Romania

Romania

The only Latin nation of the Orthodox world, Romania takes its name from Rome and its liturgy from Byzantium: a dual descent unique in Europe.

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Heritage

Trajan's Column in Rome recounts the conquest of Dacia; the Romanian language is its direct heir, the only Romance language in the east of the continent. Christianity there is Byzantine in rite, yet the monasteries of Bukovina and the Latin Digest coexist in a rare synthesis.

History

Trajan conquered Dacia in 106: the occupation was short, yet enough to impose a popular Latin from which Romanian would be born. After the Roman withdrawal the region was crossed by migrations, then organised by the principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, intermittent vassals of the Ottoman Empire.

The principalities united in 1859 under Alexandru Ioan Cuza and gained independence in 1878. Greater Romania in 1918 brought in Transylvania, a land of coexistence between Romanians, Hungarians, Saxons and Jews.

The communist regime, particularly harsh under Ceaușescu, collapsed violently in December 1989. Romania joined NATO in 2004, the Union in 2007, and the land Schengen area on 1 January 2025.

Milestones

106 Antiquity

Trajan conquers Dacia

Trajan’s Column immortalises the campaign. Latinisation will give birth to the Romanian language.

1359 Middle Ages

Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia

Two Orthodox, Romance-speaking states take shape between the Carpathians, Danube and Dniester.

1600 Renaissance and Reformations

Union under Michael the Brave

A brief union of the three principalities, later the founding symbol of Romanian unity.

1859 Early modern period

Union of the principalities

Cuza is elected in both Iași and Bucharest: modern Romania appears on the map.

1918 Early modern period lead actor

Union with Romania

The Sfatul Țării votes for union, annulled by the USSR in 1940.

1918 Early modern period

Greater Romania

Union with Transylvania and Bessarabia doubles the territory and population.

1989 Contemporary period

December revolution

The only violent fall of a European communist regime; Ceaușescu is executed on 25 December.

2007 European construction

Accession of Romania to the Union

With Bulgaria, Romania joins the EU and becomes its eastern frontier on the Black Sea.

2022 European construction was affected

War in Ukraine

The Russian invasion brings sanctions, the reception of millions of refugees and candidacies from Ukraine and Moldova.

2025 European construction

Full Schengen entry

Land border controls are lifted on 1 January, thirteen years after the first application.

2025 European construction took part

Schengen at 29

The area has twenty-nine members: twenty-five Union states and four EFTA neighbours. Two member states remain outside — Ireland, by choice, and Cyprus, which has yet to join.

Political landscape

Results of the June 2024 European election and their translation into European Parliament groups.

PSD — Partidul Social Democrat 11
PNL — Partidul Național Liberal 8
AUR — Alianța pentru Unirea Românilor 6
USR — Uniunea Salvați România 3
UDMR — Uniunea Democrată Maghiară din România 2
SOS — S.O.S. România 2
Ind. — Nicolae Ștefănuță (independent) 1

Distribution of European seats

Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament 11
Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) 10
European Conservatives and Reformists Group 6
Renew Europe Group 3
Non-attached Members 2
Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance 1

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The state in numbers

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Public debt, % of GDP 60.1 % 0.8 % GDP per head (EU = 100) 77.6 0.9 Government spending, % of GDP 43.3 % 2.2 % Total tax burden, % of GDP 28.8 % 1.3 % Prisoners per 100,000 people 129.1 4.9