Geographic position: in the south-east of Central Europe
Climate: temperate-continental, four seasons
Features: mountains, hills, plains, and delta
Population: 21,680,976 (March 2003, source: National Statistics Institute)
Ethnic structure: Romanians - 89.5%; Hungarians (including Szecklers)- 6.5%; Roma - 2.5%; other ethnic groups -1.5%
Religious structure: Eastern Orthodox - 86.7%; Roman-Catholic-4.7%; Protestant - 3.2%; Greek-Catholic - 0.9%, Evangelical - 0.1%; Unitarian - 0.3%; other religions - 0.4% (preliminary data, March 2003 )
Form of government: republic
Statute : NATO member, EU member
President of Romania: Traian Băsescu
Legislative power: The Parliament of Romania, (485 members in the 2000-2004 legislature), and two houses: the Senate of Romania (140 members) and the Chamber of Deputies (345 members).
Senate Chairman: Nicolae Văcăroiu
Deputy Chamber Chairman: Bogdan Olteanu
Executive power: The Government of Romania
Prime Minister: Cãlin Popescu Tăriceanu Minister of Foreign Affairs: Adrian Cioroianu Minister of Economy and Finance: Varujan Vosganian Minister of Justice: Cătălin Marian Predoiu
Minister of Interior and Administrative Reform: Cristian David Minister of Defence: Teodor Meleşcanu Minister of Transport: Ludovic Orban Minister of Education, Research and Youth: Cristian Adomniţei Minister of Labour, Family and Equality of Chances: Paul Păcuraru Minister for Small and Medium-Sized Companies, Trade, Tourism and Liberal Professions: Ovidiu Silaghi Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development: Dacian Cioloş Minister of Public Health: Eugen Nicolăescu Minister of of Development, Public Works and Housing: Laszlo Borbely Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development: Attila Korodi Minister of Culture and Religious Affairs: Adrian Iorgulescu Minister of Communications and Information Technology: Karoly Borbely Minister Delegate for the Relation with the Parliament: Mihai Alexandru Voicu
The major political parties present in the Parliament:
Ruling coalition: the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR)
In opposition: the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the Liberal Democratic Party (PDL), the Greater Romania Party (PRM) and the Conservative Party (PC)
