第 219 页

election results: percent of vote - Traian BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian NASTASE 48.77%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera Deputatilor (332 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 28 November 2004 (next expected to be held in November 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 28 November 2004 (next expected to be held November 2008)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR 37.1%, PNL-PD 31.8%, PRM 13.6%, UDMR 6.2%, other 11.3%; seats by party - PSD 44, PNL 30, PD 20, PRM 20, PC 11, UDMR 10, independents 2; seats by party as of February 2008 - PSD 44, PDL 27, PNL 24, PRM 16, PC 10, UDMR 10, independents 6; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR 36.8%, PNL-PD 31.5%, PRM 13%, UDMR 6.2%, other 12.5%; seats by party - PSD 111, PNL 66, PD 45, PRM 34, UDMR 22, PC 20, ex-PRM (Ciontu Group) 12, PIN (GUSA Group) 3, independent 1, ethnic minorities 18; seats by party as of February 2008 - PSD 104, PDL 73, PNL 56, PRM 25, UDMR 22, PC 16, independents 18, ethnic minorities 18

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice (comprised of 11 judges appointed for 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]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romania Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; 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 (new member), 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, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMEE, 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 Nicholas F. TAUBMAN

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 for the first time in eight years, driven in part by the depreciation of the currency, rising energy costs, a nation-wide drought affecting food prices, and a relaxation of fiscal discipline. Romania hopes to adopt the euro by 2014.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$245.5 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$166 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$11,400 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 7.9%

industry: 35.6%

services: 56.5% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

9.35 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 29.7%

industry: 23.2%

services: 47.1% (2006)

Unemployment rate:

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:

31 (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.8% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

28% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $56.29 billion

expenditures: $60.41 billion (2007)

Public debt:

18.2% of GDP (2007 est.)

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:

10.6% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

60.52 billion kWh (2007)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 62.5%

hydro: 27.6%

nuclear: 9.9%

other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

58.49 billion kWh (2007)

Electricity - exports:

3.33 billion kWh (2007)

Electricity - imports:

1.29 billion kWh (2007)

Oil - production:

122,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

236,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

92,510 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

181,100 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

955.6 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

12.24 billion cu m (2007)

Natural gas - consumption:

17.09 billion cu m (2007)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007)

Natural gas - imports:

4.851 billion cu m (2007)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

96.41 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance:

-$23.13 billion (2007)

Exports:

$40.25 billion f.o.b. (2007)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products

Exports - partners:

Italy 17.9%, Germany 15.7%, Turkey 7.7%, France 7.5%, Hungary 4.9%, UK 4.7% (2006)

Imports:

$64.33 billion f.o.b. (2007)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile and products, metals, agricultural products

Imports - partners:

Germany 15.2%, Italy 14.5%, Russia 7.8%, France 6.5%, Turkey 4.9%, China 4.3% (2006)

Economic aid - recipient:

$914.3 million (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$37.24 billion (31 December 2007)

Debt - external:

$72.36 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$50.39 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$288 million (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$45.42 billion (2007)

Currency (code):

"new" leu (RON) was introduced in 2005; "old" leu (ROL) was phased out in 2006; note - because of currency revaluation, 10,000 ROL = 1 RON

Currency code:

ROL

Exchange rates:

lei per US dollar - 2.43 (2007), 2.809 (2006), 3 (2005), 3 (2004), 3 (2003)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Romania

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.231 million (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

17.4 million (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: rapidly improving domestic and international service, especially in wireless telephony

domestic: more than 90 percent of telephone network is automatic; liberalization in 2003 is transforming telecommunications; fixed-line teledensity is roughly 20 telephones per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is approaching 80 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 (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

698 (frequency type NA) (2006)

Radios:

7.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

623 (plus 200 repeaters) (2006)

Televisions:

5.25 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.ro

Internet hosts:

1.406 million (2007)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

38 (2000)

Internet users:

5.063 million (2006)

Transportation Romania

Airports:

61 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 25

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 36

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 22 (2007)

Heliports:

2 (2007)

Pipelines:

gas 3,674 km; oil 2,424 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 11,385 km

broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge

standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge (3,888 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2006)

Roadways:

total: 198,817 km

paved: 60,043 km (includes 228 km of expressways)

unpaved: 138,774 km (2004)

Waterways:

1,731 km

note: includes 1,075 km on Danube River, 524 km on secondary branches, and 132 km on canals (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 19 ships (1000 GRT or over) 146,307 GRT/165,548 DWT

by type: cargo 13, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1

registered in other countries: 50 (Cambodia 1, Georgia 15, North Korea 6, Malta 10, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 8, Sierra Leone 2, St Kitts and Nevis 1, St Vincent and The Grenadines 1, Syria 4, Tuvalu 1, unknown 4) (2007)

Ports and terminals:

Braila, Constanta, Galati, Tulcea

Military Romania

Military branches:

Land Forces, Naval Forces, Romanian Air Force (Fortele Aeriene Romane, FAR), Special Operations (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription officially ended October 2006; all military inductees (including women) contract for an initial 5-year term of service; subsequent voluntary service contracts are for successive 3-year terms until the age of 36 (2006)

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: 4,572,017

females age 16-49: 4,644,474 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

males age 16-49: 127,706

females age 16-49: 121,852 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.9% (2007 est.)

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

This page was last updated on 15 July, 2008

The World Factbook

Russia

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 struggled in its efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to replace the social, political, and economic controls of the Communist period. In tandem with its prudent management of Russia's windfall energy wealth, which has helped the country rebound from the economic collapse of the 1990s, the Kremlin in recent years has overseen a recentralization of power that has undermined democratic institutions. Russia has severely disabled the Chechen rebel movement, although violence still occurs throughout the North Caucasus.