Romania

Romania is a southeastern European country known for the forested region of Transylvania, ringed by the Carpathian Mountains. Its preserved medieval towns include Sighişoara, and there are many fortified churches and castles, notably clifftop Bran Castle, long associated with the Dracula legend. Romania is a developing country with a high-income economy, Ranking 49th in the Human Development Index. It has the world’s 47th largest economy by nominal GDP. Romania experienced rapid economic growth in the early 2000s; its economy is now based predominantly on services.

The Romanian landscape is approximately one-third mountainous and one-third forested, with the remainder made up of hills and plains. The Romanian people derive much of their ethnic and cultural character from Roman influence, but this ancient identity has been reshaped continuously by Romania’s position astride major continental migration routes. Romania comprises a number of geographic regions, some of which correspond roughly to the historic regions whose names they share. In the southern part of the country, following the general contours of the former principality of the same name, Walachia stretches south from the Southern Carpathians to the Bulgarian border and is divided by the Olt River.