The GDP per capita in the Nord-Est (the region that includes the Bacau, Botosani, Iasi, Neamt, Suceava and Vaslui counties) stood at EUR4,900 in 2015, in current prices and at EUR9,900 by purchasing power standard (PPS – an artificial currency that takes into account differences in national price levels), compared with the EU average of EUR28,000 PPS. The Moldavia region therefore had a GDP per capita of only 34% of the EU average (PPS).
Oltenia’s GDP per capita in PPS is EUR11,600, 40% of the EU average. Muntenia’s EUR13,700 GDP per capita puts it at 47% of the EU average.
“The gaps are being narrowed gradually nationwide and we’ve narrowed them somewhat by more than 10% of the EU average compared with ten years ago, but this development is also influenced by the more dynamic regions in the country such as Bucharest-Ilfov,” says Bogdan Murgescu, economic historian and professor with the History Faculty of the University of Bucharest. The relative lagging behind of some parts of the country is much older, and goes back to the interwar period, remained during the communist days and continues today, he added.
The EU has 276 development regions in all, eight of which in Romania. Only one region in Romania, – Bucharest-Ilfov, has a GDP per capita in PPS above the EU average. The GDP per capita in Bucharest-Ilfov in 2015 was about 30% higher than the EU average, EUR19,300 in current prices and EUR39,400 in PPS.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)