Romania is a small country on the Balkan Peninsula with access to the Black Sea. People have long settled here, 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 tell about, it needs to be felt. There are many legends, sights, sun and inexpensive good food. Therefore, tours to Romania today are becoming more popular among tourists from Russia and Europe.
Geography
Romania is located in southeastern Europe and is the largest country in the region. The state borders on Ukraine, Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia and Moldova, the coastline of the Black Sea is 250 km. The area of the country is about 240 square meters. km The territory runs along the line of the southern Carpathians with the highest mountain in Romania - Moldovanu (2544 m).
The population of Romania is about 20 million people. This is mainly a country of small settlements, the largest city is the capital Bucharest with a population of about 2 million people. The rest of the cities are much smaller, the top five relatively large, with a population of about 300 thousand people, include Iasi, Constanta, Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara. The urban population accounts for 53% of the total population.
The country has many forests and rivers. The main river is the Danube, its length within the borders of Romania is about one thousand kilometers (a third of the total length). There are many lakes scattered across 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 landscapes around.
Climate
A good geographical location is the reason that the weather in Romania is very comfortable for living. The temperate continental climate in the depths of the marine country, closer to the coast allows you 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 a year.
History
The territory of Romania began to be inhabited as far back as 40 thousand years ago; archaeologists find the sites of Cro-Magnons here. But the history of the Romanian ethnic group itself begins approximately in the second century AD, when the Roman legions settled on the territory that historically belonged to the Thracian tribes of the Dacians. These two principles 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 formed.
In the 13th century, this territory begins to turn into feudal principalities, Moldova and Wallachia appear, as part of the Hungarian state, there is the Romanian autonomy of Transylvania. At this time, serfdom was formed, the aristocratic layer of society stood out. The boyars take the supreme power of the Ottoman Empire, which provides protection and control until the mid-19th century. Romanians make several attempts to throw off the Turkish yoke, uniting with various forces, including with Russia. In 1859, a united country appeared, led by Alexander Kuza. 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 would later become a princedom under the rule of King Karol the First.
As a result of the First World War, Romania had a real threat of liquidation; the Russian Empire saved it from this; as a result, in 1917, Romania acquired 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 remaining country fell under the protectorate of Soviet power. In 1989, a 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 joins the European Union, but retains its currency and its own visa system.
Tongue
Any nation becomes an independent ethnic group only if it has its own language, and Romania is no exception. The language of a nation is formed from those dialects used by people living in the territory of the state. Romanian language belongs to the Balkan-Romance group of Romance languages and develops at the junction of several language areas. He is related to Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, therefore, knowledge of these languages helps in communicating with Romanians. For 90% of the country's inhabitants, the native language is Romanian, the second most prevalent is Hungarian. In cities, young people everywhere, except their mother tongue, speak English, but in the outback there may be problems of understanding.
Residents of the country
The population of Romania is ethnically very diverse, this led to the emergence of an interesting culture with numerous influences and borrowings. The formation of the Romanian nation was influenced by gypsies, Hungarians, Muslims, Slavs, 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. The remaining ethnic groups, represented in small numbers: Ukrainians, Turks, Russians, Germans.
Today, the dynamics of the country's population has decreased, although from 1977 to 1992 the population grew by 500-600 thousand people annually. Since the end of the 90s, there has been a negative dynamics in the number of people, today about 20 million people live in the country. Experts attribute this phenomenon to opening borders and lowering 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 profess the Christian religion in the Orthodox version, 6% - of the Protestant religion and 5% - of Catholics.
The average age of a resident of Romania is 40 years, the average life expectancy is 75 years. The number of men at birth is more than women (the ratio is 1.06), and already at the age of 65 there are almost half as many men as women (the ratio is 0.65).
Culture
Numerous nationalities, 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, traditions of pottery, embroidery, wood carving, weaving have a pronounced local flavor. Romanian architecture was originally formed under the influence of Romanesque traditions, later Byzantine architects had a great influence. In the buildings of Transylvania are still clearly visible borrowings from the Gothic.
sights
Romania is rich in interesting places and attractions. Among the most notable include: Peles Castle, built in a mixed style, here you can see the influence of Baroque, Renaissance and Moorish culture; Cantacuzino Palace in Bucharest, striking with the luxury and imagination of the architect; Gothic castle of Corvinians; 16th century Mrakonia Monastery; Sighisoara medieval fortress and much more.
The country of Romania is strongly associated with Dracula. The Transylvania vampire myth appeared in the 14th century, and today is a well-selling story. Bran Castle is considered the place where Dracula lived, although meticulous historians claim that Vlad Tepes, who became the prototype of the monster, was here only through the passage. But from this the castle does not lose its attractiveness, as it looks very impressive and mysterious. Another castle that is associated with Vlad Tepes is Poenari Castle, which the count lived on for several years.
In addition to castles in Romania, natural attractions are noteworthy, such as lakes, forests, valleys and mountains, and, of course, the sea. The city of Constanta on the Black Sea coast combines the possibilities of cognitive and beach vacations.
Kitchen
The population of Romania is diverse and, accordingly, the cuisine is diverse and distinctive. They eat a lot of meat, vegetables and fruits. The most popular dishes are sausages, michi or mitite, fried over an open fire and having a spicy taste. Romanians love stew, the most famous of which is a thick and aromatic chorba. Of dairy products, sheep cheese cheeses resembling feta cheese are famous. Romanians are great masters in baking bread, each bakery will offer fragrant, fresh bread of several varieties.
Relaxation
The incredible tourist attraction of Romania is due to the fact that it successfully combines opportunities for a wide variety of vacations. The sea, mountains, sights, excellent cuisine - what else does a tourist need ?! Tours to Romania are also attractive at a low price, which is especially important for the economical traveler. Service in the country meets high European requirements, and by the degree of cordiality of people, it goes around 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 in late October and late March, respectively. Time in Romania differs by 1 hour from Russia. However, the same can be said about all 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 - 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 caskets, embroidered napkins, tablecloths, blouses with national ornaments.