three-year terms by the president in consultation with the Superior
Council of Magistrates, which is comprised of the minister of
justice, the prosecutor general, two civil society representatives
appointed by the Senate, and 14 judges and prosecutors elected by
their peers); a separate body, the Constitutional Court, validates
elections and makes decisions regarding the constitutionality of
laws, treaties, ordinances, and internal rules of the Parliament; it
is comprised of nine members serving nine-year terms, with three
members each appointed by the president, the Senate, and the Chamber
of Deputies
Political parties and leaders:
Conservative Party or PC [Daniela POPA] (formerly Humanist Party or
PUR); Democratic Liberal Party or PDL [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union
of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal
Party or PNL [Calin Popescu-TARICEANU]; Social Democratic Party or
PSD [Mircea Dan GEOANA] (formerly Party of Social Democracy in
Romania or PDSR)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: various human rights and professional associations
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA
(cooperating state), EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC,
NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI,
UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Adrian Cosmin VIERITA
chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851, 4852
FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Jeri
GUTHRIE-CORN
embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest
mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Bucharest, US Department of
State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch)
telephone: [40] (21) 200-3300
FAX: [40] (21) 200-3442
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red;
the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow
band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also
resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova
Economy ::Romania
Economy - overview:
Romania, which joined the European Union on 1 January 2007, began
the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete
industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's
needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing three-year
recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets. Domestic
consumption and investment have fueled strong GDP growth in recent
years, but have led to large current account imbalances. Romania's
macroeconomic gains have only recently started to spur creation of a
middle class and address Romania's widespread poverty. Corruption
and red tape continue to handicap its business environment.
Inflation rose in 2007-08, driven in part by strong consumer demand
and high wage growth, rising energy costs, a nation-wide drought
affecting food prices, and a relaxation of fiscal discipline.
Romania's strong GDP growth moderated markedly in the last quarter
of 2008 as the country began to feel the effects of a global
downturn in financial markets and trade, and growth is expected to
be much weaker in 2009. Romania hopes to adopt the euro by 2014.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$272 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
$254 billion (2007 est.)
$239.2 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$200.1 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.1% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
6.2% (2007 est.)
7.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$12,200 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
$11,400 (2007 est.)
$10,700 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.1%
industry: 36%
services: 55.9% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
9.32 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 29.7%
industry: 23.2%
services: 47.1% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
4.4% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
4.1% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
25% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 20.8% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 103
28.8 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
33.3% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
Budget:
revenues: $65.29 billion
expenditures: $74.99 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
14.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
23.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.8% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
4.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA%
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.99% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 55
13.35% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$25.3 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 33
$25.17 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$36.09 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 33
$34.96 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$72.85 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 43
$58.76 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$19.92 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 59
$44.93 billion (31 December 2007)
$32.78 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes;
eggs, sheep
Industries:
electric machinery and equipment, textiles and footwear, light
machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials,
metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining
Industrial production growth rate:
7.1% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
Electricity - production:
58.28 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
Electricity - consumption:
49.44 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
Electricity - exports:
5.169 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
921 million kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
115,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Oil - consumption:
219,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Oil - exports:
115,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
Oil - imports:
217,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
Oil - proved reserves:
600 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
Natural gas - production:
11.42 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
Natural gas - consumption:
16.92 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 128
Natural gas - imports:
5.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
Natural gas - proved reserves:
63 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Current account balance:
-$24.81 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
-$23.02 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$49.41 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
$40.32 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, textiles and footwear, metals and metal
products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals,
agricultural products
Exports - partners:
Germany 16.5%, Italy 15.6%, France 7.4%, Turkey 6.6%, Hungary 5.1%,
Bulgaria 4.2% (2008)
Imports:
$76.17 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
$64.54 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile and
products, metals, agricultural products
Imports - partners:
Germany 16.3%, Italy 11.4%, Hungary 7.4%, Russia 6%, France 5.7%,
Turkey 4.9%, Austria 4.9%, Kazakhstan 4.6%, China 4.2% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$39.47 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
$39.96 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$102.2 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 36
$NA (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$72.61 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
$62.86 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$921 million (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
$1.238 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
lei (RON) per US dollar - 2.5 (2008 est.), 2.43 (2007), 2.809
(2006), 3 (2005), 3 (2004)
Communications ::Romania
Telephones - main lines in use:
5.036 million (2007)
country comparison to the world: 31
Telephones - mobile cellular:
24.467 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 34
Telephone system:
general assessment: the telecommunications sector is being expanded
and modernized; domestic and international service improving
rapidly, especially mobile-cellular services
domestic: more than 90 percent of telephone network is automatic;
fixed-line teledensity exceeds 20 telephones per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular teledensity, expanding rapidly, roughly 110
telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 40; the Black Sea Fiber Optic System
provides connectivity to Bulgaria and Turkey; satellite earth
stations - 10; digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate
in Bucharest (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
698 (station frequency type NA) (2006)
Television broadcast stations:
623 (plus 200 repeaters) (2006)
Internet country code:
.ro
Internet hosts:
2.188 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 31
Internet users:
6.132 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 37
Transportation ::Romania
Airports:
53 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 89
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 28
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 21 (2009)
Heliports:
2 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 3,588 km; oil 2,424 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 10,788 km
country comparison to the world: 21
broad gauge: 57 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 10,731 km 1.435-m gauge (3,965 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 198,817 km
country comparison to the world: 26
paved: 60,043 km (includes 228 km of expressways)
unpaved: 138,774 km (2004)
Waterways:
1,731 km
country comparison to the world: 48
note: includes 1,075 km on Danube River, 524 km on secondary
branches, and 132 km on canals (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 17
country comparison to the world: 103
by type: cargo 11, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker
2, roll on/roll off 1
registered in other countries: 49 (Cambodia 1, Georgia 16, North
Korea 4, Liberia 2, Malta 8, Marshall Islands 1, Moldova 3, Panama
7, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,
Sierra Leone 3, Syria 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Braila, Constanta, Galati, Tulcea
Military ::Romania
Military branches:
Land Forces, Naval Forces, Romanian Air Force (Fortele Aeriene
Romane, FAR), Special Operations (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18-35 years of age for male and female voluntary military service;
conscription officially ended October 2006; all military inductees
(including women) contract for an initial 5-year term of service,
with subsequent successive contracts for 3-year terms until age 36
(2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,682,299
females age 16-49: 5,557,098 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,542,720
females age 16-49: 4,604,484 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 124,356
female: 118,430 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Transnational Issues ::Romania
Disputes - international:
the ICJ gave Ukraine until December 2006 to reply, and Romania until
June 2007 to issue a rejoinder, in their dispute submitted in 2004
over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and
Black Sea maritime boundary delimitation; Romania also opposes
Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border
through Ukraine to the Black Sea
Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the
Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for
Western Europe; although not a significant financial center, role as
a narcotics conduit leaves it vulnerable to laundering, which occurs
via the banking system, currency exchange houses, and casinos
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Russia (Central Asia)
Introduction ::Russia
Background:
Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able
to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th
centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding
principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty
continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific.
Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic
Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th
century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia.
Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the
Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament
and other reforms. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army
in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the
Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial
household. The Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon
after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53)
strengthened Communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet
Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and
society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary
Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and
perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize Communism,
but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December
1991 splintered the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent
republics. Since then, Russia has shifted its post-Soviet democratic
ambitions in favor of a centralized semi-authoritarian state whose
legitimacy is buttressed, in part, by carefully managed national
elections, former President PUTIN's genuine popularity, and the
prudent management of Russia's windfall energy wealth. Russia has
severely disabled a Chechen rebel movement, although violence still
occurs throughout the North Caucasus.
Geography ::Russia
Location:
Northern Asia (the area west of the Urals is considered part of
Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North
Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates:
60 00 N, 100 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 17,098,242 sq km
country comparison to the world: 1
land: 16,377,742 sq km
water: 720,500 sq km
Area - comparative:
approximately 1.8 times the size of the US
Land boundaries:
total: 20,241.5 km
border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China
(southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 290 km, Finland
1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 17.5 km,
Latvia 292 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,441
km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Ukraine 1,576
km
Coastline:
37,653 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much
of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the
polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid
in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along
Arctic coast
Terrain:
broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and
tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border
regions
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m
Natural resources:
wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural
gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber
note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder
exploitation of natural resources
Land use:
arable land: 7.17%
permanent crops: 0.11%
other: 92.72% (2005)
Irrigated land:
46,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
4,498 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 76.68 cu km/yr (19%/63%/18%)
per capita: 535 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to
development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and
earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and
summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European
Russia
Environment - current issues:
air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric
plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial, municipal,
and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts;
deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper
application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes
intense radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination from
toxic waste; urban solid waste management; abandoned stocks of
obsolete pesticides
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
Geography - note:
largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably
located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its
size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either
too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's
tallest peak
People ::Russia
Population:
140,041,247 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.8% (male 10,644,833/female 10,095,011)
15-64 years: 71.5% (male 48,004,040/female 52,142,313)
65 years and over: 13.7% (male 5,880,877/female 13,274,173) (2009
est.)
Median age:
total: 38.4 years
male: 35.2 years
female: 41.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.467% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 226
Birth rate:
11.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
Death rate:
16.06 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
Net migration rate:
0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Urbanization:
urban population: 73% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: -0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.44 male(s)/female
total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 10.56 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 152
male: 12.08 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.03 years
country comparison to the world: 162
male: 59.33 years
female: 73.14 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.41 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
940,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
40,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne disease: tickborne encephalitis
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Russian(s)
adjective: Russian
Ethnic groups:
Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir 1.2%, Chuvash 1.1%,
other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census)
Religions:
Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006
est.)
note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large
populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy
of over seven decades of Soviet rule
Languages:
Russian, many minority languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.2% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 117
Government ::Russia
Country name:
conventional long form: Russian Federation
conventional short form: Russia
local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya
local short form: Rossiya
former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
Government type:
federation
Capital:
name: Moscow
geographic coordinates: 55 45 N, 37 35 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October
note: Russia is divided into 11 time zones
Administrative divisions:
46 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics (respublik,
singular - respublika), 4 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnykh okrugov,
singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 9 krays (krayev, singular - kray), 2
federal cities (goroda, singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous oblast
(avtonomnaya oblast')
oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Belgorod,
Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga,
Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk,
Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk,
Omsk, Orenburg, Orel, Penza, Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin
(Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk
(Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula, Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk,
Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl'
republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan
(Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya
(Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas),
Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista),
Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk),
Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola),
Mordoviya (Saransk), North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz), Sakha [Yakutiya]
(Yakutsk), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)
autonomous okrugs: Chukotka (Anadyr'), Khanty-Mansi
(Khanty-Mansiysk), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard)