1877, Romania declared independence from the Ottoman Empire, with Moldova and Wallachia as its principalities.
Following the end of World War I, during the reign of King Ferdinand I, Transylvania, Bessarabia, and Bukovina merged with Romania, nearly doubling its size.
On December 1st, 1918, Alba Iulia declared its union. Vasile Goldis, a Romanian academician and politician, read the declaration during a public ceremony in front of approximately 100,000 Romanians.
During World War II, Romania lost Basarabia (present-day Moldova) and Bucovina in 1940, and the Soviet Republic acquired both provinces.
Romania's national day has changed a few times over the years. Before 1918, the national day was celebrated on May 10th, commemorating both Carol I's entry into Romania in 1866 and his subsequent proclamation of independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1877. During communist authority beginning in 1944, August 23rd became the national day, commemorating the overthrow of the fascist government. Following the fall of communist control in 1990, December 1st was declared a national day.
