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Romania

✨ The land of the Carpathians and legends

Romania is a country in southeastern Europe, with a coastline on the Black Sea. It covers about 238,400 square kilometres and has Bucharest as its capital and largest city. The Carpathian Mountains form a broad arc through the centre and north of the country, while the Transylvanian Plateau lies within this arc.

To the south, the land opens onto the Wallachian Plain, crossed by the lower Danube, which forms part of Romania’s border with Bulgaria. In the east, the Danube Delta spreads into the Black Sea and is one of Europe’s most important wetland areas. Romania also shares borders with Ukraine, Moldova, Hungary and Serbia.

Romania has a temperate climate, although conditions vary with altitude and distance from the sea. Its landscapes range from low plains and wetlands to forested mountains and alpine areas. The Danube is the country’s main river and plays an important role in transport, agriculture and ecosystems.

Romanian is the official language and belongs to the Romance language family, making it closely related to languages such as Italian, French and Spanish. Romania is a member of the European Union and NATO. Its modern history includes the communist period that ended in 1989, followed by a transition to a democratic political system and a market economy.

💡 Did you know?

Do you know why Bran Castle is called 'Dracula's Castle'? It's because of a novelist, Bram Stoker, who was inspired by this magnificent castle perched on a rock for his vampire story. In reality, Prince Vlad III, who inspired Dracula, might never have lived there, but the castle is so mysterious with its secret passages and dark towers that it's easy to imagine ghost stories!

In Romania, there is a place unique in the world: the 'Merry Cemetery' of Săpânța. Unlike usual cemeteries that are sad, this one is filled with wooden crosses painted bright blue and decorated with colorful images! On each cross, a short, funny poem tells the life of the person buried there, with their qualities and even their minor flaws. It is a way to celebrate life with humor and colors.

In Bucharest, the Palace of the Parliament is an absolutely gigantic building. It is so heavy that it sinks a few millimeters each year! It is the second-largest administrative building on the planet after the Pentagon. To build it, a large part of the old city had to be destroyed, and incredible amounts of marble, crystal, and precious wood were used. There are even secret tunnels and a bunker underneath!