The official language of Romania is Romanian, a Romance language, derived from Latin. Other languages related to Romanian are Italian, Spanish, French.
The ethnic minorities of Romania have preserved their languages, like Hungarian, German, Bulgarian. The Gypsies (Rroma) have their own language.
Many young people learn English in school and it is very common to find people who understand and translate English.
Other common foreign languages spoken by Romanians are French and German, and to a smaller extent Russian.
What currency is used in Romania?
The national currency is the Romanian Leu (plural “Lei“). It is free-floating, but more and more tied to the Euro. In several years it is expected that Romania, a member of the European Union since Jan. 1, 2007, will shift to the Euro as its currency.
Is a Visa necessary to enter Romania?
NO. People holding US passports are granted free and immediate entry at the border.
How is the weather in Romania?
Romania is situated mostly north of the 45° parallel, and therefore the climate is temperate, with four seasons. While the weather depends on the altitude, you can expect a warm summers (temperatures reaching sometimes 100F), cold winters (especially in the North and East of Romania), long springs and falls.
What is the best time to visit Romania?
The weather is most pleasant in early summer (June) and early fall (September, October).
What are living conditions in Romania?
Living conditions vary from place to place – in the cities most people live in apartment buildings, with central heating, with living conditions comparable to the West. In the countryside it is still common to have an outdoor water well and outhouses. With new European Union projects, an effort is underway to have indoor plumbing even in villages.
How are the roads?
They could be better. Most of the inter-city highways are still two-lane roads. Two major projects are underway to build two highways (like the US express-ways) crossing the country from West to East. But until these are completed, you still have to drive on the narrower ones.
Is it difficult to be a Christian in Romania today?
Yes and no. Romania prides itself on being a Christian country – however, it was secularized during the Communist days, and even today the secularization continues.
The predominant religion is Eastern Orthodoxy, claiming over 80% of the population. Roman Catholics and Lutherans make up a small fraction of the total, and evangelicals (Baptists, Pentecostals, Plymouth Brethren) about 5-6%. In these circumstances, evangelicals are sometimes discriminated against, although the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and equality for all believers.
Evangelicals are more numerous in the Western part of Romania. The South and East have the smallest evangelical presence.
