There are upwards of four million Romani people across the world, though estimates vary considerably. The lack of precise figures is partially because many governments are reluctant to recognize Romani ethnicity as a census category and because many Roma are hesitant to self-identify for fear of unfavourable consequences.
Most Roma are settled in south eastern Europe, the area of the historical Byzantine Empire into which they migrated from Western Asia around the 10th century, and in central Europe, the area of the historical Habsburg Monarchy. As the Byzantine regime began to collapse in the 15th century, many moved on into the Habsburg domain. There are also sizeable Romani populations in other regions of Europe, as well as in the Americas and Australia.
