The Polonia reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004
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Polonia

Polonia is the Latin name for Poland. Today, it is usually used in Poland to refer to people of Polish origin who live outside Polish borders.

There are millions of Poles living outside Poland. Reasons vary from border shifts to forced resettlement to political or economic emigration. Major Polonia communities can be found in Germany and the United States.

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Table of contents
1 Europe
2 North America
3 Latin America
4 Kresy
5 Russia and Kazakhstan
6 Asia, Australia and Pacific
7 Africa

Europe

Political and economic emigration since early 19th century.

Germany

The second biggest Polonia in the world, numbers from 1.5 to 2 million people. The main Polonia organization is
Kongres Polonii Niemieckiej / Polnischer Kongress in Deutchland.

France

Britain

Czech Republic

Post-WW1 bordrer shifts (
Teschen Silesia).

North America

Political and economic emigration since mid-19th century.

United States

American Polonia is the biggest in the world. The number of Polish-Americans is estimated at 9 million. Most of them live in the north-eastern part of the country, notably
New York (1.2 million), Illinois (1 million), Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Chicago is considred the biggest Polish city outside Poland. The major Polonia organization is Kongres Polonii Amerykańskiej / Polish American Congress.

Canada

See: Kongres Polonii Kanadyjskiej / Canadian Polish Congress.

Latin America

Political and economic emigration since mid-19th century.

Kresy

Post-WW2 Border shifts. See Polish minority in Soviet Union.

Lithuania

Belarus

Ukraine

Russia and Kazakhstan

Forced resettlement during 19th and 20th centuries. See Polish minority in Soviet Union.

Asia, Australia and Pacific

Catholic missions, etc.

Africa

Catholic missions, etc.