the end of the15th century, the two principalities gradually came under the influence of theOttoman Empire.
Transylvania, which throughout theMiddle Ageswas part of theKingdom of Hungary,governed by voivodes, became a self-governing principality and a vassal of theOttoman Empirefrom 1526. At the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries,Michael the Braveruled, for a very brief period, over a large part of the territory of present-day Romania.
In the18th century,MoldaviaandWallachiamaintained their internal autonomy, but in1711and1716, respectively, the period of thePhanariotsbegan, with rulers appointed directly by the Porte from among the noble families ofGreekorigin inConstantinople. With the signing of theAusgleichin1867,Transylvaniaquickly lost its remaining political autonomy, being politically and administratively incorporated into theKingdom of Hungary.
The Kingdom of Hungary collapsed, and the Ottomans occupied parts of Banat and Crișana in 1541.Transylvania andMaramureș, along with the rest of Banat and Crișana developed into a new state under Ottoman suzerainty, thePrincipality of Transylvania.The Reformation encouraged the rise of Protestantism and four denominations—Calvinism,Lutheranism,Unitarianism, and Roman Catholicism—were officially acknowledged in 1568.The Romanians' Orthodox faith remained only tolerated,although they made up more than one-third of the population, according to 17th-century estimations.
The princes of Transylvania, Wallachia, and Moldavia joined theHoly Leagueagainst the Ottoman Empire in 1594.The Wallachian prince,Michael the Brave, united the three principalities under his rule in May 1600.The neighboring powers forced him to abdicate in September, but he became a symbol of the unification of the Romanian lands in the 19th century.Although the rulers of the three principalities continued to pay tribute to the Ottomans, the most talented princes—Gabriel Bethlenof Transylvania,Matei Basarabof Wallachia, andVasile Lupuof Moldavia—strengthened their autonomy.
The united armies of theHoly Leagueexpelled the Ottoman troops from Central Europe between 1684 and 1699, and the Principality of Transylvania was integrated into theHabsburg monarchy.The Habsburgs supported the Catholic clergy and persuaded the Orthodox Romanian prelates to accept theunion with the Roman Catholic Churchin 1699.The Church Union strengthened the Romanian intellectuals' devotion to their Roman heritage.The Orthodox Church was restored in Transylvania only after Orthodox monks stirred up revolts in 1744 and 1759.The organisation of theTransylvanian Military Frontiercaused further disturbances,especially among the Székelys in 1764.
PrincesDimitrie Cantemirof Moldavia andConstantin Brâncoveanuof Wallachia concluded alliances with the Habsburg Monarchy and Russia against the Ottomans, but they were dethroned in 1711 and 1714, respectively.The sultans lost confidence in the native princes and appointed Orthodox merchants from thePhanardistrict of Istanbul to rule Moldova and Wallachia.ThePhanariotprinces pursued oppressive fiscal policies and dissolved the army.The neighboring powers took advantage of the situation: the Habsburg Monarchy annexed the northwestern part of Moldavia, orBukovina, in 1775, and theRussian Empireseized the eastern half of Moldavia, orBessarabia, in 1812.
A census revealed that the Romanians were more numerous than any other ethnic group in Transylvania in 1733, but legislation continued to use contemptuous adjectives (such as "tolerated" and "admitted") when referring to them.TheUniate bishop,Inocențiu Micu-Kleinwho demanded recognition of the Romanians as the fourth privileged nation was forced into exile.Uniate and Orthodox clerics and laymen jointly signed aplea for the Transylvanian Romanians' emancipationin 1791, but the monarch and the local authorities refused to grant their requests.
TheTreaty of Küçük Kaynarcaauthorised the Russian ambassador in Istanbul to defend the autonomy of Moldavia and Wallachia (known as theDanubian Principalities) in 1774.Taking advantage of theGreek War of Independence, a Wallachian lesser nobleman, Tudor Vladimirescu, stirred up a revolt against the Ottomans in January 1821, but he was murdered in June by Phanariot Greeks.After anew Russo-Turkish War, theTreaty of Adrianoplestrengthened the autonomy of the Danubian Principalities in 1829, although it also acknowledged the sultan's right to confirm the election of the princes.
Mihail Kogălniceanu,Nicolae Bălcescuand other leaders of the1848 revolutions in MoldaviaandWallachiademanded the emancipation of the peasants and the union of the two principalities, but Russian and Ottoman troops crushed their revolt.The Wallachian revolutionists were the first to adopt the blue, yellow and redtricolouras thenational flag.In Transylvania, most Romanians supported the imperial government against theHungarian revolutionariesafter the Diet passed a law concerning the union of Transylvania and Hungary.BishopAndrei Șagunaproposed the unification of the Romanians of the Habsburg Monarchy in a separate duchy, but the central government refused to change the internal borders.
The modern Romanian state was created through theunification of the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, accepted as a federative structure by the Great Powers following theParis Conventionof 1858, and later cemented by the simultaneous election as ruler of both states of the unionistAlexandru Ioan Cuza.After carrying out numerous reforms that laid the foundations for the modernization of the state, he was forced in 1866 by a broad coalition of the political parties of the time, also known as the "Monstrous coalition", to abdicate and leave the country.The union was at one time in peril, but the political leaders of the era succeeded in placing on the princely throneCarol I of Romania, who accepted the Constitution and took the oath on 10 May 1866. Eleven years later, on 10 May 1877, Romania proclaimed its independence—achieved on the battlefield—and in 1881, on the same day of the year, Carol was crowned asKing of Romania. In 1913, Romania entered theSecond Balkan WaragainstBulgaria, at the end of which it obtained theQuadrilateral.In 1914,King Carol Idied, and his nephew,Ferdinand I, succeeded him on the throne.
In 1916, Romania enteredWorld War Ion the side of theEntente Powers.Although the Romanian forces did not perform well militarily, by the end of the war the Austrian and Russian Empires had disintegrated; the National Assembly inTransylvania, and theSfatul ȚăriiinBessarabiaandBukovinaproclaimed their union with Romania, andKing Ferdinand IandQueen Mariawere crowned sovereign of all Romanians inAlba Iuliaon 15 October 1922.TheTreaty of Versaillesrecognized all the union proclamations in accordance with the right to self-determination established by U.S. PresidentWoodrow Wilson’sFourteen Points.
After having left the country and renounced his claim to the throne in 1925,Carol IIreturned in 1930 and usurped his son’s throne; influenced by his inner circle—referred to by historians as the “Royal Camarilla”—he gradually undermined the democratic system, and in 1938 he assumed dictatorial powers. Although he was pro-Western (especially Anglophile), Carol attempted to appease extreme centrifugal forces by appointing nationalist governments that adopted anti-Semitic measures, such as theGoga cabinetand the one led by the Orthodox PatriarchMiron Cristea.
Following theMolotov–Ribbentrop Pactof 1939, in June 1940 Romania accepted the loss ofBessarabia,Northern Bukovinaand theHertsaregion in favor of theUSSR(as stipulated in the Soviet ultimatum of 28 June 1940). Unaware of the details of the Soviet–German pact, Carol attempted to secure an alliance withNazi Germany, and appointed Ion Gigurtu as President of the Council of Ministers, who declared that he would pursue a Nazi pro-Axis (Berlin–Rome) policy that was anti-Semitic and fascist-totalitarian in nature.Between 4 July and 4 September 1940, by acceptingHitler's arbitrationover Transylvania (after Gigurtu declared on radio that Romania must make territorial sacrifices to justify its Nazi orientation and full adherence to the Berlin–Rome Axis), Romania cededNorthern Transylvania—including the city ofCluj—to Hungary.The vast territories in Transylvania ceded by Ion Gigurtu to Hungary contained important natural resources, including gold mines.Ion Gigurtu also initiated negotiations to cede 8,000 kmof Southern Dobruja to Bulgaria,these negotiations were interrupted by Antonescu’s unconditional acceptance of the territorial cession.
In response to the chaotic withdrawal from Bessarabia, the territorial cessions, public discontent, and protests from political leaders, King Carol II suspended the1938 Constitution of Romaniaand appointed GeneralIon Antonescuas Prime Minister. This measure, supported by theIron Guard, demanded that the king abdicate in favor of his son,Mihai. Subsequently, Antonescu assumed dictatorial powers and became President of the Council of Ministers, self-titling himself as the “Leader” of the state.
In 1941, as an ally ofNazi Germany, Romania enteredWorld War IIby declaring war on theSoviet Union.A shift in fortunes only became discernible after the defeat at Stalingrad and the subsequent change of the USSR from a defensive to an offensive posture.
On 23 August 1944, with the Soviet army having been present in northern Moldova since March,King Mihai Iforcibly removed MarshalIon Antonescufrom power, as he refused to sign an armistice with theAllies of World War II.Following Antonescu’s outright refusal, King Mihai I ordered the dismissal and arrest of the marshal, and Romania switched sides to join the Allies.
Less than three years after theSoviet occupation of Romania, in1947,King Michael Iwas forced to abdicateand thePeople's Republic of Romania—a state of "popular democracy"—was proclaimed. The newly established communist regime, led by theRomanian Workers' Party, consolidated its power through a Stalinist-type policy aimed at suppressing any political opposition and transforming the economic and social structures of the old bourgeois regime.
In the early1960s, the Romanian government began asserting a certain degree of independence from theSoviet Unionin its foreign policy,although it did not abandon its repressive policies (which it labeled "revolutionary conquests") in domestic affairs.In1965, communist leaderGheorghe Gheorghiu-Dejdied, ushering in a period of change in Romania.After a brief power struggle,Nicolae Ceaușescuemerged as the head of the communist party,becoming General Secretary of theRomanian Communist Partyin1965, President of the State Council in1967, and President of theSocialist Republic of Romaniain1974. Ceaușescu's long rule, spanning severaldecades, grew increasingly authoritarian during the1980s.
In the context of the fall of communism throughout Eastern Europe during therevolutions of 1989, a protest that began in mid-December 1989 inTimișoaraquickly escalated into a national uprising against the communist regime, ultimately ousting Nicolae Ceaușescu from power.
An interim council composed of figures from civil society and former communist officials assumed control of the government, andIon Iliescubecame the provisional president of the country. The new government reversed many of the authoritarian communist policiesand dismissed several leaders of the former regime.
In May 1990, elections were held for both the legislature and the presidency. Iliescu was elected president, and his party, theNational Salvation Front, gained control of the legislature.Petre Romanbecame prime minister. However, the elections did not put an end to theGolaniad. Theminers' riots in 1991led to the dismissal of theSecond Roman cabinetin September 1991. In October, former Finance MinisterTheodor Stolojansucceeded Roman as prime minister and formed a new cabinet.In the1992 national elections, Ion Iliescu secured another term. With parliamentary support from the nationalist partiesRomanian National Unity Party(PUNR),Greater Romania Party(PRM), and the former communist partySocialist Party of Labour(PSM),Văcăroiu Cabinetwas formed in November 1992, led by Prime MinisterNicolae Văcăroiu.
The subsequent disintegration of the Front produced several political parties, including most notably theSocial Democratic Party(PDSR then PSD) and theDemocratic Party(PD and subsequently PDL). The former governed Romania from 1990 until 1996 through several coalitions and governments, with Ion Iliescu as head of state. Since then, there have been several other democratic changes of government: in 1996Emil Constantinescuwas elected president, in 2000 Iliescu returned to power, whileTraian Băsescuwas elected in 2004 and narrowly re-elected in 2009.
In 2009, the country was bailed out by theInternational Monetary Fundas an aftershock of theGreat Recession in Europe.In November 2014,SibiuformerFDGR/DFDRmayorKlaus Iohanniswas elected president, unexpectedly defeating former Prime MinisterVictor Ponta, who had been previously leading in the opinion polls. This surprise victory was attributed by many analysts to the implication of theRomanian diasporain the voting process, with almost 50% casting their votes for Klaus Iohannis in the first round, compared to only 16% for Ponta.In 2019, Iohannis was re-elected president in a landslide victory over former Prime MinisterViorica Dăncilă.
The post–1989 period is characterised by the fact that most of the former industrial and economic enterprises which were built and operated during the communist period were closed, mainly as a result of the policies of privatisation of the post–1989 regimes.
Corruption has been amajor issuein contemporary Romanian politics.In November 2015, massiveanti-corruption protestswhich developed in the wake of theColectiv nightclub fireled to the resignation of Romania's Prime Minister Victor Ponta.During 2017–2018, in response to measures which were perceived to weaken the fight against corruption, some of thebiggest protests since 1989took place in Romania, with over 500,000 people protesting across the country.Nevertheless, there have been significant reforms aimed at tackling corruption. ANational Anticorruption Directoratewas formed in the country in 2002, inspired by similar institutions inBelgium,NorwayandSpain.Since 2014, Romania launched an anti-corruption effort that led to the prosecution of medium- and high-level political, judicial and administrative offenses by theNational Anticorruption Directorate.
After the end of theCold War, Romania developed closer ties with Western Europe and the United States, eventually joiningNATOin 2004, and hosting the2008 summitin Bucharest.The country applied in June 1993 for membership in theEuropean Unionand became an Associated State of the EU in 1995, an Acceding Country in 2004, and afull memberon 1 January 2007.
During the 2000s, Romania had one of the highest economic growth rates in Europe and has been referred at times as "the Tiger of Eastern Europe".This has been accompanied by a significant improvement in living standards as the country successfully reduced domestic poverty and established a functional democratic state.However, Romania's development suffered a major setback during thelate 2000s' recessionleading to a large gross domestic product contraction and a budget deficit in 2009.This led to Romania borrowing from the International Monetary Fund.Worsening economic conditions led tounrestand triggered a political crisis in 2012.
Romania is the largest country inSoutheastern Europeand thetwelfth-largestin Europe, having an area of 238,397 square kilometres (92,046 sq mi).It lies between latitudes43°and49° Nand longitudes20°and30° E. The terrain is distributed roughly equally between mountains, hills, and plains. The Carpathian Mountains dominate the centre of Romania, with14 mountain rangesreaching above 2,000 m or 6,600 ft—the highest isMoldoveanu Peakat 2,544 m or 8,346 ft.They are surrounded by theMoldavianandTransylvanianplateaus, thePannonian Plainand theWallachianplains.
Romania is home to six terrestrial ecoregions:Balkan mixed forests,Central European mixed forests,East European forest steppe,Pannonian mixed forests,Carpathian montane conifer forests, andPontic steppe.Natural and semi-natural ecosystems cover about 47% of the country's land area.There are almost 10,000 km(3,900 sq mi) (about 5% of the total area) ofprotected areas in Romaniacovering 13national parksand threebiospherereserves.TheDanuberiver forms a large part of the border withSerbiaandBulgaria, and flows into the Black Sea, forming the Danube Delta, which is the second-largest and best-preserved delta in Europe, and abiosphere reserveand a biodiversityWorld Heritage Site.At 5,800 km(2,200 sq mi),theDanube Deltais the largest continuous marshland in Europe,and supports 1,688 different plant species alone.
Romania has one of the largest areas of undisturbed forest in Europe, covering almost 27% of its territory.The country had a 2019Forest Landscape Integrity Indexmean score of 5.95/10, ranking it 90th globally out of 172 countries.Some 3,700plant specieshave been identified in the country, from which to date 23 have been declarednatural monuments, 74 extinct, 39 endangered, 171 vulnerable, and 1,253 rare.
Thefauna of Romaniaconsists of 33,792 species of animals, 33,085invertebrateand 707vertebrate,with almost 400 unique species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians,including about 50% of Europe's (excluding Russia)brown bearsand 20% of itswolves.
Owing to its distance from open sea and its position on the southeastern portion of the European continent, Romania has a climate that iscontinental, with four distinct seasons. The average annual temperature is 11 °C (52 °F) in the south and 8 °C (46 °F) in the north.In summer, average maximum temperatures in Bucharest rise to 28 °C (82 °F), and temperatures over 35 °C (95 °F) are fairly common in the lower-lying areas of the country.In winter, the average maximum temperature is below 2 °C (36 °F).Precipitation is average, with over 750 mm (30 in) per year only on the highest western mountains, while around Bucharest it drops to approximately 570 mm (22 in).There are some regional differences: in western sections, such as Banat, the climate is milder and has some Mediterranean influences; the eastern part of the country has a more pronounced continental climate. In Dobruja, the Black Sea also exerts an influence over the region's climate.
Romania is aunitarysemi-presidentialrepresentative democraticrepublicwith a structured system of governance and an active civil society. ThePresident, elected by popular vote, serves as thehead of state, representing the country ininternational affairs, safeguardingconstitutional order, and acting assupreme commanderof theRomanian Armed Forces. ThePrime Minister, appointed by the President and confirmed by theParliament, acts as thehead of government, responsible for overseeing theexecutive branch, implementingdomestic and foreign policies, and managingpublic administration.Legislative authorityis vested in abicameralParliament, consisting of theChamber of Deputiesand theSenate, whose members are elected through aproportional representationsystem. Thejudiciaryoperatesindependently, with theHigh Court of Cassation and Justiceas the highest court of appeal.
Romania has a democratic,multi-party system, withlegislative powervested in the government and thetwo chambersof theParliament, more specifically theChamber of Deputiesand theSenate. Thejudiciaryisindependentof the executive and the legislature. The latter is elected by popular vote for a maximum of two terms of five years and appoints the prime minister who in turn appoints theCouncil of Ministers. The legislative branch of the government, collectively known as theParliament(residing at thePalace of the Parliament), consists oftwo chambers(SenateandChamber of Deputies) whose members are elected every four years bysimple plurality.
The justice system is independent of the other branches of government and is made up of a hierarchical system of courts with theHigh Court of Cassation and Justicebeing the supreme court of Romania.There are also courts of appeal, county courts and local courts. The Romanian judicial system is strongly influenced by theFrench model, is based oncivil lawand isinquisitorialin nature. TheConstitutional Court(Curtea Constituțională) is responsible for judging the compliance of laws and other state regulations with the constitution, which is the fundamental law of the country and can be amended only through a public referendum.Romania's 2007 entry into the EU has been a significant influence on its domestic policy, and includingjudicial reforms, increased judicial cooperation with other member states, and measures to combat corruption.
Since December 1989, Romania has pursued a policy of strengthening relations with the West in general, more specifically with the United States and the European Union, albeit with limitedrelations involvingthe Russian Federation. It joined NATO on 29 March 2004, the European Union (EU) on 1 January 2007, while it joined the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in 1972, and is a founding member of theWorld Trade Organization.
In the past, recent governments have stated that one of their goals is to strengthen ties with and helping other countries (in particularMoldova,Ukraine, andGeorgia) with the process of integration with the rest of the West.Romania has also made clear since the late 1990s that it supports NATO and EU membership for the democratic former Soviet republics in Eastern Europe and theCaucasus.
Romania opted on 1 January 2007, to accede to theSchengen Area, and its bid to join was approved by theEuropean Parliamentin June 2011, but was rejected by theEU Councilin September 2011. As of August 2019, its acceptance into the Schengen Area was hampered because the European Council had misgivings about Romania's adherence to therule of law,a fundamental principle of EU membership.On 31 March 2024, Romania joined the Schengen Area only with the sea and air borders. AfterAustria, the last country to oppose Romania's and Bulgaria's Schengen membership, lifted its veto, the two countries became full members on 1 January 2025.
In December 2005, President Traian Băsescu andUnited States Secretary of StateCondoleezza Ricesigned an agreement that would allow a U.S. military presence at several Romanian facilities primarily in the eastern part of the country.In May 2009,Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, declared that "Romania is one of the most trustworthy and respectable partners of the USA."
Relations with Moldovaare a special case given that the two countries share the same language and acommon history.Amovement for unification of Moldova and Romaniaappeared in the early 1990s after both countries achieved emancipation from communist rulebut lost ground in the mid-1990s when a new Moldovan government pursued an agenda towards preserving a Moldovan republic independent of Romania.After the2009 protests in Moldovaand the subsequent removal of Communists from power, relations between the two countries have improved considerably.
The Romanian Armed Forces consist ofland,air, andnaval forcesled by aCommander-in-chiefunder the supervision of theMinistry of National Defence, and by thepresidentas the Supreme Commander during wartime. The Armed Forces consist of approximately 55,000 reservists and 71,500 active military personnel—35,800 for land, 10,700 for air, 6,600 for naval forces, and 16,500 in other fields.Total defence spending in 2023 accounted for 2.44% of total national GDP, or approximately US$8.48 billion,with a total of $9 billion intended to be spent until 2026 for modernisation and acquisition of new equipment.Conscription stopped in 2007, when Romania switched to a volunteer army.
The Air Force operatesF-16AM/BM MLUfighters,C-27J SpartanandC-130 Herculestransport aircraft, as well asIAR 330andIAR 316helicopters.Aprocurement programmeforF-35fifth-generation fightersis also currently being carried out.The Naval Forces operate three frigates, of which twoType 22 frigatesacquired from the BritishRoyal Navy,as well as four corvettes. TheRiver FlotillaoperatesMihail KogălniceanuandSmârdan-class river monitors.
Romania contributed troops to the international coalition inAfghanistanbeginning in 2002,with a peak deployment of 1,600 troops in 2010 (which was the 4th largest contribution according to the US).Its combat mission in the country concluded in 2014.Romanian troops participated in theoccupation of Iraq, reaching a peak of 730 soldiers before being slowly drawn down to 350 soldiers. Romania terminated its mission in Iraq and withdrew its last troops on 24 July 2009, among the last countries to do so. The frigate theRegele Ferdinandparticipated in the2011 military intervention in Libya.
In December 2011, the Romanian Senate unanimously adopted the draft law ratifying theRomania-United States agreementsigned in September of the same year that would allow the establishment and operation of a US land-basedballistic missile defence systemin Romania as part of NATO's efforts to build a continentalmissile shield.TheAegis Ashoremissile system based atDeveslubecame operational in 2016.
In 2024, construction work started on expanding the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base (RoAF 57th Air Base). The air base is set to become the largest NATO base in Europe after the implementation of a project spanning 20 years.
Romania is divided into 41counties(județe) and the municipality ofBucharest. Each county is administered by a county council, responsible for local affairs, as well as aprefectresponsible for the administration of national affairs at the county level. The prefect is appointed by the central government but cannot be a member of any political party.Each county is subdivided further intocitiesandcommunes, which have their own mayor and local council. There are a total of 320 cities and 2,861 communes in Romania.A total of 103 of the larger cities havemunicipalitystatus, which gives them greater administrative power over local affairs. The municipality of Bucharest is a special case, as it enjoys a status on par to that of a county. It is further divided into sixsectorsand has a prefect, a general mayor (primar general), and a general city council.
The NUTS-3 (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) level divisions of the European Union reflect Romania's administrative-territorial structure and correspond to the 41 counties plus Bucharest.The cities and communes correspond to the NUTS-5 level divisions, but there are no current NUTS-4 level divisions. The NUTS-1 (fourmacroregions) and NUTS-2(eightdevelopment regions) divisions exist but have no administrative capacity and are used instead for coordinating regional development projects and statistical purposes.
In 2024, Romania has a GDP (PPP) of around $894 billion and aGDP per capita(PPP) of $47,203.According to the World Bank, Romania is ahigh-income economy.According toEurostat, Romania's GDP per capita (PPS) was 77% of the EU average (100%) in 2022, an increase from 44% in 2007 (the year of Romania's accession to the EU), making Romania one of the fastest growing economies in the EU.
TheBucharest Stock Exchange(BVB) is thestock exchangeof Romania, located inBucharest. In 2024, the BVB boasted a $74 billionmarket capitalizationand atrading volumeof $7.2 billion.As of 2024, 86 companies were listed on the exchange.In September 2020,FTSE Russellupgraded the BVB from aFrontier marketto aSecondary Emerging Market.
After 1989 the country experienced a decade of economic instability and decline, led in part by an obsolete industrial base and a lack of structural reform. From 2000 onwards, however, the Romanian economy was transformed into one of relativemacroeconomicstability, characterised by high growth, low unemployment and declining inflation. In 2006, according to theRomanian Statistics Office, GDP growth in real terms was recorded at 7.7%, one of the highest rates in Europe.However, theGreat Recessionforced the government to borrow externally, including anIMF€20 billion bailout programme.According toThe World Bank, GDP per capita in purchasing power parity grew from $13,703 in 2007 to $47,903 in 2023.
Romania's main exports arevehicles,software,clothingandtextiles,industrial machinery,electricalandelectronic equipment,metallurgic products,raw materials,military equipment,pharmaceuticals,fine chemicals, andagricultural products(fruits, vegetables, and flowers). Trade is mostly centred on the member states of the European Union, with Germany, Italy and France being the country's single largest trading partners.
After a series of privatisations and reforms in the late 1990s and 2000s, government intervention in the Romanian economy is somewhat less than in other European economies.In 2005, the government replaced Romania'sprogressive taxsystem with aflat taxof 16% for both personal income and corporate profit, among the lowest rates in the European Union.The economy is based predominantly on services, which account for 56.2% of the country's total GDP as of 2017, with industry and agriculture accounting for 30% and 4.4% respectively.Approximately 25.8% of the Romanian workforce is employed in agriculture, one of the highest rates in Europe.
Romania has attracted increasing amounts of foreign investment following the end of Communism, with the stock offoreign direct investment(FDI) in Romania rising to €83.8 billion in June 2019.Romania's FDI outward stock (an external or foreign business either investing in or purchasing the stock of a local economy) amounted to $745 million in December 2018, the lowest value among the 28 EU member states.
Since 1867 the official currency has been theRomanianleu("lion") and following a denomination in 2005.After joining the EU in 2007, Romania plans to adopt theeuroin 2029.
According to the Romania's National Institute of Statistics (INS), Romania's total road network was estimated in 2015 at 86,080 kilometres (53,488 mi).The World Bank estimates the railway network at 22,298 kilometres (13,855 mi) of track, the fourth-largest railroad network in Europe.Romania'srail transportexperienced 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,accounting for 45% of all passenger and freight movements in the country.Bucharest Metro, the onlyundergroundrailway system, was opened in 1979 and measures 80.01 km (49.72 mi) with an average ridership in 2021 of 720,000 passengers during the workweek in the country.There aresixteen international commercial airportsin service today. Over 12.8 million passengers flew through Bucharest'sHenri Coandă International Airportin 2017.
Romania is a net exporter of electrical energy and is 52nd worldwide in terms of consumption of electric energy.Around a third of the produced energy comes from renewable sources, mostly as hydroelectric power.It has one of the largest refining capacities in Eastern Europe, even though oil and natural gas production has been decreasing for more than a decade.With one of the largest reserves ofcrude oilandshale gasin Europeit is among the most energy-independent countries in the European Union,and is looking to expand its nuclear power plant atCernavodăfurther.
There were almost 18.3 million connections to the Internet in June 2014.According toBloomberg, in 2013 Romania ranked fifth in the world, and according toThe Independent, it ranks number one in Europe at Internet speeds,withTimișoararanked among the highest in the world.
Tourism is a significant contributor to the Romanian economy, generating around 5% of GDP.The number of tourists has been rising steadily, reaching 9.33 million foreign tourists in 2016, according to the Worldbank.Tourism in Romania attracted €400 million in investments in 2005.More than 60% of the foreign visitors in 2007 were from other EU countries.The popular summer attractions ofMamaiaand otherBlack Sea Resortsattracted 1.3 million tourists in 2009.
Most popular skiing resorts are along theValea Prahoveiand inPoiana Brașov.Castles, fortifications, or strongholdsas well as preserved medieval Transylvanian cities or towns such asCluj-Napoca,Sibiu,Brașov,Alba Iulia,Baia Mare,Bistrița,Mediaș,Cisnădie,Sebeș, orSighișoaraalso attract a large number of tourists.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 beingDracula's Castle.Other attractions include the Danube Delta or theSculptural Ensemble of Constantin Brâncuși at Târgu Jiu.
Rural tourism, focusing on getting visitors acquainted with localfolkloreandcustoms, has become an important alternative,and is targeted to promote such sites asBranand its Dracula's Castle, thepainted churches of northern Moldavia, and thewooden churches of Maramureș, or thevillages with fortified churches in Transylvania.TheVia Transilvanicalong-distancehikingandcyclingtrail, which crosses 10 counties in theTransylvania,BanatandBukovinaregions of the country further promotes ruralslow tourism.
In 2014, Romania had 32,500 companies active in the hotel and restaurant industry, with a total turnover of €2.6 billion.More than 1.9 million foreign tourists visited Romania in 2014, 12% more than in 2013.According to the country's National Statistics Institute, some 77% came from Europe (particularly from Germany, Italy, and France), 12% from Asia, and less than 7% from North America.
Historically, Romanian researchers and inventors have made notable contributions to several fields. In the history of flight,Traian Vuiabuilt the first airplane to take off under its own powerandAurel Vlaicubuilt and flew some of the earliest successful aircraft,whileHenri Coandădiscovered theCoandă effectof fluidics.Victor Babeșdiscovered more than 50 types of bacteria;biologistNicolae Paulescudeveloped an extract of the pancreas and showed that it lowers blood sugar in diabetic dogs, thus being significant in the history of insulin;whileEmil Paladereceived the Nobel Prize for his contributions tocell biology.Lazăr Edeleanuwas the first chemist to synthesiseamphetamine, and he also invented the procedure of separating valuable petroleum components with selective solvents.
During the 1990s and 2000s, the development of research was hampered by several factors, including: corruption, low funding, and a considerablebrain drain.In recent years, Romania has ranked the lowest or second-lowest in the European Union byresearch and developmentspending as a percentage of GDP, standing at roughly 0.5% in 2016 and 2017, substantially below the EU average of just over 2%.The country joined theEuropean Space Agency(ESA) in 2011,andCERNin 2016.In 2018, however, Romania lost its voting rights in the ESA due to a failure to pay €56.8 million in membership contributions to the agency.
In the early 2010s, the situation for science in Romania was characterised as "rapidly improving" albeit from a low base.In January 2011, Parliament passed a law that enforces "strict quality control on universities and introduces tough rules for funding evaluation and peer review".Romania was ranked 48th in theGlobal Innovation Indexin 2024.
Thenuclear physicsfacility of the European Union's proposedExtreme Light Infrastructure(ELI)laserwill be built in Romania.In early 2012, Romania launched its firstsatellitefrom theCentre Spatial Guyanaisin French Guiana.Starting in December 2014, Romania became a co-owner of theInternational Space Station.
According to the2021 Romanian census, Romania's population was 19,053,815.Like other countries in the region, its population is expected to decline gradually as a result ofsub-replacement fertility ratesand negativenet migration rate. According to the 2021 Romanian census,Romaniansmade up 89.33% of the population,Hungarians6.05% and theRoma3.44% of the population,but many ethnicities are not recorded, as they do not have ID cards.International sources give higher figures for Roma than the official census.According to theCouncil of Europe, theRomamakes up 8.32% of the population.Hungarians constitute a majority in the counties ofHarghitaandCovasna. Other minorities includeUkrainians,Germans,Turks,Lipovans,Aromanians,Tatars, andSerbs.In 1930, there were 745,421 Germans living in Romania,but only about 36,000 remained in the country to this day.As of 2009, there were also approximately 133,000 immigrants living in Romania, primarily from Moldova and China.
Thetotal fertility rate(TFR) in 2018 was estimated at 1.36 children born per woman, which is below the replacement rate of 2.1, and one of the lowest in the world,it remains considerably below the high of 5.82 children born per woman in 1912.In 2014, 31.2% of births were to unmarried women.Thebirth rate(9.49‰, 2012) is much lower than themortality 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,with approximately 16.8% of total population aged 65 years and over.The life expectancy in 2015 was estimated at 74.92 years (71.46 years male, 78.59 years female).The number of Romanians and individuals with ancestors born in Romania living abroad is estimated at 12 million.After theRomanian Revolution of 1989, a significant number of Romanians emigrated to other European countries, North America or Australia.For example, in 1990, 96,919 Romanians permanently settled abroad.
The official language is Romanian, aRomance language(the most widely spoken of theEastern Romance branch), which presents a consistent degree of similarity toAromanian,Megleno-Romanian, andIstro-Romanian, but shares many features equally with the rest of theWestern Romance languages, specifically Italian, French, Spanish,Portuguese, andCatalan.TheRomanian alphabetcontains the same 26 letters of the standard Latin alphabet, as well as five additional ones (namelyă,â,î,ț, andș), totaling 31.
Romanian is spoken as a first language by 91.55% of the entire population, whileHungarianandVlax Romaniare spoken by 6.28% and 1.20% of the population, respectively. There are also 40,861 native speakers ofUkrainian(concentrated in some compact regions near the border, where they form local majorities),17,101 native speakers ofTurkish, 15,943 native speakers ofGerman, and 14,414 native speakers ofRussianliving in Romania.
According to the Constitution, local councils ensure linguistic rights to all minorities. In localities with ethnic minorities of over 20%, that minority's language can be used in the public administration, justice system, and education. Foreign citizens and stateless persons who live in Romania have access to justice and education in their own language.English and French are the main foreign languages taught in schools.In 2010, theOrganisation internationale de la Francophonieidentified 4,756,100 French speakers in the country.According to the 2012Eurobarometer, English is spoken by 31% of Romanians, French is spoken by 17%, and Italian and German, each by 7%.
Romania is asecular stateand has nostate religion. An overwhelming majority of the population identify themselves as Christians. At the country's 2021 census,73.60% of respondents identified asOrthodox Christians, with 73.42% belonging to theRomanian Orthodox Church. Other denominations includeProtestantism(6.22%),Roman Catholicism(3.89%), andGreek Catholicism(0.61%). From the remaining population 128,291 people belong to other Christian denominations or have another religion, which includes 58,347Muslims(mostly of Turkish and Tatar ethnicity) and 2,708Jewish(Jews once constituted 4% of the Romanian population—728,115 persons in the 1930 census). Additionally, 71,430 people areirreligious, 57,229 areatheist, 25,485 areagnostic, and 2,658,165 people chose to not declare their religion.
The Romanian Orthodox Church is anautocephalousEastern Orthodox Churchinfull communionwith other Orthodox churches, with aPatriarchas its leader. It is the third-largest Eastern Orthodox Church in the world,and unlike other Orthodox churches, it functions within aLatinculture and uses aRomanceliturgical language.Its canonical jurisdiction covers the territories of Romania and Moldova.Romania has theworld's third-largest Eastern Orthodox population.
Although 54.0% of the population lived inurban areasin 2011,this percentage has been declining since 1996.Counties with over2⁄3urban population areHunedoara,BrașovandConstanța, while those with less than a third areDâmbovița(30.06%) andGiurgiuandTeleorman.Bucharest is the capital and the largest city in Romania, with a population of over 1.7 million in 2021.Itslarger urban zonehas a population of almost 2.2 million,which are planned to be included into ametropolitan areaup to 20 times the area of thecity proper.
Another 17 cities have a population of over 100,000, with Cluj-Napoca, Iași, Constanța and Timișoara of more than 250,000 inhabitants, and Craiova, Brașov and Galați with over 200,000 inhabitants.Metropolitan areashave been constituted for most of these cities.
Since the Romanian Revolution of 1989, the Romanian educational system has been in a continuous process of reform that has received mixed criticism.In 2004, some 4.4 million individuals were enrolled in school. Of these, 650,000 were inkindergarten(three-six years), 3.11 million in primary and secondary level, and 650,000 in tertiary level (universities).In 2018, the adult literacy rate was 98.8%.Kindergarten is optional between three and five years. Since 2020, compulsory schooling starts at age 5 with the last year of kindergarten (grupa mare) and is compulsory until twelfth grade.Primary and secondary education is divided into 12 or 13 grades. There is also a semi-legal, informalprivate tutoringsystem used mostly during secondary school, which prospered during the Communist regime.
Alexandru Ioan Cuza Universityof Iași,Babeș-Bolyai Universityof Cluj-Napoca,University of Bucharest, andWest University of Timișoarahave been included in theQS World University Rankings' top 800.
Romania ranks fifth in the all-time medal count at theInternational Mathematical Olympiadwith 316 total medals, dating back to 1959.Ciprian Manolescumanaged to write a perfect paper (42 points) for a gold medal more times than anybody else in the history of the competition, in 1995, 1996 and 1997.Romania has achieved the highest team score in the competition, after China, Russia, the United States and Hungary. Romania also ranks sixth in the all-time medal count at theInternational Olympiad in Informaticswith 107 total medals, dating back to 1989.
Healthcare in Romania is mainly provided by the public sector, which runs most hospitals and offers national health insurance to nearly all citizens. In 2021, healthcare costs were USD16. 7 billion, or USD2,385 per person, making up 5. 69 percent of GDP. Government spending is higher than in markets like Bulgaria but lower than Hungary. Spending is expected to rise by 7. 5 billion USD (+37. 68 percent) from 2024 to 2028, reaching 27. 3 billion USD by 2028.
The Romanian National Institute of Statistics reports over 65,000 health units in Romania, with 53,000 in urban areas and 12,000 in rural areas. There are 543 hospitals, including 488 in urban and 55 in rural areas, along with 160 other hospital-like establishments. Nearly 50% of these are large facilities with over 100 beds, while 39% are small with fewer than 50 beds. The total number of inpatient beds is 135,085, allocated mainly to psychiatry, surgery, and internal medicine among other specialties.
The topic of the origin of Romanian culture began to be discussed by the end of the 18th century among theTransylvanian Schoolscholars.Several writers rose to prominence in the 19th century, including:George Coșbuc,Ioan Slavici,Mihail Kogălniceanu,Vasile Alecsandri,Nicolae Bălcescu,Ion Luca Caragiale,Ion Creangă, andMihai Eminescu, the later being considered the greatest and most influential Romanian poet, particularly for the poemLuceafărul.
In the 20th century, a number of Romanian artists and writers achieved international acclaim, including:Tristan Tzara,Marcel Janco,Mircea Eliade,Nicolae Grigorescu,Marin Preda,Liviu Rebreanu,Eugène Ionesco,Emil Cioran, andConstantin Brâncuși. Brâncuși has a sculptural ensemble in Târgu Jiu, while his sculptureBird in Space, was auctioned in 2005 for $27.5 million.Romanian-born Holocaust survivorElie Wieselreceived theNobel Peace Prizein 1986, whileBanat SwabianwriterHerta Müllerreceived the 2009Nobel Prize in Literature.
Prominent Romanian painters include:Nicolae Grigorescu,Ștefan Luchian,Ion AndreescuNicolae Tonitza, andTheodor Aman. Notable Romanian classical composers of the 19th and 20th centuries include:Ciprian Porumbescu,Anton Pann,Eduard Caudella,Mihail Jora,Dinu Lipatti, and especiallyGeorge Enescu. The annualGeorge Enescu Festivalis held in Bucharest in honour of the 20th-century composer.
Contemporary musicians likeAngela Gheorghiu,Gheorghe Zamfir,Inna,Alexandra Stan,and many others have achieved various levels of international acclaim. From the late 2000s through the early 2010s, the Romanianpopcornmusic style had established itself in the international mainstream.At theEurovision Song ContestRomanian singers achieved third place in 2005 and 2010.
In cinema, several movies of theRomanian New Wavehave achieved international acclaim. At theCannes Film Festival,The Death of Mr. LazarescubyCristi Puiuwon thePrix Un Certain Regardin 2005,while4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 DaysbyCristian Mungiuwon the festival's top prize, thePalme d'Or, in 2007.At theBerlin International Film Festival,Child's PosebyCălin Peter Netzerwon theGolden Bearin 2013.
The list of World Heritage Sites includessix cultural siteslocated within Romania, including eightpainted churches of northern Moldavia, eight wooden churches of Maramureș, seven villages with fortified churches in Transylvania, theHorezu Monastery, and theHistoric Centre of Sighișoara.The city of Sibiu, with itsBrukenthal National Museum, was selected as the 2007European Capital of Cultureand the 2019European Region of Gastronomy.Multiple castles exist in Romania, including the popular tourist attractions ofPeleș Castle,Corvin Castle, and Bran Castle or "Dracula's Castle".
There are 12 non-working public holidays, including theGreat Union Day, celebrated on 1 December in commemoration of the 1918 union of Transylvania with Romania.Winter holidays include theChristmasand New Year festivities during which various unique folklore dances and games are common:plugușorul,sorcova,ursul, andcapra.The traditionalRomanian dressthat otherwise has largely fallen out of use during the 20th century, is a popular ceremonial vestment worn on these festivities, especially in rural areas.There are sacrifices of live pigs during Christmas and lambs during Easter that has required a special exemption from EU law after 2007.In the Easter, traditions such aspainting the eggsare very common. On 1 Marchmărțișorgifting is featured, which is a tradition whereby females are gifted with a type of talisman that is given for good luck.
Romanian cuisine has been influenced byAustrianandGerman cuisine(especially in the historical regions that had been formerly administered by theHabsburg monarchy), but also shares some similarities with other cuisines in theBalkan regionsuch as theGreek,Bulgarian, orSerbian cuisine.Ciorbăincludes a wide range ofsour soups, whilemititei,mămăligă(similar topolenta), andsarmaleare featured commonly in main courses.
Pork, chicken, and beef are the preferred types of meat, but lamb and fish are also quite popular.Certain traditional recipes are made in direct connection with the holidays:chiftele,tobăandtochiturăatChristmas;drob,pascăandcozonacat Easter and other Romanian holidays.Țuicăis a strong plumbrandyreaching a 70% alcohol content which is the country's traditional alcoholic beverage, taking as much as 75% of the national crop (Romania is one of thelargest plum producers in the world).Traditional alcoholic beverages also includewine,rachiu,palincăandvișinată, butbeerconsumption has increased dramatically over recent years.
Footballis the most popular sport in Romania with over 219,000 registered players as of 2018. The market for professional football in Romania is roughly €740 million according toUEFA.
The governing body is theRomanian Football Federation, which belongs to UEFA. TheRomania national football teamplayed its first match in 1922 and is one of only four national teams to have taken part in the first threeFIFA World Cups, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium. Overall, it has played in seven World Cups and had its most successful period during the 1990s, when it finished 6th at the1994 FIFA World Cup, eventually being ranked 3rd byFIFAin 1997.
The most successful club isSteaua București, who were the first Eastern European team to win theUEFA Champions Leaguein 1986, and were runners-up in 1989.Dinamo Bucureștireached the UEFA Champions League semi-final in 1984 and theUEFA Cup Winners' Cupsemi-final in1990.Other important Romanian football clubs areRapid București,UTA Arad,Universitatea Craiova,Petrolul Ploiești,CFR Cluj,Astra Giurgiu,andViitorul Constanța(the latter having recently merged withFCV Farul Constanța).
Tennis is the second most popular sport.Romania reached theDavis Cupfinals three times in 1969, 1971 and 1972.The second most popularteam sportishandball.Themen's teamwon thehandball world championshipin1961,1964,1970,1974making them the third most successful nation ever in the tournament. Thewomen's teamwon theworld championshipin1962and have enjoyed more success than their male counterparts in recent years. In the club competition Romanian teams have won theEHF Champions Leaguea total of three times,Steaua Bucureștiwon in1968as well as1977andDinamo Bucureștiwon in1965.In women's handball, powerhouseCSM Bucureștilifted theEHF Champions Leaguetrophy in 2016.
Popularindividual sportsincludecombat sports,martial arts,and swimming.Inprofessional boxing, Romania has produced many world champions across the weight divisions internationally recognised by governing bodies.Another popular combat sport isprofessional kickboxing, which has produced prominent practitioners including.
Romania's 306all-time Summer Olympics medalswould rank 12th most among all countries, while its 89 gold medals would be 14th most. The1984 Summer Olympicswas their most successful run, where they won 53 medals in total, 20 of them gold, ultimately placing 2nd to the hosts United States in themedal rankings. Amongst countries who have never hosted the event themselves, they are second in the total number of medals earned.Gymnasticsis the country's major medal-producing sport,
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