Romania

Romania
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	61st best
Capital	Bucharest
Land Area	230 160km21
Location	Europe
Population	21.4m (2011)2
Life Expectancy	74.84yrs (2017)3
GNI	$19 428 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	RO, ROU, 6425
Internet Domain	.ro6
Currency	Leu (RON)7
Telephone	+408

1. Overview
2. Romania National and Social Development
3. Population and Demographics
4. Gender Equality
5. Religion and Beliefs
6. The Internet
7. Public Health Issues
8. Politics and Freedom
9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries
10. Links

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1. Overview

“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.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Fortified churches and painted monasteries stand regally amid a pristine landscape. In the cities, former Saxon settlements such as Sibiu and Brasov ooze charm, while vibrant Bucharest is all energy. Beautiful and beguiling, Romania´s rural landscape remains relatively untouched by the country´s urban evolution. It´s a land of aesthetically stirring hand-ploughed fields, sheep-instigated traffic jams, and lots and lots of homemade plum brandy. The Carpathian Mountains offer uncrowded hiking and skiing, while Transylvania´s Saxon towns are time-warp strolling grounds for Gothic architecture, Austro-Hungarian legacies and, naturally, plenty of Vlad Tepes–inspired `Dracula´ shtick. Fish – and the birds that chomp them – thrive in the Danube Delta, bucolic Maramures has the `Merry Cemetery´, and Unesco-listed painted monasteries dot southern Bucovina. And, for the record, the big cities are a blast too.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Romania National and Social Development

UN HDI (2016) Lower is better Rank11
1	Norway	1
2	Australia	2
3	Switzerland	2
	...
47	Bahrain	47
48	Montenegro	48
49	Russia	49
50	Romania	50
51	Kuwait	51
52	Belarus	52
53	Oman	52
54	Barbados	54
	World Avg	94.3
q=188.

Social & Moral Development Index Higher is better Points12
1	Iceland	84.1
2	Sweden	80.8
3	Norway	80.0
	...
58	Croatia	59.6
59	Liechtenstein	59.3
60	Mexico	59.1
61	Romania	58.9
62	Suriname	58.8
63	Peru	58.8
64	Fiji	58.6
65	Antigua & Barbuda	58.6
	World Avg	54.5
q=198.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: What is the Best Country in the World? An Index of Morality, Conscience and Good Life.

3. Population and Demographics

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016) Lower is better Per 10013
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
	...
149	Iceland	32.5
150	Serbia	32.7
151	Hungary	32.9
152	Romania	33.6
153	USA	33.8
154	New Zealand	34.9
155	UK	35.0
156	Barbados	35.6
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Emigrants (2010) %14
1	Dominica	104.8
2	Palestine	68.4
3	Samoa	67.3
	...
47	Israel	14.0
48	Swaziland	13.4
49	Lithuania	13.2
50	Romania	13.1
51	Iceland	13.0
52	Bahamas	12.8
53	Estonia	12.6
54	Nicaragua	12.5
	World Avg	11.5
q=192.

Fertility Rate (2013) 2.0 is best15
1	Korea, N.	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
	...
95	Laos	2.58
96	Malaysia	2.58
97	Hungary	1.42
98	Romania	1.42
99	Japan	1.40
100	Poland	1.40
101	Nepal	2.60
102	Macedonia	1.40
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Immigrants (2010) %14
1	Qatar	86.5
2	Monaco	71.6
3	UAE	70.0
	...
161	Congo, DR	0.7
162	El Salvador	0.7
163	Ethiopia	0.6
164	Romania	0.6
165	Philippines	0.5
166	India	0.4
167	Guatemala	0.4
168	Mongolia	0.4
	World Avg	9.2
q=192.

Life Expectancy (2015) Higher is better Years16
1	Hong Kong	84.16
2	Japan	83.68
3	Italy	83.34
	...
73	Tunisia	74.98
74	Malaysia	74.90
75	Armenia	74.89
76	Romania	74.84
77	Peru	74.81
78	Brazil	74.75
79	Thailand	74.62
80	Mauritius	74.60
	World Avg	71.27
q=190.

Population (2012)17
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.3b
3	USA	315.8m
	...
50	Mozambique	24.5m
51	Australia	22.9m
52	Madagascar	21.9m
53	Romania	21.4m
54	Sri Lanka	21.2m
55	Syria	21.1m
56	Ivory Coast	20.6m
57	Cameroon	20.5m
	World Avg	36.0m
q=195.

Romania's population is predicted to fall to 20 291 000 by 2030. Developed countries with falling populations face a pension's crises, whereby an incresingly ageing population must be cared for by fewer and fewer workers. Economic stability can be maintained by increasing foreign workers from younger countries. This country has a fertility rate of 1.42. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

• The Overpopulation of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception: How Religion is Making Overpopulation Worse

4. Gender Equality

Gender Inequality (2015) Lower is better18
1	Switzerland	0.04
2	Denmark	0.04
3	Netherlands	0.04
	...
69	Turkey	0.33
70	Kuwait	0.33
71	Vietnam	0.34
72	Romania	0.34
73	Mexico	0.35
74	St Lucia	0.35
75	Fiji	0.36
76	Georgia	0.36
	World Avg	0.36
q=159.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better Year19
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
57	Togo	1945
58	Korea, N.	1946
59	Liberia	1946
60	Romania	1946
61	Panama	1946
62	Cameroon	1946
63	Macedonia	1946
64	Venezuela	1946
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Gender inequality is not a necessary part of early human development. Although a separation of roles is almost universal due to different strengths between the genders, this does not have to mean that women are subdued, and, such patriarchialism is not universal in ancient history. Those cultures and peoples who shed, or never developed, the idea that mankind ought to dominate womankind, are better cultures and peoples than those who, even today, cling violently to those mores.

Romania has made some steps towards ending gender inequality but much more needs to be done.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

5. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Religiosity (2009) Lower is better %20
1	Estonia	16
2	Sweden	17
3	Denmark	19
	...
51	Ecuador	82
52	Colombia	83
53	El Salvador	83
54	Romania	84
55	Honduras	84
56	Peru	84
57	Iraq	84
58	Nicaragua	84
	World Avg	75.1
q=114.

Disbelief In God (2007) Higher is better21
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
55	Iran	4
56	Mexico	4
57	Portugal	4
58	Romania	4
59	Argentina	4
60	Georgia	4
61	Uzbekistan	4
62	Lebanon	3
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₂₂:

Christian	99%
Muslim	0.3%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	0.1%
Jew	0.1%
Unaffiliated	0.1%

By adding up the Pew Forum data for the major monotheistic religions we can see that these make up 99.4% of the population. Yet there are simply too many who disbelieve in God for this to be true (4%). This is due to the so-called 'Census Effect', whereby many put down a religion for cultural reasons rather than because it reflects their beliefs. In highly Christian countries, as many as half of those who say they're a Christian lack any connection to a Church, and do not hold Christian beliefs (such as believing in God!).

It appears that when asked "What religion are you" many give pollsters the 'correct' answer despite how they actually feel, and despite what they actually believe. Although 99.7% of the populace say they belong to a religion, only 84% say that they are religious when the question is phrased as "Is religion an important part of your daily life?".

For more on this phenomenon, see:

• "Institutionalized Religions Have Their Numbers Inflated by National Polls" by Vexen Crabtree (2009)

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%, Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census)₂₃.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?

6. The Internet

Internet Users (2016) Higher is better24
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
80	St Lucia	59%
81	Bulgaria	59%
82	Turkey	58%
83	Romania	58%
84	Venezuela	58%
85	Seychelles	58%
86	Morocco	58%
87	Colombia	57%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake (2017) Higher is better Ratio25
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
23	Netherlands	10.5
24	Czech Rep.	10.1
25	New Zealand	9.7
26	Romania	8.7
27	Austria	7.5
28	Hungary	7.4
29	Guatemala	6.9
30	Saudi Arabia	6.8
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

IT Security (2013) Lower is better26
1	Ireland	0.11
2	Luxembourg	0.11
3	Belize	0.11
	...
16	Pakistan	0.38
17	Taiwan	0.44
18	Sweden	0.44
19	Romania	0.52
20	Turkey	0.52
21	Poland	0.55
22	Switzerland	0.55
23	Korea, S.	0.56
	World Avg	0.98
q=81.

Internet access has become an essential research tool. It facilitates an endless list of life improvements, from the ability to network and socialize without constraint, to access to a seemingly infinite repository of technical and procedural information on pretty much any task. The universal availability of data has sped up industrial development and personal learning at the national and personal level. Individuals can read any topic they wish regardless of the locality of expert teachers, and, entire nations can develop their technology and understanding of the world simply because they are now exposed to advanced societies and moral discourses online. Like every communications medium, the Internet has issues and causes a small range of problems, but these are insignificant compared to the advantages of having an online populace.

7. Public Health Issues

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015) Lower is better Per 100018
1	Korea, N.	0.5
2	Korea, S.	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
	...
85	Trinidad & Tobago	31.5
86	Morocco	31.7
87	Botswana	32.3
88	Romania	34.6
89	Bulgaria	37.7
90	Tajikistan	38.1
91	Vietnam	38.6
92	Pakistan	38.7
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Alcohol Consumption (2010) Lower is better Per Capita27
1	Libya	0.1
2	Pakistan	0.1
3	Kuwait	0.1
	...
184	Hungary	13.3
185	Andorra	13.8
186	Ukraine	13.9
187	Romania	14.4
188	Russia	15.1
189	Lithuania	15.4
190	Moldova	16.8
191	Belarus	17.5
	World Avg	6.2
q=191.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015) Higher is better Avg %28
1	Hungary	99.0
2	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
97	Nauru	92.9
98	USA	92.8
99	Latvia	92.8
100	Romania	92.7
101	France	92.6
102	El Salvador	92.4
103	Swaziland	92.4
104	Palau	92.4
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Smoking Rates (2014) Lower is better29
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
153	Armenia	1 545
154	Turkey	1 581
155	Slovakia	1 618
156	Romania	1 620
157	Tunisia	1 628
158	Switzerland	1 634
159	Serbia	1 644
160	Cyprus	1 688
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Suicide Rate (2013) Lower is better Per 100k30
1	Haiti	0
2	Grenada	0
3	Egypt	0.1
	...
60	Denmark	23.9
61	Germany	23.9
62	Cuba	24.5
63	Romania	24.5
64	Bulgaria	25
65	Sweden	25.5
66	Slovakia	25.7
67	Czech Rep.	28.3
	World Avg	20.93
q=91.

8. Politics and Freedom

Nominal Commitment to HR (2009) Higher is better Treaties31
1	Argentina	24
2	Chile	23
3	Costa Rica	23
	...
39	S. Africa	20
40	Liechtenstein	20
41	Iceland	20
42	Romania	20
43	Bulgaria	20
44	Burkina Faso	20
45	Norway	20
46	Portugal	20
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom (2014) Lower is better Rank32
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
27	Slovakia	27
28	Italy	28
29	Chile	29
30	Romania	30
31	France	31
32	Japan	32
33	Cyprus	33
34	Mauritius	34
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Press Freedom (2013) Lower is better33
1	Finland	638
2	Netherlands	648
3	Norway	652
	...
38	Latvia	2289
39	Botswana	2291
40	Papua New Guinea	2297
41	Romania	2305
42	Niger	2308
43	Trinidad & Tobago	2312
44	Malta	2330
45	Burkina Faso	2370
	World Avg	3249
q=178.

9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries