USEFUL BUSINESS INFORMATION ON ROMANIA

1. Country Brief:

A. Introduction - Romania is in southeast Europe and is slightly smaller than Oregon. The Carpathian Mountains divide Romania's upper half from north to south and connect near the center of the country with the Transylvanian Alps, running east and west. North and west of these ranges lies the Transylvanian plateau, and to the south and east are the plains of Moldavia and Walachia. In its last 190 mi (306 km), the Danube River flows through Romania only. It enters the Black Sea in northern Dobruja, just south of the border with Ukraine.

B. Climate - Romania has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. Spring and autumn are cool and pleasant, making May and June, and September and October the best months to visit. Summers are hot from July to August and winters are harsh and very cold between December and March, with snow falling throughout most of the country. Spring and summer are the wettest seasons, but rain can be expected throughout the year.

C. Geographical Area - 88,934 sq mi (230,339 sq km); total area: 91,699 sq mi (237,500 sq km)

D. Language - Romanian (official), Hungarian, German

E. Currency With Exchange Rate - 1.00 RON = 0.417684 USD

F. Population - July 2007 estimate 22,276,056

G. Major Cities – Bucharest, Iasi, Cluj-Napoca ,Timisoara, Constanta, Craiova, Galati, Brasov

2. Transportation:

A. Railway - total: 11,385 km

B. Road - total: 198,603 km; paved: 98,308 km (including 113 km of expressways); unpaved: 100,295 km (2000).

C. Airports - 65 (2002).

D. Waterways - 1,724 km (1984).

E. Sea ports - Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea.

3. Economy:

A. Major Manufacturing - 

B. Major Export - $27.72 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products.

C. Major Import - $38.15 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile and products, basic metals, agricultural products.

D. Major Industry - textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining.

E. Trade balance -

4. Trade Associations, Chamber of Commerce, Trade shows and Exhibitions in Romania:

Major Trade Associations

Chambers of Commerce

Major Trade Shows

5. Useful links:

Romanian Importers, Dealers of Japanese Used Cars, Construction Machinery & Auto Parts