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I INTRODUCTION Bucharest, capital and largest city of Romania, located in the southeastern part of the country. The city is situated about 65 km (about 40 mi) north of the Danube River, near Ploiești, on the banks of the Dîmbovița River (a tributary of the Danube). Bucharest lies on a generally level plain and, including suburban districts, occupies an area of about 300 sq km (about 117 sq mi).
II POPULATION
In 1930 the population of Bucharest was 631,288. By the 1950s, as a result of industrialization and urbanization policies, the population doubled, and it has continued to increase steadily. The population was 2,037,000 in 1997.
The rise in population caused severe housing shortages, and by the mid-1990s housing was still in short supply. Romania's lack of financial resources has prohibited the construction of new apartment buildings; many structures begun before the 1990s are still unfinished.
III ECONOMY
Bucharest is a major industrial center and the main financial and trade center of Romania. The city accounts for about 20 percent of the country's industrial production. Industries include heavy machinery, aviation, precision machinery, agricultural tools, furniture, electronics, chemicals, textiles, leather goods, wire, soap, cosmetics, and food processing.
IV THE URBAN LANDSCAPE
The city is divided into two sections by the Dîmbovița River and is crossed by two wide boulevards. Bucharest contains six administrative districts; the adjacent rural area forms a seventh district. Most industrial areas are located in the suburbs, while the city is primarily residential
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