II. Romani Migration

flickr image by Philippe Leroyer

The Romani migrated from north-west India to Persia between 224 and 642 CE. By the 14th and 15th centuries, some had migrated to western Europe. Some came to North America in the 19th and early 20th centuries. There are about 12 million Romani in the world. It is impossible to estimate the total population with accuracy since many governments do not record Romani in their census figures. Also, many Romani conceal their ethnic origin out of fear of discrimination.

They are very heavily persecuted, particularly in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. According to Amnesty International, of the ten million Romani living in Europe, almost 80% live in European Union states. "The Roma population is the poorest and one of the fastest growing in the region, living predominantly on the margins of society. Roma are one of the largest ethnic minority groups in Europe.

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