| Geography and Climate |
Romania is located in Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine. Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon. Total land boundary is 2,508 km,
border countries are Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia and Montenegro 476 km (all with Serbia), Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km.
Climate is temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms. Terrain in central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps. Elevation extreme has the lowest point in the Black Sea 0 m and highest point in Moldoveanu 2,544 m. Natural resources are petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt. Land use: arable land: 41%,
permanent crops: 3%, permanent pastures: 21%, forests and woodland: 29%, other: 6% (1993 est.). Irrigated land: 31,020 sq km (1993 est.). Natural hazards are earthquakes most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides.
Environment—current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands.
Geography—note: controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine.
Ref. Anonymous, 1999 |