The Roma, Sinti, Calé and other ethnic groups collectively referred to as Gypsies form the largest minority in Europe. Scattered across the globe they live in almost every part of the world, each group marked by a distinct language, culture and situation. Throughout their history, the Roma have been subjected to persecution, expulsions across Europe, slavery in Romania, prohibition on the use of the Romany language, and other creative attempts to misuse, assimilate or extinguish their people.