Romania, the twelfth-largest country in Europe, is strategically located at the crossroads of Eastern and Southeast Europe, bordering the Black Sea. Its diverse natural landscape is almost evenly split between mountains, plains, and hills, dominated by the arc of the Carpathian Mountains which span over 1,000 kilometers through its center.

Historically, the country is divided into regions like Wallachia, Moldavia, and Transylvania, with the areas west of the Carpathians hosting significant ethnic minorities such as Hungarians and Germans. Romania's modern borders largely took shape after World War I with the acquisition of Transylvania and Banat, consolidating most Romanian speakers but also leading to lasting territorial disputes with Hungary. Though some territories like Bukovina and Bessarabia were lost to the Soviet Union after World War II, Romania has maintained no territorial claims since 1989, solidifying its present-day configuration.