Biggest Cities In Romania

Romania is a sovereign country in the south-eastern parts of Europe. Bucharest is the capital and the largest city in the country. The official language in the country is Romanian while Albanian and Armenian are some of the recognized regional languages. The Romanians are the predominant ethnic group and make up 88.9% of the total population. By 2011, the country was highly urbanized with 54% of the population living in urban areas, but most people are relocating to the countryside. In this article, I will discuss some of the major cities in Romania.

Major Cities In Romania

Bucharest

Bucharest is the largest city in Romania, and is the capital, cultural, industrial, and financial center of the country. Some of the ancient buildings in the city center were heavily damaged by war, earthquakes, and the Nicolae Ceausescu’s systemization program. There has been an economic and industrial boom in the city in the recent past. Currently, the city has an estimated population of 1.8 million residents. The quality of life in Bucharest is not appealing. Living conditions have been deteriorating with time and was ranked 108th in 2009 of 235 cities. Notable landmarks in the city include; the Triumphal arch, Carousel bookstore, and the statute of Ion Luca Carnegie.

Constanta

Constanta is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the country after being formed in 600 BC. It has a population of 283,872 people which makes it the fifth-largest city in the country by population. Constanta is a coastal town and receives a large number of tourists annually. In the 1930s during the inter-wars, the city was the country’s commercial hub. Like many coastal cities, Constanta experiences one of the warmest temperatures in the country. The main economic activities are tourism, industrialization, and fishing. In the first half of 2008, 3,144 companies were established in the city. The most notable landmarks in the city are; the Genoese Lighthouse, Carol 1 Mosque, the House with Lions, the cathedral of saints, and the Ottoman Hunt chair mosque.

Cluj-Napoca

Ranking third among the biggest cities in Romania, Cluj-Napoca is locally referred to as Cluj. It was founded in 1213 and is the second most populous city in the country. The city is surrounded by forests and grasslands with rare species such Venus slipper. There are animals such as boars, badgers, foxes, rabbits and squirrels in the nearby forests of Faget and Hoia. There are reports of human and aliens encounters in the Hoia-Baciu forest. Others have also alleged the presence of a monster in the nearby lake of Tarnita. There are many huge castles in the neighboring countryside surroundings built by medieval families living in the city. The Statute of Matthias Corvinus and the Fountain of Central Park are some of the city’s landmarks. There are a large number of visitors in the city with a majority of them coming on a one day visit.

Iasi

This city is the cultural capital of Romania and is a symbol of the Romanian history. It is a home to the country’s oldest university and the first engineering school. It is an important education and research centers n Romania and accommodates more than 60,000 students in five public universities. The fourth biggest city in Romania is home to some of the oldest churches and monasteries which date back to more than five hundred years ago. Significant buildings in the city include; Central Hall Square, Cuza Place, Dosoftei House, and the Rozvanu Palace.

Problems Affecting The Biggest Cities In Romania

The common problem affecting cities in Romania is the provision of social amenities such as transport, health facilities and housing. The living conditions are poor and is forcing people back to the the rural areas. The shrinking of population in the cities is affecting urbanization and economic growth. Poor architectural designs are also found in these cities and the cities in Romania are described as structurally unattractive compared to other cities in europe.