Immigration to Paraguay

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

Although the majority of people mostly descended from Native Americans, Paraguay considers itself as a mestizo country, the result of small scale intermarriage with Europeans (mostly of Spanish origin). Unlike neighbouring countries like Argentina or Brazil, Paraguay did not attract massive numbers of immigrants. 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 large birthrates.

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.

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.