Romania is a country in southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea and sharing borders with Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Ukraine, and Moldova. It is known for the Carpathian Mountains, medieval castles, and the legend of Dracula inspired by the historical figure Vlad the Impaler. Romania is also home to the Danube Delta, one of Europe's largest and most biodiverse river deltas.
- Capital
- Bucharest
- Continent
- Europe
- Region
- Southeast Europe
- Area
- 238,391 km²
- Coordinates
- 46° N, 25° E
Country facts
- Romania joined the European Union in 2007 after decades behind the Iron Curtain.
- The Romanian language is a Romance language descended from Latin, making it closely related to Italian, Spanish, and French.
- Transylvania, the mountainous region in central Romania, is famous worldwide thanks to Bram Stoker's Dracula novels.
- Romania's Danube Delta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and shelters over 300 species of birds.
- Gymnast Nadia Comaneci became the first person to score a perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics at the 1976 Montreal Games.
Capital facts
- Bucharest has been the capital of Romania since 1862, when the principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia united.
- The Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest is one of the largest administrative buildings in the world by floor area.
- Bucharest was once nicknamed 'Little Paris' for its wide boulevards, elegant architecture, and vibrant café culture.
- The city straddles the Dâmbovița River, which flows through its historic center.
- The Romanian Athenaeum, a stunning neoclassical concert hall built in 1888, is one of Bucharest's most beloved landmarks.