A brief introduction explaining why the topic in question is important for the natural environment and human health/human well-being at national level —linkages can be made with national priorities and strategies for any given topic.

Land

As in the other central and eastern European countries, the socio-economic transition became a complex and rapid process in Romania. Some of the effects of this process are deforestation, land abandonment and industrialisation. At the policy decision level, Romania is interested in knowing, and periodically evaluating,these changes to support present and future policymaking. The information obtained within the framework of the Corine Land Cover projects, available as digitised land cover maps at 1:50 000 scale for the whole territory of Romania, is currently used as a key reference dataset for spatial and territorial analysis at different territorial levels. CLC data are required and used also by the research institutions, universities, central and local authorities and private entities. The application of CLC data includes environmental, transport, industry and agriculture projects and has proved to be very useful for the Water Framework Directive and Natura 2000-related projects in Romania.

Land cover in Romania 2006 is characterised by 33 out of 44 classes of CORINE Land Cover nomenclature.

An analysis of the CLC database (Figures 17, 18 and 19) shows that 55.48 % of Romanian territory is covered by agriculture classes. Semi-natural classes cover 32.8 %, followed by artificial areas (6.16 %), wetlands 1.42 % and water bodies 4.14 %. Lowland is dominated by agriculture, and semi-natural areas are distributed mainly in the Carpathian Mountains and sub-Carpathian hills.  

The main changes (Table 1) between 1990 and 2000 are represented by deforestation, as well as rice fields, fruits and vineyards abandonment. 

Between 1990 and 2000, the total area of the forest actually increased by 16 957 ha, however the coniferous forests were over-cut and decreased by 34 214 ha. 

The most relevant changes within the period 2000–06 (more than 1 % of the changes) are represented by deforestation, increasing agricultural area due to the re-introduction of agriculture on some abandoned land. At the same time, there was land abandonment in some areas,andsoil sealing caused by increasing built-up areas and industrial zones (see tables and figures below).

Table 4: Most significant changes for Romanian Land Cover 2000–06