By Jacob Levy KAIS

Geography & Climate Area: 238,391 sq. km. The edges are flat, and the land gradually gains elevation as you approach the center Climate: Temperate climate

The People Population: 21,848,504 Languages: Romanian (official) 91%; Hungarian 6.7%; Romany (Gypsy) 1.1%; Other 1.2% Religions: Eastern Orthodox 86.8%; Protestant 7.5%; Roman Catholic 4.7%; Other and unspecified 0.9%; None 0.1% Life Expectancy: Male years Female: years Literacy Rate: Age fifteen and over can read and write

Customs & Courtesies Greetings Handshakes are common with both men and women Words like: Ceau(Ciao), Salut(salutations), Buna(good), and servus are used when greeting Only close friends, family, and children greet each other with the others first name People are also addressed by their professional title, too(i.e. doctor) Gestures When one sneezes, friends and family say Sanatate(good health) or Noroc(good luck), which is also used at parties, but instead means cheers

Customs & Courtesies(cont.) Gestures(cont.) Making eye contact with the person you are talking to is a sign of honesty It is impolite for men to put their hands in their pockets while conversing with another person Eating Lunch is traditionally the meal of the day, but most families only eat lunch together on Saturday and Sunday Eat with fork in left hand and knife in right Both hands are always above the table during the meal It is impolite to eat in front of those who are not eating

Lifestyle Family Very important to the Romanians, and the father maintains a dominant role Urban families are smaller than rural families due to smaller housing and higher living costs Women have jobs outside the house, but still do house chores and care for the children Housing Farms are usually 2-3 room houses surrounded by a fence, a garden, orchard, and farm buildings Most Romanians today live in cities in apartment blocks, which have two rooms

Lifestyle(cont.) Dating & Marriage Young men and women begin socializing in high school. Men and women expect to marry and have a family. Marriage in urban areas happen between ages 25 and 30 Men and women in rural areas marry at a younger age Engagement rings are not used, instead the wedding ring is worn on the right hand until marriage Before the wedding the groom may carry a pine tree to the bride’s house as a sign of long life

Lifestyle(cont.) Life Cycle Traditionally, babies are named after saints from the Christian Orthodox religion A few months after birth, Romanian babies are assigned godparents Retirement age is around 60, and the government pays retired people a small pension After death, Romanians are usually buried in coffins near other relatives They may also be cremated

Lifestyle(cont.) Recreation & The Arts Romanians enjoy sports, particularly soccer Athletes from Romania have done well in international sports competition, especially gymnastics, weight lifting, rowing, and tennis More than 1,500 museums are found in Romania Excellent orchestras, theaters, and opera houses are available in many cities Flutes and string instruments are common in Romanian folk music Romanian folk art includes wood carvings, carpets, elaborate costumes, pottery, and icon painting

Society Government Romania’s new constitution was established in 1991 The directly elected president is head of state but also has boarder powers Romania’s prime minister is head of government The country’s bicameral Parliament has a 137-Senate and a 332- seat Chamber of Deputies There are local governments for Romania’s 41 counties The voting age is 18

Society(cont.) Transportation Transportation in cities is reasonably efficient and inexpensive Roads are in poor condition and are not built to handle excessive amounts of cars The trains that link cities are poorly maintained and lack heat in the winter In rural areas, people commonly travel by bicycle, horse, or donkey- drawn carts