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Romania
Situated at the very center of the ancient spice routes of the Orient, Romania is a picturesque country with snow-capped mountains, agricultural plains, and coastal beaches. Located in Eastern Europe, Romania is bordered by Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Ukraine, as well as the Black Sea.
Romania is home to over 22 million people. There are two distinct cultural groups in Romania: Romanians and Gypsies (or Roma). The Romanian people are friendly and hard-working and place great importance on time spent with family. They live a more simple way of life, but make certain that their children receive a thorough education. Most are Romanian Orthodox in religion and attend beautiful churches in every village.
The Gypsies were originally brought from India as slaves over 1000 years ago. Over time they migrated throughout Europe and developed their own language and culture. The Gypsies developed a reputation for fortune-telling and thievery, and were persecuted in almost every country they entered. Even today, Gypsies face much discrimination throughout the world.
In Romania, Gypsies are treated as outcasts and are virtually ignored. They struggle to find daily labor, working in the fields. Most Gypsies are very poor and receive few healthcare services. Alcoholism and abuse is prevalent. Only half of the Gypsy population in Romania can read or write. Gypsies are prohibited from attending Romanian churches and are even told that they have no soul. The Gypsy people are marked by a profound lack of hope and dreams for the future. And yet some have a new hope, a hope found through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Romania Facts
- Land Area: Approx. 92,000 sq. mi. (slightly smaller than Oregon)
- Population: 22,276,056 (July 2007 est.)
- Ethnic Groups: Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma (Gypsy) 2.5%
- Languages: Romanian 91% (official), Hungarian 6.7%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.1%, other 1.2%
- Religions: Eastern Orthodox 86.8%, Protestant 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%
- Agriculture Products: wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes, eggs, sheep
- Industries: textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining
*Source: CIA World Factbook
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