Portal:Romania

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Romania
LocationAt the confluence of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe

Romania is a country in Southeast and Central Europe. It lies on the lower course of the Danube, north of the Balkan Peninsula, and on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to the east, and the Black Sea to the southeast. It is the twelfth-largest country in Europe by area, covering 238,397 km2 (92,046 mi2), and the sixth-most populous member state of the European Union, with nearly 20 million inhabitants. The capital, largest city and economic centre is Bucharest. Other major cities include Cluj-Napoca, Iași, Constanța, Timișoara, Brașov, Oradea and Sibiu.

Romania is a developed country with a high-income economy and is widely regarded as a middle power in international relations. It is home to 11 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Romania is a net exporter of automotive and vehicle parts worldwide and has established a growing reputation as a technology centre, with some of the fastest internet speeds globally. Romania is a member of several international organisations, including the European Union, NATO, and the BSEC. (Full article...)

Good article -

Entries here consist of Good articles, which meet a core set of high editorial standards.
  • "The Balkan Girls" is a song by Romanian singer Elena Gheorghe for a special 2009 edition of her second studio album, Te Ador (2008), and third record, Disco Romancing (2012). It was written by Laurențiu Duță and Alexandru Pelin, while production was handled by Duță, Ovidiu Bistriceanu and Daris Mangal. The song was released on an enhanced CD on 6 January 2009 by Cat Music. "The Balkan Girls" is a folk-influenced dance-pop song whose refrain celebrates the party life of Balkan girls.

    It represented Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow after winning on the preselection show Selecția Națională. Gheorghe qualified in ninth place for the Grand Final in Moscow, where she finished 19th with a total of 40 points (one of Romania's lowest scores in the contest). During her iele-inspired, mostly negatively-received show, she performed "The Balkan Girls" accompanied by female background dancers with hair extensions and chopped dresses. (Full article...)
  • The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cumania was a Latin-rite bishopric west of the Siret River (in present-day Romania) from 1228 to 1241. The lands incorporated into the diocese had been dominated by the nomadic Cumans since about 1100. Catholic missions began after Andrew II of Hungary granted Burzenland to the Teutonic Knights in 1211. After Andrew expelled the Knights from the territory in 1225, Dominican friars continued the Cuman mission. Robert, Archbishop of Esztergom baptized Boricius, an influential Cuman chieftain, two years later.

    Robert ordained a Hungarian Dominican friar, Theodoric, as the first bishop of Cumania in early 1228. Pope Gregory IX confirmed Theodoric's consecration on 21 March of that year, and the diocese was subordinate to the Holy See in 1229. The episcopal see was on the Milcov River, but its exact location is unknown. The diocese included Burzenland and lands east of the Carpathian Mountains. Vlachs (Romanians) who belonged to the Orthodox Church were a significant part of the diocese's population. They did not follow the Catholic bishop, and persuaded many Catholic Hungarians and Saxons to accept their Orthodox bishops. (Full article...)

  • Mateiu Ion Caragiale (Romanian: [maˈtej iˈon karaˈdʒjale]; 25 March [O.S. 12 March] 1885 – 17 January 1936), also credited as Matei or Matheiu, or in the antiquated version Mateiŭ, was a Romanian poet and prose writer, best known for his novel Craii de Curtea-Veche, which portrays the milieu of boyar descendants before and after World War I. Caragiale's style, associated with Symbolism, the Decadent movement of the fin de siècle, and early modernism, was an original element in the Romanian literature of the interwar period. In other late contributions, Caragiale pioneered detective fiction locally, but there is disagreement over whether his work in the field produced a complete narrative or just fragments. The scarcity of writings he left is contrasted by their critical acclaim and a large, mostly posthumous, following, commonly known as mateists.

    Also known as an amateur heraldist and graphic artist, the young Caragiale published his works sporadically, seeking instead to impose himself in politics and pursuing a career in the civil service. He was associated with the Conservative-Democratic Party, and then the People's League, and ultimately raised controversy by supporting the Central Powers during their occupation of Romania. He afterwards focused on literature, and, during the late 1920s and early 1930s, published most of his prose texts in the magazine Gândirea. (Full article...)
  • "Kylie" is a song by Romanian group Akcent from their fourth studio album, S.O.S. (2005). It was written by two of the group's members, Adrian Sînă and Marius Nedelcu, alongside its producers Sebastian Barac, Radu Bolfea, Marcel Botezan and Viorel Şipoş. The track was initially released as "Dragoste de închiriat" (Romanian: "Love for Rent") on 28 January 2005, before being re-released in June in English under its current title. "Kylie" is a dance track which describes the group's fondness of Australian singer Kylie Minogue.

    Reception towards the group's association with Minogue was mixed, two reviewers were critical of it, while one considered that it made the group stand out. Nevertheless, "Dragoste de închiriat" reached number two in Romania, while "Kylie" entered the charts in several European countries, including Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and the Netherlands. A music video, directed by Iulian Moga, premiered on MTV in April 2005. It depicts the group's members engaging in suggestive actions with one woman separately. The group performed both versions of the song on various occasions. (Full article...)
  • "Midnight Sun" is a song by Romanian singer Elena Gheorghe, released under her mononym Elena as the lead single from her 2012 third studio album of the same name on 16 November 2010 by Cat Music. It was written by Laurențiu Duță and Ovidiu Bistriceanu, with the former having been a frequent collaborator of Elena's up to that point. The song is a follow-up to "Disco Romancing" (2010), which marked a departure from the Latin music that she had become known for in favor of a dance-pop sound.

    Commercially, "Midnight Sun" reached number five on the Romanian Top 100 and also charted within the top 30 in the Netherlands. An accompanying music video for the song was uploaded to YouTube by Cat Music on 13 May 2010. Directed by Dragoș Buliga, it was filmed at the National History Museum of Romania in Bucharest and shows Elena portraying multiple different characters, with each of them having a respective outfit and setting. For further promotion, she performed the song live on television in Romania. (Full article...)
  • Romania was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 with the song "Let Me Try", written by Cristian Faur, and performed by Luminița Anghel and Sistem. The Romanian participating broadcaster, Televiziunea Română (TVR), organised the national final Selecția Națională 2005 in order to select its entry for the contest. Controversy surrounded the national final, as runner-up Loredana accused TVR of vote rigging.

    Prior to Eurovision, "Let Me Try" was promoted by a music video and coverage in press, among other endeavours by TVR. Romania reached first place in the contest's semi-final with 235 points. This resulted in its qualification for the Grand Final, where it achieved third place with 158 points. This remains the country's best result in the contest, alongside its 2010 entry. During Romania's show, Anghel performed to the song in front of Sistem, who contributed to the track's instrumentation by drumming on oil barrels and using side cutters and a grinding wheel. Following Eurovision, "Let Me Try" achieved commercial success in Romania, peaking at number nine on the Romanian Top 100. In addition, Anghel's participation in the contest led to record deal proposals from various countries including the Netherlands, Hungary, Germany, and England. (Full article...)
  • "The Moon" is a song recorded by Romanian group Taxi. It was released as a CD single in 2000 by Intercont Music in Romania, containing its Romanian-language version "Luna" as a B-side. "The Moon" was written and produced solely by Teodorescu. It represented Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2000 in Stockholm, Sweden, after "Luna" won the pre-selection show Selecția Națională. In Stockholm, Romania automatically qualified to the final due to their relegation in the previous year and finished in 17th place with 25 points. (Full article...)
  • Hot is the debut studio album by Romanian singer Inna, released on 4 August 2009 by Magic Records. Inna collaborated on the record with Romanian trio Play & Win, who entirely wrote, produced and arranged Hot at their Play & Win Studios in Constanța, Romania. It was described as an electronic dance music (EDM) album, with influences varying from trance, electro house and techno to Hi-NRG, synth-pop and chillout. Lyrically, Hot deals with love themes. Music critics gave the album positive to mixed reviews, praising the danceable style but criticizing its lack of innovation. At the 2010 Romanian Music Awards, Hot won in the Best Album category, while also receiving an award at the 2011 Radio România Actualităţi Awards in the Pop/Dance Album of the Year section.

    As of December 2011, the record has sold 500,000 copies worldwide, with revenue amounting to €8 million from sales and accompanying concert tours. Commercially, it experienced success in Europe, peaking within the top 20 in multiple countries. Hot was also awarded Gold and Platinum certifications in Romania and France, respectively. It was aided by the release of five singles, "Hot" (2008), "Love" (2009), "Déjà Vu" (2009), "Amazing" (2009) and "10 Minutes" (2010), which achieved success on record charts. "Hot" and "Amazing" were both number ones in Romania. Inna performed over 200 concerts to promote the album. (Full article...)
  • "Alcohol You" is a song recorded by Romanian singer Roxen, digitally released on 21 February 2020 by Global Records. It was written by Ionuț Armaș and Breyan Isaac, while Viky Red solely handed its production. "Alcohol You" emerged as the winner of Selecția Națională 2020 and was thus scheduled to represent Romania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 before the event's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in China and its spread to other countries. Roxen had previously been internally selected at the country's representative by Romanian Television (TVR).

    Musically, the track is a ballad that discusses emotions such as sadness, despair, hope and nostalgia, as well as finding inner peace. It has a minimalistic and Billie Eilish-inspired production. "Alcohol You" was generally well received by music critics upon release, receiving praise for its lyrics and Roxen's vocal delivery. To promote the song, a lyric video was uploaded to YouTube simultaneously with the track's digital availability. Directed by Bogdan Păun, Roxen is shown in front of a neon sketch of herself alongside light and smoke effects. Additionally, the singer performed "Alcohol You" on the native talk show La Măruță and radio station Virgin in February and March 2020, respectively. (Full article...)

  • The Port of Constanța is located in Constanța, Romania, on the western coast of the Black Sea, 179 nautical miles (332 km) from the Bosphorus Strait and 85 nmi (157 km) from the Sulina Branch, through which the Danube river flows into the sea. It covers 3,926 ha (9,700 acres), of which 1,313 ha (3,240 acres) is land and the rest, 2,613 ha (6,460 acres) is water. The two breakwaters located northwards and southwards shelter the port, creating the safest conditions for port activities. The present length of the north breakwater is 8,344 m (5.185 mi) and the south breakwater is 5,560 m (3.45 mi). The Port of Constanța is the largest on the Black Sea and the 17th largest in Europe.

    The favourable geographical position and the importance of the Port of Constanța is emphasized by the connection with two Pan-European transport corridors: IV (high speed railway&highway) and the Pan-European Corridor VII (Danube). The two satellite ports, Midia and Mangalia, located not far from Constanța Port, are part of the Romanian maritime port system under the coordination of the Maritime Ports Administration SA. (Full article...)

  • Gelou (Romanian: Gelu; Hungarian: Gyalu) was the Vlach ruler of Transylvania at the time of the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin around 900 AD, according to the Gesta Hungarorum. Although the Gesta Hungarorum, which was written after 1150, does not indicate the enemies of the conquering Hungarians (Magyars) known from earlier annals and chronicles, it refers to local rulers—including Gelou—who are not mentioned in other primary sources. Consequently, historians debate whether Gelou was a historical person or an imaginary figure created by the unidentified author of the Gesta Hungarorum. In Romanian historiography, based on the mention of him by Anonymus some 300 years later, Gelou is considered one of three early-10th-century Romanian dukes with lands in the intra-Carpathian region of present-day Romania.

    The Gesta Hungarorum describes pre-conquest Transylvania as a country rich in salt and gold, which was raided by Turkic peoples—"Cumans and Pechenegs"—before the arrival of the Magyars. Archaeological research indicates that a people who cremated their dead inhabited the regions of the Transylvanian salt mines from the seventh to the ninth centuries. Although excavated weapons suggest a military elite, none of the early-medieval Transylvanian fortresses uncovered can be reliably dated before the 10th century. The Gesta Hungarorum states that Gelou's duchy was inhabited by Vlachs and Slavs; most toponyms recorded by the chronicler in connection with Gelou's duchy are of Magyar origin. According to the Gesta Hungarorum, Tétény (or Tuhutum), who was one of seven Magyar chieftains, defeated Gelou's army at the Meseș Gates and Gelou was killed at the Căpuș River as he fled towards his unnamed fortress. Gelou's subjects then yielded to Tuhutum without further resistance. (Full article...)
  • Inna is the fourth studio album recorded by Romanian singer Inna. It was released on 30 October 2015 by Warner Music, while a Japanese version of the record titled Body and the Sun was made available on 23 July 2015 by Roton and Empire Music. The singer collaborated with various producers on the album, including The Monsters and the Strangerz, Axident, Play & Win and Thomas Troelsen. Its material includes multiple genres, such as dance-pop, deep house, electro house, electropop and Latin.

    The album's title was originally planned to be Latinna, and it also includes promotional singles intended for the cancelled extended play (EP) Summer Days. Inna and Body and the Sun were supported by several concert tours in Europe and Japan. Seven singles have also been released to aid the record, of which "Cola Song" (2014) was successful in Europe and was certified Platinum in Spain and "Diggy Down" (2014) marked Inna's third number one hit in Romania. Commercially, Inna only reached minor success on record charts, peaking at number 157 in Japan and at position 45 in Mexico. (Full article...)
  • "Bebe" is a song by Romanian singer Inna and Ugandan recording artist Vinka, digitally released on 4 November 2019 by Global Records. It was written by the aforementioned artists alongside Theea Miculescu, while the production was handled by Sebastian Barac and Marcel Botezan. A French, Swahili, Luganda, and English love song, the track's genre has been described as Afro and dancehall-influenced pop. Music critics gave mixed reviews to the track, praising its catchiness but criticizing the track as sonically uninteresting.

    An accompanying music video for "Bebe" was uploaded to Inna's YouTube channel simultaneously with the song's digital release. Directed by Bogdan Păun and filmed at the Bucharest Metro, the clip features Inna and Vinka residing in a graffiti-decorated train and walking the corridors of the subway. They wear various Gucci clothing pieces which were praised by critics. Commercially, the track experienced success in Romania, reaching number one on the country's Airplay 100 chart. (Full article...)
  • "Change" is a song recorded by Romanian group Hotel FM, released as a CD single in 2011 by Romanian Television (TVR). It was written by Alexandra Ivan and Gabriel Băruţă, while production was solely handled by the latter. An uptempo pop ballad containing drums, piano and violins in its instrumentation, the lyrics talk about making a positive change in the world and one's life. A reviewer compared "Change" to the music of English group Take That and singer Sean Maguire.

    The track represented Romania in the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest in Düsseldorf, Germany after winning the pre-selection show Selecția Națională. Hotel FM eventually came 17th in the contest's Grand Final, gathering a total of 77 points. During their performance, the group was joined by two female background dancers, while the LED screen showed pulsating circles and ovals. Music critics gave mixed reviews of "Change", praising its instrumentation, but criticising the song as "unspectacular" and "cheesy". The track was promoted by endeavours in several European countries, as well as by the release of an accompanying music video produced by TVR and Schneider Production. Uploaded onto YouTube on 18 March 2011, the visual features shots of various Romanian tourist attractions. (Full article...)
  • "No Sleepin'" is a song recorded by Romanian singer Corina and Romanian rapper JJ, released on 25 October 2010. It was written by Andrei Maria, Corina and JJ, and produced by Maria, Bogdan Albulescu, Corina and Șerban Cazan. "No Sleepin'" marked the singer's return to the music industry after a hiatus. Musically, it is a synthpop-influenced uptempo dance song featuring a piano and a clink sound in its instrumentation; its lyrics revolve around partying at night and not sleeping.

    A music critic from Romanian website Divercity Cafe was positive towards the track, predicting its commercial success, while another compared it to the works of DJ BoBo. To accompany "No Sleepin'", a music video was premiered on 13 January 2011. Filmed by Marian Dinescu at the Casa Scriitorilor in Bucharest, Romania, it portrays Corina impersonating a female punk burlesque character. The visual received a nomination in the Best Video category at the 2011 Romanian Music Awards. Further promoted by a live performance at the aforementioned event, the track peaked within the top ten in Romania and on the Polish television airplay chart, as well as within the top 60 in Russia. (Full article...)

Selected article -

Romanian troops at Mărășești battlefield in 1917.

The Kingdom of Romania remained neutral throughout the first two years of World War I. They eventually entered the conflict on the side of the Entente from 27 August 1916 until insurmountable pressure from Central Powers - which had occupied two thirds of the country - led to an armistice being signed on 9 December 1917. Six months later, a crippling peace treaty was imposed on Romania, which the government ratified. King Ferdinand I refused to promulgate the treaty, hoping for an Allied victory on the Western Front. As the Central Power war efforts collapsed, Romania re-entered the war on 10 November 1918.

Romania was still a burgeoning state with great territorial ambitions at the onset of the war. It had achieved its independence following the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, although millions of ethnic Romanians continued to reside outside the new nation's borders, particularly in Transylvania and Bessarabia, which were part of Austria-Hungary and Russia respectively. The Romanian monarchy, which was formed by members of the Hohenzollern dynasty, who were of Germanic origin, was sympathetic towards the cause of the Central Powers. The nation's political elite and the majority of the public favoured the Entente, as joining them would allow Romania to take Transylvania from Austria-Hungary, a region rich with natural resources and inhabited by a Romanian majority. Because of this social division and the general feeling that Romania still wasn't fully prepared for a war against a great power, the Romanians initially opted for neutrality. (Full article...)

Selected biography -

Dăncilă in 2019

Vasilica Viorica Dăncilă (Romanian pronunciation: [vasiˈlika vi.oˈrika dənˈtʃilə]; born 16 December 1963) is a Romanian politician, former leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), and was Prime Minister of Romania from 29 January 2018 to 4 November 2019. She is the first and only woman in Romanian history to hold both the office of Prime Minister and that of president of PSD. In 2014, she was elected to a second term as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), representing the PSD. She was also president of the Social Democratic Women's Organization (OFSD) between 2015 and 2018.

Dăncilă became a member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) in 1996, as part of the party's organization in Teleorman County. Over the years she has held several positions in both PSD and the local administration. She was a local council and a county councilor until 2009, when she was elected to her first term as an MEP. Also she occupied several leadership positions in the party, as president of the local organization, vice president of PSD Teleorman and president of OFSD Teleorman. In 2022, she resigned from the PSD to join the then-newly founded party Nation People Together, of which she became president. She joined the Romanian National Conservative Party in September 2024. (Full article...)

Selected picture

A view at Defileul Jiului National Park, a protected area (national park category II IUCN) in Romania.

Did you know (auto generated)

  • ... that Romanian adventure novelist N. D. Popescu-Popnedea "generate[d] laughter" with his deposition at a political assassin's trial?
  • ... that in 1906, composer Robert Winterberg gave a concert for the queen of Romania?
  • ... that Matei Donici, a general in the Imperial Russian Army, secretly wrote poetry with Romanian-nationalist and anti-Russian messages?
  • ... that Romanian-born Helen O'Brien escaped advancing Russians on the King's horse, opened Eve, and worked as a spy for MI5 and MI6?
  • ... that Romanian actor Matei Millo continued an 1877 performance of a politically charged comedy even after the offended authorities had extinguished his theater's candelabra?
  • ... that according to the poet Eugen Constant, he persuaded his questioner of the validity of Marxism while being interrogated by Romanian authorities?

More did you know

  • ...that Romania's Palace of Parliament, despite the building process not being completely finished, is the biggest building in Europe and the second-largest building in the world?

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