Romani people in Slovenia

Romani people in Slovenia
Romi v Sloveniji (Slovene)
Roma with a bear in Šmarca in 1934
Total population
3,246 (2002)
Regions with significant populations
Prekmurje region and Dolenjska region
Languages
Balkan Romani, Italian, Slovene
Religion
Roman Catholicism

According to the 2002 census, there were 3,246 Romani individuals living in Slovenia. The Council of Europe has estimated that approximately 8,500 Romani people live in Slovenia (0.42% of the population). According to recent estimates, there are approximately 15,000 Romani in Slovenia, which constitutes 0.7% of the total Slovenian population. The Roma have been living in Slovenia since the 15th century.

Slovenian Roma live mainly in northeast Slovenia (the Prekmurje region) and southeast Slovenia (the regions of Lower Carniola, the Lower Sava Valley, and White Carniola), as well as in major towns such as Maribor, Velenje, Ljubljana, Celje, Jesenice, and Radovljica. The Sinti live mainly in Jesenice and Radovljica. According to the Local Self-Government Act (Slovene: Zako o lokalni samoupravi), there are 20 municipalities where the Roma have resided historically, i.e., they are indigenous: Beltinci, Cankova, Črenšovci, Črnomelj, Dobrovnik, Grosuplje, Kočevje, Krško, Kuzma, Lendava, Metlika, Murska Sobota, Novo Mesto, Puconci, Rogašovci, Semič, Šentjernej, Tišina, Trebnje, and Turnišče.