Paraguayan Argentines (, ) are Argentine citizens of predominantly or total

Paraguayan Paraguayans () are the citizens of Paraguay. Though the majority of Paraguayans reside in Paraguay, significant communities have been established in multiple countries, most noticeably Argentina, Spain, United States, Brazil. History The first ...

descent or

Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...

-born people who reside in

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

. Paraguayan people comprise an important ethnic group in the country due to the sustained immigration that gained importance in the 1970s. The number of people born in Paraguay living in Argentina has been estimated to be about 550,000. Therefore, it is the largest foreign community in the country outnumbering individuals from Italy and Spain (countries which have been historically regarded as the origin of the backbone of Argentine society). It is also one of the fastest growing foreign nationalities. Despite all this, its numbers have been undercounted so it is believed that the real amount is even much higher.

History

The North-Eastern provinces of Argentina were originally inhabited by Guarani tribes conforming with what is now Paraguay and several regions of Brazil the area of influence of Guarani culture. This influence can be seen nowadays in many common cultural features. However, the earliest presence of Paraguayans as an ethnic group can be traced back much later, to the second foundation (and the real permanent settlement) of the city of Buenos Aires by

Juan de Garay Juan de Garay (1528–1583) was a Spanish conquistador. Garay's birthplace is disputed. Some say it was in the city of Junta de Villalba de Losa in Castile, while others argue he was born in the area of Orduña (Basque Country). There's ...

who sailed down Parana River from Asuncion accompanied by local

Mestizo ( , ; fem. , literally 'mixed person') is a term primarily used to denote people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry in the former Spanish Empire. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturall ...

and Guarani families. In addition, there have always been certain connections between the two countries during later periods of the Spanish rule, especially when the

Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata A viceroyalty was an entity headed by a viceroy. It dates back to the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the sixteenth century. British Empire India * India was governed by the Governor-General and Viceroy of India from 1858 to 1947, commo ...

was created in 1776 which included several Intendencias, among them the Intendencia of Paraguay and Intendencia of Buenos Aires. There has been Paraguayan presence in Argentine soil during and after the

Paraguayan War The Paraguayan War (, , ), also known as the War of the Triple Alliance (, , ), was a South American war that lasted from 1864 to 1870. It was fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay. It wa ...

and after the Revolution of 1947 in Paraguay but it did not acquire importance before 1970. For many economic reasons (Paraguay being an impoverished country) and political reasons (

Stroessner Alfredo Stroessner Matiauda (; 3 November 1912 – 16 August 2006) was a Paraguayan politician, army general and military dictator who ruled as the 42nd president of Paraguay from 15 August 1954 until his overthrow in 1989. Known there as '' ...

dictatorship), Paraguayans started to settle in larger amounts throughout the wealthier neighbouring territory. Another fact was the porosity of Argentine borders and that the population density has always been disproportionally higher in the Eastern region (Argentine-Brazilian border) rather than the Western region or Chaco (Bolivian border). Very different from other immigrant communities in Argentina (European and Middle-Eastern), Paraguayan entrance has been large (with insignificant return rate) and constant even to these days which makes up to 40 years of sustained immigration that does not seem to stop or decline in the future.

Distribution

According to the , the distribution of Paraguayan-born residents in Argentina is not evenly spread throughout Argentina's territory:

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...

and the

Buenos Aires Province Buenos Aires, officially the Buenos Aires Province, is the largest and most populous Provinces of Argentina, Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of the province an ...

are the top destinations for Paraguayans. In addition, due to geographical proximity facilitating movement and cultural exchange, 40% of the Paraguayan-born community is settled in provinces of the Northeastern region of Argentina, namely

Misiones Misiones (, ''Missions'') is one of the 23 provinces of Argentina, located in the northeastern corner of the country in the Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by Paraguay to the northwest, Brazil to the north, east and south, and Corrientes P ...

Corrientes Corrientes (; Guaraní: Taragui, literally: "Currents") is the capital city of the province of Corrientes, Argentina, located on the eastern shore of the Paraná River, about from Buenos Aires and from Posadas, on National Route 12. It has ...

Formosa Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The island of Taiwan, formerly known to Westerners as Formosa, has an area of and makes up 99% of the land under ROC control. It lies about across the Taiwan Strait f ...

, Santa Fe,

Córdoba Córdoba most commonly refers to: * Córdoba, Spain, a major city in southern Spain and formerly the imperial capital of Islamic Spain * Córdoba, Argentina, the second largest city in Argentina and the capital of Córdoba Province Córdoba or Cord ...

and Chaco, which are near the

Argentina–Paraguay border The Argentina–Paraguay border is the line that limits the territories of Argentina and Paraguay. This boundary is solely defined by three major rivers: the Pilcomayo River, Pilcomayo, Paraná River, Paraná and Paraguay River, Paraguay, being on ...

. The 10% left is spread throughout the rest of the provinces.

Traditions

Some cultural elements shared by Argentina and Paraguay include the consumption of

yerba mate Yerba mate or yerba maté (), ''Ilex paraguariensis'', is a plant species of the holly genus native to South America. It was named by the French botanist Augustin Saint-Hilaire. The leaves of the plant can be steeped in hot water to make a bev ...

(''Ilex paraguayensis'') in the form of

mate Mate may refer to: Science * Mate, one of a pair of animals involved in: ** Mate choice, intersexual selection *** Mate choice in humans ** Mating * Multi-antimicrobial extrusion protein, or MATE, an efflux transporter family of proteins Pers ...

, a traditional infused drink with hot water claimed by Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay as the national drink, as well as

Tereré (of Guaraní origin) is an infusion of (botanical name ''Ilex paraguariensis'') prepared with cold water, a lot of ice and ''pohã ñana'' (medicinal herbs), and in a slightly larger vessel. This infusion has its roots in Pre-Columbian Americ ...

, a traditional infused drink with cold water and

Mate cocido ''Dicionário escolar da língua portuguesa/Academia Brasileira de Letras''. 2ª edição. São Paulo. Companhia Editora Nacional. 2008. p. 295. (, 'boiled maté', or just in Corrientes Province), (, 'maté tea'), (), or ( Cuyo, Argentina) ...

, a traditional infused drink with hot water, both originally from Paraguay; Chamame, folk music genre with its origins in Guarani Jesuit Missions mixed with European styles, and the use of the

Guaraní Language Guarani (Avañe'ẽ), also called Paraguayan Guarani, is a language of South America that belongs to the Tupi–Guarani branch of the Tupian language family. It is one of the two official languages of Paraguay (along with Spanish), where i ...

, which is the official language of Paraguay and second official language of the Argentine

Corrientes Province Corrientes (, ‘currents’ or ‘streams’; ), officially the Province of Corrientes (; ) is a Provinces of Argentina, province in northeast Argentina, in the Mesopotamia, Argentina, Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by (from the north, cl ...

since 24 September 2004.

Guarani placenames in Argentina

Corrientes

Ituzaingó Curuzú Cuatiá Caá Catí Cerro Corá Mburucuyá ("Passion flower" the National flower of Paraguay) Mocoretá Tabay ("small town") Tapebicua Tatacuá ("the hole of the fire") Taragui Yahapé Yataytí Calle Yapeyú Itatí Itá Ibaté ("tall stone") Guaviraví Vaca Cuá Ita Corá Aguay

Misiones

Oberá ("shiny") Caa Yarí Capiobí Caraguatay Garuhapé Garuhapé-Mi Garupá

Guaraní Guarani, Guaraní or Guarany may refer to Ethnography * Guaraní people, an indigenous people from South America's interior (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia) * Guarani language, or Paraguayan Guarani, an official language of Paraguay * G ...

Itacaruaré Mbopicuá ("hole of the bat") Panambí ("butterfly") Pindapoy Piray Kilómetro 18 Puerto Iguazú (Iguazú meaning "large water") Puerto Piray (Piray meaning "small fish") Tarumá Tacuaruzú Cuña-Pirú

Chaco

Samuhú ("Chorisia" a kind of subtropical tree) Colonia Tacuarí

El Paranacito El Paranacito, also Villa Paranacito, is a village and municipality in Argentina located in the department of San Fernando in the southeast of Chaco. It is named after the arm of the Paraná River The Paraná River ( ; ; ) is a river in so ...

Salta

Aguaray Yariguarenda Yacuy El Aguay Acambuco Itangua Tobantirenda Capiazuti

Santa Fe

Tacuarendí ("sugarcane fields") El Arazá Caraguatay Aguará Grande Ñanducita ("small spider") Tacural ("anthills")

Vera Vera may refer to: Names *Vera (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) * Vera (given name), a given name (including a list of people and fictional characters with the name) **Vera (), archbishop of the archdiocese of Tarr ...

("shiny")

Carcarañá Carcarañá is a city in the , located in the San Lorenzo Department, on the southern banks of the Carcarañá River, west of Rosario on National Route 9, and south of the provincial capital. As of the it has about 22,000 inhabitants. Carcara ...

("mean caracara")

Santiago del Estero

Añatuya Añatuya is a city in the province of Santiago del Estero, Argentina. It has 23,286 inhabitants as per the , and is the head town of the General Taboada Department. It lies on the southeast of the province, east of the Salado River, and about 150& ...

Caburé Urutaú

Tucumán

'' Tukumã'' Tapia ("wall") El Timbo

Formosa

Pirané Pirané is a settlement in northern Argentina. It is located in Formosa Province. Overview Located on land bordering a number of lagoons, and known by the Tobas as "Puganagay" (green fields), the initial settlement developed with the arrival of ...

("smelly fish") Ibarreta Yatai Tatané

Entre Ríos

Gualeguay

Paraná Paraná, Paranã or Parana may refer to: Geology * Paraná Basin, a sedimentary basin in South America Places In Argentina *Paraná, Entre Ríos, a city * Paraná Department, a part of Entre Ríos Province In Brazil *Paraná (state), a state ...

Mandisoví Villaguay Ubajay Gualeguaychú Chajarí Ñancay Ibicuy

Buenos Aires Province

Pehuajó Pehuajó () is a city in the Pehuajó Partido (Pehuajó district) in the provinces of Argentina, province of Buenos Aires Province, Buenos Aires, Argentina. The partido has about 38,400 inhabitants as per the . The name of this relatively small c ...

, Reta "''retã"'' ("country or nation"),

Mar de Ajó Mar de Ajó is a coastal city in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, and is located in the southern end of the seaside La Costa Partido (the Coast District). The region is known as the Tuju Corner (Rincón del Tuyú). Etymology It owes its name to ...

Mar del Tuyú Mar del Tuyú is a resort town and administrative seat of La Costa Partido, on the Argentine Atlantic Coast, with access to Provincial Route 11. Overview According to INDEC, the population of Mar del Tuyú was 6,916 in 2001, including (Costa ...

San Bernardo del Tuyú San Bernardo del Tuyú is a city in the seaside La Costa District of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. History and overview Founded by the ''Compañía Inmobiliara del Este Argentino S.R.L.'', a partnership of ten investors led by Juan ...

, Ituzaingó ("waterfall")

Rivers

Paraná Paraguay ("colorful water") Uruguay ("water of the

birds Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...

") Carapari Gualeguay Gualeguaychú Guayquiraró Rivers of the

Paraná Delta The Paraná Delta () is the delta of the Paraná River in Argentina and it consists of several islands known as the Islas del Paraná. The Paraná flows north–south and becomes an alluvial basin (a flood plain) between the Argentine provinces ...

Ibicuy

Notable Paraguayan Argentines

Politicians

Aníbal Ibarra Aníbal Ibarra (born March 1, 1958) is an Argentine lawyer and politician who served as mayor of Buenos Aires. Biography Ibarra was born in Lomas de Zamora, a district located in the southern region of Greater Buenos Aires. His father was a P ...

(born 1958), former

mayor of Buenos Aires This is a list of mayors and chiefs of government of the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina's capital, since its federalization. Its first Mayor (, Intendant) was Torcuato de Alvear, who was appointed by President Julio Argentino Roca followin ...

Vilma Ibarra Vilma Lidia Ibarra (born 21 May 1960) is an Argentine lawyer and politician, formerly a Senator and National Deputy representing Buenos Aires. From 2019 to 2023, she served as the Legal and Technical Secretary of the Presidency under President ...

(born 1960), former congresswoman

Arts and culture

Arnaldo André Arnaldo André (born November 12, 1943) is a Paraguayan actor for soap-operas. He spent most of his career in Argentina, where he has been active since 1964. He earned a Martín Fierro award in 2010, and his most recent work was in the ''Los ún ...

(born 1943), actor * Julio Bazan (born 1946), journalist *

Gabriel Casaccia Benigno Gabriel Casaccia Bibolini (April 20, 1907 – November 24, 1980) was a Paraguayan novelist. He is considered the father of modern Paraguayan literature. Augusto Roa Bastos, another notable Paraguayan novelist, is quoted as saying “Gabri ...

(1907–1980), novelist * Florencia de la V (born 1975), television presenter and vedette *

Mariana Enríquez Mariana Enríquez (born 1973) is an Argentine journalist, novelist, and short story writer. She is a part of the group of writers known as "new Argentine narrative". Her short stories fall within the horror and gothic genres and have been publis ...

(born 1973), novelist and short story writer * Eloy Fariña Núñez (1885–1929), writer *

Pablo Lescano Pablo Sebastián Lescano (born 8 December 1977) is an Argentine singer, composer, keyboardist, and leader of ''Cumbia villera'' group Damas Gratis from 2000. He is considered by many as the founder of the Cumbia villera sub-genre. Biography B ...

(born 1977),

cumbia villera Cumbia villera () (roughly translated as "slum cumbia", "ghetto cumbia", or " shantytown cumbia", from '' villa miseria'', "slum") is a subgenre of cumbia music originating in Argentina in the late 1990s and popularized all over Latin America an ...

musician *

Ángel Menchaca Ángel Menchaca (March 1, 1855 – May 8, 1924) was an Argentine music theorist of Paraguayan birth. Born in Asunción, Menchaca was of Basque extraction. Trained for a career in the law, he taught history and literature in Buenos Aires. In 1914 ...

(1855–1924), music theorist and composer *

Nelly Prono Nelly Prono (August 7, 1926 – August 29, 1997) was a Paraguayan actress who had a long career in Argentine theatre, radio, television and film. She began in Argentine theatre in 1947 with María Esther Podestá. She appeared in productions s ...

(1926–1997), actress

Sportspeople

Roberto Acuña Roberto Miguel Acuña Cabello (; born 25 March 1972) is a Paraguayan former footballer. Nicknamed "''El Toro"'' (The Bull) due to his strength and dominating presence, he operated mainly as a central midfielder. He spent several years as a ...

(born 1972), footballer *

Lucas Barrios Lucas Ramón Barrios Cáceres (; born 13 November 1984) is a Paraguayan former professional footballer who played as a forward. Barrios is known for his effectiveness in the target area. This earned him his nickname ''La Pantera'', which means ...

(born 1984), footballer * Walter Benítez (born 1993), footballer *

Raúl Bobadilla Raúl Marcelo Bobadilla (born 18 June 1987) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for Swiss club Aarau. Born in Argentina, he plays for the Paraguay national team. Career Early career Bobadilla originally started out at River Pl ...

(born 1987), footballer *

Juan José Cáceres Juan José Cáceres (born 1 June 2000) is a professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Russian Premier League club Dynamo Moscow. Born in Argentina, he plays for the Paraguay national team. Career Cáceres spent eight years in the y ...

(born 2000), footballer *

Marcelo Cañete Marcelo Cañete (born 16 April 1990) is an Argentine-Paraguayan footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Santiago Wanderers in the Primera B de Chile. Career Cañete started his professional career with Boca Juniors, debuting with the ...

(born 1990), footballer *

Darío Espínola Ludovino Darío Espínola Alegre, known as Darío Espínola, is an Argentine football manager and former player who played as a right back. He is the current interim manager of Arsenal de Sarandí. He is nicknamed "Cafu" after the famous Brazi ...

(born 1973), footballer *

Luis Fariña Luis Carlos Fariña Olivera (born 20 April 1991) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder. Club career Born in Buenos Aires, Fariña graduated from Racing Club de Avellaneda's youth system. He made his profe ...

(born 1991), footballer * Nicole Hain (born 2000), futsal player *

Juan Iturbe Juan Manuel Iturbe Arévalo (born 4 June 1993) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Cerro Porteño. Born in Argentina, Iturbe represented the Paraguay national team in a friendly match in 2009. After the friendly, he declare ...

(born 1993), footballer * David Martínez (born 1998), footballer * Hilario Navarro (born 1980), footballer *

Leandro Paredes Leandro Daniel Paredes (; born 29 June 1994) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Serie A club Roma and the Argentina national team. He was part of the Argentina squad that won the 2022 FIFA World Cup. ...

(born 1994), footballer and

2022 World Cup The 2022 FIFA World Cup was the 22nd FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022, after the country was awarded the hosting ri ...

champion for Argentina *

Jonathan Santana Jonathan Santana Gehre (born 19 October 1981) is an Argentina-born Paraguayan former football midfielder and current model. He played for the Paraguay national team from 2007 to 2016. Santana was a key part of Paraguay's national team whilst un ...

(born 1981), footballer * Julio Soler (born 2005), footballer

References

External links

{{Immigration to Argentina Argentina–Paraguay relations