Demographics of Romania


This article is about the demographic features of the population of Romania, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
About 88.9% of the people of Romania are ethnic Romanians, whose language, Romanian, is a Balkan Romance language, descended from Latin with some German, French, English, Greek, Slavic, and Hungarian borrowings. Romanians are by far the most numerous group of speakers of a Balkan Romance language today. It has been said that they constitute "an island of Latinity" in Eastern Europe, surrounded on all sides either by Slavic peoples or by the Hungarians. The Hungarian minority in Romania constitutes the country's largest minority, 6.1 per cent of the population.

Population

Romania's population declined steadily in recent years, from 21.83 million in 2002 to 19.95 million in 2014. More specifically, in the last decade, the population of Romania decreased by 7.5%, the most important moment for the country's demography being 2008, when the number of inhabitants dropped by 6,000 people. Among the causes of population decline are high mortality, low fertility rate after 1989, and emigration.
In 1990, the Romania's population was estimated at 23.21 million inhabitants. For the entire period 1990–2006 estimated population loss tops 1.5 million, but it is likely to be higher, given the explosion of migration for work after 2001 and the tendency of some migrants to settle permanently in the countries where they live.

Population evolution

Sources give varied estimates for Romania's historical population. The National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics gives the following numbers:

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Ethnic groups

Slightly more than 10% of the population of Romania is formed of minorities of Romania. The principal minorities are Hungarians and Roma, although other smaller ethnic groups exist too. Before World War II, minorities represented more than 28% of the total population. During the war that percentage was halved, largely by the loss of the border areas of Bessarabia and northern Bukovina and southern Dobrudja. Two-thirds of the ethnic German population either left or were deported after World War II, a period that was followed by decades of relatively regular migration. During the interwar period in Romania, the total number of ethnic Germans amounted to as much as 786,000, a figure which had subsequently fallen to circa 36,000 as of 2011 in contemporary Romania. One of the reasons for which the number of Germans in Romania fell is because after the Romanian Revolution there has been a mass migration of Transylvania Saxons to Germany, in what was referred by British daily newspaper Guardian to as 'the most astonishing, and little reported, ethnic migration in modern Europe'.
Of a total official population of over three quarter million Jews before World War II, more than half were killed during the Holocaust. Mass emigration, mostly to Israel and United States, has reduced the surviving Jewish community to less than 6,000 in 2002.
Hungarians, especially in Harghita, Covasna, and Mureș counties, and the Roma are the principal minorities, with a declining German population, and smaller numbers of Czechs, Slovaks, Serbs, Chinese, Croats, and Banat Bulgarians, Ukrainians, Greeks of Romania, Turks and Tatars, Armenians, Russians, Jews and others. Since the Romanian Revolution of 1989, Bucharest has again become an increasingly cosmopolitan city, including identifiable presences from outside the EU as well as from the EU.
In Bucharest, there are also guest workers from countries such as Vietnam and Nepal.
Minority populations are greatest in Transylvania and the Banat, areas in the north and west of the country, which were part of the Kingdom of Hungary until the end of World War I. Even before the union with Romania, ethnic Romanians comprised the overall majority in Transylvania. However, ethnic Hungarians and Germans were the dominant urban population until relatively recently, while Hungarians still constitute the majority in Harghita and Covasna counties.
Romani people in Romania constitute one of Romania's largest minorities. According to the 2011 census, they number 621,573 people or 3.08% of the total population, being the second-largest ethnic minority in Romania after Hungarians. There are different estimates about the size of the total population of people with Romani ancestry in Romania because a lot of people of Romani descent do not declare themselves Roma. The number of Roma people is usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 5–11% of Romania's population.
After Hungarians and Romani, Ukrainians of Romania are the third-largest minority. According to the 2011 Romanian census they number 51,703 people, making up 0.3% of the total population. Ukrainians mainly live in northern Romania, in areas close to the Ukrainian border. Over 60% of all Romanian Ukrainians live in Maramureș County, where they make up 6.77% of the population. Sizable populations of Ukrainians are also found in Suceava County, Timiș County, Caraş-Severin County, Satu Mare County, Tulcea County, and Arad County.

Origins

Vital statistics

Total Fertility Rate from 1850 to 1899

The total fertility rate is the number of children born per woman. It is based on fairly good data for the entire period. Sources: Our World In Data and Gapminder Foundation.
Years18501851185218531854185518561857185818591860
Total Fertility Rate in Romania5.225.084.944.84.664.524.384.244.113.974.23

Years1871187218731874187518761877187818791880
Total Fertility Rate in Romania4.494.294.364.65.24.964.744.224.975.05

Years189118921893189418951896189718981899
Total Fertility Rate in Romania5.675.235.435.485.675.455.754.925.63

Before WWI

Years191619171918
Total Fertility Rate in Romania4.844.253.67

Between WWI and WWII

Years194019411942194319441945
Total Fertility Rate in Romania3.553.082.873.142.912.63

After WWII

Average populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate Crude death rate Natural change Total fertility rates
194615,760,000391,273296,43994,83424.818.86.03.32
194715,860,000370,562349,33121,23123.422.01.33.14
194815,893,000379,868248,238131,63023.915.68.33.20
194916,084,000444,065219,881224,18427.613.713.93.70
195016,311,000426,820202,010224,81026.212.413.83.14
195116,464,000412,534210,021202,51325.112.812.33.01
195216,630,000413,217195,287217,93024.811.713.12.97
195316,847,000401,717194,752206,96523.811.612.32.76
195417,040,000422,346195,091227,25524.811.413.32.98
195517,325,000442,864167,535275,32925.69.715.93.07
195617,583,000425,704174,847250,85724.29.914.32.89
195717,829,000407,819181,923225,89622.910.212.72.73
195818,056,000390,500156,493234,00721.68.713.02.58
195918,226,000368,007186,767181,24020.210.29.92.43
196018,403,414352,241160,720191,52119.18.710.42.34
196118,566,932324,859161,936162,92317.58.78.82.18
196218,680,721301,985172,429129,55616.29.26.92.04
196318,813,131294,886155,767139,11915.78.37.42.01
196418,927,081287,383152,476134,90715.28.17.11.96
196519,027,367278,362163,393114,96914.68.66.01.91
196619,140,783273,678157,445116,23314.38.26.11.90
196719,284,814527,764179,129348,63527.49.318.13.68
196819,720,984526,091188,509337,58226.79.617.13.64
196920,010,178465,764201,225264,53923.310.113.23.20
197020,252,541427,034193,255233,77921.19.511.52.89
197120,469,658400,146194,306205,84019.59.510.12.67
197220,662,648389,153189,793199,36018.89.29.62.55
197320,827,525378,696203,559175,13718.29.88.42.44
197421,028,841427,732191,286236,44620.39.111.22.71
197521,245,103418,185197,538220,64719.79.310.42.60
197621,445,698417,353204,873212,48019.59.69.92.55
197721,657,569423,958208,685215,27319.69.69.92.57
197821,854,622416,598211,846204,75219.19.79.42.52
197922,048,305410,603217,509193,09418.69.98.82.48
198022,201,387398,904231,876167,02818.010.47.52.43
198122,352,635381,101224,635156,46617.010.07.02.36
198222,477,703344,369224,120120,24915.310.05.32.17
198322,553,074321,498233,89287,60614.310.43.92.07
198422,624,505350,741233,699117,04215.510.35.22.27
198522,724,836358,797246,670112,12715.810.94.92.31
198622,823,479376,896242,330134,56616.510.65.92.40
198722,940,430383,199254,286128,91316.711.15.62.39
198823,053,552380,043253,370126,67316.511.05.52.31
198923,151,564369,544247,306122,23816.010.75.32.20
199023,206,720314,746247,08667,66013.610.62.91.83
199123,185,084275,275251,76023,51511.910.91.01.59
199222,788,969260,393263,855-3,46211.411.6-0.21.51
199322,755,260249,994263,323-13,32911.011.6-0.61.43
199422,730,622246,736266,101-19,36510.911.7-0.91.40
199522,680,951236,640271,672-35,03210.412.0-1.51.33
199622,607,620231,348286,158-54,81010.212.7-2.41.30
199722,545,925236,891279,316-42,42510.512.4-1.91.32
199822,502,803237,297269,166-31,86910.512.0-1.41.32
199922,458,022234,600265,194-30,59410.411.8-1.41.30
200022,435,205234,521255,820-21,29910.511.4-0.91.31
200122,408,393220,368259,603-39,23510.011.7-1.81.27
200221,675,775210,529269,666-59,1379.712.4-2.71.25
200321,574,365212,459266,575-54,1169.812.3-2.51.30
200421,451,845216,261258,890-42,62910.011.9-2.01.33
200521,319,673221,020262,101-41,08110.212.1-1.91.40
200621,193,749219,483258,094-38,61110.212.0-1.81.42
200720,882,980213,625252,097-38,47210.011.7-1.71.45
200820,537,848222,749253,177-30,42810.311.8-1.51.60
200920,367,437222,925257,083-34,15810.412.0-1.61.66
201020,246,798211,922259,747-47,8259.912.1-2.21.59
201120,147,657196,373251,370-54,9979.712.5-2.81.47
201220,060,182201,202255,458-54,25610.012.7-2.71.52
201319,988,694198,216249,264-51,0489.912.5-2.61.46
201419,916,451195,612254,791-59,1799.812.8-2.61.56
201519,822,250187,372260,997-73,6259.813.6-3.81.62
201619,706,424190,238256,501-66,2639.613.0-3.41.69
201719,591,668191,496256,761-65,2659.713.0-3.31.71
201819,472,072188,755263,316-74,5619.613.4-3.81.76
2019188,189259,936-71,7479.613.4-3.8

Note: The 2011 Romanian Census gave a figure of 20,121,641.

Current vital statistics

* * * During the months of March, April and May the registration of births was affected by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Life expectancy 1950-2015

Average life expectancy at age 0 of the total population.
PeriodLife expectancy in
Years
1950–195561.15
1955–1960 63.287
1960–1965 67.78
1965–1970 67.34
1970–1975 69.02
1975–1980 69.59
1980–1985 69.73
1985–1990 69.52
1990–1995 69.60
1995–2000 69.71
2000–2005 71.47
2005–2010 73.08
2010–2015 74.85

Birth rates by counties

Romania has 41 counties and one city with a special status, namely Bucharest. Ilfov county has the highest crude birth rate, while Vâlcea County has the lowest crude birth rate. Birth rates are generally higher in rural areas compared to urban areas.
JudețTotal CBR Urban Rural
Romania8.68.38.9
Alba County8.07.58.8
Arad County8.58.18.9
Argeș County8.38.28.3
Bacău County8.07.58.5
Bihor County9.28.69.8
Bistriţa-Năsăud County9.79.89.7
Botoşani County8.38.18.4
Brașov County9.68.612.6
Brăila County6.96.28.4
Bucharest city8.88.8-
Buzău County7.67.77.6
Caraș-Severin County6.96.77.3
Călărași County8.78.58.9
Cluj County9.59.29.9
Constanța County9.38.810.4
Covasna County9.68.111.2
Dâmbovița County8.37.78.6
Dolj County7.97.97.9
Galați County7.46.78.3
Giurgiu County8.37.28.8
Gorj County7.57.97.1
Harghita County9.48.410.2
Hunedoara County7.27.46.7
Ialomița County8.27.88.7
Iași County9.49.19.7
Ilfov County12.012.311.8
Maramureș County8.78.39.2
Mehedinți County7.87.68.1
Mureș County9.48.210.7
Neamț County7.57.07.9
Olt County7.07.86.5
Prahova County7.97.68.2
Satu-Mare County8.67.69.5
Sălaj County10.010.29.9
Sibiu County9.38.411.3
Suceava County10.39.610.8
Teleorman County6.86.56.9
Timiș County9.49.010.0
Tulcea County7.37.86.8
Vaslui County8.27.58.8
Vâlcea County6.67.25.9
Vrancea County8.37.98.5

Largest urban agglomerations

1. Bucharest
2. Iași
3. Cluj-Napoca
4. Timișoara
5. Constanța
6. Craiova
7. Brașov
8. Galați

Demographics statistics

Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2019.
The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.

Population

Age structure

The following demographic statistics are from National Institute of Statistic on 1 July 2016.
As a consequence of the pro-natalist policies of the Nicolae Ceaușescu regime, Romania has a higher proportion of people born in the late 1960s and 1970s its population than any other Western country except Slovenia. The generations born in 1967 and 1968 were the largest, although fertility remained relatively high until 1990. 8.55% of the Romanian population was born in the period from 1976 to 1980, compared with 6.82% of Americans and 6.33% of Britons.

Median age

Birth rate

Death rate

Total fertility rate

Net migration rate

Mother's mean age at first birth

Population growth rate

Urban-rural ratio

Romania is one of the least urbanised countries in Europe. Just a slight majority, 56.4 percent, lives in urban areas. The remainder, 43.6 percent, lives in rural areas.

Sex ratio

;at birth::1.06 male/female
;under 15 years::1.05 male/female
;15–64 years::0.99 male/female
;65 years and over::0.71 male/female
;total population::0.95 male/female

Infant mortality rate

9.2 deaths/1,000 live births ; down from 17.3 deaths/1,000 live births in 2002.

Life expectancy at birth

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

Nationality

The noun form is Romanian, and the adjectival form is Romanian.

Immigration

Foreign-born population :
201320152017
Population total19,724,07419,720,64719,644,350
Total182,939281,048421,801
59,670114,654161,846
22,48638,58056,515
18,82729,93742,165
8,74311,90016,729
2,6045,20815,346
3,7596,55215,121
3,7806,47112,589
11,16310,46510,646
5,7956,4208,184
5,05737,986
4,0854,6536,494
4,9525,2696,063
2,9783,7225,068
2,3602,8764,428
2,2952,5763,492
1,6651,8372,936
541,1022,650
1,1361,4192,338
1,5295,7832,296
1215091,934
226571,876
1,0341,0621,627
1,1141,2611,464
813641,377
1023011,189
90329978
103298932

Religion

Religious affiliation tends to follow ethnic lines, with most ethnic Romanians identifying with the Romanian Orthodox Church. The Greek Catholic or Uniate church, reunified with the Orthodox Church by fiat in 1948, was restored after the 1989 revolution. The 2002 census indicates that 0.9% of the population is Greek Catholic, as opposed to about 10% prior to 1948. Roman Catholics, largely ethnic Hungarians and Germans, constitute 4.7% of the population; Calvinists, Baptists, Pentecostals, and Lutherans make up another 5%. There are smaller numbers of Unitarians, Muslims, and other religions.