Romania (23.000.000 inhabitants) is located in the south-eastern Europe. Its history is ancient and the name itself, Romania, stands as a proof. Several ancient monuments remind of the influences of the ancient Roman Empire. Many years of Ottoman aggressions, contrasting with a series of noble rulers haven’t put their mark upon the nation. Since 1945, Russia had imposed a communist regime but as a result of the Revolution in December 1989, Romania became one of the European democratic nations.
USEFUL INFORMATIONS
Time lag: hour in Romania : GMT+3 hours during the summer; GMT+2 hours for the rest of the year.
Documents: valid identity card for the EU citizens or passport for the other foreign citizens.
Foreign currency/Exchange: the monetary unit of Romania is "Leu - RON"; the current official rate exchange is "3.4 RON per 1 euro".
Customs: Romania observes the international agreements for the facilities regarding tourist traffic; valuable goods and foreign currency exceeding 10.000€ must be declared at the customs.
Telephone: the international prefix is 0040; useful telephone numbers: Bucharest Emergency 112, Ambulance 961, Emergency Hospital 962; Fire Brigade 981; Police 951; international telephone services 971.
Language: the official language is Romanian; other languages frequently used are English, French and Italian.
Clime: temperate-continental with warm summers and snowy winters.
Religion: the majority of the population (87%) is Christian-Orthodox; the Romanian constitution pleads for the liberty of the cult.
Political System: Romania is a Democratic Republic, according to the Constitution from 1991.
Security: it is forbidden to exchange the foreign currency on the black market (it is a fraud), only in the exchange offices spread all over the country; the police are very polite, just like the Romanians.
Credit Card: all the important shops, hotels, restaurants accept payment by cards.
How to Arrive: by plane with direct flights and charters from all the international airports; by international trains; by car; the road signs follow the international rules.
