Romania vs. Ukraine
Introduction
| Romania | Ukraine | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their autonomy in 1856; they were de facto linked in 1859 and formally united in 1862 under the new name of Romania. The country gained recognition of its independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and acquired new territories - most notably Transylvania - following the conflict. In 1940, Romania allied with the Axis powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former communists dominated the government until 1996 when they were swept from power. Romania joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007. | Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state, Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine achieved a short-lived period of independence (1917-20), but was reconquered and endured a brutal Soviet rule that engineered two forced famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for 7 to 8 million more deaths. Although Ukraine achieved independence in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy and prosperity remained elusive as the legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties. A peaceful mass protest referred to as the "Orange Revolution" in the closing months of 2004 forced the authorities to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Subsequent internal squabbles in the YUSHCHENKO camp allowed his rival Viktor YANUKOVYCH to stage a comeback in parliamentary (Rada) elections, become prime minister in August 2006, and be elected president in February 2010. In October 2012, Ukraine held Rada elections, widely criticized by Western observers as flawed due to use of government resources to favor ruling party candidates, interference with media access, and harassment of opposition candidates. President YANUKOVYCH's backtracking on a trade and cooperation agreement with the EU in November 2013 - in favor of closer economic ties with Russia - and subsequent use of force against students, civil society activists, and other civilians in favor of the agreement led to a three-month protest occupation of Kyiv's central square. The government's use of violence to break up the protest camp in February 2014 led to all out pitched battles, scores of deaths, international condemnation, a failed political deal, and the president's abrupt departure for Russia. New elections in the spring allowed pro-West president Petro POROSHENKO to assume office in June 2014; he was succeeded by Volodymyr ZELENSKY in May 2019. Shortly after YANUKOVYCH's departure in late February 2014, Russian President PUTIN ordered the invasion of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula falsely claiming the action was to protect ethnic Russians living there. Two weeks later, a "referendum" was held regarding the integration of Crimea into the Russian Federation. The "referendum" was condemned as illegitimate by the Ukrainian Government, the EU, the US, and the UN General Assembly (UNGA). In response to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea, 100 members of the UN passed UNGA resolution 68/262, rejecting the "referendum" as baseless and invalid and confirming the sovereignty, political independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine. In mid-2014, Russia began supplying proxies in two of Ukraine's eastern provinces with manpower, funding, and materiel driving an armed conflict with the Ukrainian Government that continues to this day. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the unrecognized Russian proxy republics signed the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum in September 2014 to end the conflict. However, this agreement failed to stop the fighting or find a political solution. In a renewed attempt to alleviate ongoing clashes, leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany negotiated a follow-on Package of Measures in February 2015 to implement the Minsk agreements. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, the unrecognized Russian proxy republics, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also meet regularly to facilitate implementation of the peace deal. More than 13,000 civilians have been killed or wounded as a result of the Russian intervention in eastern Ukraine.
|
Geography
| Romania | Ukraine | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine | Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east |
| Geographic coordinates | 46 00 N, 25 00 E | 49 00 N, 32 00 E |
| Map references | Europe | AsiaEurope |
| Area | total: 238,391 sq km land: 229,891 sq km water: 8,500 sq km | total: 603,550 sq km land: 579,330 sq km water: 24,220 sq km note: approximately 43,133 sq km, or about 7.1% of Ukraine's area, is Russian occupied; the seized area includes all of Crimea and about one-third of both Luhans'k and Donets'k oblasts |
| Area - comparative | twice the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oregon | almost four times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Texas |
| Land boundaries | total: 2,844 km border countries (5): Bulgaria 605 km, Hungary 424 km, Moldova 683 km, Serbia 531 km, Ukraine 601 km | total: 5,581 km border countries (7): Belarus 1111 km, Hungary 128 km, Moldova 1202 km, Poland 498 km, Romania 601 km, Russia 1944 km, Slovakia 97 km |
| Coastline | 225 km | 2,782 km |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m or to the depth of exploitation |
| Climate | temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms | temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; warm summers across the greater part of the country, hot in the south |
| Terrain | central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Moldavian Plateau on the east by the Eastern Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps | mostly fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus, with mountains found only in the west (the Carpathians) or in the extreme south of the Crimean Peninsula |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m lowest point: Black Sea 0 m mean elevation: 414 m | highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m lowest point: Black Sea 0 m mean elevation: 175 m |
| Natural resources | petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower | iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber, arable land |
| Land use | agricultural land: 60.7% (2018 est.) arable land: 39.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.9% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 19.7% (2018 est.) forest: 28.7% (2018 est.) other: 10.6% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 71.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 56.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.5% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 13.6% (2018 est.) forest: 16.8% (2018 est.) other: 12% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 31,490 sq km (2012) | 21,670 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides | occasional floods; occasional droughts |
| Environment - current issues | soil erosion, degradation, and desertification; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands | air and water pollution; land degradation; solid waste management; biodiversity loss; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic- Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds |
| Geography - note | controls the most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine; the Carpathian Mountains dominate the center of the country, while the Danube River forms much of the southern boundary with Serbia and Bulgaria | strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia; second-largest country in Europe after Russia |
| Total renewable water resources | 212.01 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 175.28 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | urbanization is not particularly high, and a fairly even population distribution can be found throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations; Hungarians, the country's largest minority, have a particularly strong presence in eastern Transylvania | densest settlement in the eastern (Donbas) and western regions; noteable concentrations in and around major urban areas of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donets'k, Dnipropetrovs'k, and Odesa |
Demographics
| Romania | Ukraine | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,230,362 (July 2021 est.) | 43,745,640 (July 2021 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 14.12% (male 1,545,196/female 1,463,700) 15-24 years: 10.31% (male 1,126,997/female 1,068,817) 25-54 years: 46.26% (male 4,993,886/female 4,860,408) 55-64 years: 11.73% (male 1,176,814/female 1,322,048) 65 years and over: 17.58% (male 1,516,472/female 2,228,555) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 16.16% (male 3,658,127/female 3,438,887) 15-24 years: 9.28% (male 2,087,185/female 1,987,758) 25-54 years: 43.66% (male 9,456,905/female 9,718,758) 55-64 years: 13.87% (male 2,630,329/female 3,463,851) 65 years and over: 17.03% (male 2,523,600/female 4,957,539) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 42.5 years male: 41 years female: 44 years (2020 est.) | total: 41.2 years male: 38.2 years female: 44.3 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | -0.38% (2021 est.) | -0.49% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 8.39 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 9.23 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 11.99 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 13.9 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | -0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.76 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 9.41 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.82 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 7.44 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.38 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 76.3 years male: 72.88 years female: 79.94 years (2021 est.) | total population: 73.18 years male: 68.51 years female: 78.15 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.38 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 1.56 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.1% (2020 est.) | 1% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Romanian(s) adjective: Romanian | noun: Ukrainian(s) adjective: Ukrainian |
| Ethnic groups | Romanian 83.4%, Hungarian 6.1%, Romani 3.1%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.2%, other 0.7%, unspecified 6.1% (2011 est.) note: Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 5-11% of Romania's population | Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan 0.5%, Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian 0.3%, Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 19,000 (2020 est.) note: estimate does not include children | 260,000 (2020 est.) |
| Religions | Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 81.9%, Protestant (various denominations including Reformed and Pentecostal) 6.4%, Roman Catholic 4.3%, other (includes Muslim) 0.9%, none or atheist 0.2%, unspecified 6.3% (2011 est.) | Orthodox (includes the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC), and the Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP)), Ukrainian Greek Catholic, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish (2013 est.) note: Ukraine's population is overwhelmingly Christian; the vast majority - up to two thirds - identify themselves as Orthodox, but many do not specify a particular branch; the OCU and the UOC-MP each represent less than a quarter of the country's population, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church accounts for 8-10%, and the UAOC accounts for 1-2%; Muslim and Jewish adherents each compose less than 1% of the total population |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | <500 (2020 est.) note: estimate does not include children | 3,100 (2020 est.) |
| Languages | Romanian (official) 85.4%, Hungarian 6.3%, Romani 1.2%, other 1%, unspecified 6.1% (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): Cartea informativa a lumii, sursa indispensabila pentru informatii de baza. (Romanian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | Ukrainian (official) 67.5%, Russian (regional language) 29.6%, other (includes small Crimean Tatar-, Moldovan/Romanian-, and Hungarian-speaking minorities) 2.9% (2001 est.); note - in February 2018, the Constitutional Court ruled that 2012 language legislation entitling a language spoken by at least 10% of an oblast's population to be given the status of "regional language" - allowing for its use in courts, schools, and other government institutions - was unconstitutional, thus making the law invalid; Ukrainian remains the country's only official nationwide language major-language sample(s): ??i???? ????? ????i? - ???????? ??????? ??????? ??????????. (Ukrainian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.8% male: 99.1% female: 98.6% (2018) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2015) |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2018) | total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 15 years (2014) |
| Education expenditures | 3.1% of GDP (2017) | 5.4% of GDP (2017) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 54.3% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: -0.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 69.8% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: -0.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 99.5% of population rural: 100% of population total: 99.4% of population unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0.6% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 95.3% of population rural: 71.5% of population total: 84.3% of population unimproved: urban: 4.7% of population rural: 28.5% of population total: 15.7% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 99.4% of population rural: 96.3% of population total: 98.4% of population unimproved: urban: 0.6% of population rural: 3.7% of population total: 1.6% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 1.794 million BUCHAREST (capital) (2021) | 3.001 million KYIV (capital), 1.426 million Kharkiv, 1.009 million Odesa, 952,000 Dnipropetrovsk, 899,000 Donetsk (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 19 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 19 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Health expenditures | 5.6% (2018) | 7.7% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 2.98 physicians/1,000 population (2017) | 2.99 physicians/1,000 population (2014) |
| Hospital bed density | 6.9 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 7.5 beds/1,000 population (2014) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 22.5% (2016) | 24.1% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 26.9 years (2019 est.) | 26.2 years (2019 est.) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 53.3 youth dependency ratio: 23.8 elderly dependency ratio: 29.5 potential support ratio: 3.4 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 49.1 youth dependency ratio: 23.8 elderly dependency ratio: 25.3 potential support ratio: 4 (2020 est.) note: data include Crimea |
Government
| Romania | Ukraine | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Romania local long form: none local short form: Romania former: Kingdom of Romania, Romanian People's Republic, Socialist Republic of Romania etymology: the name derives from the Latin "Romanus" meaning "citizen of Rome" and was used to stress the common ancient heritage of Romania's three main regions - Moldavia, Transylvania, and Wallachia - during their gradual unification between the mid-19th century and early 20th century | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ukraine local long form: none local short form: Ukraina former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: name derives from the Old East Slavic word "ukraina" meaning "borderland or march (militarized border region)" and began to be used extensively in the 19th century; originally Ukrainians referred to themselves as Rusyny (Rusyns, Ruthenians, or Ruthenes), an endonym derived from the medieval Rus state (Kyivan Rus) |
| Government type | semi-presidential republic | semi-presidential republic |
| Capital | name: Bucharest geographic coordinates: 44 26 N, 26 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: related to the Romanian word "bucura" that is believed to be of Dacian origin and whose meaning is "to be glad (happy)"; Bucharest's meaning is thus akin to "city of joy" | name: Kyiv (Kiev) geographic coordinates: 50 26 N, 30 31 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: pronounced KAY-yiv etymology: the name is associated with that of Kyi, who along with his brothers Shchek and Khoryv, and their sister Lybid, are the legendary founders of the medieval city of Kyiv; Kyi being the eldest brother, the city was named after him |
| Administrative divisions | 41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti (Bucharest)*, Buzau, Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dambovita, Dolj, Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov, Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Valcea, Vrancea | 24 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic* (avtonomna respublika), and 2 municipalities** (mista, singular - misto) with oblast status; Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Crimea or Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol), Dnipropetrovsk (Dnipro), Donetsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi, Kirovohrad (Kropyvnytskyi), Kyiv**, Kyiv, Luhansk, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sevastopol**, Sumy, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Volyn (Lutsk), Zakarpattia (Uzhhorod), Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses); plans include the eventual renaming of Dnipropetrovsk and Kirovohrad oblasts, but because these names are mentioned in the Constitution of Ukraine, the change will require a constitutional amendment note: the US Government does not recognize Russia's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the municipality of Sevastopol, nor their redesignation as the "Republic of Crimea" and the "Federal City of Sevastopol" |
| Independence | 9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire; 13 July 1878 (independence recognized by the Treaty of Berlin); 26 March 1881 (kingdom proclaimed); 30 December 1947 (republic proclaimed) | 24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: ca. 982 (VOLODYMYR I consolidates Kyivan Rus); 1199 (Principality (later Kingdom) of Ruthenia formed; 1648 (establishment of the Cossack Hetmanate); 22 January 1918 (from Soviet Russia) |
| National holiday | Unification Day (unification of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918) | Independence Day, 24 August (1991); note - 22 January 1918, the day Ukraine first declared its independence from Soviet Russia, and the date the short-lived Western and Greater (Eastern) Ukrainian republics united (1919), is now celebrated as Unity Day |
| Constitution | history: several previous; latest adopted 21 November 1991, approved by referendum and effective 8 December 1991 amendments: initiated by the president of Romania through a proposal by the government, by at least one fourth of deputies or senators in Parliament, or by petition of eligible voters representing at least half of Romania's counties; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by both chambers or - if mediation is required - by three-fourths majority vote in a joint session, followed by approval in a referendum; articles, including those on national sovereignty, form of government, political pluralism, and fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended; amended 2003 | history: several previous; latest adopted and ratified 28 June 1996 amendments: proposed by the president of Ukraine or by at least one third of the Supreme Council members; adoption requires simple majority vote by the Council and at least two-thirds majority vote in its next regular session; adoption of proposals relating to general constitutional principles, elections, and amendment procedures requires two-thirds majority vote by the Council and approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on personal rights and freedoms, national independence, and territorial integrity cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2019 |
| Legal system | civil law system | civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Klaus Werner IOHANNIS (since 21 December 2014) head of government: Prime Minister Florin CITU (since 23 December 2020); Deputy Prime Ministers Dan BARNA and Kelemen HUNOR (since 23 December 2020) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 November 2019 with a runoff on 24 November 2019 (next to be held in November 2024); prime minister appointed by the president with consent of Parliament election results: Klaus IOHANNIS reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Klaus IOHANNIS (PNL) 66.1%, Viorica DANCILA (PSD) 33.9%; Ludovic ORBAN approved as prime minister with 240 votes | chief of state: President Volodymyr ZELENSKYY (since 20 May 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Denys SHMYHAL (since 4 March 2020) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, approved by the Verkhovna Rada elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 31 March and 21 April 2019 (next to be held in March 2024); prime minister selected by the Verkhovna Rada election results: first round results: percent of vote - Volodymyr ZELENSKYY (Servant of the People) 30.2%, Petro POROSHENKO (BPP-Solidarity) 15.6%, Yuliya TYMOSHENKO (Fatherland) 13.4%, Yuriy BOYKO (Opposition Platform-For Life) 11.7%, 35 other candidates 29.1%; second round results: percent of vote - Volodymyr ZELENSKYY (Servant of the People) 73.2%, Petro POROSHENKO (BPP-Solidarity) 24.5%; Denys SHMYHAL (independent) elected prime minister; Verkhovna Rada vote - 291-59 note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council; the NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on domestic and international matters and advising the president; a presidential administration helps draft presidential edicts and provides policy support to the president |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of: Senate or Senat (136 seats; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies - including 2 seats for diaspora - by party-list, proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) Chamber of Deputies or Camera Deputatilor (330 seats; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies - including 4 seats for diaspora - by party-list, proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 6 December 2020 (next to be held in 2024) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 6 December 2020 (next to be held in 2024) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PSD 29.3%, PNL 25.6%, 2020 USR-PLUS Alliance 15.9%, AUR 9.2%, UDMR 5.9%, other 14.1%; seats by party - PSD 47, PNL 41, 2020 USR-PLUS Alliance 25, AUR 14, UDMR 9; composition - men NA, women NA, percent of women NA% Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSD 28.9%, PNL 25.2%, 2020 USR-PLUS Alliance 15.4%, AUR 9.1%, UDMR 5.7%, other 15.7%; seats by party - PSD 110, PNL 93, 2020 USR-PLUS Alliance 55, AUR 33, UDMR 21, other 18; composition men NA, women NA, percent of women NA; note - total Parliament percent of women NA% | description: unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; 225 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 225 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed, party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) elections: last held on 21 July 2019 (next to be held in July 2024) election results: percent of vote by party - Servant of the People 43.2%, Opposition Platform-For Life 13.1%, Batkivshchyna 8.2%, European Solidarity 8.1%, Voice 5.8%, other 21.6%; seats by party (preliminary) - Servant of the People 254, Oposition Platform for Life 43, Batkivshchyna 26, European Solidarity 25, Voice 20, Opposition Bloc 6, Samopomich 1, Svoboda 1, other parties 2, independent 46; note - voting not held in Crimea and parts of two Russian-occupied eastern oblasts leaving 26 seats vacant; although this brings the total to 424 elected members (of 450 potential), article 83 of the constitution mandates that a parliamentary majority consists of 226 seats |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: High Court of Cassation and Justice (consists of 111 judges organized into civil, penal, commercial, contentious administrative and fiscal business, and joint sections); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members) judge selection and term of office: High Court of Cassation and Justice judges appointed by the president upon nomination by the Superior Council of Magistracy, a 19-member body of judges, prosecutors, and law specialists; judges appointed for 6-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court members - 6 elected by Parliament and 3 appointed by the president; members serve 9-year, nonrenewable terms subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; regional tribunals; first instance courts; military and arbitration courts | highest courts: Supreme Court of Ukraine or SCU (consists of 100 judges, organized into civil, criminal, commercial and administrative chambers, and a grand chamber); Constitutional Court (consists of 18 justices); High Anti-Corruption Court (consists of 39 judges, including 12 in the Appeals Chamber) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges recommended by the High Qualification Commission of Judges (a 16-member state body responsible for judicial candidate testing and assessment and judicial administration), submitted to the High Council of Justice, a 21-member independent body of judicial officials responsible for judicial self-governance and administration, and appointed by the president; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65; High Anti-Corruption Court judges are selected by the same process as Supreme Court justices, with one addition - a majority of a combined High Qualification Commission of Judges and a 6-member Public Council of International Experts must vote in favor of potential judges in order to recommend their nomination to the High Council of Justice; this majority must include at least 3 members of the Public Council of International Experts; Constitutional Court justices appointed - 6 each by the president, by the Congress of Judges, and by the Verkhovna Rada; judges serve 9-year nonrenewable terms
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; district courts note: specialized courts were abolished as part of Ukraine's judicial reform program; in November 2019, President ZELENSKYY signed a bill on legal reforms |
| Political parties and leaders | 2020 USR-PLUS Alliance [Dan BARNA and Dacian CIOLOS] Alliance for the Unity of Romanians [George SIMION and Claudiu TARZIU] Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party or PNT-CD [Aurelian PAVELESCU] Civic Hungarian Party [Zsolt BIRO] Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Hunor KELEMEN] Ecologist Party of Romania or PER [Danut POP] Greater Romania Party or PRM [Adrian POPESCU] M10 Party [Ioana CONSTANTIN] National Liberal Party or PNL [Ludovic ORBAN] New Romania Party or PNR [Sebastian POPESCU] Our Romania Alliance [Marian MUNTEANU] Party of Liberty, Unity, and Solidarity or PLUS [Dacian CIOLOS] Party of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats or ALDE [Calin POPESCU TARICEANU] Popular Movement Party or PMP [Traian BASESCU] Romanian Social Party or PSRo [Mircea GEOANA] Save Romania Union Party or Partidul USR [Dan BARNA] Social Democratic Party or PSD [Marcel CIOLACU] United Romania Party or PRU [Robert BUGA] | Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) [Yuliya TYMOSHENKO] European Solidarity (BPP-Solidarity) [Petro POROSHENKO] Holos (Voice) [Sviatoslav VAKARCHUK] Opposition Bloc or OB [Evgeny MURAYEV] Opposition Platform-For Life [Yuriy BOYKO, Vadim RABINOVICH] Radical Party [Oleh LYASHKO] Samopomich (Self Reliance) [Andriy SADOVYY] Servant of the People [Oleksandr KORNIENKO] Svoboda (Freedom) [Oleh TYAHNYBOK] |
| International organization participation | Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | Australia Group, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CICA (observer), CIS (participating member, has not signed the 1993 CIS charter), EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Cristian GAGINSKY (since 19 June 2021) chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4829; [1] (202) 332-4846 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748 email address and website: washington@mae.ro (chancery) contact@informatiiconsulare.ro (consular section) https://washington.mae.ro/en consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York | chief of mission: Ambassador Oksana Serhiyivna MARKAROVA (since 7 July 2021) chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 349-2963 FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817 email address and website: emb_us@mfa.gov.ua; consul_us@mfa.gov.ua https://usa.mfa.gov.ua/en consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York, San Francisco |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David MUNIZ (since 20 January 2021) embassy: 4-6, Dr. Liviu Librescu Blvd., District 1, Bucharest, 015118 mailing address: 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 telephone: [40] (21) 200-3300 FAX: [40] (21) 200-3442 email address and website: ACSBucharest@state.gov https://ro.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Kristina KVIEN (since January 2020) embassy: 4 A. I. Igor Sikorsky Street, 04112 Kyiv mailing address: 5850 Kyiv Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850 telephone: [380] (44) 521-5000 FAX: [380] (44) 521-5544 email address and website: kyivacs@state.gov https://ua.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | three equal vertical bands of cobalt blue (hoist side), chrome yellow, and vermilion red; modeled after the flag of France, the colors are those of the principalities of Walachia (red and yellow) and Moldavia (red and blue), which united in 1862 to form Romania; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed note: now similar to the flag of Chad, whose blue band is darker; also resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova | two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow; although the colors date back to medieval heraldry, in modern times they are sometimes claimed to represent grain fields under a blue sky |
| National anthem | name: "Desteapta-te romane!" (Wake up, Romanian!) lyrics/music: Andrei MURESIANU/Anton PANN note: adopted 1990; the anthem was written during the 1848 Revolution | name: "Shche ne vmerla Ukraina" (Ukraine Has Not Yet Perished) lyrics/music: Paul CHUBYNSKYI/Mikhail VERBYTSKYI note: music adopted 1991, lyrics adopted 2003; song first performed in 1864 at the Ukraine Theatre in Lviv; the lyrics, originally written in 1862, were revised in 2003 |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| National symbol(s) | golden eagle; national colors: blue, yellow, red | tryzub (trident); national colors: blue, yellow |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Romania dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Ukraine dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Economy
| Romania | Ukraine | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Romania, which joined the EU on 1 January 2007, began the transition from communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. Romania's macroeconomic gains have only recently started to spur creation of a middle class and to address Romania's widespread poverty. Corruption and red tape continue to permeate the business environment. In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, Romania signed a $26 billion emergency assistance package from the IMF, the EU, and other international lenders, but GDP contracted until 2011. In March 2011, Romania and the IMF/EU/World Bank signed a 24-month precautionary standby agreement, worth $6.6 billion, to promote fiscal discipline, encourage progress on structural reforms, and strengthen financial sector stability; no funds were drawn. In September 2013, Romanian authorities and the IMF/EU agreed to a follow-on standby agreement, worth $5.4 billion, to continue with reforms. This agreement expired in September 2015, and no funds were drawn. Progress on structural reforms has been uneven, and the economy still is vulnerable to external shocks. Economic growth rebounded in the 2013-17 period, driven by strong industrial exports, excellent agricultural harvests, and, more recently, expansionary fiscal policies in 2016-2017 that nearly quadrupled Bucharest's annual fiscal deficit, from +0.8% of GDP in 2015 to -3% of GDP in 2016 and an estimated -3.4% in 2017. Industry outperformed other sectors of the economy in 2017. Exports remained an engine of economic growth, led by trade with the EU, which accounts for roughly 70% of Romania trade. Domestic demand was the major driver, due to tax cuts and large wage increases that began last year and are set to continue in 2018. An aging population, emigration of skilled labor, significant tax evasion, insufficient health care, and an aggressive loosening of the fiscal package compromise Romania's long-term growth and economic stability and are the economy's top vulnerabilities. | After Russia, the Ukrainian Republic was the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its fertile black soil accounted for more than one fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied unique equipment such as large diameter pipes and vertical drilling apparatus, and raw materials to industrial and mining sites in other regions of the former USSR.
Shortly after independence in August 1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of the 1991 level. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms to foster economic growth. Ukrainian Government officials eliminated most tax and customs privileges in a March 2005 budget law, bringing more economic activity out of Ukraine's large shadow economy. From 2000 until mid-2008, Ukraine's economy was buoyant despite political turmoil between the prime minister and president. The economy contracted nearly 15% in 2009, among the worst economic performances in the world. In April 2010, Ukraine negotiated a price discount on Russian gas imports in exchange for extending Russia's lease on its naval base in Crimea.
Ukraine's oligarch-dominated economy grew slowly from 2010 to 2013 but remained behind peers in the region and among Europe's poorest. After former President YANUKOVYCH fled the country during the Revolution of Dignity, Ukraine's economy fell into crisis because of Russia's annexation of Crimea, military conflict in the eastern part of the country, and a trade war with Russia, resulting in a 17% decline in GDP, inflation at nearly 60%, and dwindling foreign currency reserves. The international community began efforts to stabilize the Ukrainian economy, including a March 2014 IMF assistance package of $17.5 billion, of which Ukraine has received four disbursements, most recently in April 2017, bringing the total disbursed as of that date to approximately $8.4 billion. Ukraine has made progress on reforms designed to make the country prosperous, democratic, and transparent, including creation of a national anti-corruption agency, overhaul of the banking sector, establishment of a transparent VAT refund system, and increased transparency in government procurement. But more improvements are needed, including fighting corruption, developing capital markets, improving the business environment to attract foreign investment, privatizing state-owned enterprises, and land reform. The fifth tranche of the IMF program, valued at $1.9 billion, was delayed in mid-2017 due to lack of progress on outstanding reforms, including adjustment of gas tariffs to import parity levels and adoption of legislation establishing an independent anti-corruption court.
Russia's occupation of Crimea in March 2014 and ongoing Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine have hurt economic growth. With the loss of a major portion of Ukraine's heavy industry in Donbas and ongoing violence, the economy contracted by 6.6% in 2014 and by 9.8% in 2015, but it returned to low growth in in 2016 and 2017, reaching 2.3% and 2.0%, respectively, as key reforms took hold. Ukraine also redirected trade activity towards the EU following the implementation of a bilateral Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, displacing Russia as its largest trading partner. A prohibition on commercial trade with separatist-controlled territories in early 2017 has not impacted Ukraine's key industrial sectors as much as expected, largely because of favorable external conditions. Ukraine returned to international debt markets in September 2017, issuing a $3 billion sovereign bond. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $579.549 billion (2019 est.) $556.442 billion (2018 est.) $532.611 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $538.388 billion (2019 est.) $521.524 billion (2018 est.) $504.35 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4.2% (2019 est.) 4.54% (2018 est.) 7.11% (2017 est.) | 3.24% (2019 est.) 3.41% (2018 est.) 2.48% (2017 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $29,941 (2019 est.) $28,576 (2018 est.) $27,192 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $12,810 (2019 est.) $12,338 (2018 est.) $11,871 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 4.2% (2017 est.) industry: 33.2% (2017 est.) services: 62.6% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 12.2% (2017 est.) industry: 28.6% (2017 est.) services: 60% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 23.8% (2018 est.) | 1.1% (2019 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 15.3% highest 10%: 7.6% (2014 est.) | lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 21.6% (2015 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.8% (2019 est.) 4.6% (2018 est.) 1.3% (2017 est.) | 7.9% (2019 est.) 11% (2018 est.) 14.4% (2017 est.) note: Excluding the temporarily occupied territories of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol and part of the anti-terrorist operation zone |
| Labor force | 4.889 million (2020 est.) | 16.033 million (2017 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 28.3% industry: 28.9% services: 42.8% (2014) | agriculture: 5.8% industry: 26.5% services: 67.8% (2014) |
| Unemployment rate | 3.06% (2019 est.) 3.56% (2018 est.) | 8.89% (2019 est.) 9.42% (2018 est.) note: officially registered workers; large number of unregistered or underemployed workers |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 36 (2017 est.) 28.2 (2010) | 26.1 (2018 est.) 28.2 (2009) |
| Budget | revenues: 62.14 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 68.13 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 29.82 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 31.55 billion (2017 est.) note: this is the planned, consolidated budget |
| Industries | electric machinery and equipment, auto assembly, textiles and footwear, light machinery, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining, mining, timber, construction materials | coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food processing |
| Industrial production growth rate | 5.5% (2017 est.) | 3.1% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | maize, wheat, milk, sunflower seed, potatoes, barley, grapes, sugar beet, rapeseed, plums/sloes | maize, wheat, potatoes, sunflower seed, sugar beet, milk, barley, soybeans, rapeseed, tomatoes |
| Exports | $114.311 billion (2019 est.) $110.685 billion (2018 est.) $105.188 billion (2017 est.) | $161.231 billion (2019 est.) $151.075 billion (2018 est.) $153.046 billion (2017 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | cars and vehicle parts, insulated wiring, refined petroleum, electrical control boards, seats (2019) | corn, sunflower seed oils, iron and iron products, wheat, insulated wiring, rapeseed (2019) |
| Exports - partners | Germany 22%, Italy 10%, France 7% (2019) | Russia 9%, China 8%, Germany 6%, Poland 6%, Italy 5%, Turkey 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $136.091 billion (2019 est.) $127.553 billion (2018 est.) $117.292 billion (2017 est.) | $207.335 billion (2019 est.) $195.071 billion (2018 est.) $189.402 billion (2017 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | cars and vehicle parts, crude petroleum, packaged medicines, insulated wiring, broadcasting equipment (2019) | refined petroleum, cars, packaged medicines, coal, natural gas (2019) |
| Imports - partners | Germany 19%, Italy 9%, Hungary 7%, Poland 6%, China 5%, France 5% (2019) | China 13%, Russia 12%, Germany 10%, Poland 9%, Belarus 7% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $117.829 billion (2019 est.) $115.803 billion (2018 est.) | $117.41 billion (2019 est.) $114.449 billion (2018 est.) |
| Exchange rates | lei (RON) per US dollar - 4.02835 (2020 est.) 4.31655 (2019 est.) 4.0782 (2018 est.) 4.0057 (2014 est.) 3.3492 (2013 est.) | hryvnia (UAH) per US dollar - 28.10001 (2020 est.) 23.7 (2019 est.) 27.80499 (2018 est.) 21.8447 (2014 est.) 11.8867 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 36.8% of GDP (2017 est.) 38.8% of GDP (2016 est.) note: defined by the EU's Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year in the following categories of government liabilities: currency and deposits, securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives, and loans; general government sector comprises the subsectors: central government, state government, local government, and social security funds | 71% of GDP (2017 est.) 81.2% of GDP (2016 est.) note: the total public debt of $64.5 billion consists of: domestic public debt ($23.8 billion); external public debt ($26.1 billion); and sovereign guarantees ($14.6 billion) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $44.43 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $40 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $18.81 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $15.54 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | -$11.389 billion (2019 est.) -$10.78 billion (2018 est.) | -$4.124 billion (2019 est.) -$6.432 billion (2018 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $249.543 billion (2019 est.) | $155.082 billion (2019 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Fitch rating: BBB- (2011) Moody's rating: Baa3 (2006) Standard & Poors rating: BBB- (2014) | Fitch rating: B (2019) Moody's rating: B3 (2020) Standard & Poors rating: B (2019) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 73.3 (2020) Starting a Business score: 87.7 (2020) Trading score: 100 (2020) Enforcement score: 72.2 (2020) | Overall score: 70.2 (2020) Starting a Business score: 91.1 (2020) Trading score: 80.1 (2020) Enforcement score: 63.6 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 29.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 26.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -2.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 16.8% male: 16.3% female: 17.5% (2019 est.) | total: 15.4% male: 15.5% female: 15.3% (2019 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 70% (2017 est.) government consumption: 7.7% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.6% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 1.9% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 41.4% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -43.6% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 66.5% (2017 est.) government consumption: 20.4% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 16% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 4.7% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 47.9% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -55.6% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 18.3% of GDP (2019 est.) 18.1% of GDP (2018 est.) 20.3% of GDP (2017 est.) | 12.1% of GDP (2019 est.) 15.2% of GDP (2018 est.) 17.8% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
| Romania | Ukraine | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 61.78 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 153.6 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 49.64 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 133.2 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 11.22 billion kWh (2015 est.) | 3.591 billion kWh (2015 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 4.177 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 77 million kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 70,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 32,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 145,300 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 4,720 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 2,076 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 413 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 600 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 395 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 105.5 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 1.104 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 10.87 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 19.73 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 11.58 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 30.92 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 22.65 million cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 1.218 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 12.97 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 23.94 million kW (2016 est.) | 57.28 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 47% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 65% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 29% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 6% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 23% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 19% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 232,600 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 63,670 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 198,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 233,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 103,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 1,828 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 49,420 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 167,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
| Romania | Ukraine | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 3.38 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15.8 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 4,182,994 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9.52 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 22.671 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 54,842,940 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 124.78 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .ro | .ua |
| Internet users | total: 15,165,890 percent of population: 70.68% (July 2018 est.) | total: 25,883,509 percent of population: 58.89% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: Romania's telecom sector benefits from infrastructure-based competition; domestic and international service improving rapidly, especially mobile-cellular services; fiber sector is one of strongest in Europe; government secured EU funding to extend broadband to rural areas; operators invest in networks' capacity upgrades; operator testing IoT; importer of broadcasting equipment from EU neighbors (2021) (2020)domestic: fixed-line teledensity is about 17 telephones per 100 persons; mobile market served by four mobile network operators; mobile-cellular teledensity over 117 telephones per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 40; landing point for the Diamond Link Global submarine cable linking Romania with Georgia; satellite earth stations - 10; digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: Ukraine's telecom market continues to face challenges resulting from the annexation of Crimea by Russia and unrest in eastern regions; developing telecom market has attracted international investors from Russia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan; government plan emphasizes improvement of domestic trunk lines, international connections, and a national mobile-cellular system; operators moving from 3G services to 4G, but some areas still use 2G; LTE services available in cities; FttP networks taking over DSL platforms; government approved plan in 2020 for 5G migration and operator is developing IoT capabilities; improvement of licensing requirements for operators and positive reforms for users; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021) (2020)domestic: fixed-line teledensity is 10 per 100; the mobile-cellular telephone system's expansion has slowed, largely due to saturation of the market that is now 131 mobile phones per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 380; landing point for the Kerch Strait Cable connecting Ukraine to Russia; 2 new domestic trunk lines are a part of the fiber-optic TAE system and 3 Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic TEL project that connects 18 countries; additional international service is provided by the Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and by an unknown number of earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 5,277,700 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24.68 (2019 est.) | total: 6,784,185 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15.44 (2019 est.) |
| Broadcast media | a mixture of public and private TV stations; there are 7 public TV stations (2 national, 5 regional) using terrestrial broadcasting and 187 private TV stations (out of which 171 offer local coverage) using terrestrial broadcasting, plus 11 public TV stations using satellite broadcasting and 86 private TV stations using satellite broadcasting; state-owned public radio broadcaster operates 4 national networks and regional and local stations, having in total 20 public radio stations by terrestrial broadcasting plus 4 public radio stations by satellite broadcasting; there are 502 operational private radio stations using terrestrial broadcasting and 26 private radio stations using satellite broadcasting | Ukraine's media landscape is dominated by oligarch-owned news outlets, which are often politically motivated and at odds with one another and/or the government; while polls suggest most Ukrainians still receive news from traditional media sources, social media is a crucial component of information dissemination in Ukraine; almost all Ukrainian politicians and opinion leaders communicate with the public via social media and maintain at least one social media page, if not more; this allows them direct communication with audiences, and news often breaks on Facebook or Twitter before being picked up by traditional news outlets Ukraine television serves as the principal source of news; the largest national networks are controlled by oligarchs: TRK Ukraina is owned by Rinat Akhmetov; Studio 1+1 is owned by Ihor Kolomoyskyy; Inter is owned by Dmytro Firtash and Serhiy Lyovochkin; and StarlightMedia channels (ICTV, STB, and Novyi Kanal) are owned by Victor Pinchuk; a set of 24-hour news channels also have clear political affiliations: 112-Ukraine and NewsOne tacitly support pro-Russian opposition and are believed to be controlled by political and business tycoon Viktor Medvedchuk; pro-Ukrainian government Channel 5 and Pryamyi are linked to President Petro Poroshenko; 24 and ZIK are owned by opposition, but not pro-Russian, politicians; UA: Suspilne is a public television station under the umbrella of the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine; while it is often praised by media experts for balanced coverage, it lags in popularity; Ukrainian Radio, institutionally linked to UA: Suspilne, is one of only two national talk radio networks, with the other being the privately owned Radio NV (2019) |
Transportation
| Romania | Ukraine | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 11,268 km (2014) standard gauge: 10,781 km 1.435-m gauge (3,292 km electrified) (2014) narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2014) broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge (2014) | total: 21,733 km (2014) standard gauge: 49 km 1.435-m gauge (49 km electrified) (2014) broad gauge: 21,684 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2014) |
| Roadways | total: 84,185 km (2012) paved: 49,873 km (includes 337 km of expressways) (2012) unpaved: 34,312 km (2012) | total: 169,694 km (2012) paved: 166,095 km (includes 17 km of expressways) (2012) unpaved: 3,599 km (2012) |
| Waterways | 1,731 km (includes 1,075 km on the Danube River, 524 km on secondary branches, and 132 km on canals) (2010) | 1,672 km (most on Dnieper River) (2012) |
| Pipelines | 3726 km gas, 2451 km oil (2013) | 36720 km gas, 4514 km oil, 4363 km refined products (2013) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Constanta, Midia river port(s): Braila, Galati (Galatz), Mancanului (Giurgiu), Tulcea (Danube River) | major seaport(s): Feodosiya (Theodosia), Chornomosk (Illichivsk), Mariupol, Mykolayiv, Odesa, Yuzhnyy |
| Merchant marine | total: 120 by type: general cargo 11, oil tanker 7, other 102 (2020) | total: 409 by type: container ship 1, general cargo 85, oil tanker 15, other 308 (2020) |
| Airports | total: 45 (2013) | total: 187 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 26 (2017) over 3,047 m: 4 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 (2017) under 914 m: 1 (2017) | total: 108 (2013) over 3,047 m: 13 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 42 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2013) under 914 m: 28 (2013) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 19 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2013) under 914 m: 14 (2013) | total: 79 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2013) under 914 m: 69 (2013) |
| Heliports | 2 (2013) | 9 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 8 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 60 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 4,908,235 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2.71 million mt-km (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 14 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 126 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 7,854,842 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 75.26 million mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | YR | UR |
Military
| Romania | Ukraine | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Romanian Armed Forces: Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force; Ministry of Internal Affairs: Romanian Gendarmerie (2021) | Armed Forces of Ukraine (Zbroyni Syly Ukrayiny, ZSU): Ground Forces (Sukhoputni Viys'ka), Naval Forces (Viys'kovo-Mors'ki Syly, VMS), Air Forces (Povitryani Syly, PS), Air Assault Forces (Desantno-shturmovi Viyska, DShV), Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (UASOF), Territorial Defense Forces (Reserves); Ministry of Internal Affairs: National Guard of Ukraine, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (includes Maritime Border Guard) (2021) |
| Military service age and obligation | conscription ended 2006; 18 years of age for male and female voluntary service; all military inductees (including women) contract for an initial 5-year term of service, with subsequent successive 3-year terms until age 36 (2019) | conscription abolished in 2012, but reintroduced in 2014; 20-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 12 months (2019) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.07% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.84% of GDP (2019) 1.81% of GDP (2018) 1.72% of GDP (2017) 1.41% of GDP (2016) | 3% of GDP (2020 est.) 3.9% of GDP (2019) 3.7% of GDP (2018) 3.1% of GDP (2017) 3.6% of GDP (2016) |
| Military - note | Romania officially became a member of NATO in 2004 | the Ukrainian military's primary concern is Russia's material support for armed separatist forces in the eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk where the conflict has become stalemated along a 250-mile front known as the line of contact; since the cease-fire of October 2019, Ukrainian military casualties along the front line have fallen significantly despite continued sporadic exchanges of fire through 2020 and into 2021 |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | the Romanian Armed Forces have approximately 67,000 active duty personnel (50,000 Land Forces; 7,000 Naval Forces; 10,000 Air Force; note: 10-15,000 personnel are considered joint service) (2021) | information varies; approximately 200,000 active troops (150,000 Army, including Airborne/Air Assault Forces; 12,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force); approximately 50,000 National Guard (2020) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the inventory of the Romanian Armed Forces is comprised mostly of Soviet-era and older domestically-produced weapons systems; there is also a smaller mix of Western-origin equipment; Italy, Portugal (second-hand fighter aircraft), and the US are the leading suppliers of armaments to Romania since 2010 (2020) | the Ukrainian military is equipped mostly with older Russian and Soviet-era weapons systems; since 2010, it has imported limited quantities of weapons from several European countries, as well as Canada, the US, and the United Arab Emirates; Ukraine has a broad defense industry capable of building Soviet-era land systems and maintaining and upgrading Soviet-era combat aircraft, as well as missile and air defense systems (2020) |
| Military deployments | up to 120 Poland (NATO) (2021) | 250 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2021) note - Ukraine contributes about 500 troops to the Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine joint military brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG), which was established in 2014; the brigade is headquartered in Warsaw and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units |
Transnational Issues
| Romania | Ukraine | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | the ICJ ruled largely in favor of Romania in its dispute submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary delimitation; Romania opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea | 1997 boundary delimitation treaty with Belarus remains unratified due to unresolved financial claims, stalling demarcation and reducing border security; delimitation of land boundary with Russia is complete and demarcation began in 2012; the dispute over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov is suspended due to the occupation of Crimea by Russia; Ukraine and Moldova signed an agreement officially delimiting their border in 1999, but the border has not been demarcated due to Moldova's difficulties with the break-away region of Transnistria; Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor transit of people and commodities through Moldova's Transnistria Region, which remains under the auspices of an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe-mandated peacekeeping mission comprised of Moldovan, Transnistrian, Russian, and Ukrainian troops; the ICJ ruled largely in favor of Romania in its dispute submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary delimitation; Romania opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea |
| Illicit drugs | major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for Western Europe; although not a significant financial center, role as a narcotics conduit leaves it vulnerable to laundering, which occurs via the banking system, currency exchange houses, and casinos | limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to the West; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin America, and Turkey to Europe and Russia; Ukraine has improved anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in February 2004; Ukraine's anti-money-laundering regime continues to be monitored by FATF |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | stateless persons: 275 (2020) note: 7,988 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021) | IDPs: 734,000 (Russian-sponsored separatist violence in Crimea and eastern Ukraine) (2020) stateless persons: 35,875 (2020); note - citizens of the former USSR who were permanently resident in Ukraine were granted citizenship upon Ukraine's independence in 1991, but some missed this window of opportunity; people arriving after 1991, Crimean Tatars, ethnic Koreans, people with expired Soviet passports, and people with no documents have difficulty acquiring Ukrainian citizenship; following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, thousands of Crimean Tatars and their descendants deported from Ukraine under the STALIN regime returned to their homeland, some being stateless and others holding the citizenship of Uzbekistan or other former Soviet republics; a 1998 bilateral agreement between Ukraine and Uzbekistan simplified the process of renouncing Uzbek citizenship and obtaining Ukrainian citizenship |
| Trafficking in persons | current situation: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Romania and Romanians abroad; Romania remains a primary source country for sex and labor trafficking victims in Europe; Romanian men, women, and children are subjected to forced labor in agriculture, construction, hotels, manufacturing, domestic service, commercial sex, and forced begging and theft; Romania is a destination country for a limited number of foreign trafficking victims, including migrants from Africa, Europe, and South and Southeast Asia, exploited in the construction, hotel, and food-processing industries tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Romania does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government identified more trafficking victims during the reporting period, participated in more international investigations, and conducted awareness campaigns; however, authorities investigated, prosecuted, and convicted fewer traffickers; officials complicit in trafficking crimes, especially with minors in government-run homes or placement centers, were not prosecuted; government funding of services for child trafficking victims remained inadequate (2020) | current situation: Ukraine is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Ukrainian victims are sex trafficked within Ukraine as well as in Russia, Poland, Iraq, Spain, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Seychelles, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Israel, Italy, South Korea, Moldova, China, the United Arab Emirates, Montenegro, UK, Kazakhstan, Tunisia, and other countries; small numbers of foreigners from Moldova, Russia, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Cameroon, and Azerbaijan were victims of labor trafficking in Ukraine; Ukrainian recruiters most often target Ukrainians from rural areas with limited job prospects using fraud, coercion, and debt bondage tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Ukraine does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government's focus on its security situation constrained its anti-trafficking capabilities; law enforcement efforts to pursue trafficking cases weakened in 2014, continuing a multi-year decline, and no investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government officials were made, despite reports of official complicity in the sex and labor trafficking of children living in state-run institutions; fewer victims were identified and referred to NGOs, which continued to provide and to fund the majority of victims' services (2015) |
Environment
| Romania | Ukraine | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 14.29 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 69.26 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 27.62 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 18.29 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 202.25 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 63.37 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 1.048 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 4.234 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 1.491 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 2.397 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 3.577 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 3.206 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.16% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 0.34% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0.03% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0.42% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.895 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 277,547 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 5.7% (2015 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 15,242,025 tons (2016 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 487,745 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 3.2% (2015 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
