Romani people in North Macedonia

Romani in North Macedonia
Macedonian Romani children (around 1900)
Total population
46,433 (2021 census)
Languages
Majority
Balkan Romani, Macedonian
Minority
Albanian
Religion
Sunni Islam 75%, Christianity 25% [1]
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Romani people in North Macedonia (Macedonian: Македонски Роми, romanized: Makedonski Romi) are one of the constitutional peoples of the country.

According to the last census from 2021, there were 46,433 people counted as Romani, or 2.53% of the population.[2] The majority are Muslim Romani people. Another 3,843 people have been counted as "Egyptians" (0.2%).

Some of the majority groups are the Arlije[3] and Gurbeti.[4]

Other sources claim the number to be between 80,000[5] and 260 000[6] Roma in North Macedonia or approximately 4 to 12% of the total population.

The municipality of Šuto Orizari is the only municipality in the world with a Muslim Romani people majority and the only municipality where Balkan Romani is an official language alongside Macedonian. The mayor of the municipality, Kurto Dudush, is an ethnic Roma.

In 2009, the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia took measures to enlarge inclusion of Romani in the education process.[7]

North Macedonia is the region's leader in respecting the rights of the Romani people. It is the first country in the region with a minister of Romani ethnicity and also has many Romani in high government positions. However, there is still a lot to be done concerning the education and integration of the Romani.[8]

  1. ^ "Roma muslims". Romafacts.uni-graz.at. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  2. ^ "Total resident population, households and dwellings in the Republic of North Macedonia, census 2021" (PDF). State Statistical Office of the Republic of North Macedonia. pp. 32–33.
  3. ^ "Arlije [Rombase]". rombase.uni-graz.at. Archived from the original on 6 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Gurbet [Rombase]".
  5. ^ "ABCD". Romnews.com. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  6. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2017-09-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ^ "Изградбата на Коридорот 8 може да почне во 2014 година". Влада на Република Македонија (in Macedonian). 2012-03-16.
  8. ^ "Македонија регионален лидер во почитување на правата на Ромите - Makfax.com.mk". Archived from the original on 2009-07-19. Retrieved 2009-08-04.