Romania
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Romania (RO)
ECRML
Signed
1995
Ratified
2008
In Force
2008
FCNM
Signed
1995
Ratified
1995
In Force
1998
Country Description
Romania regularly conducts national language censuses, with the last one taking place in 2021. The Population and Housing Census 2021 showed that 15 153 198 people in Romania considered Romanian their mother tongue.
There is no official national data on the number of Sign Language users in Romania; the number of deaf Sign Language users is estimated to be around 60 000.
Pan-National Official Language(s)
This category only includes languages that are official throughout the whole country (with the exception of Belgium) - languages that are e.g. regionally 'co-official' are not listed here but can be identified in the categories below wherever a relevant legal document is listed. A future update could include lists of co-official languages, as well.
To increase their visibility, recognised Sign Languages are always listed as official languages even if they are not yet technically official. The data on legal recognition was aggregated from legal documents and official sources. Wherever possible, the national number was taken from a national census or recent study/official estimate – sources are listed. The endangerment level is adopted from Ethnologue and further estimates of endangerment can be found on the individual language profile (e.g. by clicking on 'Italian').
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Romanian
Romance
|
Limba română | Whole country | 1923 | Romanian Constitution, Article 126 / CONSTITUŢIA ROMÂNIEI, Articolul 126 | 15 153 198 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 1 (National) | |||
|
Romanian Sign Language (LSR)
Sign Language
|
Limba semnelor române | Whole country | 2020 | LAW No. 27 of March 27, 2020 regarding Romanian sign language / LEGE nr. 27 din 27 martie 2020 privind limba semnelor române | Approx. 60 000 (not a census) | Deaf Sign Language Users | 2026 (Website accessed) | 5 (Developing) |
ECRML-Recognised Languages
This includes languages recognised under the European Charter of Regional and Minority Languages (ECRML). The data on legal recognition was aggregated from legal documents and official sources. Wherever possible, the national number was taken from a national census or recent study/official estimate – sources are listed. The endangerment level is adopted from Ethnologue and further estimates of endangerment can be found on the individual language profile (e.g. by clicking on 'Czech').
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level | ECRML level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Albanian
Albanoid
|
Shqip | Iasi, Constanta, Timis, Cluj, Bucharest | 2005 | National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2) | 421 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II | |||
|
Armenian
Armenian
|
Hayeren | Constanta, Bucharest | 2005 | National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2) | 421 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 5* (Developing) | Part II | |||
|
Bulgarian
Slavic
|
Bălgarski ezik | Timiș county, Bucharest | 2007 | Law No. 282, Ratification, ECRML | 4 478 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Croatian
Slavic
|
Hrvatski | Caras-Severin | 2007 | Law No. 282, Ratification, ECRML | 4 664 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Czech
Slavic
|
Čeština | Mehedinti, Caras- Severin | 2005 | National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2) | 1 130 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
German
Germanic
|
Deutsch | Suceava, Arad, Caras-Severin, Hunedoara, Timis, Cluj, Maramures, Satu-Mare, Alba, Brasov, Mures, Sibiu, Bucharest | 2001 | Local Public Administration Law No. 215, Article 40(7), statutory language of national identity | 15 943 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 4 (Educational) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Greek
Greek
|
Elliniká | Iasi, Constanta, Bucharest | 2007 | Law No. 282, Ratification, ECRML | 1 069 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II | |||
|
Hungarian
Uralic
|
Magyar nyelv | Constanta, Arad, Caras-Severin, Hunedoara, Timis, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Cluj, Maramures, Satu-Mare, Salaj, Alba, Brasov, Covasna, Harghita, Mures, Sibiu, Bucharest | 2001 | Local Public Administration Law No. 215, Article 40(7), statutory provincial language | 1 038 806 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 2 (Provincial) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Italian
Romance
|
Italiano | Arad, Timis, Bucharest | 2005 | National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2) | 4 105 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II | |||
|
Macedonian
Slavic
|
Makedonski jazik | Iasi, Constanta, Timis, Cluj, Bucharest | / | National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2) | 201 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 7 (Shifting) | Part II | |||
|
Polish
Slavic
|
Polski | Suceava, Bucharest | 2005 | National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2) | 1 539 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II | |||
|
Romani
Indo-Aryan
|
Romani ćhib | Bacau, Iasi, Neamt, Buzau, Constanta, Galati, Calarasi, Giurgiu, Ialomita, Prahova, Teleorman, Dolj, Gorj, Mehedinti, Olt, Arad, Caras-Severin, Hunedoara, Timis, Bihor, Cluj, Maramures, Salaj, Alba, Brasov, Mures, Sibiu, Bucharest | 2001 | Local Public Administration Law No. 215, Article 40(7), recognised language | 199 050 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | Balkan Romani - 6a* (Vigorous), Carpathian Romani - 5* (Developing), Vlax Romani - 6b (Threatened) | Part II | |||
|
Russian
Slavic
|
Russkiy | Botosani, Iasi, Suceava, Braila, Constanta, Tulcea, Bucharest | 2005 | National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2) | 14 414 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Rusyn / Ruthenian
Slavic
|
Rusîn'skyj jazyk | Iasi, Constanta, Timis, Cluj, Bucharest | 2005 | National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2) | 594 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | Unlisted | Part II | |||
|
Serbian
Slavic
|
Srpski | Arad, Caras-Severin, Timis, Bucharest | 2005 | National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2) | 10 058 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Slovak
Slavic
|
Slovenský jazyk | Arad, Timis, Bihor | 2001 | Local Public Administration Law No. 215, Article 40(7), recognised language | 9 241 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Tatar
Turkic
|
Tatar tele | Constanta, Tulcea, Bucharest | 2005 | National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2) | 13 805 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | Unestablished | Part II | |||
|
Turkish
Turkic
|
Türkçe | Constanta, Tulcea, Calarasi, Bucharest | 2005 | National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2) | 17 101 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Ukrainian
Slavic
|
Ukrainska mova | Suceava, Tulcea, Caras-Severin, Timis, Maramures, Bucharest | 2001 | Local Public Administration Law No. 215, Article 40(7), recognised language | 40 861 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Yiddish
Germanic
|
Yidish | Iasi, Bucharest | 2005 | National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2) | 597 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 7 (Shifting) | Part II |
Non-ECRML Languages – Source Overview
Languages marked with ✓ appear in that source.
Languages listed in multiple sources may have differing data – see the detail tables below.
| Language | Ethnologue | ELP |
|---|---|---|
| Aromanian/Vlach | ✓ | ✓ |
| Crimean Tatar | ✓ | |
| Dobrujan Tatar | ✓ | |
| English | ✓ | |
| French | ✓ | |
| Gagauz | ✓ | ✓ |
| Krymchak | ✓ | |
| Transylvanian Saxon | ✓ |
Non-ECRML Languages (Ethnologue)
Languages listed with an 'established status' in Ethnologue. The data on legal recognition, national number, and endangerment level was taken from Ethnologue, reflecting its current state and gaps of knowledge.
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Aromanian/Vlach
Romance
|
Armãneasht | Constanta and Tulcea counties; Dobrudja region; major cities like Bucharest | 2007 | National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2) | / | 50 000 | Users | 2018 | 5* (Dispersed) | ||
|
Dobrujan Tatar
Turkic
|
Budjak Nogai / Tatar tĭlĭ | Constanta county: Dobruja region | 2007 | National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2) | / | 22 000 | Users | 2006 | 5* (Developing) | ||
|
English
Germanic
|
English | / | / | / | / | 5 953 900 | Users | 2021 | 4 (Educational) | ||
|
French
Romance
|
Français | Scattered | / | / | / | 2 343 800 | Users | 2021 | 4 (Educational) | ||
|
Gagauz
Turkic
|
Gagauzça | Constanta and Tulcea countie | / | / | / | / | / | / | 5* (Developing) | ||
|
Transylvanian Saxon
Germanic
|
Siweberjesch Såksesch | Bistrita-Nasaud, Brasov, Hunedoara, Mures, and Sibiu counties: scattered | / | / | / | 19 000 (based on ethnicity) | Users | 2020 | 7 (Shifting) |
Non-ECRML Languages (Endangered Languages Project)
Languages listed in the Endangered Languages Project (ELP). The data on legal recognition, national number, and endangerment level was taken from ELP, reflecting its current state and gaps of knowledge.
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Aromanian/Vlach
Romance
|
Armãneashti | / | / | / | / | 123 300 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Threatened | ||
|
Crimean Tatar
Turkic
|
Qırımtatar tili | / | / | / | / | < 100 000 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Vulnerable | ||
|
Gagauz
Turkic
|
Gagauzça | / | / | / | / | 162 200 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Vulnerable | ||
|
Krymchak
Turkic
|
Krymchak | / | / | / | / | Unknown | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Citically Endangered |
Recognised Minorities
Further Reading
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