românii

Românii, or Romanians, are an East European ethnolinguistic group primarily associated with the modern state of Romania and the Romanian-speaking communities in nearby regions. They share a common language, Romanian, and a cultural heritage shaped by Latin-speaking roots in the Roman province of Dacia, followed by centuries of interactions with Slavic, Hungarian, and other populations.

Romanians are descended from the populations that formed medieval principalities such as Wallachia and Moldavia, and later Transylvania, which together laid the foundations of modern Romania. The region achieved political unity in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with unions that culminated in the creation of the contemporary Romanian state in the early 20th century.

The Romanian language is a Romance language in the Eastern Romance subgroup. It evolved from Latin and is the standard language used in education and media in Romania; in Moldova, Romanian is widely used and is the language of many institutions, though its status has been politically debated. Romanian is closely related to other Eastern Romance languages such as Aromanian and Megleno-Romanian, though these are distinct languages.

Most Românii reside in Romania. Moldova has a large population that speaks Romanian, though many identify as Moldovan rather than Romanian. There are sizable Romanian-speaking communities in Italy, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and the United States, reflecting labor mobility and migration since the late 20th century.

Religious affiliation is predominantly Eastern Orthodox, with minorities of Roman Catholics, Greek Catholics (Uniates), and Protestants. Romanian culture has a rich tradition in literature, music, folklore, and art, contributing to the broader regional cultures of Southeastern Europe.