Immigration to Paraguay

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Location of Paraguay in South America. PRY orthographic.svg
Location of Paraguay in South America.

Historically, the migratory history of Paraguay has been ambiguous, since it has had periods of large scale emigration as well as large waves of immigrants, primarily from Europe. [1]

Contents

Ethnically, Paraguay considers itself as a mestizo country, the result of intermarriage between Amerindians (mainly Guaraní) and Europeans (mostly of Spanish origin). Unlike neighbouring countries like Argentina or Brazil, Paraguay did not attract massive numbers of immigrants, but this does not imply that it has not been a recipient thereof. However, during the 19th century the country suffered a devastating war that greatly reduced its population, having to rise from the ashes and repopulate their territory with the help of immigrants.

During the 20th century, Paraguay became a recipient of immigrants, especially Europeans fleeing wars occurring in the Old World, in search of a better life and peace. Among European groups in the country, this includes those of Spanish, German (many of them being Mennonites), Italian, French and Slavic origin. Other groups included these of Levantine/Arabs roots (mostly Christian Lebanese and Syrians) and East Asians (such as the Chinese and Japanese), among others. [2]

Today, immigration to Paraguay has not ceased, but the places of origin of the newcomers have changed. According to the 2002 census, 84,2% of immigrants in Paraguay come from Brazil and Argentina. [3]

History

The first Europeans to arrive in what is now Paraguayan territory were Spaniards who left a palpable cultural heritage even today.

The government of Carlos Antonio López was marked by a period of international openness including immigration and attracting settlers to populate the country.

Settlement in the Paraguayan Chaco

Chaco region in Paraguay during the dry season. ParaguayChacoBorealdryseason.JPG
Chaco region in Paraguay during the dry season.
Mennonite children in a petrol station in Paraguay. San Ignacio.jpg
Mennonite children in a petrol station in Paraguay.
Map of Paraguay indicating the origin of the founders of the different districts in the country by colour. Paragiuay Inmigration map.png
Map of Paraguay indicating the origin of the founders of the different districts in the country by colour.

Geographically, Paraguay can be divided into two parts: The Chaco or Western Region, and the Eastern Region, where Asunción is located, as well as the other main cities of the country.

The Chaco is the largest region by area with about 60% of the total territory but, on the other hand, it is the least populated region being home to less than 2% of the total population. Because of this, one of the main goals of the government of Paraguay was to populate this vast and immense region, which comprises the departments of Presidente Hayes, Boquerón, and Alto Paraguay (also known in English as Upper Paraguay).

The colonisation of the Chaco began with the founding of several colonies, including Nueva Burdeos (French : Nouvelle-Bordeaux, present-day Villa Hayes), which was founded by French immigrants. The first settlers came to this colony through the port of Asunción in 1856. [4] In the years 1927, 1930 and 1947, three waves of German-speaking Mennonites originally Russia came from Canada and the Soviet Union to the Chaco and started three colonies there. In the 2020s about a third of the Chaco population belongs to these Chaco Mennonites who are an important part of the population of Mennonites in Paraguay. [5]

Figures

The table below obviously only shows the official numbers in individual immigrants. Most of the often German Brasiguayos, who came as early as around the year 1900 are not included. Also some 8,300 German speaking Mennonites who came from Canada in 1927 (1,778 people) and from Russia in 1930 and 1932 (ca. 2,000) and in 1947 (ca. 4,500 via Germany) are not in the table. [6]

Place of origin1870-18791880-18891890-18991900-19091910-19191920-19291930-19391940-19491950-1959
Paraguayan returnees0005119310511100
Argentina 04,895183641,1221001415122,036
Brazil 05300294401277474
Uruguay 019805968401243188
Bolivia 00040081375
United States 00637335960385
Canada 00000102099
Rest of the Americas 000240536136
Total from the Americas05,623245461,4342812986713,393
Italy 08242511,1159733741238580
Spain 032198091,49437731591,287
France 0228101241111510963148
Germany 0467114798118141,038186661
United Kingdom 800392835319884160
Austria 0011223181375335032
Russia 05309925246515288319
Belgium 0001546141216880
Switzerland 0032285137963038
Czech Republic 000004452712690
Poland 00000348,079461188
Rest of Europe 01460141444332279480
Total from Europe8002,0783132,8344,1351,36811,3632,1324,063
Syria
Lebanon
000002521775
Rest of the Western Asia 0001542230
Total from Western Asia0001544542075
Japan 00025005331614,085
Rest of East Asia 073780127001872
Total from East Asia07378012700184,157
Mennonites 000001,8763814,2587
Total of immigrants0 [7] -8004,808 [7] -7,774415-3,743 [7] 3,420-7,115 [7] 5,700-6,306 [7] 3,264 [7] -3,52912,629-20,141 [7] 7,280-7,555 [7] 10,044 [7] -11,665
Paraguayan population?239,774?490,719651,040843,905987,8241,259,8261,816,890

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of Paraguay</span>

Demographic features of the population of Paraguay include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boquerón, Paraguay</span> Department of Paraguay

Boquerón is a department in the western region of Paraguay. It is the country's largest department, with an area of 91,669 km2 (35,394 sq mi), but, according to the statistics for 2021 by INE, its population is only 68,080, being the second least populated department. The department includes the Russian Mennonite colonies of Fernheim, Menno and its administrative center Loma Plata and Neuland. The capital is Filadelfia. Other towns are General Eugenio A. Garay, Doctor Pedro P. Peña and Mariscal Estigarribia.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russian Mennonites</span> Ethnic group

The Russian Mennonites are a group of Mennonites who are the descendants of Dutch and North German Anabaptists who settled in the Vistula delta in West Prussia for about 250 years and established colonies in the Russian Empire beginning in 1789. Since the late 19th century, many of them have emigrated to countries which are located throughout the Western Hemisphere. The rest of them were forcibly relocated, so very few of their descendants currently live in the locations of the original colonies. Russian Mennonites are traditionally multilingual but Plautdietsch is their first language as well as their lingua franca. In 2014, there were several hundred thousand Russian Mennonites: about 200,000 live in Germany, 74,122 live in Mexico, 150,000 in Bolivia, 40,000 live in Paraguay, 10,000 live in Belize, tens of thousands of them live in Canada and the US, and a few thousand live in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immigration to Argentina</span>

The history of immigration to Argentina can be divided into several major stages:

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">German Mexicans</span> German people of Mexico

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mennonites in Paraguay</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mennonites in Argentina</span>

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References

  1. Univisión. "Paraguay, país de inmigrantes" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  2. "Inmigrantes europeos en Paraguay 1818 - 1930" (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  3. Organización Internacional para las Migraciones (OIM). "Perfil Migratorio de Paraguay 2011" (PDF) (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 May 2015.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00530644/document [ bare URL PDF ]
  5. "Paraguay". Gameo.org. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  6. Paraguay at GAMEO.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Lyra Pidoux de Drachenberg: 'Inmigración y colonización en el Paraguay 1870-1970, Revista Paraguaya de Sociología 12: 65-124., 1975.