Polish Argentines (Spanish: polaco-argentinos; Polish: polscy argentyńczycy) are Argentine citizens of full or partial Polish ancestry or Poland-born people who reside in Argentina. Poland was the fourth largest net migrants contributor after Italy, Spain and Germany. Although it is hard to give an exact number of Polish immigrants to Argentina, as those who immigrated before 1919 carried German, Austrian or Russian passports, it is estimated that between 1921 and 1976, 169,335 Poles permanently settled in the country.[2] Today there are 500,000 Argentines of Polish descent.[3][4] The Polish minority in Argentina is both one of the most significant minorities in Argentina and one of the largest groups of Polish diaspora.
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It is not easy to determine the number of Poles who immigrated to Argentina. Before 1919, they were registered as Germans, Austrians, or Russians. Polish immigrants to Argentina were made up of three distinct groups: the Catholic ethnic Poles (25%), the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Ruthenians (45-50%) and the Polish Jews (25-30%). Between 1921 and 1976, 169,335 immigrants from Poland permanently settled in Argentina.[citation needed]
The first Poles arrived in Argentina during the 19th century. In 1890, the first Polish organization in Argentina was founded (Towarzystwo Polskie). For many years, the Misiones Province was the major Polish center in Argentina.[5]
Today it is estimated that between over 1 million Argentines have Polish ancestry. Over a quarter of Misiones population has Polish roots (250,000 persons),[6] the highest concentration of Polish Argentines in the country. About 140,000 Poles live in Buenos Aires; other Argentine cities with large Polish populations include Córdoba, Rosario and Santa Fe.[7]
A major organization of the Polish minority is the Polish Association in Argentina (Związek Polaków w Argentynie).
In 1995 the Argentine National Congress made June 8 Polish Settlers' Day.[8]
