Economy - overview:
Romania, which joined the EU on 1 January 2007, began the transition from communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. Romania's macroeconomic gains have only recently started to spur creation of a middle class and to address Romania's widespread poverty. Corruption and red tape continue to permeate the business environment.In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, Romania signed a $26 billion emergency assistance package from the IMF, the EU, and other international lenders, but GDP contracted until 2011. In March 2011, Romania and the IMF/EU/World Bank signed a 24-month precautionary standby agreement, worth $6.6 billion, to promote fiscal discipline, encourage progress on structural reforms, and strengthen financial sector stability; no funds were drawn. In September 2013, Romanian authorities and the IMF/EU agreed to a follow-on standby agreement, worth $5.4 billion, to continue with reforms. This agreement expired in September 2015, and no funds were drawn. Progress on structural reforms has been uneven, and the economy still is vulnerable to external shocks.Economic growth rebounded in the 2013-17 period, driven by strong industrial exports, excellent agricultural harvests, and, more recently, expansionary fiscal policies in 2016-2017 that nearly quadrupled Bucharest’s annual fiscal deficit, from +0.8% of GDP in 2015 to -3% of GDP in 2016 and an estimated -3.4% in 2017. Industry outperformed other sectors of the economy in 2017. Exports remained an engine of economic growth, led by trade with the EU, which accounts for roughly 70% of Romania trade. Domestic demand was the major driver, due to tax cuts and large wage increases that began last year and are set to continue in 2018.An aging population, emigration of skilled labor, significant tax evasion, insufficient health care, and an aggressive loosening of the fiscal package compromise Romania’s long-term growth and economic stability and are the economy's top vulnerabilities.
GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (official exchange rate): GDP - real growth rate: GDP - per capita (PPP): Gross national saving: GDP - composition, by end use: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: Agriculture - products: Industries: Industrial production growth rate: Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: Distribution of family income - Gini index: Budget: Taxes and other revenues: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): Public debt: Fiscal year: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: Commercial bank prime lending rate: Stock of narrow money: Stock of broad money: Stock of domestic credit: Market value of publicly traded shares: Current account balance: Exports: Exports - commodities: Exports - partners: Imports: Imports - commodities: Imports - partners: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Debt - external: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: Exchange rates:
$474 billion (2017 est.)
$449.3 billion (2016 est.)
$428.7 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 43
$204.9 billion (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
5.5% (2017 est.)
4.8% (2016 est.)
3.9% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
$24,000 (2017 est.)
$22,700 (2016 est.)
$21,600 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 83
21.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
22.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
23.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]
household consumption: 70.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 7.9%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 22.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 1.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 43.9%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -46% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]
agriculture: 4.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 33.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 64.4% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; eggs, sheep
electric machinery and equipment, auto assembly, textiles and footwear, light machinery, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining, mining, timber, construction materials
2% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
8.951 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
agriculture: 28.3%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 28.9%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 42.8% (2014)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]
5.3% (2017 est.)
5.9% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]
22.4% (2012 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
lowest 10%: 15.3%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 7.6% (2014 est.)
27.3 (2012)
28.2 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 136
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
revenues: $58.5 billion
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $65.54 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]
28.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
-3.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
38.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
37.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: defined by the EU's Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year in the following categories of government liabilities: currency and deposits, securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives, and loans; general government sector comprises the subsectors: central government, state government, local government, and social security funds
country comparison to the world: 141
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]
calendar year
1.1% (2017 est.)
-1.6% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
1.75% (31 December 2015)
2.75% (31 December 2014)
country comparison to the world: 119
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
5.7% (31 December 2017 est.)
5.71% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
$54.44 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$41.82 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
$90.36 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$72.97 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]
$67.05 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$60.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
$36.5 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$41.04 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$42.59 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
-$6.131 billion (2017 est.)
-$4.389 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]
$64.92 billion (2017 est.)
$57.72 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
[see also: Exports country ranks ]
machinery and equipment, other manufactured goods, agricultural products and foodstuffs, metals and metal products, chemicals, minerals and fuels, raw materials
Germany 21.5%, Italy 11.6%, France 7.2%, Hungary 5.2%, UK 4.3% (2016)
$78.12 billion (2017 est.)
$67.94 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
[see also: Imports country ranks ]
machinery and equipment, other manufactured goods, chemicals, agricultural products and foodstuffs, fuels and minerals, metals and metal products, raw materials
Germany 20.5%, Italy 10.3%, Hungary 7.5%, France 5.6%, Poland 5.1%, China 5.1%, Netherlands 4.1% (2016)
$45.07 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$40 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]
$94.17 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$93.71 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]
$81.53 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$76.93 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]
$6.263 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$5.963 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]
lei (RON) per US dollar -
4.077 (2017 est.)
4.0592 (2016 est.)
4.0592 (2015 est.)
4.0057 (2014 est.)
3.3492 (2013 est.)