Thehistorical regions of Romania are located inCentral,Southeastern, andEastern Europe.[1]Romania came into being through the unification of two principalities,Wallachia andMoldavia in 1862.[2] The new unitary state extended over further regions at various times during the late 19th and 20th centuries, includingDobruja in 1878, andTransylvania in 1918.[3]
Northern Dobruja: in Romania since 1878 (with the exception of some Danubian islands andSnake Island, which were incorporated into theSoviet Union in 1948, and became part ofUkraine in 1991).
Wallachia, western Moldavia, and Dobruja are sometimes referred collectively as theRegat (The Kingdom), as they formed the Romanian "Old" Kingdom beforeWorld War I.
Transylvania (the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also part of the historical regions of Crișana, Maramureș, and Banat. The new borders were set by theTreaty of Trianon in 1920 between the respective states):
Transylvania proper: following the declaration of theunion with Romania in 1918;
Crișana: the region bordered by the riversMureș andSomeș and theApuseni Mountains, following the declaration of theunion in 1918,[5] eventually divided between Hungary and Romania;
These regions and territories were part of Romania in the past:
Bessarabia: this territory was part (as the eastern half) of Moldavia until 1812, when it was incorporated into the Russian Empire. The entire region became part of Romania from 1918 to 1940 when it wasoccupied by the Soviets. Romania managed to annex it again in 1941, but lost it back in 1944, duringWorld War II.[7]
Southern Bessarabia (including a part ofBudjak): in 1856, the southern part of Bessarabia was returned to Moldavia, which united with Wallachia in 1859 to create modern Romania. In 1878, Romania was pressured into exchanging this territory for the Dobruja, and Russian rule was restored over it.
Hertsa region: a territory of Moldavia, it was part of Romania from 1859 to 1940, when it wasoccupied by the Soviets; Romania managed to annex it again in 1941, but lost it in 1944. Today it is part of the Chernivtsi Oblast in Ukraine.[9]
Transnistria: controlled by Romania from 1941 to 1944 as theTransnistria Governorate (Romania did not formally incorporate Transnistria into its administrative framework).[11]
Pokuttia: controlled for around a century and a half with interruptions by the Romanian principality of Moldavia.[12] The region wasoccupied by Romania for several months in 1919.[13][14]
Wallachia (united with Moldavia in 1859 to create modern Romania):
Moldavia (united with Wallachia in 1859 to create modern Romania):
Transylvania (the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also part of the historical regions of Crișana, Maramureș, and Banat. The new borders were set by theTreaty of Trianon in 1920 between the respective states):
(1918–)a
(1878–)
(1859–)b