Capital: Bucharest

Population: 22,329,977 (July 2005 est.)

Languages: Romanian (official), Hungarian, German

Religions: Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%, Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census)

Currency: leu (RON, previously ROL)

Timezone: GMT+2

Romania has experienced rapid growth in recent years. This is primarily evident in the increased number of new construction projects for single-family homes, business parks, and tourist resorts. There has also been an explosion in urban developments, created specifically for middle-income family living. Though most plans are still in the development stages, Romania is becoming popular with expats as an opportunity to get in on the "ground floor" of the country's modernization.

A religious country, the combination of spiritual reverence, history, and elaborate natural landscape intensify the expectant expat's emotion upon seeing Romania for the first time.

Romania is made up of a population which is roughly 90% Romanian Orthodox, 5% Roman Catholic, and 4% protestant, with the remaining 1% of differing religious affiliations.

Bordering Romania are Serbia, Bulgaria, the Ukraine, Moldavia, and Hungary. The ethnic breakdown within Romania is as follows:

Romanian 89.5%
Hungarian 7%
Gypsy 2.47%
Ukrainian 0.3%
German 0.5%
Russian 0.2%

The Black Sea, Danube delta, lakes, rivers, plains, and mountains decorate the landscape of a country too often forgotten in a world that focuses on larger, richer countries and their politics. Filled with art, music, literature, and most of all, hope -- this democratic republic holds plenty of secrets for visitors and residents to discover at their leisure.