From the late 1800s to early 1900s, as many as 16 million people left Italy for more opportunity elsewhere. About five million of them came to the United States. Most were from Southern Italy. But they also went to other countries like Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, Canada, Mexico, the UK, and Australia.

In Argentina, about 60% of the population can claim Italian ancestry. There, the majority of immigrants were from regions of Northern Italy, and Southern Italian immigrants came later to Argentina. Over one million immigrants went to Brazil, and São Paulo has been described as an “Italian city.” Again, there were more Northern Italian immigrants to the country, but Southern Italians arrived after World War II.