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Romania

Romania

Continent

Europe

Best States to Visit

  • Cluj
  • Galati
  • Dolj
  • Timis
  • Salaj

Best Cities to Visit

  • Brasov
  • Sighisoara
  • Bucharest
  • Sibiu
  • Sinaia

Size

238,397 KM2

Population

19,317,984

GDP

$636,481,000,000

Spending Budget

$249 - $1,123

Famous For

  • It's the real home of Borat
  • Bucharest has one of the world's prettiest bookshops
  • It's home to the world's heaviest building
  • And the world's most beautiful road
  • They love a drink
  • Visitors might spot Europe's largest mammal

Best Time to Visit

  • January
  • June
  • July
  • August
  • September
  • October

History

The Kingdom of Hungary collapsed, and the Ottomans occupied parts of Banat and Crișana in 1541. Transylvania and Maramureș, along with the rest of Banat and Crișana developed into a new state under Ottoman suzerainty, the Principality of Transylvania. Reformation spread and four denominations—Calvinism, Lutheranism, Unitarianism, and Roman Catholicism—were officially acknowledged in 1568. The Romanians' Orthodox faith remained only tolerated,[106] although they made up more than one-third of the population, according to 17th-century estimations. During the Long Turkish War, Wallachian Prince Michael the Brave reigned briefly over the three medieval principalities of Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania, covering most of the present-day territory of Romania. The princes of Transylvania, Wallachia, and Moldavia joined the Holy League against 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 Bethlen of Transylvania, Matei Basarab of Wallachia, and Vasile Lupu of Moldavia—strengthened their autonomy. The united armies of the Holy League expelled the Ottoman troops from Central Europe between 1684 and 1699, and the Principality of Transylvania was integrated into the Habsburg Monarchy. The Habsburgs supported the Catholic clergy and persuaded the Orthodox Romanian prelates to accept the union with the Roman Catholic Church in 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 organization of the Transylvanian Military Frontier caused further disturbances, especially among the Székelys in 1764. Princes Dimitrie Cantemir of Moldavia and Constantin Brâncoveanu of 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 the Phanar district of Istanbul to rule Moldova and Wallachia. The Phanariot princes 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, or Bukovina, in 1775, and the Russian Empire seized the eastern half of Moldavia, or Bessarabia, 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 when referring to them. The Uniate bishop, Inocențiu Micu-Klein who demanded recognition of the Romanians as the fourth privileged nation was forced into exile. Uniate and Orthodox clerics and laymen jointly signed a plea for the Transylvanian Romanians' emancipation in 1791, but the monarch and the local authorities refused to grant their requests.

Present Day

After the end of the Cold War, Romania developed closer ties with Western Europe and the United States, eventually joining NATO in 2004, and hosting the 2008 summit in Bucharest. The country applied in June 1993 for membership in the European Union and became an Associated State of the EU in 1995, an Acceding Country in 2004, and a full member on 1 January 2007. During the 2000s, Romania enjoyed one of the highest economic growth rates in Europe and has been referred to 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 the late-2000s' recession leading 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 to unrest and triggered a political crisis in 2012. Romania joined NATO in 2004 and hosted its 2008 summit in Bucharest. Romania still faces problems related to infrastructure, medical services, education, and corruption. Near the end of 2013, The Economist reported Romania again enjoying "booming" economic growth at 4.1% that year, with wages rising fast and lower unemployment than in Britain. Economic growth accelerated in the midst of government liberalisations in opening up new sectors to competition and investment—most notably, energy and telecoms. In 2016 the Human Development Index ranked Romania as a nation of "Very High Human Development". Following the experience of economic instability throughout the 1990s, and the implementation of a free travel agreement with the EU, a great number of Romanians emigrated to Western Europe and North America, with particularly large communities in Italy, Germany and Spain. In 2016, the Romanian diaspora was estimated to be over 3.6 million people, the fifth-highest emigrant population in the world.

Future

Romania has experienced significant progress in recent years with its income per capita rising from about 50 per cent of the European Union average in 2010 to about 70 per cent currently. However, the country faces several skill challenges if it wishes to move its economy to the global economic frontier. Being at the frontier requires the right skills, as well as training models that allow individuals, firms’ employees, and countries’ workforces to update their skills frequently and efficiently to meet changing needs. Romania is characterized by acute skills gaps and shortages that cause skills mismatches in the labour market. These skill challenges include an insufficient quantity of general education compared to peers, uneven skills distribution among tertiary graduates, relatively low foundational cognitive (literacy and numeracy) and socio-emotional skills, and shortages of high-skilled white-collar and low-skilled blue-collar workforces. They are likely to be magnified by the impact of COVID-19, as the lockdown has left thousands of workers unemployed and forced schools and universities to close, increasing the likelihood of skill depreciation. Skills gaps refer to inadequacies in the quantity, quality, and types of skills available in the workforce. Romania’s pool of potential and actual workers is relatively less educated than the rest of the EU, while there are also significant regional disparities within the country. In 2017, only 15 percent of Romania’s working-age population had completed tertiary education, while 27 percent had less than upper secondary education, both significantly worse than the EU average. Romania has many overeducated workers in low-skilled, blue-collar occupations. However, the country’s proportion of undereducated workers in high-skilled, blue-collar occupations exceeds both its peers (Poland, Hungary, and Bulgaria) and the EU average. Conversely, a significant proportion of workers in high-skilled, white-collar and high-skilled, blue-collar jobs in suburban and rural areas don’t have the skills to perform their jobs effectively. Technicians and associate professionals, skilled agricultural workers, and all low-skilled, blue-collar workers are the occupations with the most vertical mismatches (see Figure 1), which refers to a misalignment between the level of education required for an occupation and the actual level of education of the worker in that occupation.
Must Visit Places ------------

Danube Delta

The Danube Delta is one of the largest and best-preserved deltas in all of Europe, with 23 ecosystems that are home to a huge number of plants and wildlife. Located in Tulcea County in the Dobrogea region, the delta is a winding network of waterways that originate from the Black Sea. In total, the delta is 5,165 square kilometres, and it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Search for some of the 300 species of birds that visit the delta or fish in the lakes and marshes to find some of the 45 species of fresh-water fish. Visit during the springtime to avoid the mosquitoes, and don’t miss a fabulous sunset over the river.

The Sphinx and Babele

Located in the Bucegi Mountains, the Sphinx and Babele are two regularly visited natural rock formations. Created by wind and rain, the formations are located about a 10-minute walk from one another at an altitude of more than 2,000 meters. The Sphinx was discovered around 1900. However, it acquired its name, which refers to the Great Sphinx of Giza, in 1936 when it was first recognized as a lookalike from a certain angle. Babele, which translates to ‘the old woman, is the name for the mushroom-shaped formations. The Sphinx and Babele can be reached by cable car from Busteni, by car, or by foot.

Painted Monasteries

Located in the northeast area of Romania, Bucovina’s painted monasteries are truly one-of-a-kind sights. The exterior walls of a handful of monasteries were painted in colourful frescoes in the 15th and 16th centuries. The scenes feature masterpieces of saints, prophets, Jesus, angels, demons, heaven, hell, and more. Originally, they were painted to make the stories of the Bible available to all of the surrounding villages. The churches are now listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Peles Castle

This exceptional example of Neo-Renaissance architecture is one of the top attractions in the country. Decorated with ornate stonework, sculpted wood, and stained-glass windows, the castle is at once charming and intimidating from its spot against the panoramic views of the Carpathian Mountains. King Carol, I constructed this castle at the end of the 19th century as a summer home. Today, the fabulous structure serves as a museum, showing off a collection of artwork, armour, and weaponry. Explore the 160 rooms and the terrace gardens on a guided tour through the castle.

Cluj-Napoca

Cluj-Napoca is a young and modern city located in Transylvania. The second-largest city in Romania is also home to the country’s largest student population, and it is the unofficial capital of Transylvania’s historical region. It is home to Romanian arts and cultural centres and houses The National Museum of Art. This museum holds a large collection of Romanian artwork. The city, which dates back to the country’s 2nd century AD Dacian settlement, is filled with historic sights. There is a large range of sights, from the Baroque architecture to the 14th-century Gothic St Michael’s Church, which contains the country’s tallest church tower.

Palace of Culture

Visit the city of Iasi to find the beautiful Neo-Gothic building that houses Romania’s Palace of Culture. With 298 rooms throughout its 390,000 square feet, the building houses four museums. These museums are the Science and Technology Museum, the Ethnography Museum of Moldavia, the Art Museum, and Moldavia’s History Museum. The Palace of Culture was built between 1906 and 1925 to replace the ruins of the old Royal Court of Moldavia, which dated back to 1434. Before the museums moved in, the building served as the Administrative and Justice Palace. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Monuments.

Bran Castle

The strong but elegant Bran Castle, which dates back to 1377, is one of Romania’s top destinations. This is mainly because of its associations with a certain vampire – the medieval hilltop castle has been marketed as Bram Stoker’s inspiration for Dracula’s castle. Unfortunately, the claim to fame may be misleading because several other castles in the country have linked themselves to Stoker’s famous vampire. The castle sits on the border of Transylvania and Wallachia and is open as a museum showing art and furniture collected by Queen Marie, who called the castle home in 1920.

The Red Ravine

The Red Ravine, or Râpa Rosie, is a breathtaking geological reserve in the southwest of the Secaselor Plateau, near the city of Sebes. Erosion runoff has caused the distinct sharp appearance of the mountainside, and the 800-meter-long wall is almost completely vertical, reaching heights between 50 and 125 meters. The area’s red quality comes from the formation of gravel, quartz sands, and sandstones. During the rainy season, deep ravines form and the Râpa Rosie River flows nearby.

Sarmizegetusa Regia

Historically, this area was the capital at the time of the Dacian settlement and was the centre of its military, religious, and political happenings. Today, the site is a mysterious site of ancient history nestled in the Orastie Mountains and one of Romania’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Located on top of a mountain at an elevation of 1,200 meters, the historic area is filled with centuries-old ruins, like one sanctuary reminiscent of Stonehenge in England. Surrounded by beautiful, natural views, Sarmizegetusa Regia is a great place to spend a quiet, thoughtful afternoon.

Sighisoara

Located in Mures County in the historic area of Transylvania, Sighisoara is a well-preserved medieval walled town. During the 12th century, it was founded by German craftsmen and merchants. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is filled with narrow cobbled streets, colourful houses, and soaring towers. The most prominent of which is the 64-meter-high Clock Tower that was built in 1556. The city is also known as the birthplace of Vlad III the Impaler, who served as the inspiration for the fictional character Count Dracula. The best time to visit is during the annual medieval festival in July.

Sibiu

In 2007, Sibiu was named the European Capital of Culture, and it won’t disappoint those looking for a dose of Romanian history and culture. The Brukenthal Art Museum has a fantastic display of Romanian artwork, and the ASTRA Museum of Folk Civilisation is an open-air museum with more than 300 historically designed wooden houses, churches, and workshops. The city also has three theatres, a philharmonic orchestra, and hosts an annual festival of performing arts. Sibiu is filled with parks, galleries, and beautiful churches. The city won the title of ‘Europe’s 8th most idyllic place to live by Forbes in 2008.

Palace of the Parliament

The Palace of the Parliament (Palatul Parlamentului) is one of the top tourist attractions in Bucharest. It is the world's second-largest administrative building (after the Pentagon), an architectural colossus that also claims the title as the heaviest building in the world. Boasting more than 3,000 rooms over 330,000 square meters and constructed with marble and steel, it was originally called the People's House by its visionary, the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, who used it as his family's residence and as the seat of his government. To complete it, Ceausescu razed places of worship, workshops, factories, parks, part of the Old Town, and entire neighbourhoods. More than 20,000 workers and 700 architects worked on the opulent Neoclassical-style palace over a span of 13 years, from 1985 to 1997, during which time the majority of Romanians faced poverty. Still unfinished, today a small portion houses Romania's parliamentary headquarters and the National Museum of Contemporary Art. Scheduled tours bring visitors up close to its vastness, the kitsch, and the outrageous luxury Ceausescu would have continued to experience had he not been overthrown in a coup d'état.