The Rom, often referred to as
Gypsy, is a member of a heterogeneous ethnic group who live primarily in Southern and Eastern Europe, Western Asia, Latin America, the southern part of the United States and the Middle East. They are believed to have originated mostly from the Rajasthan region of
India. They began their migration to Europe and North Africa
via the Iranian plateau about 1,000 years ago.
Traditionally most Roma spoke Romani (Romany), an Indo-
Aryan language. Today, however, most Roma speak the dominant language of their region of residence.