3%
are Uniate), Protestant 6%, unaffiliated 18%

Languages: Romanian, Hungarian, German

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 95% (1992 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Romania
local long form: none
local short form: Romania

Data code: RO

Government type: republic

Capital: Bucharest

Administrative divisions: 40 counties (judete, singular--judet)
and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor,
Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau,
Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj,
Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi,
Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare,
Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea

Independence: 1881 (from Turkey; republic proclaimed 30 December
1947)

National holiday: National Day of Romania, 1 December (1990)

Constitution: 8 December 1991

Legal system: former mixture of civil law system and communist
legal theory; is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth
Republic

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Emil CONSTANTINESCU (since 29 November
1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Radu VASILE (since 17 April 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 3 November 1996, with runoff between the top two
candidates held 17 November 1996 (next to be held NA
November/December 2000); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: percent of vote--Emil CONSTANTINESCU 54.4%, Ion
ILIESCU 45.6%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of
the Senate or Senat (143 seats; members are elected by direct
popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve
four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor
(343 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote on a
proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate--last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held NA
2000); Chamber of Deputies--last held 3 November 1996 (next to be
held NA 2000)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--CDR 30.7%, PDSR
23.