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The Poles (Template:Lang-pl) are a western Slavic people inhabiting the country of Poland (in Central Europe) and a number of other states in the world, where they form a significant Polish diaspora.

There is no commonly accepted definition of the Poles. According to the preamble of the Constitution of Poland, the Polish Nation consists of all citizens of Poland. However, like in most European countries, many people limit the group to native speakers of the Polish language, people that share certain views or traditions, or people who share a common ethnic background originating from Poland. As to the ethnicity, the name of the nation comes from a western Slavic ethnic group primarily associated with Poland and the Polish language. Poles belong to the Lechitic subgroup of these ethnic people. The Polans of Giecz, Gniezno, and Poznań were one of the most influential tribes of Greater Poland and managed to unite many other West Slavic tribes in the area under the rule of what became the Piast dynasty, thus giving birth to a new state. The Polish name for a Pole is Polak (male) and Polka (female).

Statistics

Poles are the second largest Slavic nation after Russians in terms of population number, just ahead of Ukrainians, and the largest predominantly Roman Catholic one. Estimates vary greatly, though most data suggests a total number around 50 million. There are 38 million Poles in Poland alone as well as autochthonous Polish minorities in the surrounding countries such as Germany, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Belarus. There are some smaller minorities in other nearby countries like Moldova and Latvia. Note that there was/is also a Polish minority in the Soviet Union which included autochthonous Poles as well as some forcibly transferred Poles. The total number of Poles in the former Soviet Union is estimated at 3 million.

The term "Polonia" is usually used in Poland to refer to people of Polish origin who live outside Polish borders, officially estimated at around 10 to 12 million. There is a notable Polish diaspora in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil (see Polish Brazilian). In the United States a significant number of Polish immigrants settled in Chicago, Detroit, New York City, and Buffalo. In recent years, since joining the European Union, many Polish people have emigrated to countries such as Ireland, where an estimated 150,000 Polish people have entered the labour market and in the United Kingdom, where a quarter of a million have entered.

Medieval Polish tribes

The following is the list of tribes that constituted the lands of Poland in the early Middle Ages, at the beginning of the Polish state. Some of them have remained a separate ethnicity while others have been assimilated into the culture of Poland.

• Mazurians
• Polans
• Silesians
• Warmiaks
• Pomeranians
  • Kashubians
  • Slovincians
  • Kociewiacy
  • Borowiacy
• Bieżuńczanie
• Bobrzanie
• Dziadoszanie
• Golęszyce
• Goplans
• Lędzianie
• Masovians
• Opolanie
• Kujawianie
• Pyrzyczanie
• Ślężanie
• Trzebowianie
• Vistulans

European Union

Since Poland joined the EU in May 2004, 307,670 Poles have registered to work in the United Kingdom, although since many of these work in seasonal occupations such as agriculture, a large number are likely to have since returned home. Although they have been well received, due to the fact that the vast majority are in employment and few claim benefits, the migration has caused some controversy, as local schools, hospitals and housing are put under increasing pressure, especially in rural areas unused to receiving large number of migrants. Another 200,000 Poles have emigrated to Ireland as well as other Western EU nations.

Ethnic Poles

Ethnic Poles are those who are considered by others or by themselves, to be ethnically Polish rather than anything else but who do not live within Poland nor hold its citizenship. People in this category are usually considered ethnic Poles by others, but sometimes by themselves. For instance, some people with visibly Polish surnames in Germany and Austria who do not consider themselves as Poles are sometimes considered ethnic Poles. The concept of ethnic Poles can be defined by this following criteria:

Ethnic Poles are people who may not have a connection to the Polish language, culture or citizenship, but are identified or seen as being Polish in countries outside of Poland, due to such factors as having Polish or partly Polish parents or ancestors. This is an attempt to explain Polish identity whether it comes from others or oneself. People with Polish or partly-Polish family names can be discussed even if nothing else is known about their ancestry at the present time except for that.

Notes

1. Excel spreadsheet from Polish Central Statistical Office
2. Poles in US (PDF) The American Community Survey 2004 by the US Census Bureau estimates 9,385,233 people claiming Polish ancestry.
3. German text about polish migrants. Lists with Germanys aliens.
4. 1.5 milion people in Germany have a connection to the Polish language, culture and their family in Poland. Only 330,000 people in Germany has not the german citizenship (2005).
5. Poles in Brazil
6. List of Canadians by ethnicity
7. Poles in Argentina
8. Poles in Belarus
9. Poles in Lithuania
10. Poles in Australia
11. Poles in Ukraine
12. Poles in Russia
13. CIA World Factbook
14. http://wtd.vlada.cz/files/rvk/rnm/zprava_mensiny_2001_en.pdf
15. Poles in Italy
17. Poles in Netherlands
18. Poles in Austria
20. Poles around the World (>polonia > statystyka)
21. This estimate includes people of non-primary ethnic origin.
22. Home Office, Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue & Customs and Department for Communities and Local Government, Accession Monitoring Report: May 2004-September 2006, 21 November 2006, accessed 22 November 2006.

See also

• List of Poles
• Demographics of Poland
• Polonia
• Name of Poland (etymology of the demonym)

External links

• History of Polish war veterans being admitted to Canada after World War II
• PolishPlanet (Polish Community in the UK)

• Ethnic groups in Poland
• Polish people
• Slavic nations