Palestinian Nicaraguan
Encyclopedia
Palestinian Nicaraguan (Spanish: Palestino Nicaragüense) are Nicaragua
ns of Palestinian
ancestry who were born in or have immigrated to Nicaragua. They are part of the ethnic Arab diaspora
.
n countries, established laws or issued ordinances that restricted the entry of Arabs, forbade the stay of Arabs already present in the country and curtailed the expansion of their commercial
activities.
Although the exact number of Palestinians is not available, Guzmán writes "it is possible that from the end of the nineteenth century until 1917, when the Ottoman Empire
entered its final decline, during World War I
, 40 Palestinian families arrived in Nicaragua". By 2000 it was estimated that there were 500 families of Palestine Arabs and Palestinian descendants in Nicaragua. The Palestinians that arrived in Nicaragua were mostly Christians and a small number of Muslims, the majority of which came from rural villages near Ramallah
, Jerusalem, Beit Jala
and Bethlehem
.
When the Palestinians arrived in Nicaragua, many came from rural areas and had experience with agricultural work which most continued doing, however, not many were able to buy land. The few Palestinians that managed to buy land for agriculture managed to do so mainly in the Sabana Grande area of the department of Nueva Segovia
in Northern Nicaragua. Despite the few people who managed to buy land many Palestinians immersed themselves in commerce
. They received great profit
s after founding stores
in cities such as Managua
, Granada
and Masaya
, where the majority of which decided to settle. The stores founded by Palestinian immigrants varied from Clothing to Food stores, some of the more successful stores they founded were Tienda París Loundres, Almacén Dajer, La Media Luna among others.
The Palestinians in Nicaragua tried to attract non-Palestinian Arabs by founding the Club Árabe (Arab Club) in 1958, and although they managed to get Syrian
s and Lebanese
to join, 80% of the members were Palestinian.
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
ns of Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
ancestry who were born in or have immigrated to Nicaragua. They are part of the ethnic Arab diaspora
Arab diaspora
Arab diaspora refers to Arab immigrants, and their descendants who, voluntarily or as refugees, emigrated from their native lands and now reside in non-Arab countries, primarily in Latin America, and Europe, as well as North America and South Asia, parts of Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and West...
.
History
At different points during the 1890s to the 1940s Nicaragua, and many other Latin AmericaLatin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n countries, established laws or issued ordinances that restricted the entry of Arabs, forbade the stay of Arabs already present in the country and curtailed the expansion of their commercial
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
activities.
Although the exact number of Palestinians is not available, Guzmán writes "it is possible that from the end of the nineteenth century until 1917, when the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
entered its final decline, during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, 40 Palestinian families arrived in Nicaragua". By 2000 it was estimated that there were 500 families of Palestine Arabs and Palestinian descendants in Nicaragua. The Palestinians that arrived in Nicaragua were mostly Christians and a small number of Muslims, the majority of which came from rural villages near Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
, Jerusalem, Beit Jala
Beit Jala
Beit Jala is an Arab Christian town in the Bethlehem Governorate of the West Bank. Beit Jala is located 10 km south of Jerusalem, on the western side of the Hebron road, opposite Bethlehem, at altitude...
and Bethlehem
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
.
Culture and lifestyle
Nueva Segovia
Nueva Segovia is a department in Nicaragua. It covers an area of 3,123 km² and has a population of 211,200 . The capital is Ocotal.- Municipalities :# Ciudad Antigua# Dipilto# El Jícaro# Jalapa# Macuelizo# Mozonte# Murra# Ocotal...
in Northern Nicaragua. Despite the few people who managed to buy land many Palestinians immersed themselves in commerce
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
. They received great profit
Profit (economics)
In economics, the term profit has two related but distinct meanings. Normal profit represents the total opportunity costs of a venture to an entrepreneur or investor, whilst economic profit In economics, the term profit has two related but distinct meanings. Normal profit represents the total...
s after founding stores
Retailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
in cities such as Managua
Managua
Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua as well as the department and municipality by the same name. It is the largest city in Nicaragua in terms of population and geographic size. Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Xolotlán or Lake Managua, the city was declared the national capital in...
, Granada
Granada, Nicaragua
Granada is a city in western Nicaragua and the capital of the Granada Department. With an estimated population of 110,326 , it is Nicaragua's fourth most populous city. Granada is historically one of Nicaragua's most important cities, economically and politically...
and Masaya
Masaya
Masaya, culturally known as the City of Flowers, is the capital city of Masaya department. It is situated approximately 14 km west of Granada and 31 km southeast from Managua. The town of Masaya is situated just East of Masaya Volcano , an active volcano from which the city takes its name...
, where the majority of which decided to settle. The stores founded by Palestinian immigrants varied from Clothing to Food stores, some of the more successful stores they founded were Tienda París Loundres, Almacén Dajer, La Media Luna among others.
The Palestinians in Nicaragua tried to attract non-Palestinian Arabs by founding the Club Árabe (Arab Club) in 1958, and although they managed to get Syrian
Demographics of Syria
Syrians today are an overall indigenous Levantine people. While modern-day Syrians are commonly described as Arabs by virtue of their modern-day language and bonds to Arab culture and history...
s and Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
to join, 80% of the members were Palestinian.