Today, with an estimated population of 10 to 12 million in Europe approximately six million of whom live in the EU , Roma people are the biggest ethnic minority in Europe. Most Roma are EU citizens. The use of the term Roma is in no way intended to downplay the great diversity within the many different Romani groups and related communities, nor is it intended to promote stereotypes.
According to that list, these are the 10 countries in Europe with the highest Roma populations: Turkey 2. Now, to tackle the ongoing discrimination this community faces, and to improve their social inclusion or integration, EU countries are under pressure to develop comprehensive action plans. The Roma may not have their own country but they have their own flag as shown above , which is recognised by Roma in many countries.
Roma Gypsies originated in the Punjab region of northern India as a nomadic people and entered Europe between the eighth and tenth centuries C. They were called "Gypsies" because Europeans mistakenly believed they came from Egypt. This minority is made up of distinct groups called "tribes" or "nations. Both groups spoke dialects of a common language called Romani, based on Sanskrit the classical language of India.
The term "Roma" has come to include both the Sinti and Roma groupings, though some Roma prefer being known as "Gypsies. For centuries, Roma were scorned and persecuted across Europe. Zigeuner , the German word for Gypsy, derives from a Greek root meaning untouchable.
Roma Gypsies in Prewar Europe. Many Roma traditionally worked as craftsmen and were blacksmiths, cobblers, tinsmiths, horse dealers, and toolmakers.
Others were performers such as musicians, circus animal trainers, and dancers. By the s, there were also a number of Romani shopkeepers. Some Roma, such as those employed in the German postal service, were civil servants. Though concentrated in Europe, there are also Romani populations on every occupied continent — about 1 million live in the United States, and roughly , in Brazil. But no matter where they go, the Roma have faced discrimination and persecution.
Shortly after arriving in Europe, the Romani were enslaved in many regions, a cultural heritage that continued into the 19th century in countries like Romania. In England, Switzerland and Denmark, the Romani were put to death throughout the medieval era.
Many countries, such as Germany, Italy and Portugal, ordered the expulsion of all Romani. There are countless reports of Roma children being abducted from their parents, women who had their ears cut off, and Romani who were branded with hot irons. In an effort to force assimilation, the use of their native language was forbidden in some countries; other places forbade the Roma to marry among themselves.
An estimated 2 million Romani died in concentration camps and through other means of extermination. In the post-war era, the Romani remained an oppressed group, especially in the Soviet Union. As recently as the s, Roma women in Czechoslovakia were forced to undergo sterilization to limit the Romani population.
The Romani are often celebrated for their musical heritage, which has influenced jazz, bolero and flamenco music, as well as classical composers including Franz Liszt. The original traveling Romani populations supported themselves as performers, artisans and tradespeople, according to the Roma Support Group RSG an organization created by Roma people to promote awareness of Romani traditions and culture.
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