Description

Covered with mountains, hills and lowlands, Romania experiences a diversified flora and fauna, and climate as well. Romania is located in South Eastern Europe and is bordered by Hungary, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Bulgaria along the Black Sea. The chamois can be seen in the Carpathian Mts. that run through the center of the country.

The capital Bucharest houses the semi-presidential democratic republic. The Victoria Palace is the head office building for the legislative branch, which is represented by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. The Palace of Parliament is the second largest governmental building in the world and is home of the senate and other administrative chambers. Romania joined the European Union in early January of 2007, as part of a small enlargement. The country still employs its Leu for currency, which in the future will be replaced with the Euro. As a result of the fall of communism, Romania experienced a recessive economy until 2006.

The culture is rich and varies with most influences of the Slavic, French and German. Romania, as a result of the influences and history, has a few locations that are placed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites. For example, the Saxon villages that house fortified churches in Transylvania, the painted churches with fine interior and exterior frescoes located in Moldova, or the Wooden Churches of Maramures that are a unique combination of Gothic style and traditional timber construction. Romanian cuisine is diverse, blending the dishes of the several traditions which it has come into contact with, as well as maintaining its own character. It has been greatly influenced by Balkan cuisine but also includes influences from the cuisines of other neighbors, such as Germans, Serbians, and Hungarians. The most striking thing about Romanian culture is the strong folk traditions which have survived to this day due to the rural character of the Romanian communities, which has resulted in an exceptionally vital and creative traditional culture. Traditional folk arts include wood carving, ceramics, weaving and embroidery of costumes, household decorations, dance, and richly varied folk music.

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