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    France: Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral. Go Now!

    France
    More than just the home of gothic architecture and the famous Notre Dame (pictured), France boasts incredible vistas and food creativity at its finest. Go to France!

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    Norway
    Incredible fjords, including the Lustrafjord (pictured), plus delicious seafood, kind people, and a culture rooted in winter sports. Begin Your Journey!

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    Italy: Rome' historic buildings. Go Now!

    Italy
    Crumbling buildings in Rome (pictured) only add to the atmosphere in a country where old is redefined and western civilization begins. Explore Italy!

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    Montenegro
    Sveti Stefan (pictured) is just one of the many gems found along Montenegro's Adriatic Coast. Don't want the beach? Montenegro's name means "black mountains" and there are plenty. Explore Montenegro!

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    Russia: Lake in Karelia. Go Now!

    Russia
    Forever having a hand reaching east and another west, Russia has cultural aspects that span miles. This massive country is also home to numerous natural wonders, including Karelia (pictured). Begin Your Journey!

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    Liechtenstein: Gutenburg Castle. Go Now!

    Liechtenstein
    Although small, Liechtenstein offers a big punch, particularly in Gutenburg Castle (pictured) and the beautiful Alps. Go Now!

Ethnicity, Language, & Religion of Romania

Ethnicity

The majority of Romanians are ethnic Romanian, but there are significant minority populations of Magyars (Hungarians) and Roma (gypsies). Despite the name and their language, the Romanians, as an ethnic group, are somewhat unique in Europe. Their closest ethnic relatives are not the Romans, but instead are minor groups found throughout the Balkan Peninsula. The Moldovans are genetically identical to the Romanians and hence are their closest relation if they are considered two different groups. The Roma are most closely related to the people of India.

Language

Romanian is the official language of Romania and, as its name would suggest, it is a Romance language very closely related to Latin. More distantly, the other Romance languages, such as Italian, Spanish, French, and Portuguese are also related.

There are a substantial number of Hungarian speakers in the northern part of the country near Hungary, these speakers are generally ethnic Magyars (or Hungarians). Most of these people learn Romanian and use that language to communicate with the Romanian speakers. English and other popular international languages are being taught in greater numbers with each passing year, but fluency is still uncommon although a growing number of people have a working understanding of English.

Religion

Most ethnic Romanians are Romanian Orthodox, while the Magyars tend to be Catholic or adhere to Protestant branches of Christianity. In various parts of the country however, the Romanian Orthodox church is less popular than other branches of Christianity, primarily Eastern Orthodoxy or Protestantism.

Orthodoxy is a Christian religion that claims to be the most loyal to the Christian faith and religion as it was described by Jesus and the Gospels in the New Testament. Christianity, including Orthodoxy, was founded after the death of Jesus in about 30-33 AD; various branches of Orthodoxy were officially recognized by governments long before Catholicism was recognized in the Roman Empire.

Orthodoxy and Catholicism have many of the same beliefs; both believe that there is a single God who created everything and a savior, the son of God, Jesus Christ who is the forgiver of sins. However, Orthodoxy is very decentralized so each bishop oversees their local country or region, giving each orthodox country a different leader. In this way, no bishop has more power than any other, meaning the tenants and interpretations of the faith remain relatively unchanged. These beliefs are based on the teachings of the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, in particular the life and teachings of Jesus, which is found in the gospels (in the New Testament).

This page was last updated: May, 2014