History of Romania in Timeline

Romania is a country in Central, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, bordering several countries including Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Moldova, and has a coastline on the Black Sea. It covers 238,397 sq km and has a population of approximately 19 million, making it the twelfth-largest country in Europe and the sixth-most populous EU member. Its geography is defined by the Carpathian Mountains and the Danube River, which flows into the Danube Delta. Bucharest serves as the capital and largest city. Other major urban centers include Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Iași, Constanța and Brașov.

1912: High total fertility rate

In 1912, Romania had a high total fertility rate of 5.82 children born per woman.

1913: Entry into the Second Balkan War

In 1913, Romania entered the Second Balkan War against Bulgaria, resulting in the acquisition of Southern Dobruja.

1914: Death of King Carol I

In 1914, King Carol I died, and his nephew, Ferdinand I, succeeded him on the Romanian throne.

1916: Entry into World War I

In 1916, Romania entered World War I on the side of the Entente Powers.

1918: Great Union Day

The Great Union Day is celebrated on 1 December in commemoration of the 1918 union of Transylvania with Romania.

1919: Ratification of Bukovina's Union with Romania

In 1919, the union of Bukovina with Romania was ratified by the Treaty of Saint Germain.

1920: Treaty of Trianon

In 1920, the Treaty of Trianon defined the new border between Hungary and Romania, ratifying the annexation of territories claimed by Romania from the Kingdom of Hungary.

October 1922: Crowning of King Ferdinand I and Queen Maria

On October 15, 1922, King Ferdinand I and Queen Maria were crowned as sovereign of all Romanians in Alba Iulia.

1922: First Football Match

The Romania national football team played its first match in 1922.

1925: Carol II Renounces Throne

In 1925, Carol II left the country and renounced his claim to the throne.

1930: Carol II Usurps Throne

In 1930, Carol II returned and usurped his son's throne.

1930: German population in Romania

In 1930, there were 745,421 Germans living in Romania, but only about 36,000 remained in the country to this day.

1930: Romanian population census

In the 1930 census, Jews once constituted 4% of the Romanian population, which was 728,115 persons.

1937: 1937 Elections

Since 1937, Romania would not have free elections until 1990.

1938: Carol II Assumes Dictatorial Powers

In 1938, Carol II undermined the democratic system and assumed dictatorial powers.

1938: Suspension of the 1938 Constitution

In response to various issues, King Carol II suspended the 1938 Constitution of Romania and appointed General Ion Antonescu as Prime Minister.

1939: Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact

Following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939, Romania faced pressure to cede territories.

June 1940: Loss of Territories to USSR

In June 1940, Romania accepted the loss of Bessarabia, Northern Bukovina, and the Hertsa region to the USSR, as stipulated in the Soviet ultimatum of June 28, 1940.

September 1940: Cession of Northern Transylvania to Hungary

Between July 4 and September 4, 1940, Romania ceded Northern Transylvania, including Cluj, to Hungary, accepting Hitler's arbitration.

1940: Territorial Losses Under Axis Pressure

In 1940, under pressure from the Axis powers, Romania lost territories to Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Soviet Union.

1941: Entry into World War II

In 1941, Romania, as an ally of Nazi Germany, entered World War II by declaring war on the Soviet Union.

August 1944: King Michael's Coup

On August 23, 1944, King Mihai I forcibly removed Marshal Ion Antonescu from power, leading Romania to switch sides and join the Allies.

1944: Romania Switches Sides

Following the 1944 Romanian coup d'état, Romania switched sides in World War II to join the Allies.

1947: Abdication of King Michael I and Proclamation of People's Republic

In 1947, King Michael I was forced to abdicate, and the People's Republic of Romania was proclaimed, marking the beginning of a communist regime.

1959: International Mathematical Olympiad origin

Romania ranks fifth in the all-time medal count at the International Mathematical Olympiad with 316 total medals, dating back to 1959.

1961: Men's Handball World Championship

The Romania men's handball team won the world championship in 1961.

1962: Women's Handball World Championship

The Romania women's handball team won the world championship in 1962.

1964: Men's Handball World Championship

The Romania men's handball team won the world championship in 1964.

1965: Dinamo București wins EHF Champions League

Dinamo București won the EHF Champions League in 1965.

1965: Death of Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej and Rise of Ceaușescu

In 1965, communist leader Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej died, and Nicolae Ceaușescu became General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party.

1967: Ceaușescu Becomes President of the State Council

In 1967, Nicolae Ceaușescu became President of the State Council in Romania.

1968: Steaua București wins EHF Champions League

Steaua București won the EHF Champions League in 1968.

1969: Davis Cup final

Romania reached the Davis Cup finals in 1969.

1970: Men's Handball World Championship

The Romania men's handball team won the world championship in 1970.

1971: Davis Cup final

Romania reached the Davis Cup finals in 1971.

1972: Joining the International Monetary Fund and World Bank

In 1972, Romania joined the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

1972: Davis Cup final

Romania reached the Davis Cup finals in 1972.

1974: Ceaușescu Becomes President of the Socialist Republic

In 1974, Nicolae Ceaușescu became President of the Socialist Republic of Romania.

1974: Men's Handball World Championship

The Romania men's handball team won the world championship in 1974.

1977: Steaua București wins EHF Champions League

Steaua București won the EHF Champions League in 1977.

1979: Opening of Bucharest Metro

Bucharest Metro, the only underground railway system, was opened in 1979.

1984: Dinamo București UEFA Champions League semi-final

Dinamo București reached the UEFA Champions League semi-final in 1984.

1984: 1984 Summer Olympics

The 1984 Summer Olympics was Romania's most successful run, where they won 53 medals in total, 20 of them gold, placing 2nd to the hosts United States in the medal rankings.

1986: Elie Wiesel Nobel Prize

Romanian-born Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.

1986: Steaua București wins UEFA Champions League

Steaua București became the first Eastern European team to win the UEFA Champions League in 1986.

December 1989: Romanian Revolution

In December 1989, Romania experienced a uniquely violent revolution, marking the beginning of its transition to liberal democracy and a market economy.

December 1989: Escalation of Protests into National Uprising

In December 1989, protests that began in Timișoara escalated into a national uprising against the communist regime, leading to the execution of Ceaușescu and his wife.

December 1989: Strengthening Relations with the West

Since December 1989, Romania has pursued a policy of strengthening relations with the West.

1989: Start of economic instability and decline

After 1989, the country experienced a decade of economic instability and decline.

1989: Romanian Revolution

After the Romanian Revolution of 1989, a significant number of Romanians emigrated to other European countries, North America or Australia.

1989: Ceaușescu's Increasingly Authoritarian Rule

By 1989, Ceaușescu's rule had become increasingly authoritarian, setting the stage for the Romanian Revolution.

1989: Post-Revolution Protests

Following the 1989 revolution, several major post-revolution protests have taken place.

1989: International Olympiad in Informatics

Romania ranks sixth in the all-time medal count at the International Olympiad in Informatics with 107 total medals, dating back to 1989.

1989: Decline in rail transport after 1989

Romania's rail transport experienced a dramatic decline after 1989.

1989: Steaua București UEFA Champions League Runner-up

Steaua București was the runner-up in the UEFA Champions League in 1989.

1989: Post-1989 Economic Changes

The post-1989 period has been characterized by the privatization and closure of several former industrial and economic enterprises from the communist period, while corruption has been a major issue in contemporary politics.

May 1990: First Free Elections

In May 1990, the first free elections in Romania since 1937 were held, resulting in Iliescu winning the presidency.

1990: Dinamo București UEFA Cup Winners' Cup semi-final

Dinamo București reached the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup semi-final in 1990.

1990: Romanians permanently settled abroad

In 1990, 96,919 Romanians permanently settled abroad.

1992: Iliescu Reelected

In 1992, Iliescu was reelected as president in the first election after the adoption of a permanent constitution.

1994: 1994 FIFA World Cup

The Romania national football team finished 6th at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

1995: Ciprian Manolescu's Perfect Paper at IMO 1995

In 1995, Ciprian Manolescu achieved a perfect paper (42 points) for a gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad.

1996: Ciprian Manolescu's Perfect Paper at IMO 1996

In 1996, Ciprian Manolescu achieved a perfect paper (42 points) for a gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad.

1996: Constantinescu Elected

In 1996, Iliescu lost the election to Emil Constantinescu.

1996: Decline in urban population

The percentage of the population living in urban areas has been declining since 1996.

1997: Ciprian Manolescu's Perfect Paper at IMO 1997

In 1997, Ciprian Manolescu achieved a perfect paper (42 points) for a gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad.

1997: FIFA Ranking 1997

The Romania national football team was ranked 3rd by FIFA in 1997.

2000: Transformation of Romanian economy

From 2000 onwards, the Romanian economy was transformed into one of relative macroeconomic stability.

2000: Iliescu Returns to Power

In 2000, Iliescu returned to power as president.

2002: Romania contributed troops to Afghanistan

In 2002, Romania contributed troops to the international coalition in Afghanistan.

2002: Formation of National Anticorruption Directorate

In 2002, a National Anticorruption Directorate was formed in Romania.

March 2004: Joining NATO

On March 29, 2004, Romania joined NATO.

2004: Băsescu Elected President

In 2004, Traian Băsescu was elected president.

2004: School Enrollment in 2004

In 2004, approximately 4.4 million individuals were enrolled in school. Of these, 650,000 were in kindergarten, 3.11 million in primary and secondary level, and 650,000 in tertiary level (universities).

2004: Passenger journeys on rail transport

In 2004, rail transport was estimated at 99 million passenger journeys.

December 2005: Agreement signed with the U.S.

In December 2005, President Traian Băsescu and United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signed an agreement allowing a U.S. military presence at several Romanian facilities, mainly in the eastern part of the country.

2005: The Death of Mr. Lazarescu - Prix Un Certain Regard

At the Cannes Film Festival in 2005, The Death of Mr. Lazarescu by Cristi Puiu won the Prix Un Certain Regard.

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2005: Eurovision Song Contest 2005

At the Eurovision Song Contest in 2005, Romanian singers achieved third place.

2005: Auction of Brâncuși's sculpture in 2005

In 2005, Constantin Brâncuși's sculpture "Bird in Space" was auctioned for $27.5 million.

2005: Denomination of the Romanian Leu

In 2005, the Romanian Leu was denominated.

2005: Introduction of flat tax system

In 2005, the government replaced Romania's progressive tax system with a flat tax of 16% for both personal income and corporate profit.

2005: Investments in tourism

In 2005, tourism in Romania attracted €400 million in investments.

2006: GDP growth in real terms

In 2006, GDP growth in real terms was recorded at 7.7%, one of the highest rates in Europe, according to the Romanian Statistics Office.

January 2007: Joining the EU

On January 1, 2007, Romania joined the EU.

2007: GDP per capita (PPP)

According to The World Bank, GDP per capita in purchasing power parity grew from $13,703 in 2007.

2007: EU Law Exemption 2007

After 2007, Romania required a special exemption from EU law for sacrifices of live pigs during Christmas and lambs during Easter.

2007: Romania joined the EU

After joining the EU in 2007, Romania plans to adopt the euro in 2029.

2007: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days - Palme d'Or

At the Cannes Film Festival in 2007, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days by Cristian Mungiu won the festival's top prize, the Palme d'Or.

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2007: End of conscription in Romania

Conscription stopped in 2007, when Romania switched to a volunteer army.

2007: Romania applied to join Schengen Area

In 2007, Romania applied to join the Schengen Area.

2007: Foreign visitors from EU countries

In 2007, more than 60% of the foreign visitors in Romania were from other EU countries.

2007: Sibiu European Capital of Culture

The city of Sibiu, with its Brukenthal National Museum, was selected as the 2007 European Capital of Culture.

2008: Financial Crisis

In 2008, Romania had the Great Recession in Europe following the financial crisis.

July 2009: Romania terminated its mission in Iraq

On 24 July 2009, Romania terminated its mission in Iraq and withdrew its last troops, among the last countries to do so.

2009: Improved relations with Moldova

After the 2009 protests in Moldova and the subsequent removal of Communists from power, relations between Moldova and Romania improved considerably.

2009: Immigrants living in Romania

As of 2009, there were also approximately 133,000 immigrants living in Romania, primarily from Moldova and China.

2009: Herta Müller Nobel Prize

Banat Swabian writer Herta Müller received the 2009 Nobel Prize in Literature.

2009: IMF Bailout

In 2009, Romania was bailed out by the International Monetary Fund as a result of the Great Recession.

2009: Economic Recession and Budget Deficit

In 2009, Romania's development suffered a major setback during the late 2000s' recession, leading to a large gross domestic product contraction and a budget deficit.

2009: Romania referred as "trustworthy and respectable" US ally

In 2009, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton referred to Romania as "one of the most trustworthy and respectable" US allies".

2009: Tourists in Black Sea Resorts

In 2009, the popular summer attractions of Mamaia and other Black Sea Resorts attracted 1.3 million tourists.

2010: Eurovision Song Contest 2010

At the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010, Romanian singers achieved third place.

2010: Peak deployment of troops in Afghanistan

In 2010, Romania had a peak deployment of 1,600 troops in Afghanistan.

2010: French speakers

In 2010, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie identified 4,756,100 French speakers in Romania.

January 2011: Law enforcing quality control on universities

In January 2011, Parliament passed a law that enforces "strict quality control on universities and introduces tough rules for funding evaluation and peer review".

December 2011: Adoption of draft law ratifying agreement with the U.S.

In December 2011, the Romanian Senate unanimously adopted the draft law ratifying the Romania-United States agreement allowing the establishment and operation of a US land-based ballistic missile defence system in Romania.

2011: Urban population in 2011

In 2011, 54.0% of the population lived in urban areas.

2011: Romania joined the European Space Agency

In 2011, Romania joined the European Space Agency (ESA).

2011: Participation in the military intervention in Libya

In 2011, the frigate the Regele Ferdinand participated in the military intervention in Libya.

2012: Languages spoken by Romanians

According to the 2012 Eurobarometer, English is spoken by 31% of Romanians, French is spoken by 17%, and Italian and German, each by 7%.

2012: Birth and mortality rates

In 2012, the birth rate in Romania was 9.49‰, and the mortality rate was 11.84‰.

2012: Political Crisis Triggered by Economic Unrest

In 2012, worsening economic conditions led to unrest and triggered a political crisis in Romania.

2012: Launch of first satellite

In early 2012, Romania launched its first satellite from the Centre Spatial Guyanais in French Guiana.

2013: Romania ranked fifth in the world for Internet speeds

According to Bloomberg, in 2013 Romania ranked fifth in the world for Internet speeds.

2013: Child's Pose - Golden Bear

At the Berlin International Film Festival in 2013, Child's Pose by Călin Peter Netzer won the Golden Bear.

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2013: Revival of rail transport

In 2013, Romanian rail transport experienced a revival due to infrastructure improvements and partial privatisation of lines.

2013: Increase in foreign tourists

In 2014, more than 1.9 million foreign tourists visited Romania, 12% more than in 2013.

June 2014: Internet connections

In June 2014, there were almost 18.3 million connections to the Internet in Romania.

December 2014: Romania became a co-owner of the International Space Station

Starting in December 2014, Romania became a co-owner of the International Space Station.

2014: Births to unmarried women

In 2014, 31.2% of births in Romania were to unmarried women.

2014: Iohannis Succeeds Băsescu

In 2014, Klaus Iohannis succeeded Traian Băsescu as president.

2014: End of combat mission in Afghanistan

In 2014, Romania concluded its combat mission in Afghanistan.

2014: Companies in the hotel and restaurant industry

In 2014, Romania had 32,500 companies active in the hotel and restaurant industry, with a total turnover of €2.6 billion. More than 1.9 million foreign tourists visited Romania.

2014: Launch of Anti-Corruption Effort

Since 2014, Romania launched an anti-corruption effort that led to the prosecution of medium- and high-level political, judicial and administrative offenses by the National Anticorruption Directorate.

2015: Total road network

According to the Romania's National Institute of Statistics (INS), in 2015, Romania's total road network was estimated at 86,080 kilometres.

2015: Anti-Corruption Protests and Resignation of Prime Minister

In 2015, massive anti-corruption protests which developed in the wake of the Colectiv nightclub fire led to the resignation of prime minister Victor Ponta.

2015: Life expectancy

In 2015, the life expectancy in Romania was estimated at 74.92 years (71.46 years male, 78.59 years female).

2016: CSM București wins EHF Champions League

CSM București lifted the EHF Champions League trophy in 2016.

2016: Number of foreign tourists

In 2016, Romania had 9.33 million foreign tourists, according to the Worldbank.

2016: Research and development spending

In 2016, Romania ranked the lowest or second-lowest in the EU by research and development spending as a percentage of GDP, standing at roughly 0.5%. The country also joined CERN in 2016.

2016: Aegis Ashore missile system became operational

In 2016, the Aegis Ashore missile system based at Deveslu became operational.

2017: Breakdown of the Romanian economy

As of 2017, the Romanian economy is based predominantly on services, which account for 56.2% of the country's total GDP, with industry and agriculture accounting for 30% and 4.4% respectively.

2017: Post-1989 Protests Against Corruption

During 2017, some of the biggest post-1989 protests took place in Romania, with people protesting against measures which were perceived to weaken the fight against corruption.

2017: Low research and development spending

In 2017, Romania ranked the lowest or second-lowest in the EU by research and development spending as a percentage of GDP, standing at roughly 0.5%.

2017: Passengers at Henri Coandă International Airport

In 2017, over 12.8 million passengers flew through Bucharest's Henri Coandă International Airport.

December 2018: FDI outward stock

In December 2018, Romania's FDI outward stock amounted to $745 million.

2018: Registered Football Players 2018

As of 2018, football is the most popular sport in Romania with over 219,000 registered players.

2018: Romania lost voting rights in ESA

In 2018, Romania lost its voting rights in the European Space Agency (ESA) due to a failure to pay €56.8 million in membership contributions.

2018: Adult Literacy Rate in 2018

In 2018, the adult literacy rate in Romania was 98.8%.

2018: Total fertility rate

In 2018, the total fertility rate (TFR) in Romania was estimated at 1.36 children born per woman.

June 2019: Stock of foreign direct investment

In June 2019, the stock of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Romania rose to €83.8 billion.

2019: Iohannis Reelected

In 2019, Klaus Iohannis was re-elected as president.

2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index Score

In 2019, Romania had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 5.95/10, ranking it 90th globally out of 172 countries.

2019: Continued Protests Against Corruption

In 2019, protests continued against measures perceived to weaken the fight against corruption in Romania.

2019: Sibiu European Region of Gastronomy

The city of Sibiu was selected as the 2019 European Region of Gastronomy.

September 2020: FTSE Russell upgraded the BVB

In September 2020, FTSE Russell upgraded the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) from a Frontier market to a Secondary Emerging Market.

2020: Compulsory Schooling Age in 2020

Since 2020, compulsory schooling in Romania starts at age 5 with the last year of kindergarten (grupa mare) and is compulsory until twelfth grade.

2021: Population of Romania

According to the 2021 Romanian census, Romania's population was 19,053,815. According to the 2021 Romanian census, Romanians made up 89.33% of the population, Hungarians 6.05% and the Roma 3.44% of the population.

2021: Average ridership of Bucharest Metro

In 2021, Bucharest Metro had an average ridership of 720,000 passengers during the workweek in the country.

2021: Bucharest Population in 2021

In 2021, Bucharest, the capital and largest city in Romania, had a population of over 1.7 million. Its larger urban zone had a population of almost 2.2 million.

2021: Healthcare costs in 2021

In 2021, healthcare costs in Romania were US$16.7 billion, or US$2,385 per person, making up 5.69% of GDP.

2021: 2021 Census

In the 2021 census, 73.60% of respondents identified as Orthodox Christians, with 73.42% belonging to the Romanian Orthodox Church. Other denominations included Protestantism (6.22%), Roman Catholicism (3.89%), and Greek Catholicism (0.61%). 128,291 people belong to other Christian denominations or have another religion, which includes 58,347 Muslims and 2,708 Jewish people. Additionally, 71,430 people are irreligious, 57,229 are atheist, 25,485 are agnostic, and 2,658,165 people chose not to declare their religion in 2021.

2021: Romanian Political Crisis

The 2021 Romanian political crisis led to the ousting of Florin Cîțu's government.

2022: GDP per capita (PPS)

According to Eurostat, Romania's GDP per capita (PPS) was 77% of the EU average (100%) in 2022.

2023: GDP per capita (PPP)

According to The World Bank, GDP per capita in purchasing power parity grew to $47,903 in 2023.

2023: Defence spending in Romania

In 2023, total defence spending in Romania accounted for 2.44% of the total national GDP, approximately US$8.48 billion.

2024: GDP (PPP) and GDP per capita (PPP)

In 2024, Romania has a GDP (PPP) of around $894 billion and a GDP per capita (PPP) of $47,203.

2024: Romania ranked 48th in the Global Innovation Index

In 2024, Romania was ranked 48th in the Global Innovation Index.

2024: Romania as a Hybrid Regime

In 2024, The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Romania as a "hybrid regime".

2024: Expansion work started on the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base

In 2024, construction work started on expanding the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base (RoAF 57th Air Base), set to become the largest NATO base in Europe after 20 years.

2024: BVB market capitalisation and trading volume

In 2024, the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) boasted a $74 billion market capitalisation and a trading volume of $7.2 billion. As of 2024, 86 companies were listed on the exchange.

2024: Annulment of Romanian presidential election

In 2024, the Romanian presidential election in which Călin Georgescu won the first round was annulled.

2024: Annulled Presidential Election

In the 2024 presidential election, Independent candidate Călin Georgescu achieved a surprise win in the first round, but the Constitutional Court annulled the election results, citing Russian meddling.

2024: Projected increase in healthcare spending from 2024

Spending on healthcare is expected to rise by US$5 billion (+37.68%) from 2024 to 2028.

February 2025: Iohannis Resigns, Bolojan Becomes Acting President

In February 2025, amid political pressure following the annulled 2024 election, Iohannis resigned, and Ilie Bolojan became acting president.

2025: Full Schengen Area membership acquired

In 2025, Romania acquired full membership in the Schengen Area along with Bulgaria. However, relations with the US had worsened, with the US scolding "flimsy suspicions" for causing the annulment of the 2024 Romanian presidential election.