Finnish Roma

The Finnish Roma (Romani: Kàlo; Finnish: Suomen romanit, kaaleet; Swedish: kalé-romer, finska romer), also known as the Kaale [ˈkɑː le], Finnish Romani, and Finnish Kale, are a Romani subgroup who live primarily in Finland but also in Sweden. Their main languages are Finnish, Swedish, and Kalo. The first recorded Roma arrived in Finland in the 16th century, and they primarily descend from the Romanisael. Although Finland does not collect data on individuals' ethnicity, the Finnish Roma population in Finland was estimated at 10,000 in 2004. In addition, approximately 4,500 Finnish Roma were residing in Sweden in 2020. There are also Romani migrants from Romania and Bulgaria living in Finland, who should not be confused with the Finnish Roma, as the two groups are not closely related. They have primarily settled in southern Finland during the 21st century, with their population estimated at between 300 and 500.