prise victory over the ruling PSD in December 2004 presidential
elections. The PNL-PD alliance maintains a parliamentary majority
with the support of the UDMR, the Humanist Party (PUR), and various
ethnic minority groups. Although Romania completed accession talks
with the European Union (EU) in December 2004, it must continue to
address rampant corruption - while invigorating lagging economic and
democratic reforms - before it can achieve its hope of joining the
EU, tentatively set for 2007. Romania joined NATO in March of 2004.

Geography Romania

Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and
Ukraine

Geographic coordinates:
46 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 237,500 sq km
land: 230,340 sq km
water: 7,160 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:
total: 2,508 km
border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east)
169 km

Coastline:
225 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny
summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms

Terrain:
central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia
on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the
Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Natural resources:
petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron
ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 40.82%
permanent crops: 2.25%
other: 56.93% (2001)

Irrigated land:
28,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure
and climate promote landslides

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in
south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta
wetlands

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Waste