THE LAND

RELIEF

Romania is noted for its harmonious relief; it is roughly divided into thirds : the plains, the hills and plateau and the mountains.

In a more or less central position lie the Carpathians with their peaks of between 1,800 and 2,500 m., which once protected the Dacians; there the Romanians' ancestors made their home.

The Carpathians are a continuation of the Alps. They are the most sinuous chain of mountains in the whole of Europe, with several extinct volcanoes. Metamorphic, volcanic and sedimentary rocks with the most weird and fantastic shapes are a source of attraction to both the expert and the ordinary visitor.

The peaks above 2,500 m. are rare : Moldoveanu, Bucegi, Fagarash, Paring and Retezat. Traces of the glacial period contribute in particular to the beauty of the mountain scenery.

Depressions, passes and defiles cut passages through the mountain range. Some of the most famous include the Iron Gates, the Turnu Roshu Gorge, and the long narrow corridor of the Bicaz Gorges.

The Sub‑Carpathians ‑ this is a chain of hills and depressions with similar characteristics to the Carpathians, except that they are completely covered in forests and the soil is particularly rich in minerais coai, salt and especially oil. These are high hills, reaching 700‑800 m. and more.

PRINCIPAL MOUNTAIN PEAKS
Name	Massif (County)	Height in m.
Moldoveanu	Fagarash (Argesh)	2543
Negoiul	Fagarash (Argesh, Brashov, Sibiu)	2535
Paringul-Maro	Paring (Gorj, Hunedoara)	2518
Poleaga	Retezat (Hunedoara)	2509
Omul	Bucegi (Prahova, Brashov, Dimbovitra)	2507
Coshtlia	Bucegi (Prahova, Dimbovitza)	2495
Iezerul	lazer (Argesh)	2462
Papusho	lezer (Argesh)	2397
Pietrosul	Rodna (Maramuresh)	2305
Gugu	Godeanul (Carash-Severin, Hunedoara)	2210
Suru	Fagarash (Sibiu, Vilcea)	2282
Inaul	Rodna (Bistritza-Nasavd, Suceava, Maramuresh)	2280
Cindrelu	Cindrelu (Sibiu)	2245
La Om	Piatra Craiului (Brashov, Argesh)	2239
Godeanul	Godeanul (Carash-Severin, Hunecloars, Gorj)	2229
Tsarcu	Tzarcu (Carash-Severin)	2186
Virful lei Patru	Shureanu (Hunedoara)	2130
Pietrosul	Caliman (Suceava, Muresh)	2102
Shureanu	Shareanu (Hunedoara)	2061
Ciucash	Ciucash (Brashov, Prahova)	1956
Ceahlau (Tosca)	Ceahlau (Neamtz)	1904
Giumalau	Rarau (Svceava)	1857
Ocolash Mare	Ceahlau (Neamtz)	7857
Curcuboto	Biharia (Bihor, Alba)	1844
Vladeasa	Biharia (Cluj)	1836
Harghita	Harghita (Harghita)	1801
Pietrosul Domei	Bistritza (Suceava)	1794
Haghimashul-Mare	Haghimash (Harghita)	1793
Lacautzi	Vrancei (Buzau, Covasna, Vrancea)	1777
GrIndushul	Tarcau (Bateu)	1662
Rarau	Rarau (Suceava)	1653

The Plateau ‑ a more regular landscape, also rich in minerals : oil, salt and methane gas; mineral waters; crops, orchards and forests.

The Transylvanian Plateau is situated within the Carpathian mountains, and on the outside of the range, and encircling them, are the somewhat lower subCarpathians. (500‑700 m.). Gentler hills border the subCarpathians and lead down into the plains and the rivers.

The Plains ‑ the Romanian Plain (Wallachia) and the Western Plain lie at a height of between 40‑100 m., with deep valleys cut by the Danube and its tributarias.

The fast flowing rivers of the plain ‑ the Olt, Muresh, Somesh Siret, Argesh, Dimbovitza, Bistritza etc. ‑ rise in the Carpathians and eventually join the Danube, towards the sea.

PRINCIPAL RIVERS
Name	Total km
Danube	2 857
Prut	950
Muresh	741
Olt	670
Siret	676
lalomitze	400
Somesh	407
Jiu	331
Argesh	327
Buzau	308
Bistritze	290
Jijia	287
Tirnave	258
Birlad	253
Dimbovitzo	i37
Timish	339
Moldova	216
Vades	215
CrIshul-Alb	216
Tirnava•Mica	183
Praheva	176
Oltetz	175
Suceava	170
Arlesh	167
Bege	234
Trotush	158
Somoshul-Mic	153
NeaJlov	150

	PRINCIPAL LAKES
Name	Genetic type (County)	Lake
Razelm	sea lagoon (Tulcaa)	394
Sinos	sea lagoon (Constantza)	166
Zmeica	sea lagoon (Constantza)	52
Izvorul Muntelul
Bicaz	artificial lake (Neamtz)	33
Oltina	viver lagoon (Constantza)	30
Rastu	water meadow lake (Doij)	25
Bratesh	water meadow Iake (fisheries) (Galatz)	24
Babadag	viver and sea lagoon (Tulcea)	23
Mostishtaa	viver lagoon (Ilfov-lalomitza)	23
Siutghiol	sea lagoon (Constantza)	21
Dranov	water meadow lake (Tuleea)	20
Tashaul	viver and sea lagoon (Constante)	18
Gorgova	water meadow lake - delta-typs (Tulcea)	13
Roshu	water meadow lake - deles-type (Tules)	13
Techirghiol	viver and sea lagoon (Constante)	11
Jirlav	viver lagoon (Braila)	11
Vldraru	artifical lake (Argesh)	8,27
Amara-Faurei	viver lagoon (Buzau)	7,80
Snagov	viver lagoon (Ilfov)	5,70
Sulitsa	water meadow lake (Botoshani)	4,00
Cincish-Telluc	artificial lake (Hunsdoara)	2,61
Balei	artificial lake (Bacau)	2,40
Caldarushani	viver lagoon (Ilfov)	2,21

On the left bank of the Danube lies the "Valley" an area composed of alluvial deposits.

Between the two branches of the Danube, lie the lalomitza Marsh and the Braila Marsh. The latter has been largely reclaimed and exploited agriculturally.

The connecting bridge between the Danube and the Black Sea is the Dobrogea Plateau. It ranges from the fertile Danube plains and the Delta to the remains of the Palaeozoic mountain chain.

The Danube Delta ‑ the lowest lying plain in Romania and still in the process of being formed. (See The Danube Delta chapter) .

CLIMATE

Romania has a temperate, continental climate that is, generally hot summers and cold winters, sometimes dry with snowfalls. Spring is quite short, while Autumn is often a prolonged summer.

On the whole, this is a fairly balanced climate, with damp sea air coming from the east, dry, continental air from the west and mild Mediterranean air from the south.

Certain variations can be explained by individual physical features ‑ mountains, valleys, depressions etc.

The highest mean annual temperatures are in the south ‑ Dobrogea, the Romanian Plain, the Banat Plain ‑ the lowest in the mountain areas particularly the Carpathian Peaks.

January temperatures vary between ‑2°C and ‑10°C. In July, they are on an average 22‑25°C, cooler, however, in the mountains ‑ about 8°C in the Retezat, Fagarash and Bucegi Mountains.

Air masses are, on the whole, irregular; west winds prevail in Transylvania; north and north‑east in Moldova; north‑east and south‑east in the Bargan and the Dobrogea.

Rainfall is lowest on the Black Sea coast : under 400 mm. annually, and highest in the mountains : 1000-1400 mm. The season of heaviest rainfall is spring.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Romania has an especially varied flora and fauna ‑ the result of the relief and climate. The mountains, the home of the chamois and the bearded vulture, are covered with conifers, beeches and oak trees; orchards, vineyards, wheat, maize and sunflowers are to be found in the hills and the plains.

The flora includes local variations, known as "endemic elements" ‑ for example, the Hierarchism type of the Composted family ‑ which are found only in Romania. These are rare and of especial scientific interest and value.

Similarly, the fauna includes species characteristics of the natural environments. One of the rarer species to be found in the forests of Romania is the Carpathian Stag. Hares and bustards are found in the steppe and pheasants in special reserves.

Romania's wildlife is protected by laws and regulations, in particular the rarer species and many natural reservations have been established.