Croats of Romania
Encyclopedia
The Croats
are an ethnic minority
in Romania
, numbering 6,786 people according to the 2002 census. Croats mainly live in the southwest of the country, particularly in Caraş-Severin County
. Declared Croatians form a majority in two Romanian localities: the communes of Caraşova
and Lupac. In these communes, Croatian
is an officially recognised language, with signage
, education and access to justice and public administration being provided in Croatian alongside Romanian.
Most Croats in Romania are Krashovani
, even though only around 200 people declared themselves Krashovani in the census, the rest declaring Croatian ethnicity. Due to some political, economic, social and cultural factors, most of them started identifying themselves with Croats, and some still continued to call themselves Krašovani. Today, many Krashovani chose the Croatian ethnicity, partly due to the attention given to them by the Croatian state (which also awards them the Croatian citizenship).
As an officially recognized ethnic minority, Croats have one seat
reserved in the Romanian Chamber of Deputies
.
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
are an ethnic minority
Minorities of Romania
Officially, 10.5% of Romania's population is represented by minorities . The principal minorities in Romania are Hungarians and Roma people, with a declining German population and smaller numbers of Poles in Bucovina...
in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, numbering 6,786 people according to the 2002 census. Croats mainly live in the southwest of the country, particularly in Caraş-Severin County
Caras-Severin County
Caraș-Severin is a county of Romania, in the historical region of Banat and few villages in Transylvania, with the county seat at Reșița.-Demographics:The county is part of the Danube-Kris-Mureș-Tisza euroregion....
. Declared Croatians form a majority in two Romanian localities: the communes of Caraşova
Carasova
Carașova is a commune in Caraș-Severin County, Romania. It is known especially for its geographical placement and for the origin of its Croatian inhabitants, the Krashovani. The population of the commune numbered 3,260 people at the 2002 census...
and Lupac. In these communes, Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
is an officially recognised language, with signage
Signage
Signage is any kind of visual graphics created to display information to a particular audience. This is typically manifested in the form of wayfinding information in places such as streets or inside/outside of buildings.-History:...
, education and access to justice and public administration being provided in Croatian alongside Romanian.
Most Croats in Romania are Krashovani
Krashovani
The Krashovani are a South Slavic people indigenous to Caraşova and other nearby locations in...
, even though only around 200 people declared themselves Krashovani in the census, the rest declaring Croatian ethnicity. Due to some political, economic, social and cultural factors, most of them started identifying themselves with Croats, and some still continued to call themselves Krašovani. Today, many Krashovani chose the Croatian ethnicity, partly due to the attention given to them by the Croatian state (which also awards them the Croatian citizenship).
As an officially recognized ethnic minority, Croats have one seat
Romanian ethnic minorities parties
The Romanian Constitution , under the contitions imposed by the Electoral Law, reserves a seat in the Chamber of Deputies for the party and cultural association of each ethnic minority in Romania...
reserved in the Romanian Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Romania
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house in Romania's bicameral parliament. It has 315 seats, to which deputies are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms...
.