Romania is a small country on the Balkan Peninsula with access to the Black Sea. People have settled here for a long time, so culture and traditions have deep roots. The population of Romania, its cuisine and language create a special atmosphere of the country, which is difficult to describe, it must be felt. There are many legends, sights, sun and inexpensive good food. Therefore, tours to Romania today are becoming more popular with tourists from Russia and Europe.
Geography
Romania is located in the southeast of Europe and is the largest country in the region. The state borders on Ukraine, Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia and Moldova, the Black Sea coastline is 250 km. The area of the country is about 240 sq. km. A line of the southern Carpathians passes through the territory with the highest mountain in Romania - Moldovyanu (2544 m).
The population of Romania is about 20 million people. It is mainly a country of small settlements, the largest city -The capital is Bucharest with a population of about 2 million people. The remaining cities are much smaller in size, the five relatively large ones, with a population of about 300 thousand people, include Iasi, Constanta, Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara. The urban population accounts for 53% of the total population.
There are many forests and rivers in the country. The main river is the Danube, its length within the borders of Romania is about one thousand kilometers (one third of the entire length). There are many lakes scattered throughout the country, formed as a result of melting water in the mountains, they are distinguished by crystal clear water, a large number of freshwater fish and beautiful scenery around.
Climate
The favorable geographical location is the reason why the weather in Romania is very comfortable for life. The temperate continental climate in the depths of the country is maritime, closer to the coast, which makes it possible to successfully engage in various types of agriculture. The weather in Romania in winter is very mild, the temperature fluctuates around zero degrees, in the mountains it can drop to 10 degrees below zero. In the mountains, the snow cover lasts about 100 days, on the plain about 30-40 days a year. Summer is also very comfortable, the average temperature in July during the day is 23 degrees. A very large number of sunny days, about 200 per year.
History
The territory of Romania began to be settled 40 thousand years ago, archaeologists find Cro-Magnon sites here. But the actual history of the Romanian ethnos begins around the second centuryAD, when the Roman legions settled in the territory that historically belonged to the Thracian tribes of the Dacians. These two beginnings became the base of the Romanians. In the 6th century, new peoples began to systematically come to this territory: this is the migration of the Slavs, then the Bulgarians settled here, in the 9th century the Hungarians appeared. All this makes up a complex ethnic, cultural and linguistic mix from which a new nation is being formed.
In the 13th century, this territory begins to turn into feudal principalities, Moldavia and Wallachia appear, the Romanian autonomy of Transylvania exists as part of the Hungarian state. At this time, serfdom was formed, the aristocratic stratum of society was singled out. The boyars accept the supreme power of the Ottoman Empire, which provides protection and control until the middle of the 19th century. The Romanians are making several attempts to throw off the Turkish yoke, uniting with various forces, including Russia. In 1859, a united country appeared, led by Alexander Cuza. He managed to free the peasants, but was overthrown, the throne went to the Prussian governor. And only in 1877, the independence of Romania was proclaimed, which later became a principality under the rule of the sovereign Karol the First.
As a result of the First World War, Romania had a real threat of liquidation, it was saved from this by the Russian Empire, as a result, in 1917, Romania gained Transylvania and Bessarabia. In World War II, Romania was on the side of Germany, after the victory of the Soviet Union, part of the territories became part of the USSR, and the rest of the country fell under the protectorate of Soviet power. In 1989a new history begins, a revolution takes place here, as a result of which the Ceausescu regime fell and a new state appeared - the presidential republic of Romania. Since 2007, the country has joined the European Union, but retains its own currency and its own visa system.
Language
Any nation becomes an independent ethnic group only if it has its own language, and Romania is no exception. The language of the nationality is formed from those dialects used by people living on the territory of the state. The Romanian language belongs to the Balkan-Romance group of Romance languages and is formed at the junction of several language areas. It is related to Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, so knowledge of these languages helps in communicating with Romanians. For 90% of the inhabitants of the country, the native language is Romanian, the second most common is Hungarian. In cities, young people everywhere, except for their native language, speak English, but in the outback there may be problems of understanding.
Inhabitants of the country
Romania's ethnically diverse population has resulted in an interesting culture with many influences and borrowings. Gypsies, Hungarians, Muslims, Slavs influenced the formation of the Romanian nation, and all this led to the formation of a kind of integrity. 90% of the population today are Romanians, 6% - the Hungarian diaspora, 3.5% - gypsies. Other ethnic groups represented in small numbers: Ukrainians, Turks, Russians, Germans.
Today the dynamics of the population of the countrydecreased, although from 1977 to 1992 the population grew annually by 500-600 thousand people. Since the late 1990s, there has been a negative population trend; today, about 20 million people live in the country. Experts attribute this phenomenon to the opening of borders and a decrease in the economic standard of living. The dominant religion is Orthodoxy, although there is no official faith in the state, but the majority (89%) of the population professes the Christian religion in the Orthodox version, 6% - Protestant and 5% - Catholics.
The average age of a resident of Romania is 40 years, the average life expectancy is 75 years. There are more men at birth than women (ratio - 1.06), and already at the age of 65 there are almost half as many men as women (ratio 0.65).
Culture
The numerous nationalities that merged into the Romanian people led to the emergence of an unusual and diverse culture. The country has a very strong folk art and crafts, the traditions of pottery, embroidery, woodcarving, weaving have a pronounced local flavor. The architecture of Romania was formed initially under the influence of Romanesque traditions, later Byzantine architects had a great influence. Gothic borrowings are still clearly visible in the buildings of Transylvania.
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Attractions
Romania is rich in interesting places and sights. Among the most notable are: Peles Castle, built in a mixed style, here you can see the influence of the Baroque, Renaissance and Moorish culture; castleCantacuzino in Bucharest, striking in the luxury and imagination of the architect; Gothic castle Corvinov; the 16th century Monastery of Mrakonia; the medieval fortress of Sighisoara and much more.
The country of Romania is strongly associated with Dracula. The myth of the Transylvanian vampire originated in the 14th century and is a well-selling story today. Bran Castle is considered the place where Dracula lived, although meticulous historians assure that Vlad the Impaler, who became the prototype of the monster, was only passing through here. But from this the castle does not lose its attractiveness, as it looks very impressive and mysterious. Another castle that is associated with Vlad the Impaler is Poenari Castle, which the count settled in for several years.
Besides the castles in Romania, natural attractions are worthy of attention, these are lakes, forests, valleys and mountains, and, of course, the sea. The city of Constanta on the Black Sea coast combines the possibilities of educational and beach recreation.
Kitchen
The population of Romania is diverse and, accordingly, the cuisine is diverse and original. Here they eat a lot of meat, vegetables and fruits. The most popular dish is sausages, michi or mititei, fried over an open fire and having a spicy taste. Romanians love stews, the most famous of which is the thick and fragrant chorba. From dairy products, cheeses made from sheep's milk, reminiscent of brynza, are famous. Romanians are great masters in baking bread, each bakery will offer fragrant, fresh bread of several varieties.
Rest
Romania's incredible tourist attractiondue to the fact that it successfully combines opportunities for a wide variety of recreation. The sea, mountains, sights, excellent cuisine - what else does a tourist need?! Tours to Romania are also attractive due to their low price, which is especially important for a budget traveler. Service in the country meets high European requirements, and by the degree of hospitality of people bypasses many countries of the Old World.
Practical information
Time in Romania, as in many regions of Europe, is divided into winter and summer. The transition is carried out at the end of October and at the end of March, respectively. Time in Romania differs by 1 hour from Russia. However, the same can be said about the whole of Eastern Europe.
Prices in Romania are slightly lower than in Europe as a whole, which makes the country especially attractive for tourists. The country has a national currency in circulation - the Romanian leu, money can be exchanged at any bank. The non-cash system of payment by bank cards is developed mainly in resort regions, in the outback it is better to have cash with you. In Romania, inexpensive and interesting shopping. From here you can bring dry red wines, plum tincture, ceramics, carved wooden boxes, embroidered napkins, tablecloths, blouses with national ornaments.
