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2000 years ago, the territory of present day Romania belonged to the Dacians, a population of Thracian origin who had established on the Carpathian-Danubian-Pontic space. In 70-77 BC, king Burebista united all the Dacians in a powerful state, much bigger than today's Romania. In 101 - 106 A.D., after two bloody wars, emperor Traian conquered the kingdom of Dacia, led by Decebal during that period. From the mingling of the Dacians with the Roman colonists a new people appeared: the Romanian.
Later, 3 provinces were formed on this territory: Wallachia (in the south), Moldavia (in the East) and Transylvania (in the North-West). Throughout the time, there have been numerous influences on the Romanian culture and civilization. Transylvania was under Austrian-Hungarian occupation for hundreds of years, and to consolidate its authority in this part of the empire, the Austrian kings colonized the region with German population, known under the name of Saxons. Wallachia opposed to the attacks of the Ottoman Empire, and was never conquered. Moldavia shared the same cruel fate, being forced to face numerous invasions.
The first union of the three Romanian principalities took place in 1600, under the rule of a brave ruler, also a skilful politician - Mihai Viteazul (Michael the Brave). But this union didn't last. Only in 1859, Wallachia and Moldavia reunited under the name of Romania, founding of the Romanian state of today. In 1877, the young state wins its independence, and in 1881 prince Carol I de Hohenzollern of German origin accepts becoming king of Romania. His coronation marks the birth of the Kingdom of Romania. After World War I, on December 1st 1918, all provinces inhabited by the Romanians unite themselves with the kingdom and this day becomes Romania's national holiday.
After World War II in Romania the communist regime is established, lasting until 1989. On 22 December 1989, after bloody demonstrations in Timisoara, Bucharest, Sibiu, Brasov and other cities of the country, dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was banished from power. Today Romania is a democratic country with a functional market economy and starting with January 2007 which is a member with full rights in the European Union.
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