Fast Facts of Romania

Official Name: Romania

Location: Central Europe (Southeastern part)

Time Zone: Seven hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time (GMT + 2)

Area: 91,725 sq. miles (237,502 sq. km)

Population: 21,700,000 (2002)

Ethnic Groups: Romanian 88%, Hungarian 6.5%, German 2%, Gipsy 1.9%, Other 1.6%

Religions: Christian Orthodox 87%, Roman Catholic 5%, Protestant 5%, Jewish 3%

Official Language: Romanian, but German and Hungarian are spoken in some counties. The official language for the Congress will be English.

Climate: Temperate, four distinct seasons: pleasant temperatures in June

Electric Current: Electricity is supplied at 220 volts.

Bucharest: Bucharest (Bucuresti) is the capital and also the main economic, administrative and cultural cent of Romania. It lies in the middle of the Romanian plain (Câmpia Româna), on the banks of the Dâmbovita, a minor northern tributary of the Danube. The first written appearance of the name "Bucuresti" dates from 1459, when it was recorded in a document of Vlad the Impaler (Vlad Tepes), the ruler of Walachia, well-known as Count Dracula for his cruelty and uncompromising punishment of enemies. Vlad built the fortress of Bucharest - the first of many fortifications - with the aim of holding back the Turks, who were threatening the existence of the Walachian state. Because of its broad boulevards, swamped in verdure and flowers, its beautiful and diversified architecture, and its parks and gardens, Bucharest was once named "the little Paris".

Telephone:
Country code for Romania is +40
Area code for Bucharest is 021.

Emergency phone numbers in Bucharest:
Fire: 981
Police: 955
Medical emergency: 961