Romania is the country situated in the South Eastern part of the European continent. It became an independent nation in 1878. Bordered in the South by the Danube River, Romania is mountainous with central plateau. It has a continental climate, where the winters are bitterly cold. Nearly ninety per cent of the population of this country is made of ethnic Romanians, and the rest are Hungarians and Gypsies. Bucharest is the capital city of Romania since 1861, and home to more than two million people. This capital is considered as the commercial centre, as well as the seat of government. Most of the populations here live in huge apartment blocks. Romanian Leu is the currency of Romania. Multiparty democracy is a form of government adopted in Romania. The story of the bloodsucking Count Dracula is based on a real-life villain, Prince Vlad, the Impaler whose cruelties made his name feared. This rich folklore of the Transylvanian plateau attracts tourists.