28 Oct 2024
Romania is a country full of history and charm. It brings to mind the ancient Roman Empire. Today, Romania is a blend of old beauty and modern life. In recent years, it has become a top spot for expats. The country saw rapid growth in the 2000s, especially in machinery, electric energy, and services. With more people moving here for work, services for making a money transfer have become increasingly important for those sending funds back home. Romania’s culture is unique, and locals are known for being friendly to newcomers. Life here is becoming more and more cosmopolitan.
Romania is full of surprises. The Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest weighs 4.10 million tons. Its Carpathian Mountains are the perfect habitat. Love nature? The Danube Delta is one of the most biodiverse areas on Earth. From history to natural beauty, Romania is always full of surprises.
Here are some of the 10 most surprising facts:
Where exactly is Romania? Romania sits at the geographic center of Europe. It shares borders with Ukraine to the north, the Republic of Moldova and the Black Sea to the east, Bulgaria to the south, Serbia to the southwest, and Hungary to the west.
Looking at an old world map, Romania stands out in this vibrant continent. There’s some debate about its exact position. Some say it's in Central Europe, others argue it's in Eastern Europe, and a few claim it's Southeastern Europe. Honestly, it doesn't matter much. It's in Europe, and that's what counts.
Geographically, Romania is an interesting mix. It connects seamlessly to both Europe and Asia. This interconnectedness is similar to how the Americas—Canada, the U.S., and Mexico—are often seen as one entity. But Romania, Nestled in Europe’s geographic center, is a fascinating place with much to offer.
Romania shares borders with five countries: Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Moldova and Ukraine. To the east, for around 225 kilometers, the country has a stunning coastline of the Black Sea. The World Factbook states that this shoreline places Romania 122 countries on the list.
Regarding this particularly criterion, Romania occupies somewhat less than 238,397 square kilometers of the earth’s surface. Its notable that it no any territories outside the country it belongs to. This has placed the country at the 81st largest place on the surface of the earth or the Globe.
Regionally, Romania stands as the biggest state in South Eastern Europe Area. When talking about all of Europe, it is the twelfth largest country. Thus, from the viewpoint of the Southeast or even the large European area, the size of Romania is all the greater and not unnoticeable.
The name Romania is derived from the word ‘Romanus’ which means ‘ citizen of Rome’. Romanians in the past were identified by other nations of the ancient world as Getae by the Greeks and Dacians by Romans. According to various historical legends, the name was derived, but the fact remains that the Dacians were not the favorite of the Romans.
In the past, the Romans saw Dacia as a place with rich mineral deposits, particularly in gold. This desire reached its peak in 101 AD when the Roman emperor Trajan initiated an attack 4 The Romans had wanted Dacia because it was rich in Gold. This desire took them to 101 AD when the Roman Emperor Trajan had to invade the region of the region. Having exhausted its hoard of gold, Rome turned to Dacia because of rumors about the country being rich in gold. The Romans captured this region after some wars and started extracting gold from the place to maintain the Roman empire.
Not surprisingly, as Romania has changed, so too have methods of sending funds in this increasingly connected world. When it comes to online money transfer services you can easily provide money across borders and in Romania you can meet friends and families or business partners.
As of 2019, the estimated population was around 19,518,117 people. Romania ranks 67th globally in terms of population size. The last official census was conducted in 2021, showing about 19,659,267 residents at that time. The peak population occurred around 1990-1991 when it was just under 23 million.
You might wonder why Romania’s population is decreasing. It is quite unlike other countries such as Belarus where the population is reduced as many people travel in search of better-paid employment opportunities and to send money back home but in Romania, the fate is different since more people are dying than the number that is immigrating out of the country. This poses a rather odd problem to the country as it tries to maneuver through the demographic curve.
The majority are Romanians, but there are also smaller communities of Hungarians, Roma, Ukrainians, Germans, Albanians, Russians, Turks, Serbians, Slovaks, Arabs, and Africans.
In terms of language, more than 90% of people speak Romanian. This is especially remarkable for one as old as Romanian, which scholars believe to be over one thousand seven hundred years old. It is of the Latin category or the Romance language and this may be why some find the spoken language appealing because of the nice sounding important. It is rather curious to know that such a diverse language culture plays a role in the formation of the identity of the nation.
Approximately 81% of the population identifies as Christian, with a significant majority practicing Orthodox Christianity. There are also Protestants, Catholics, and individuals from other faiths, including Islam.
It's worth noting that Romania does not have an official state religion. This separation is important, promoting a sense of freedom and diversity in religious beliefs across the nation.
Have you heard of the Cave of Bones? It may sound eerie, but this cave system is truly remarkable. Located near Anina in southwestern Romania, it features around 12 caverns.
Within these caverns, some of the oldest human remains in Europe have been discovered. Notably, in 2015, researchers found a skull known as Oase 1. This skull is significant not only for being one of the oldest human remains in Europe but also for its unique genetic makeup, containing 5% to 11% Neanderthal DNA.
This discovery adds intriguing evidence to our understanding of human evolution, reinforcing the importance of scientific inquiry in understanding our past.
When most people think of the war, they picture the Allies, like Britain, Russia, and France, battling against the Germans, Austrians, and the Ottomans. Nevertheless, Romania appeared to be on the side of the allies, helping British and American soldiers who arrived late but who were numerous and effective.
During the war, Romania was awarded back the region of Transylvania due to the provisions of the Treaty of Trianon. More than this, Romania was one of the founding members of the League of Nations, an organization intended to maintain world peace after the war.
Speaking of Transylvania it’s known for its rich folklore. In popular culture, this region is often linked to vampires, thanks to its legendary tales. Yes, within Transylvania, there are no vampires, and there is no Frankenstein monster.
Did you know that Romania is home to the world’s heaviest building? It is known as the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest, and the building is beyond amazing. Development started in 1984 and halted in 1997. This must be one of the largest such projects to have been seen. It would take more than 700 architects to design it, and Anca Petrescu oversaw it, a record holder of being the architect to manage one of the world’s biggest civilian administrative complexes.
There’s some debate about its size, with some claiming it’s the largest while others say it ranks second. What we do know is that it's the most expensive administrative building, costing around three billion euros. It boasts 1,100 rooms and has a volume of about two million five hundred fifty thousand cubic meters.
As for its weight? It tips the scales at approximately 4 billion 98 million 500 thousand kilograms. That's incredibly heavy! Unfortunately, the Palace of Parliament is not a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but if it stands long enough, it may earn that title in the future.
Romania is keen to maintain its heritage through its UNESCO World Heritage Site. At present, the country has eight recognized sites, with around 15 more on the tentative list. Surprisingly, some categories have several structures. For example, the villages with fortified churches in Transylvania are approximately seven, and the wooden churches in Maramureș number eight.
Budgeting for an expatriate in Romania is never easy and to make matters worse, remitting money back to one’s home country is even harder. ACE Money Transfer presents the characteristic that is most suitable for the solution. With its user-friendly platform, you can quickly transfer funds securely, whether for family support or personal needs.
There are also guarantees that ACE Money Transfer offers favorable exchange rates and low commissions to send money online, so it is cheap to transfer money across borders. Also, with flexible payment options and a fast transfer system, you are sure your money will get to the intended destination within the shortest time possible.
Romanians have a colorful history where people celebrate occasions such as Mărțișor, signifying the arrival of spring, and the populace always displays friendliness to strangers. Festivals provide an avenue that can enrich an expat's stay in a new country.
Expats can use ACE Money Transfer to make quick and secure international money transfers. This service contains low fees, and the exchange rates are quite good which can be considered as the economical advantage.
The official language is Romanian and according to census, it is spoken by more than 90% of the population. Although most of the Romanians understand English it is still useful to learn some of the more basic Romanian phrases.
Bucharest is the preferred destination for expatriates because of employment and the high quality of living. Other Romanian cities such as Cluj-Napoca and Timisoara are also popular among expats both for their cultures and for job opportunities.
The cost of living in Romania is generally lower than in Western Europe, with affordable housing and food. Nevertheless, it differs from one region to another, especially between the developed urban towns and the rural regions, and thus, the a need to sample specific areas of interest.
