The former north-eastern frontier of the Roman Empire, Romania is bordered to the north and east by Moldavia and Ukraine, to the southeast by the Black Sea, to the south by Bulgaria, to the southwest by Serbia and to the west by Hungary.
The country is divided into four geographical areas: Transylvania, Moldavia, Walachia and Dobrudja. Transylvania (a belt of alpine massifs and forests) and Moldavia compose the northern half of the country, which is divided down the middle by the north–south chain of the Carpathian Mountains. South of the east–west line of the Carpathians lies the flat Danube plain of Walachia, its border with Bulgaria being defined by the course of the Danube. Romania’s coastline is along the Black Sea, incorporating the port of Constanţa and the Danube Delta. The region between the Black Sea and the Danube (after it veers north), is also known as Dobrudja.
Romania’s territory features splendid mountains, beautiful rolling hills, fertile plains and numerous rivers and lakes. The Carpathian Mountains traverse the centre of the country, bordered on both sides by foothills and then by the great plains of the outer rim. Forests cover over one quarter of the country and the fauna is one of the richest in Europe, including bears, deer, lynx, chamois and wolves. The legendary Danube River ends its journey through eight European countries at the Black Sea by forming one of the biggest and most interesting wetlands in the world, the Danube Delta.
Romania has a temperate climate, with four distinct seasons. There are significant regional differences in climate between different regions of Romania. The warmest month is July and the coldest month is January. Average annual rainfall is 26 inches.
Foreign visitors consider Romanians among the friendliest and most hospitable people. Check out the official website for more information about tourism in Romania.
Romania’s official currency is LEU pl. LEI; 1 LEU has 100 BANI. Exchange offices all around the city offer good exchange rates. You can also change money at any bank. It is illegal to change money on the street. You can use your foreign debit card at any ATM and you will be issued the equivalent in Lei of the amount you wish to withdraw in US dollars or Euro. Romanian ATMs only accept Visa, MasterCard and Maestro. Depending on your needs, there are several possibilities for money transfer: postal money order (“mandat poştal”), bank transfer or special transfer (such as Western Union).
The capital of Romania is Bucharest, located in the Southern part of the country.