Demographics of Venezuela

Venezuela is a country in South America. The Venezuelan people comprise a combination of heritages, primarily Native American and European. The historically present Native American, Spanish colonists, and African slaves have all contributed to varying degrees. Later, waves of European groups (Italians, Spanish, Portuguese and Germans) migrated to Venezuela in the 20th century, influencing many aspects of Venezuelan life, including its culture, language, food, and music though small in number.

About 51% of the population is mestizo (mixed white and indigenous); Europeans and Arabs (whites) make up 43% of the population, Africans 3.6%, Amerindian people 2%, and other races, mostly Asians, make up 1.2%. About 85% of the population live in urban areas in the northern portion of the country and currently resides in the urban conglomerations (Caracas, Maracay, Maracaibo, Valencia, etc.) that are concentrated in Venezuela's northern coastal mountain strip. Nearly half of Venezuela's geographic area lies south of the Orinoco River; however, this region contains only 5% of the Venezuelan population.

estimate puts Venezuela's total population at inhabitants. Additionally, over the past five years, Venezuelan society's general age structure has been trending towards the homologous structure found in Cuba, Western Europe, Japan, and other healthy and rapidly ageing societies. Notably, there has been a significant increase in the proportion and gross numbers of elderly Venezuelans (aged 65 and up), as well as a corresponding drop in the total fertility. More than 7 million people, that is 20 per cent of the population, have left Venezuela in the last years, mostly as refugees due to the economic and political situation.

Population
According to the total population was  in, compared to only 5,482,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 29.5%, 64.9% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 5.6% was 65 years or older.


 * Source:

Vital statistics
Registration of vital events in Venezuela is not complete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.

Births and deaths
Births and deaths:

Other demographic statistics
Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2019.


 * One birth every 53 seconds
 * One death every 3 minutes
 * One net migrant every 45 minutes
 * Net gain of one person every 1 minute

Demographic statistics according to the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.

Total population:
 * 28,644,603 (July 2020 est.)

Ethnic groups:

unspecified Spanish, Italian (13–16%), Portuguese (1.4%), Arab (5%), German (<0.1%), African (3.4%), indigenous peoples (2.7%)

Age structure:




 * 0-14 years: 25.66% (male 3,759,280/female 3,591,897)
 * 15–24 years: 16.14% (male 2,348,073/female 2,275,912)
 * 25–54 years: 41.26% (male 5,869,736/female 5,949,082)
 * 55–64 years: 8.76% (male 1,203,430/female 1,305,285)
 * 65 years and over: 8.18% (male 1,069,262/female 1,272,646) (2020 est.)

Median age:
 * total: 30 years. Country comparison to the world: 124th
 * male: 29.4 years
 * female: 30.7 years (2020 est.)

Birth rate:
 * 17.9 births/1,000 population (2020 est.) Country comparison to the world: 92nd

Death rate:
 * 7.5 deaths/1,000 population (2020 est.) Country comparison to the world: 106th

Total fertility rate:
 * 2.26 children born/woman (2020 est.) Country comparison to the world: 87th

Net migration rate:
 * -3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2020 est.) Country comparison to the world: 184th

Population growth rate:
 * -0.18% (2020 est.) Country comparison to the world: 207th
 * 1.51% (2009 est.).

Contraceptive prevalence rate:
 * 75% (2010)

Dependency ratios:
 * total dependency ratio: 52.6 (2015 est.)
 * youth dependency ratio: 43 (2015 est.)
 * elderly dependency ratio: 9.5 (2015 est.)
 * potential support ratio: 10.5 (2015 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
 * total population: 76.2 years
 * male: 73.2 years
 * female: 79.3 years (2018 est.)

Urbanization:
 * urban population: 88.2% of total population (2018)
 * rate of urbanisation: 1.28% annual rate of change (2015–20 est.)

Languages:

Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2016 est.)


 * total population: 97.1%
 * male: 97%
 * female: 97.2% (2016 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
 * total: 14 years

Unemployment, youth ages 15–24:
 * total: 14.6%. Country comparison to the world: 92nd

Race
According to an autosomal DNA genetic study conducted in 2008 by the University of Brasília (UNB), the composition of Venezuela's population is: 60.60% of European contribution, 23% of Amerindian contribution and 16.30% of African contribution. According the Statistics National Institute of Venezuela, individuals of mixed race constitute the largest demographic group nationwide, comprising approximately half of the population (50%). Following closely are individuals of white ethnicity, accounting for around 43% of the population and predominantly distributed across various regions of the country. These regions include traditional destinations for European immigrants, such as the Coastal Mountain Range, Andean cordillera, the Caribbean islands, and significant urban centers.

While afro-descendants are dispersed throughout the country, comprising around 3.6% of the population, they tend to be concentrated in areas with historical ties to colonial-era slavery, such as the north-central coast (Barlovento region, Ocumare de la Costa) and the southern region of Lake Maracaibo Lowlands. Over time, some black communities have migrated to larger metropolitan areas during the post-colonial period.

Indigenous populations primarily inhabit the southern half of Venezuela, the region known as Guayana south-along the Orinoco River. Additionally, Indigenous communities can be found in the Guajira Peninsula and the eastern part of the country. Together, Indigenous peoples represent approximately 2% of the total population in Venezuela.

Mixed-Race/Moreno Venezuelans
Approximately 50% of Venezuelans identify themselves as mixed-race, indicating mixed ancestry with intermediate features reflecting indigenous, European, and/or African phenotypes (to a lesser extent, this category can include individuals with Arab or Asian ancestry mixed with the aforementioned groups). The intermingling of races in Venezuela commenced in the 16th century when Spanish conquerors and settlers intermarried with indigenous women, owing to the absence of European women in the region. Subsequently, with the introduction of enslaved Africans, a process of racial fusion emerged among the indigenous, European, and African populations. This process persisted over the decades as additional waves of migration from Europe, the Middle East, North America, Latin America, and Asia contributed to Venezuela's diverse genetic landscape. Diverses genetic studies indicate that the mestizo Venezuelan population predominantly possesses a European genetic component (54 - 71.9%), followed by Amerindian (18.6 - 32%), and to a lesser extent, African (9.5 - 16.3%) ancestry, with notable regional variations.

Mestizos are distributed throughout most of the country, with significant concentrations primarily along the northern strip of the Orinoco River (the northern half of the country). Noteworthy towns in the Los Llanos region, such as El Pao (Cojedes), San Antonio (Barinas), Trinidad de La Capilla - Guanarito (Portuguesa), La Union (Barinas), Florida (Portuguesa), and Libertad de Orituco (Guárico), boast a majority of residents belonging to this ethnic group, with over 75% mestizo population. States with the highest proportion of mestizos include Apure, Cojedes, Guárico, and Portuguesa, all part of the Los Llanos region in the central-western interior, with slightly over 60% of their population identifying as mestizo. Conversely, areas with minimal mestizo presence are observed in jungle regions of the Upper Orinoco in Amazonas, as well as portions of the Orinoco Delta and Alta Guajira (Zulia), where they represent less than 1% of the total population. States with the lowest percentage of mestizo population include Amazonas (less than 10%) and Delta Amacuro (less than 35%), both situated in the Guayana region of southern Venezuela, characterized by low population density historically dominated by Native American Indians.

White Venezuelans
Around 42-43% of the population are identified as White Venezuelan. The highest concentrations, ranging from 65 to 80%, are found in the Venezuelan Andes (Mérida, San Cristóbal, Tovar, Valera, and numerous others towns), the Coastal Range (Eastern Caracas, San Antonio de Los Altos, El Junko, Colonia Tovar, among others) and areas of the  north-eastern Caribbean coast (Lechería, Porlamar, Pampatar, Araya Peninsula).

Census data reveals that in major urban areas like Maracaibo, Valencia, Maracay, Barquisimeto, Ciudad Guayana, Puerto La Cruz, among others, several districts or parishes boast white majorities exceeding 50%. These areas typically align with medium to higher socioeconomic levels, resembling Latin American cities of European descent such as Montevideo and Buenos Aires. Conversely, regions like Amazonas state, Orinoco Delta, and Alta Guajira exhibit minimal white presence, often less than 1% of the local population.

The majority of White Venezuelans trace their ancestry to European Mediterranean origins, primarily Spanish, followed by Italian and Portuguese contributions. European colonization of Venezuela commenced with the arrival of the Spanish in the late 15th century, with settlers predominantly hailing from regions such as Andalusia, Galicia, the Basque Country, and the Canary Islands. The influence of the Canary Islands on Venezuelan culture and customs has been particularly significant, earning Venezuela the occasional nickname "the eighth island of the Canary archipelago".

While Spanish authorities discouraged non-Spanish migration to safeguard colonial territories from rival European claims, although exceptions existed. The influx of Germans began in the early 16th century, with King Carlos I granting colonization privileges to German families to offset certain debts. This led to the renaming of the Province of Venezuela as Klein-Venedig, with its capital established as Neu-Augsburg (now Coro), and the founding of Neu-Nürnberg (now Maracaibo), the country's second-largest city. In 1542, the Dutch seized control of the Araya peninsula for its lucrative salt flats, subsequently expanding their presence to other coastal areas such as Falcón, Carabobo, and Zulia due to economic ties with the nearby Netherlands Antilles. Until deep into the 19th century, the now Venezuelan islands of Aves, the Aves archipelago, Los Roques and La Orchila were also considered by the Dutch government to be part of the Dutch West Indies.

During the emergence of the independence movements in the Americas, Venezuela experienced a notable influx of White Dominicans. This surge in migration was largely prompted by a genocide perpetrated by Afro-descendant Haitians following the capture of Hispaniola. As Venezuela pursued independence, it witnessed a significant arrival of Italian immigrants seeking better opportunities, with migration beginning in 1814 and intensifying around 1870 during Italy's unification. These Italian immigrants primarily concentrated in agricultural regions, particularly focusing on coffee and cocoa cultivation in the Andean and the Coastal Range area of the country. Concurrently, volunteers from England, Scotland, and Ireland formed the "British Legion", actively engaging in the War of Independence, leaving a lasting impact and contributing to the enduring presence of British descendants in Venezuela.

Following independence, Venezuela faced challenges attracting immigrants due to economic stagnation and internal conflicts. Despite this, small groups of French settlers, particularly Corsicans, established themselves along the coast of the Paria Peninsula, contributing significantly to the cocoa industry. Additionally, Italians were notably present in the Andean region, while German immigrants formed communities such as Colonia Tovar in the center-north, they also played vital roles in commerce, particularly in Maracaibo's retail sector and informal banking systems. Towards the late 19th century, White Americans and White Canadians relocated to Venezuela, primarily as evangelical missionaries representing various Protestant denominations, along with engineers drawn by the burgeoning oil industry.

After 1935, Venezuela underwent a period of economic and social advancement with the discovery of oil, positioning itself as an attractive destination for immigrants. From 1948 to 1961, an estimated 900,000 European immigrants arrived in Venezuela, driven by the prospect of new opportunities. Among them, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese migrants constituted the majority, while smaller numbers included Germans, French, Swiss, Poles, Greeks, Czechs, Russians, Ukrainians, Serbs, Nordics, Romanians, Slovenes, Croats, Belgians, Austrians and Hungarians.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Southern Cone nations like Argentina and Uruguay with a predominantly Spanish and Italian-descents population, were plagued by oppressive dictatorships. Consequently, many individuals from these countries sought refuge in Venezuela, attracted by the promise of safety and stability. Additionally, Venezuela became a destination for other European Latin Americans communities, including Colombians, Chileans, Dominicans, Brazilians, Cubans, and others, fleeing economic struggles, political unrest, and autocratic regimes in their homelands.

Religious affiliation
The overwhelming majority of Venezuelans denote themselves as adherents of Catholicism; this is true nominally, if not in practice.

According to the 2011 census, 88.3 per cent of the population is Christian, primarily Roman Catholic (71%), 17 per cent Protestant, and the remaining 0.03 per cent Mormons (LDS Church). The Venezuelans without religion are 9% (atheist 2%, agnostic or indifferent 6% and doesn't know/doesn't respond 1% ), almost 3% of the population follow other religions (1% of them are of Santería).