| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| 3.2 million[1] | |
| Languages | |
| Spanish,Arabic | |
| Religion | |
| Roman Catholicism Eastern Catholicism (Maronites) Oriental Orthodox Eastern Orthodoxy Islam Druze | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Lebanese Colombian,Syrian Colombians,Arab Venezuelans,Arab Argentines,Arab Mexicans,Arab Brazilians,Arab diaspora,Arab Christians,Arab Muslims,Druze,Lebanese,Syrians,Palestinians, otherArabs |
Arab Colombians (Arabic:كولومبيون عرب) refers toArab immigrants and their descendants in theRepublic of Colombia. Most of the migrants came fromLebanon,Jordan,Syria andPalestine.[2] When they were first processed in the ports of Colombia, they were classified as Turks because what is nowLebanon,Syria,Jordan andPalestine were then territories of theOttoman Empire. It is estimated that Colombia has aLebanese population of 3.2 million.[1] Meanwhile, the Palestine population is estimated between 100,000-120,000.[3]
Most of the Syrian-Lebanese established themselves in theCaribbean Region of Colombia in the towns ofMaicao,Riohacha,Santa Marta,Lorica,Fundación,Aracataca,Ayapel,Calamar,Ciénaga,Cereté,Montería andBarranquilla near the basin of theMagdalena River. They later expanded to other cities and by 1945 there were Arab Middle Easterners moving inland likeOcaña,Cúcuta,Barrancabermeja,Ibagué,Girardot,Honda,Tunja,Villavicencio,Pereira,Soatá,Neiva,Buga,Chaparral andChinácota. The five major hubs of Levantine Middle Eastern population were present inSanta Marta,Barranquilla,Cartagena,Bogotá andCali. Most arrived as members of theEastern Orthodox andEastern Catholic churches, but the majority becameRoman Catholic. The number of immigrants entering the country vary from 40,000 to 50,000 in 1945. Most of these immigrants were Christians and a tiny minority were Muslims.[2]
Many Arabs adapted their names and surnames to the Spanish language as a way to adapt more quickly in the communities where they arrived. For example, people of Arab origin adapted surnames such as Guerra (originally Harb), Domínguez (Ñeca), Durán (Doura), Lara (Larach), Cristo (Salibe) among other surnames.[4][5]
