Argentines are the people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being Argentine. In the past the National Gentilic for Citizens of Argentina was mistakenly translated as Argentinians, a term that is no longer considered accurate.[13][14]
Argentina is a multiethnic society, home to people of various ethnic, racial, religious, denomination, and national origins, with the majority of the population made up of Old World immigrants and their descendants.[15][16][17] As a result, Argentines do not equate their nationality with ethnicity, but with citizenship and allegiance to Argentina. Aside from the indigenous population, nearly all Argentines or their ancestors immigrated within the past five centuries. Among countries in the world that have received the most immigrants in modern history, Argentina, with 6.6 million, ranks second to the United States (27 million), and ahead of other immigrant destinations such as Canada, Brazil and Australia.[18][19]
Argentina is a multiethnic society, which means that it is home to people of many different ethnic, racial, religious, and denominational backgrounds. Argentina is a melting pot of different peoples.[20]
In the mid-19th century a large wave of immigration started to arrive in Argentina due to new Constitutional policies that encouraged immigration, and issues in the countries the immigrants came from, such as wars, poverty, hunger, and famines. The main immigration sources were from Europe, the countries from the Near and the Middle East, Russia, and Japan. Eventually, Argentina became the country with the second-largest number of immigrants in the period, with 6.6 million, second only to the United States with 27 million.[18][19]
Therefore, most Argentines are of full or partial European descent (with a significant indigenous component, and a less prominent black component), and are either descendants of colonial-era settlers and/or of the 19th and 20th century immigrants from Europe.[21]
The most common ethnic groups are "Caucasians" (mostly Spanish and Italian descent) and/or "Mestizos" (mixed European and Native American ancestry).[22] According to Argentine government websites, it is estimated that more than 20 million Argentines, more than 46% of the total population, have Italian ancestry, wholly or in part.[23][24] Argentines descend mostly from Spaniards, Italians, Native Americans and to a lesser extent from French, Germans, Arabs, Slavs, Irish, Sub-Saharan Africans, East Asians, etc.
In the 1778 census, mulattoes were included in the "Black" category despite having up to 50% White blood.
Genetics studies
Genetic ancestry of the average Argentine gene pool according to Caputo et al. (2021) using X-DIPs (matrilineal).[21] The average is Castizo (with Spanish and Italian ancestry):
Large comprehensive studies across Argentina's many regions in order to characterize the genetic admixture have been lacking. Small sample size studies give the following composition.
Homburguer et al., 2015, PLOS One Genetics: 67% European, 28% Amerindian, 4% African and 1.4% Asian.[30]
Olivas et al., 2017, Nature: 84,1% European and 12,8% Amerindian.[31]
Seldin et al., 2006, American Journal of Physical Anthropology: 78.0% European, 19.4% Amerindian and 2.5% African. Using other methods it was found that it could be: 80.2% European, 18.1% Amerindian and 1.7% African.[32]
According to Caputo et al., 2021, the study of autosomal DIPs show that the genetic contribution is 77.8% European, 17.9% Amerindian and 4.2% African. The X-DIPs matrilineal show 52.9% European, 39.6% Amerindian and 7.5% African.[21]
A team led by Daniel Corach conducted a study in 2010, analyzing 246 samples from eight provinces and three different regions of the country. The results were as follows: the analysis of Y-Chromosome DNA revealed a 94.1% of European contribution, and only 4.9% and 0.9% of Native American and Black African contribution, respectively. Mitochondrial DNA analysis again showed a great Amerindian contribution by maternal lineage, at 53.7%, with 44.3% of European contribution, and a 2% African contribution. The study of 24 autosomal markers also proved a large European contribution of 78.5%, against 17.3% of Amerindian and 4.2% Black African contributions.[33]
Several studies found out that the European ancestry in Argentina comes mainly from the Iberian Peninsula and Italy with a much lower contribution from Central and Northern Europe.[38][39] The Italian component appears strongest in the East and Center-West, while the Spanish influence dominates in the North East and North West.[40]
Argentines of total or partial European descent constitute the majority of Argentina's population. Ethnic Europeans include the Argentine descendants of colonists from Spain during the colonial period prior to 1810,[41] and mainly of immigrants from Europe in the great immigratory wave from the mid 19th century to the mid 20th century.[42] No recent Argentine census has included comprehensive questions on ethnicity, although numerous studies have determined that European Argentines have been a majority in the country since 1914.[43] Some international sources claim the European component of the population to be at around 97%.[44]
There are approximately 300,000 Romani descendants in Argentina. They belong to the Romani subgroups Greek, Moldavian and Russian Kalderash, some Lovari and some Chilean Xoraxane. There are also Spanish Kalé and Boyash living in Argentina.[46]
Within the population totals, there may be an imprecise amount of mixed population.
In one of the most comprehensive genetic studies involving the population of Argentina, 441 Argentines from across the North East, North West, Southern, and Central provinces (especially the urban conglomeration of Buenos Aires) of the country, it was observed that the sample population comprised on average of 65% European, followed by 31% Amerindian, and finally 4% of African ancestry; however, this study was unweighted and meant to be a representation of the diversity of Argentine DNA rather than a demonstration of the average ethnic composition of the country. It was also found there were great differences in the ancestry amongst Argentines as one traveled across the country. A study by Daniel Corach that attempted to find the average Argentine ancestry by weighing the population of various regions gave a significantly higher estimate of European ancestry at 78.5% of the average Argentine's autosomal DNA.[47]
Argentina has 35 officially recognized indigenous people groups.[48] As of the 2010 census [INDEC], some 955,032 Argentines (2.38% of the country's population) self-identify as indigenous or first-generation descendants of indigenous peoples.[49]
The most populous indigenous groups were the Aonikenk, Kolla, Qom, Wichí, Diaguita, Mocoví, Huarpe peoples, Mapuche and Guarani[48] Many Argentines also identify as having at least one indigenous ancestor; a genetic study conducted by the University of Buenos Aires in 2011 showed that 56% of the 320 Argentines sampled were shown to have at least one indigenous ancestor in one parental lineage and around 11% had indigenous ancestors in both parental lineages.[50]
According to the Argentine national census of 2010, 149,493[52][53] (0.37% of the country's overall population) identified as Afro-Argentine, although according to gene pools studies, the Argentine population with some degree of Sub-Saharan African descent would be around 7.5%.[21] World Bank and Argentine government estimates have suggested the Argentine population with at least some African ancestry could number over 2 million, or between 4% and 6% of the population.[54][55]
Despite the fact that in the 1960s it was calculated that Argentina owed two thirds of the volume of its population to European immigration,[56] over 5% of Argentines state they have at least one black ancestor, and a further 20% state they do not know whether or not they have any black ancestors.[57][58] Genetic studies carried out in 2005 showed that the average level of African genetic contribution in the population of Buenos Aires is 2.2%, but that this component is concentrated in 10% of the population who display notably higher levels of African ancestry.[59] Today there is still a notable Afro-Argentine community in the Buenos Aires districts of San Telmo and La Boca. There are also quite a few African-descended Argentines in Merlo and Ciudad Evita, in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area.
Immigration from Cape Verde was one of the earliest African migratory flows in the post-colonial era, beginning as early as the late 19th century and well into the 20th century.[60] Today, Cape Verdeans constitute one of the largest African immigrant communities, numbering over 15,000; they mainly live in port cities in Buenos Aires Province, such as Ensenada and Dock Sud.[61] Immigration from Senegal, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Angola and other African countries in recent decades has caused a surge in the country's black population as well.[62]
Argentines of Asian ancestry are defined as either born within Argentina, or born elsewhere and later to become a citizen or resident of Argentina. Asian Argentines settled in Argentina in large numbers during several waves of immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 19th century, West Asian immigrants, primarily from Lebanon and Syria came as a result of the 1860 Mount Lebanon civil war.[63] In the early 20th century, a small wave of East Asian immigrants, particularly from Japan came to the country.
East Asians Argentines
East Asian Argentines at the Korean stand of the 2012 Gastronomic Patio held in Buenos Aires.
The first Argentines of East Asian descent were a small group of Japanese immigrants, mainly from the Okinawa prefecture, which came in the period between the early and mid 20th century. In the 1960s, Koreans began to arrive, and in the 1980s, Taiwanese immigrants. The 1990s brought the largest wave of Asian immigration so far to Argentina, from mainland Chinese immigrants, eventually becoming the fourth largest immigrant community in 2013, after Paraguayans, Bolivians, and Peruvians.[25] The small East Asian Argentine population has generally kept a low profile, and is accepted by greater Argentine society. Primarily living in their own neighbourhoods in Buenos Aires, many currently own their own businesses of varying sizes – largely textiles, grocery stores, and buffet-style restaurants.[citation needed]
Arab-Argentines during the Day of the immigrants in Buenos Aires.
Arabs and Argentines with partial Arab ancestry represent about 3.2 million people, whose ancestry traces back to any of various waves of immigrants, largely from the Levantine region of Western Asia, from what is now Syria and Lebanon; and from Cilicia and Palestine in a lesser extent.[64] Due to the fact that many Arab countries were under control of the Ottoman Empire by the time the large immigration wave took place, most Arabs entered the country with Turkish passports, and so they are colloquially referred to as los turcos.[citation needed]
Although Spanish is dominant, being the national language spoken by virtually all Argentines,[69] at least 40 languages are spoken in Argentina. Languages spoken by at least 100,000 Argentines include Amerindian languages such as Southern Quechua, Guaraní and Mapudungun, and immigrant languages such as German, Italian, English, French or Levantine Arabic.[70]
A high percentage of Argentines are proficient in the English language since its teaching is included in educational establishments as early as kindergarten. According to the 2023 edition of the English Proficiency Index, Argentines have the highest level of English proficiency in Latin America, ranking 28th worldwide. [73]
While of course not everybody falls under a C2 category regarding proficiency in the English language, there's a large number of people who are at least able to hold a conversation and make themselves understood.[citation needed]
Argentina is also home to the largest Muslim minority in Latin America (see Islam in Argentina). Although accurate statistics on religion are not available (because the national census does not solicit religious data), the actual size of Argentina's Muslim community is estimated to be around 1% of the total population (400,000 to 500,000 members), according to the International Religious Freedom Report in 2015.[77][78]Buenos Aires hosts the largest mosque in Latin America.[79]
According to official estimates there are 600,000 Argentines worldwide, and according to estimates by the International Organization for Migration there have been about 806,369 since 2001. The first wave of emigration occurred during the military dictatorship between 1976 and 1983, principally to Spain, the United States, Mexico and Venezuela. During the 1990s, due to the abolition of visas between Argentina and the United States, thousands of Argentines emigrated to North America. The last major wave of emigration occurred during the 2001 crisis, mainly to Europe, especially Spain, although there was also an increase in emigration to neighboring countries, particularly Brazil, Chile and Paraguay.
The rate of Argentine emigration to Europe (especially to Spain and Italy[80]) peaked in the late 1970s and early 1980s and is noteworthy.[81] Spain and Italy have the largest Argentine communities in Europe, however, there are also important communities in France, the United Kingdom and Germany.
^"El INDEC difundió los resultados provisionales Censo 2022: 4 datos claves sobre la población argentina". Página/12. Retrieved 31 January 2023. La población argentina tiene actualmente 46.044.703 habitantes, es decir, 5.927.607 de personas más que las relevadas en el último censo, en 2010. En mayo de 2022, pocos días después del relevamiento, el INDEC había difundido los primeros resultados preliminares, que indicaban que la población argentina tenía 47.327.407 habitantes. Sin embargo el dato fue corregido esta tarde.
^"Canada Census Profile 2021". Census Profile, 2021 Census. Statistics Canada Statistique Canada. 7 May 2021. Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
^"Enrique Oteiza and Susana Novick maintain that "Argentina since the 19th century has become, as have New Zealand, Australia, Canada, USA, Brazil, UAE, and Singapore, a "land of immigrants", meaning a society formed by massive immigration from a minute native population". (Oteiza, Enrique; Novick, Susana. Inmigración y derechos humanos. Política y discursos en el tramo final del menemismoArchived 31 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine. [en línea]. Buenos Aires: Instituto de Investigaciones Gino Germani, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 2000 [Citado FECHA]. (IIGG Documentos de Trabajo, Nº 14). Available on: http://www.iigg.fsoc.uba.ar/docs/dt/dt14.pdf[permanent dead link])]; "The Brazilian anthropologist Darcy Ribeiro places Argentina in a group of "transplanted countries" with Uruguay, Canada, and United States. (Ribeiro, Darcy. Las Américas y la Civilización (1985). Buenos Aires: EUDEBA, pp. 449 ss.); The Argentine historian José Luis Romero defines Argentina as a 'flood country'". (Romero, José Luis. «Indicación sobre la situación de las masas en Argentina (1951)», en La experiencia argentina y otros ensayos, Buenos Aires: Universidad de Belgrano, 1980, p. 64). (in Spanish)
^"Censo 2001–2010" [Table P1. Total population and intercensus absolute and relative variation by province or jurisdiction, 2001–2010]. INDEC (in Spanish). Archived from the original(XLS) on 2 September 2011.
^Departamento de Derecho y Ciencias Políticas de la Universidad Nacional de La Matanza (14 November 2011). "Historias de inmigrantes italianos en Argentina" (in Spanish). infouniversidades.siu.edu.ar. Archived from the original on 26 December 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2018. Se estima que en la actualidad, el 90% de la población argentina tiene alguna ascendencia europea y que al menos 25 millones están relacionados con algún inmigrante de Italia.
^Zulma Reccini de Lates; Lattes, Alfredo E. La población de Argentina(PDF). CICRED. Archived(PDF) from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
^Fejerman, Laura; Carnese, Francisco R.; Goicoechea, Alicia S.; Avena, Sergio A.; Dejean, Cristina B.; Ward, Ryk H. (15 February 2005). "African ancestry of the population of Buenos Aires". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 128 (1): 164–170. doi:10.1002/ajpa.20083. ISSN0002-9483. PMID15714513.
^"Caboverdianos: vientos de cambio" [Cape Verdeans: winds of change]. La Nación (in Spanish). La Nacion Revista. 3 December 2009. Archived from the original on 10 December 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
^Arach, Evelyn (29 December 2008). "Los expulsados de la tierra africana" [Those expelled from African soil] (in Spanish). pagina12.com.ar. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
^Barros, Carolina (23 August 2012). "Argentina's Syrians". buenosairesherald.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
^"Argentina". diaspora.gov.am. Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs of Armenia. Archived from the original on 6 February 2021. Today, the number of Armenians in Argentina is around 120,000....
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