General Information

Demographic characteristics of Lithuanian Roma

Ethnic composition of the Lithuanian population

Based on the data of the Lithuanian population census, on the 1st of January 2021 in Lithuania had lived 84.6% of Lithuanians. The largest national minority is the Poles, who make up 6.5% of entire population. The Roma are one of the smallest ethnic groups. There are 2,251 inhabitants of the Roma nationality living in Lithuania, which is about 0.08% of all residents. From 1989 to 2011, the number of Roma was steadily decreasing. This corresponded to the overall decrease in the population of Lithuania. In recent years, the number of Roma in Lithuania has slightly increased. 

Residence

 Based on the 2021 Lithuanian population census data, a large proportion of Roma live in cities. Compared to 2011, this share decreased slightly from 81 percent. up to 78 percent and the share of Roma living in villages increased from 19 percent. up to 22 percent


About a quarter of the entire population of Lithuanian Roma used to live in Vilnius city municipality. Also, large (comprising more than 5 percent of the total Roma population) Roma communities lived in Kaunas city, Panevėžys city, Jonava district, Vilkaviškis district, Klaipėda city, Šiauliai district, Anykščiai district, Marijampole, Šiauliai city, Ukmergė district, Šalčininkai district municipalities. In other municipalities, the Roma population was fairly evenly distributed and did not exceed more than 3% of of all Roma population in Lithuania. 

Structure of the population by age and sex

The structure of the Roma population has unique characteristics, both in comparison with the demographic structure of Lithuanians and other national communities. Based on the data of the Lithuanian population census of 2021, the demographic structure of the Roma population in Lithuania is characterized by a relatively large proportion of the young residents and a relatively small proportion of the elderly residents (especially in comparison with the other residents of the country).

Structure of Lithuanians and Roma in percentages by age in Lithuania on January 1, 2021.

Both among the Lithuanians and among the Roma people, women made up the majority of the population. The percentage of men and women among Roma and other residents living in Lithuania statistically was not significantly different according to the data of the year 2021. 

Roma and Lithuanians by marital status

The results of the Lithuanian population census show that more than half of Roma men and women live unmarried. Only 13.3% of Roma men and the same number of Roma women are married. 

Marital status of men and women over 15 years old in Lithuania on the 1st of January 2021.