Romania:  Dacians are believed to be among the earliest residents inhabiting in the territories of present-day Romania. With the Roman incursion during the years 101–102 AD and 105–106 AD, the Dacia lost its southwestern parts which were annexed to the vast Empire Romania. The Dacian population subsequently underwent the ethno-linguistic process of Romanisation and the conquered parts became an imperial province.

In the Middle Ages, Romanians lived in three distinct principalities: Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania. In the 14th century the larger principalities of Wallachia (1310) and Moldavia (around 1352) emerge to fight the threat of the Ottoman Empire. Both territories inhabited by Romanians achieved their independence from the Hungarian Crown after military conflicts (Battle of Posada, 1330) or social conflicts.

The electors in both Moldavia and Wallachia chose in 1859 the same leader –Alexandru Ioan Cuza– to be their Ruling Prince (Domnitor in Romanian). Thus, Romania was created as a personal union, albeit without including Transylvania. By the end of World War I, Bessarabia, Bukovina and Transylvania proclaimed their unification with the Kingdom of Romania in 1918. Romania stipulated the union day on Dec 1, 1918 as their National Day, usually referred to as Union Day. (source: Wikipedia)

Soldiers waiting for the parade in Romania's capital Bucharest on Dec 1, 2010. [Photo/Xinhua]

Soldiers in the parade in Romania's capital Bucharest on Dec 1, 2009. [Photo/Xinhua]