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Bulgarians in Romania

Bulgarians in Romania
Total population
5,975 (2021)
Regions with significant populations
Banat (Dudeștii Vechi), northern Dobruja and Wallachia
Languages
Bulgarian (Banat Bulgarian), Romanian
Religion
Predominately Roman Catholicism, with a minority of Bulgarian Orthodox followers
Related ethnic groups
Banat Bulgarians, Dobrujan Bulgarians, Krashovani
Bulgarians in Romania (2002 census)
Ethnic map of Dobruja (1900 census)

Bulgarians (Romanian: bulgari) are a recognized minority in Romania (Bulgarian: Румъния, Rumaniya), numbering 7,336 according to the 2011 Romanian census, down from 8,025 in 2002.[1] Despite their low census number today, Bulgarians from different confessional and regional backgrounds have had ethnic communities in various regions of Romania, and during the Middle Ages Bulgarian culture has exerted considerable influence on its northern neighbour. According to one Bulgarian estimate, Romanian citizens of Bulgarian origin number around 250,000.[2] According to the Romanian census of 2021, among the 5,975 ethnic Bulgarians, 3,583 were Roman Catholics, 1,977 were Romanian Orthodox and 21 were Serbian Orthodox.[3]

Historically, Bulgarian communities in modern Romania have existed in Wallachia (Bulgarian: Влашко, transliterated: Vlashko), Northern Dobruja (Bulgarian: Северна Добруджа, translit. Severna Dobrudzha) and Transylvania (Bulgarian: Седмиградско, translit. Sedmigradsko). Currently, however, the Bulgarian community in present-day Romania that has retained most efficiently its numbers, social integrity and strong ethnic identity is that of the Banat Bulgarians, a Roman Catholic minority in the Banat who account for the bulk of the Bulgarian-identifying population of Romania. In Wallachia, there are only few Bulgarians who have preserved their national identity, though the numbers of those who speak Bulgarian and affirm to have Bulgarian ancestors is still high.

Much of the Torlak-speaking Roman Catholic Krashovani who today form a part of the Croatian minority in Romania had declared themselves Bulgarian during the rule of Austria-Hungary.[4][5]

The population of undisputed Bulgarian origin aside, Bulgarian researchers also claim that the Hungarian minority of the Székely in central Romania is of Magyarized Bulgar (Proto-Bulgarian) origin[2][6] and the Șchei of Transylvania were Romanianized Bulgarians[2][7] (a view also supported by Lyubomir Miletich[8] and accepted by Romanian writers).[9]

  1. ^ "Structura Etno-demografică a României" (in Romanian). Centrul de Resurse pentru Diversitate Etnoculturală. Retrieved 2008-08-13.,
  2. ^ a b c Павлов.
  3. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20221230125029/https://insse.ro/cms/sites/default/files/com_presa/com_pdf/cp-date-provizorii-rpl_2.pdf, p. 16, 17.
  4. ^ Die österreichisch-ungarische Monarchie in Wort und Bild, Vienna 1902
  5. ^ File:Austria-Hungary (ethnic).JPG
  6. ^ Балкански, Т. (1996). "Окръзи Ковасна и Харгита". Трансилванските (седмиградските) българи. Етнос. Език. Етнонимия. Ономастика. Просопографии (in Bulgarian). Велико Търново: ИК "Знак '94". pp. 99, 102.
  7. ^ Енциклопедия България, т.1 А-В (in Bulgarian). София: Издателство на БАН. 1978. p. 380.
  8. ^ Милетич, Любомир (1896). "Брашов и брашовските българите ("шкеи", bolgárszeg)". Дако-ромънитѣ и тѣхната славянска писменость. Часть II (in Bulgarian). София: Сборникъ за Народни Умотворения, Наука и Книжнина.
  9. ^ Mușlea, Ion (1928). Șcheii de la Cergău și folclorul lor (in Romanian).

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Българи в Румъния Bulgarian Bulgares de Roumanie French Romániai bolgárok Hungarian Bulgari di Romania Italian Bulgaren in Roemenië Dutch Bulgarii din România Romanian

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