Dobrogea is the southeasternmost region of Romania, encompassing the country's entire Black Sea coast. It has a very interesting demographic history. It's been highly cosmopolitan since ancient times, when Greeks colonized the region. Later it was ruled by the Romans, Byzantines, and Bulgars. In 1388 it came under the control of Mircea the Elder, ruler of Wallachia. In 1420 it was annexed by the Turks and incorporated into the Ottoman Empire. What followed was colonization with ethnic groups from all over the Empire. Later when Dobrogea became part of Romania, Lipovans (Russian Old Believers) and Aromanians also found refuge here.


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