- Mennonites in Paraguay
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Mennonites in Paraguay
Mennonite children in San Juan Bautista.Total population 82,710 (1987)[1] Regions with significant populations Filadelfia, Loma Plata. Religions Anabaptist Scriptures The Bible Languages Plautdietsch, English, Spanish As of 2010, there are 80,000 to 60,000 conservative Russian Mennonites living in Paraguay. In addition to this there are a number of native Paraguayans (mostly Indians) who have converted to Mennonitism. Mennonites contribute heavily to the agricultural and dairy output of Paraguay. Ethnic Mennonites in Paraguay are spread across 19 colonies and in the City of Asuncion. 51% are originally from Canada, while 25% trace their origins to Russia and a further 22% to Mexico. Another 2% are descendants of immigrants from USA.[2]
Contents
Major colonies
There are two major Mennonite concentrations in Paraguay. The first one in the Gran Chaco region, and the second one in Eastern Paraguay.[3]
Colony Location Established Source Population (1987) Menno West 1927 Canada 6,650 Fernheim West 1930 Russia 3,240 Neuland West 1947 Russia 1,330 Friesland East 1937 Russia 720 Volendam East 1947 Russia 690 Bergthal East 1948 Canada 1,490 Sommerfeld East 1948 Canada 1,860 Reinfeld East 1966 Canada 120 Luzy Esperanza East 1967 USA 110 Agua Azul East 1969 USA 170 Rio Verde East 1969 Mexico 2,490 Tres Palmas East 1970 Mixed 220 Santa Clara East 1972 Mexico 130 Rio Corrientes East 1975 USA 180 Florida East 1976 USA 100 Nueva Durango East 1978 Mexico 2,050 Campo Alta East 1980 Mexico / Belize 120 Manitoba East 1983 Mexico 290 Asuncion East N Mixed 750 Paraguay Paraguay 1927 Mixed 22,710 Mennonites of Central Chaco
The Central Chaco region is most probably having the heaviest concentration of ethnic Mennonites anywhere in Latin America. Ethnic Germans (almost all of them Mennonites) formed 32% of the total population of Central Chaco as of 2005. Only the Paraguayan Indians (52%) were more numerous compared to them. Latin Paraguayans, the majority ethnic group in Paraguay constituted just 11% and Braziguayans and Argentines another 5%.[4]
Mennonites have also received some criticism from human right organizations for their involvement with a number of indigenous tribes, including the Ayoreo people in Paraguay.[5]
See also
- Mennonites in Netherlands
- Mennonites in Mexico
- Mennonites in France
- Mennonites in Belize
- Mennonites in Bolivia
References
Mennonites in the Americas North America · South America Sovereign states - Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Jamaica
- Mexico
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
- Trinidad and Tobago
- United States
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
Dependencies and
other territories- Anguilla
- Aruba
- Bermuda
- Bonaire
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Curaçao
- Falkland Islands
- French Guiana
- Greenland
- Guadeloupe
- Martinique
- Montserrat
- Navassa Island
- Puerto Rico
- Saint Barthélemy
- Saint Martin
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Saba
- Sint Eustatius
- Sint Maarten
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- US Virgin Islands
Categories:- Mennonitism in Paraguay
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