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New Zealand established full diplomatic relations with Romania in 1974. The New Zealand Ambassador in Vienna was accredited to Romania until the Embassy closed in 1991; and the accreditation was resumed in 2007 by the New Zealand Ambassador in Brussels. Romania maintained a post in New Zealand headed by a Charge d’Affairés until 1987, when it was closed for financial reasons. The Romanian Ambassador in Canberra is now accredited to New Zealand, and Romania appointed an Honorary Consul in New Zealand in December 2003.
The bilateral relationship remains largely restricted to trade (although a number of New Zealand families adopted Romanian orphans during the 1990s and the country is a popular destination for young New Zealanders travelling on their OE). New Zealand signed a Trade and Economic, Industrial and Technical Cooperation Agreement (TEITC) with Romania in 1979, but it has not been active since 1990.
New Zealand’s relations with Romania are currently slight, but are likely to strengthen in the future following the accession of Romania to the European Union on 1 January 2007. People-to-people flows are likely to increase due to New Zealand’s decision to grant visa-free status to Romania visitors, which came into force on 30 July 2007, in response to the granting of equivalent status for New Zealand visitors to Romania in 2006. top of page
Land Area 237,500 sq km
Population 21.6 million (2007)
Capital city Bucharest
Languages Romanian, Hungarian, German
Political system Parliamentary republic
National government Minority administration is a coalition of the National Liberal Party, the Democratic Party and the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania
National legislature Bicameral parliament: Senate (137 seats) and Chamber of Deputies (332 seats)
Last election November 2004 (legislative and presidential)
Next election November 2008 (legislative) and November 2009 (presidential)
Head of State President Traian Basescu
Head of Government Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu
GDP US$167.1 billion (2007 est)
Real GDP growth 6.0%
Exports US$40.3 billion
Imports US$64.3 billion
Main exports Machinery and transport equipment; textiles and products; base metals and products; minerals and fuels
Current account balance US$ -23.1 billion
Inflation 4.8%
Unemployment 4.5%
NZ Exports (FOB) NZ$4.7 million (provisional to year ended June 2007)
Main Exports Butter, iron and steel, honey, fish
NZ Imports (CIF) NZ$4.2 million
Main Imports Clothing, footwear, tubing, refrigeration equipment
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The Romanian Embassy in Canberra is responsible for bilateral relations with New Zealand and Romania is represented in New Zealand by an Honorary Consul in Wellington. The New Zealand Ambassador in Brussels will be accredited to Romania this year.
The Safetravel website provides a travel advisory for travellers to Romania [external link].
