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About the Roma |
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- Roma, or "Gypsies," are Europe's largest minority. They live in nearly all of the countries in Europe and Central Asia.
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 Europe's Roma population is estimated at 7 to 9 million people. Romania is the country with the highest absolute number of Roma ranging between 1 and 2 million. Nearly 80 percent of the total Roma population live in European Union candidate countries and new member states.
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- Poverty rates for Roma range between four and ten times that of non-Roma in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania—nearly 40 percent of Roma in Romania and Bulgaria live on less than $2.15 per day.
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 Roma poverty is multifaceted: Roma are often deprived of the resources necessary for adequate living conditions, but also lack access to education, the labor markets, social and health services, and channels for participation in society.
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- It is not uncommon to find reports of unemployment rates of up to 100 percent in Roma settlements—due to their low skill levels and discrimination in the labor market, Roma are frequently among the first to be laid off.
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 Education levels vary notably within countries, between urban and rural areas, and across different types of Roma communities. Bulgaria provides the most dramatic example where 89 percent of Roma had primary education or less, while only 10 percent had some secondary education.
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- Health conditions among Roma are significantly worse than for the rest of the population in most countries. Roma life expectancy is, on average, 10 years less than that of the majority population in Central and Eastern Europe.
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Roma are a unique minority in Europe. Unlike other groups, they have no historical homeland and are found in nearly all countries in Europe and Central Asia. From 7 to 9 million Roma are thought to live throughout Europe. Approximately 70 percent of this population lives in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. In Central and Eastern Europe the share of the population that is Roma has reached between 9 and 11 percent of the population in Bulgaria, FYR Macedonia, Romania and the Slovak Republic.
Estimated Roma Populations in Central and Eastern Europe
Sources: Wheeler, 1999, from Roma population estimates: Liegeois, J-P., Roma, Gypsies, Travellers Strasbourg, Council of Europe, 1994. P. 34. Total population data: World Bank Atlas, 1995. |
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The roots of the Roma in Europe have long been a subject of mystery and controversy. Historical records indicate that Roma arrived in Europe from northern India in waves between the ninth and fourteenth centuries, although the reasons for their migration into Europe and their paths to the continent are unknown. Linguistic roots and limited documentation suggest that the Roma originally came through Persia and the Caucasus, then through the Byzantine Empire into southern Europe, although some Macedonian legends place Roma in Europe at the time of Alexander the Great as early as the fourth century B.C. The first detailed references to the Roma in Central and Eastern Europe are found in twelfth century records from the Dalmatian Coast area and records from Hungary (now the Slovak Republic).
For more information on the history of Roma in Europe refer to:
Crowe, D. 1996. A History of the Gypsies of Eastern Europe and Russia, New York: St. Martin's Griffin.
Fraser, A. 1995. The Gypsies, Blackwell: Oxford. |
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 The involvement of the World Bank in Roma issues stems from our agenda of economic and social development in Central and Eastern Europe. Poverty among the Roma minority is one of the most challenging development issues facing the countries of the region. While living standards have declined for all population groups during the transition to a market economy, there are growing indications that conditions for Roma have deteriorated more severely than for others, and that Roma have been poorly positioned to take advantage of emerging economic and civic opportunities. Poverty among Roma is complex and multidimensional and is related to a broad range of factors including poor health and education status, limited chances in the labor market, as well as discrimination and unique aspects of the social organization of Roma society, which together contribute to their exclusion.
Addressing the challenges facing the Roma is central to the success of economic transition and is an integral part of the process of building cohesive and inclusive societies in the region. Fortunately, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe are not alone in this journey. The Roma are a European minority and consequently the European institutions, as well as NGOs have been increasingly active in supporting initiatives and providing assistance. In particular, the EU accession process has focused attention on the conditions of the Roma in Central and Eastern Europe, and increasing international involvement provides an unprecedented window of opportunity for tackling issues through programs and projects. |
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