The History of the Arabs of South America

posted on: Aug 14, 2024

By Liam Nagle / Arab America Contributing Writer

One of the last places you might expect to see Arabs is in a place like South America. However, did you know that there’s a substantial Arab population on that continent alone? And not only that, but the country with the highest population of Arabs outside of the Arab world is – of all places – Brazil! Many immigrants came from the modern-day countries of Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan, but why? How did this come to be, and when did they come?

Immigration to South America

South America received an influx of Arab immigrants in the late 1800s and into the 1900s, much like the United States and other parts of the world. There were multiple reasons for this, somewhat specific to the time period when they arrived. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, reasons for emigration ranged from persecution at the hands of the Ottomans, to simply wanting a better life or job in a new country due to the Ottoman decline. Reaching the early to mid-1900s, many Arabs started to leave the Middle East due to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the increasing instability in the region.

But why did many choose to immigrate to South America specifically? For the early Arab immigrants, since many were being persecuted for their Christian beliefs in the Ottoman Empire, they sought out areas that promised them religious tolerance – and South America, where Christianity was the most popular religion, was one such place. Secondly, South America also received an influx in jobs and wanted immigrants to take them.

Given that Arab emigrants sometimes left the Middle East specifically in search of better jobs, going to South America seemed like the most obvious choice. This was further helped by the benefits the South American states would offer potential immigrants, such as Argentina’s offer of free lodging for Syrian immigrants arriving in Buenos Aires.

However, the reasons they immigrated to South America also stemmed from where they couldn’t go. Immigrants would be denied entry into the United States for various reasons, including immigration bans and stringent health screenings. Whereas the United States utilized these health tests and eventually limited immigration from Asia altogether in the Immigration Act of 1924, countries in South America didn’t often have such stringent tests or bans.

Brazilian Arabs

Brazil currently has the largest population of Arabs outside of the Arab world, with a total of between 11 million and 20 million Arabs. This far exceeds the runner-up country, France, which has between 5 million and 7 million.

The first Arab immigrants arrived in 1880, most coming from areas around Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine. By 1920, there were 50,246 Syrian and Lebanese people in Brazil. Arab immigration to Brazil halted in 1929, resulting in only 48,614 “Syrian, Lebanese, and other related groups” in 1940. Most of the Arabs in Brazil during this period remained in Sao Paolo in southern Brazil, with that city making up 49.3% of the Arab population in Brazil. Over the past century, approximately 200,000 Middle Eastern and Arab immigrants arrived in Brazil.

Many of the Arab immigrants integrated into Brazilian culture. With most of the Arabs being Christian, intermarriage between Brazilians and Arabs was very high. However, this has also meant that there has been a language shift away from Arabic, with much of the Arab-descended populace only able to speak Portuguese as a first language. Nevertheless, some elements of Arab culture have persevered in Brazil. For example, it isn’t hard to find restaurants in the major cities that cook Arab food, cooking foods including hummus, tabbouleh, sfiha, and halwas.

Argentine Arabs

Argentina is the second-most Arab-populated country in South America, with approximately 3.5 million Arabs. It is fifth in the world for a number of Arab immigrants, placing just behind the United States.

Interestingly, the first mention of Arabs in Argentina goes back to the 1400s. Arab Muslims on the Iberian peninsula were being persecuted during the Spanish Inquisition, resulting in many Arabs taking up jobs with Spanish explorers who traveled to the Americas – and then choosing to stay there in some of the very first colonies. However, it wasn’t until the late 1800s and early 1900s that Arabs came to Argentina in force, with many coming from Lebanon and Syria. The immigrants spread out all over Argentina – some stayed in the major cities like Buenos Aires. Still, others settled in areas such as the Cuyo Region, whose landscape and climate somewhat resembled the Middle East.

Arabs Elsewhere in South America

Colombia, Venezuela, and Chile are just three examples of South American countries with Arab immigrants – with 3.2 million, 1.6 million, and 800,000 Arabs, respectively. However, Arabs settled in almost every South American country to some extent. The story is similar across these contexts – Arabs arrived in the late 1800s and into the 1900s for various reasons, eventually integrating into South American culture by adopting its customs, language, and sometimes even religious sects. In Colombia, Arab immigrants even took Spanish versions of their Arabic last names, such as “Guerra” (from Harb), “Duran” (from Doura), and “Lara” (from Larach). Venezuela also has a fascinating history, with the largest Druze population outside of the Arab world – with 60,000 people.

Although many integrated into South American culture, the influence of Arabs in South America can still be seen today – and not only in food. Several prominent figures from South America are Arab descendants, including businessmen, politicians, and musicians. No matter where they are, it’s clear that Arabs make an impact everywhere they go.

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