Lachenburg
22-12-2005, 00:55
Overview
Map:
http://www.appliedlanguage.com/maps_of_the_world/map_of_romania.gif
Flag:
http://www.canada-business.ro/business/romania-co/ro-flag.gif
Backround Timeline:
2006: In January 2006, Romania's new Tăriceanu government imposed major fiscal reforms, replacing Romania's progressive tax system with a 16% flat tax on both personal income and company profit. Along with this new fisical policy, a national healthcare, transportation and welfare bill were drafted and passed by both the Senate and Chamber of Deputies, keeping these vital services under government control to ensure proper development and free basic services to all Romanian citizens. As a result of these reforms, along with further privatization of the Service sector, foreign investment flooded in from Western Europe, further boosting the economy.
2007: Romania is admitted into the European Union on March 21st among much fanfare. Immedeately, the Central Bank of Romania begins to print Euros and further prosperity greets citizens as the common market philosophy of the EU sinks in. By the end of the year, Romania boasts the third strongest economy in Eastern Europe, along with an annual GDP growth of nearly 18% and a GDP per capita nearly doubled from 2004 levels.
2008: Traian Băsescu and his National Liberal Party win in a landslide election after 4 years of successful economic reforms, further reinforced by guarantees of infastructure improvement. However, with a backround in the Communist Party and former ties to the Soviet Securitate, many political pundits and politicans alike come to question his motives.
2009: Unilateral Military Reduction Bill passed, abolishing conscription and reducing the total size of the Romanian military by 35%. Surplus funds generated by the reduction of military reforms is put towards further reducing her large public debt and the bill is seen as a positive move by the majority of Romanians. However, military leaders and PSD officals, worried as to the direction the President is leading them towards, begin to plot.
Social Information:
Population: 22,181,287 Citizens
Ethnic Groups: Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4%
Primary Religious Sects: Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%, Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1%
Primary Languages: Romanian (official), Hungarian, German
Political Information:
Offical Long Name: The Republic of Romania
Offical Short Name: Romania
Type of Government: Democratic Republic
Seat of Power: Bucharest
Head of State: President Traian Băsescu
Head of Government: Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
Ministry Positions:
* Vice-prime-minister/State Minister in charge with coordination of the activities in the field of culture, education and European integration - Bela Marko;
* Vice-prime-minister/State Minister in charge with coordination of the activities in the field of business environment and small and medium-sized entreprises - Gheorghe Pogea;
* Minister of Justice - Monica Luisa Macovei;
* Minister of Public Finance - Sebastian Vlădescu;
* Minister of Labor, Social Solidarity and Family - Gheorghe Barbu;
* Minister of European Integration - Anca Boagiu;
* Foreign Minister - Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu;
* Minister of Administration and Interior - Vasile Blaga;
* Minister of Economy and Commerce - Ioan-Codruţ Seres;
* Minister of National Defence - Teodor Atanasiu;
* Minister of Agriculture, Forests and Rural Development - Gheorghe Flutur;
* Minister of Transportation, Constructions and Tourism - Gheorghe Dobre;
* Minister of Education and Research - Mihail Hǎrdǎu;
* Minister of Culture and Religious Affairs - Adrian Iorgulescu;
* Minister of Health - Eugen Nicolăescu;
* Minister of Communications and Information Technology - Zsolt Nagy;
* Minister of Environment and Waters Management - Sulfina Barbu;
* Minister Delegate in Charge with Coordination of the Government's General Secretariat - Mihai Alexandru Voicu;
* Minister delegate in charge with the control of the implementation of the internationally financed programs and the supervision of the enforcement of Acquis Communautaire - Cristian David;
* Minister Delegate for the coordination of control authorities - Sorin Vicol;
* Minister Delegate for the Liaison with the Parliament - Bogdan Olteanu;
* Minister Delegate for the coordination for public works and territory management - Laszlo Borbely;
* Minister Delegate for Commerce - Iuliu (Gyula) Winkler;
Legislative Branch: The legislative branch of the Romanian government consists of two chambers, the Senat (Senate), which has 137 members (as of 2005), and the Camera Deputaţilor (Chamber of Deputies), which has 314 members (as of 2004). In addition, 18 seats in the Chamber of Deputies are awarded to the representatives of national minorities. The members of both chambers are elected every four years.
Judical Branch: Supreme Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates, a board of eleven judges and six prosecutors elected by parliament).
Economic Information:
After Romania's Communist regime was overthrown in late 1989, the country experienced a decade of economic instability and decline, led in part by an obsolete industrial base as well as a lack of structural reform. Starting from 2000, however, the economy was transformed into one of relative macreconomic stability, high growth, low unemployment and increasing foreign investment, and is currently among the most developed in Southeastern Europe. Economic growth since 2000 has averaged 4-5%, rising to 8.3% in 2004 and reached a high of 18.3% in 2008. This has characterised Romania as a boom economy and one of the fastest growing in Europe. Romania was granted in October 2004 the much desired 'functional market economy' status by EU officials, and joined the EU in January 2007. Romania's per-capita GDP, calculated by purchasing power parity is estimated to be $16,258 in 2009. The national budget is €45.9 billion euro, which represents 31.2% of GDP, estimated to be RON 322.5 billion (€90,8 billions) according to the Prime-Minister Tăriceanu.
Strong aspects of Romania are the technologically advanced market economy with substantial government participation. Having its own natural resources, Romania has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Romania is largely self-sufficient in food production. High-technology, car-manufacturing, military equipment, software, pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and agricultural products (fruits, vegetables, and flowers) are leading exports. Romania possesses extensive facilities for oil refining and semiconductor fabrication.
GDP - Total: $343 Billion USD
GDP - Growth Rate: 11.7% (2010 est.)
GDP - Per Capita: $16,258 USD
Inflation: 2.35%
Standard Currency: Euro (€)
Unemployment Rate: 5.4%
Major Industries: Textiles and footwear, Light machinery and Auto assembly, Mining, Timber, Construction materials, Metallurgy, Chemicals, Food processing, Petroleum refining
Map:
http://www.appliedlanguage.com/maps_of_the_world/map_of_romania.gif
Flag:
http://www.canada-business.ro/business/romania-co/ro-flag.gif
Backround Timeline:
2006: In January 2006, Romania's new Tăriceanu government imposed major fiscal reforms, replacing Romania's progressive tax system with a 16% flat tax on both personal income and company profit. Along with this new fisical policy, a national healthcare, transportation and welfare bill were drafted and passed by both the Senate and Chamber of Deputies, keeping these vital services under government control to ensure proper development and free basic services to all Romanian citizens. As a result of these reforms, along with further privatization of the Service sector, foreign investment flooded in from Western Europe, further boosting the economy.
2007: Romania is admitted into the European Union on March 21st among much fanfare. Immedeately, the Central Bank of Romania begins to print Euros and further prosperity greets citizens as the common market philosophy of the EU sinks in. By the end of the year, Romania boasts the third strongest economy in Eastern Europe, along with an annual GDP growth of nearly 18% and a GDP per capita nearly doubled from 2004 levels.
2008: Traian Băsescu and his National Liberal Party win in a landslide election after 4 years of successful economic reforms, further reinforced by guarantees of infastructure improvement. However, with a backround in the Communist Party and former ties to the Soviet Securitate, many political pundits and politicans alike come to question his motives.
2009: Unilateral Military Reduction Bill passed, abolishing conscription and reducing the total size of the Romanian military by 35%. Surplus funds generated by the reduction of military reforms is put towards further reducing her large public debt and the bill is seen as a positive move by the majority of Romanians. However, military leaders and PSD officals, worried as to the direction the President is leading them towards, begin to plot.
Social Information:
Population: 22,181,287 Citizens
Ethnic Groups: Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4%
Primary Religious Sects: Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%, Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1%
Primary Languages: Romanian (official), Hungarian, German
Political Information:
Offical Long Name: The Republic of Romania
Offical Short Name: Romania
Type of Government: Democratic Republic
Seat of Power: Bucharest
Head of State: President Traian Băsescu
Head of Government: Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
Ministry Positions:
* Vice-prime-minister/State Minister in charge with coordination of the activities in the field of culture, education and European integration - Bela Marko;
* Vice-prime-minister/State Minister in charge with coordination of the activities in the field of business environment and small and medium-sized entreprises - Gheorghe Pogea;
* Minister of Justice - Monica Luisa Macovei;
* Minister of Public Finance - Sebastian Vlădescu;
* Minister of Labor, Social Solidarity and Family - Gheorghe Barbu;
* Minister of European Integration - Anca Boagiu;
* Foreign Minister - Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu;
* Minister of Administration and Interior - Vasile Blaga;
* Minister of Economy and Commerce - Ioan-Codruţ Seres;
* Minister of National Defence - Teodor Atanasiu;
* Minister of Agriculture, Forests and Rural Development - Gheorghe Flutur;
* Minister of Transportation, Constructions and Tourism - Gheorghe Dobre;
* Minister of Education and Research - Mihail Hǎrdǎu;
* Minister of Culture and Religious Affairs - Adrian Iorgulescu;
* Minister of Health - Eugen Nicolăescu;
* Minister of Communications and Information Technology - Zsolt Nagy;
* Minister of Environment and Waters Management - Sulfina Barbu;
* Minister Delegate in Charge with Coordination of the Government's General Secretariat - Mihai Alexandru Voicu;
* Minister delegate in charge with the control of the implementation of the internationally financed programs and the supervision of the enforcement of Acquis Communautaire - Cristian David;
* Minister Delegate for the coordination of control authorities - Sorin Vicol;
* Minister Delegate for the Liaison with the Parliament - Bogdan Olteanu;
* Minister Delegate for the coordination for public works and territory management - Laszlo Borbely;
* Minister Delegate for Commerce - Iuliu (Gyula) Winkler;
Legislative Branch: The legislative branch of the Romanian government consists of two chambers, the Senat (Senate), which has 137 members (as of 2005), and the Camera Deputaţilor (Chamber of Deputies), which has 314 members (as of 2004). In addition, 18 seats in the Chamber of Deputies are awarded to the representatives of national minorities. The members of both chambers are elected every four years.
Judical Branch: Supreme Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates, a board of eleven judges and six prosecutors elected by parliament).
Economic Information:
After Romania's Communist regime was overthrown in late 1989, the country experienced a decade of economic instability and decline, led in part by an obsolete industrial base as well as a lack of structural reform. Starting from 2000, however, the economy was transformed into one of relative macreconomic stability, high growth, low unemployment and increasing foreign investment, and is currently among the most developed in Southeastern Europe. Economic growth since 2000 has averaged 4-5%, rising to 8.3% in 2004 and reached a high of 18.3% in 2008. This has characterised Romania as a boom economy and one of the fastest growing in Europe. Romania was granted in October 2004 the much desired 'functional market economy' status by EU officials, and joined the EU in January 2007. Romania's per-capita GDP, calculated by purchasing power parity is estimated to be $16,258 in 2009. The national budget is €45.9 billion euro, which represents 31.2% of GDP, estimated to be RON 322.5 billion (€90,8 billions) according to the Prime-Minister Tăriceanu.
Strong aspects of Romania are the technologically advanced market economy with substantial government participation. Having its own natural resources, Romania has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Romania is largely self-sufficient in food production. High-technology, car-manufacturing, military equipment, software, pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and agricultural products (fruits, vegetables, and flowers) are leading exports. Romania possesses extensive facilities for oil refining and semiconductor fabrication.
GDP - Total: $343 Billion USD
GDP - Growth Rate: 11.7% (2010 est.)
GDP - Per Capita: $16,258 USD
Inflation: 2.35%
Standard Currency: Euro (€)
Unemployment Rate: 5.4%
Major Industries: Textiles and footwear, Light machinery and Auto assembly, Mining, Timber, Construction materials, Metallurgy, Chemicals, Food processing, Petroleum refining