Economy overview: Romania, one of the poorest countries in Central and Eastern Europe, began its transition from socialism in 1989 with an outdated manufacturing base and industrial resources totally inadequate for its needs. Over the past ten years, economic restructuring has lagged behind in comparison with other countries in the region, as a result of which living standards continue to fall, real wages have fallen by 40%. Corruption has also increased. The EU ranks Romania last among candidates for membership, and the EBRD considers Romania to have the worst restructuring record of any country in the region. In 2000, the country managed to break a three-year decline due to strong demand for its exports in the EU market. The new government, elected in November 2000, promises to promote economic reform. GDP: at purchasing power parity – $132.5 billion (2000 est.). Real GDP growth rate: 2.2% (2000 est.). GDP per capita: at purchasing power parity – $5,900 (2000 est.). The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 13.9%; industry: 32.6%; service sector: 53.5% (2000). Proportion of population below the poverty line: 44.5% (2000 est.). Percentage distribution of family income or consumption: per 10% of the poorest families: 3.8%; by the top 10% of families: 20.2% (1992). Inflation rate at consumer prices: 45.7% (2000 est.). Labor force: 9.9 million people (1999 est.). Employment structure: agriculture 40%, industry 25%, services 35% (1998). Unemployment rate: 11.5% (1999). Budget: revenues: $11.7 billion; expenditures: $12.4 billion, including capital expenditures – NA (1999 est.). Spheres of economy: production of textiles and footwear, light engineering and car assembly, mining, timber industry, production of building materials, metallurgy, chemical industry, food production, oil refining. Growth in industrial production: 8% (2000 est.). Electricity generation: 49.036 billion kWh (1999) Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 53.99%; hydropower: 36.18%; nuclear fuel: 9.81%; others: 0.02% (1999). Electricity consumption: 44.768 billion kWh (1999) Electricity export: 1.935 billion kWh (1999) Electricity import: 1.1 billion kWh (1999). Agricultural products: wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, potatoes, grapes; eggs, lamb. Exports: $11.2 billion (free on board, 2000 est.) Export items: shoes and textiles 26%, metals and metal products 15%, machinery and equipment 11%, minerals and fuels 6% (1999). Export partners: Italy 23%, Germany 18%, France 6%, Turkey 5% (1999). Import: $11.9 billion (free on board, 2000 est.). Imports: machinery and equipment 23%, fuels and minerals 12%, chemicals 9%, textiles and consumer goods 19% (1999). Import partners: Italy 20%, Germany 19%, France 7%, Russia 6% (1999). External debt: $9.3 billion (2000 est.) Donor of economic aid: Currency: Lei. Currency code: ROL. Exchange rate: ROL/USD – 26,243.0 (January 2001), 21,708.7 (1999), 15,332.8 (1999), 8,875.6 (1998), 7,167.9 (1997), 3,084 ,2 (1996). Fiscal year: calendar year.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 3.777 million (1997). Mobile cellular telephones: 645,500 (1999). Telephone system: service poor but improving; internal: 90% of the telephone network is automated; the trunk network is predominantly microwave radio relay with a small amount of fiber optic cables; about a third of telephone exchange equipment is digital; more than 3,300 villages are not connected to the telephone network; international: ground satellite station – 1 Intelsat; a new digital international direct dial station operates in Bucharest; note – Romania is an active participant in some international telecommunications projects (1999). Broadcast stations: AM – 40, FM – 202, shortwave – 3 (1998). Radio receivers: 7.2 million (1997). Television broadcast stations: 48 (and 392 repeaters) (1995). Televisions: 5.25 million (1997) Internet country code: ro Internet service providers: 38 (2000). Number of users: 600,000 (2000).
Transport
Transport Railways: total: 11,385 km (3,888 km electrified); with standard gauge: 10,898 km; narrow gauge: 487 km (1996). Roads: total: 153,359 km; paved: 103,671 km (including 133 km of freeways); unpaved: 49,688 km (1998 est.); Waterways: 1,724 km (1984). Pipelines: for crude oil -2,800 km; for oil products – 1,429 km; for natural gas -6,400 km (1992). Ports and harbours: Braila, Galati, Constanta, Mangalia, Supina, Tulcea. Merchant navy: total: 95 vessels (of 1,000 tons displacement and over) with a total displacement of 695,227 gross register tons / 931,598 long tons of gross tonnage; different types of ships: bulk carriers – 10, cargo ships – 71, container ships – 1, passenger ships – 1, cargo-passenger ships – 1, oil tankers – 4, railcar carriers – 2, ferries – 4, specialized tankers – 1 (2000 est.). Airports: 62 (2000 est.). Airports with paved runways: total: 25; over 3,047 m: 3; from 2438 to 3047 m: 10; 1524 to 2437 m: 12 (2000 est.). Airports with unpaved runways: total: 37; from 1524 to 2437 m: 2; from 914 to 1523 m:12; less than 914 m: 23 (2000 est.). Helipads: 1 (2000 est.).
Armed forces
Branches of the armed forces: army, navy, air force and air defense forces, paramilitary formations, civil defense forces. See militarynous.com to know more about Romania Military. Enlistment age: 20 years old. Total Military Manpower: Male 15 to 49: 5,899,536 (2001 est.). Eligible for military service: men aged 15 to 49: 4,962,807 (2001 est.). Number of persons reaching military age each year: male: 179,951 (2001 est.). Military spending in dollar terms: $720M (2000) Military spending as part of GDP: 2.2% (2000)
International Issues
International issues International disputes: no. Illicit Drugs: An important transshipment point for heroin from Southwest Asia, which crosses the Balkan route to Western Europe, and a small amount of Latin American cocaine via Romania to Western Europe.
