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 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 ; Europeans and Arabs 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 reside in the urban conglomerations 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, 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.
Total populationProportion
aged 0–14
Proportion
aged 15–64
Proportion
aged 65+
19505,482,00043.554.61.9
19556,758,00044.853.12.0
19608,147,00045.651.92.4
19659,825,00046.451.02.6
197011,588,00045.751.52.8
197513,361,00043.353.63.0
198015,344,00040.756.23.2
198517,508,00038.857.83.4
199019,862,00037.958.43.7
199522,189,00036.359.83.9
200024,192,00034.061.54.5
200526,432,00031.763.35.0
201028,440,00029.964.55.6
201530,082,00028.465.36.4
202028,436,00027.364.88.0

Structure of the population

Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total13 549 75213 678 17827 227 930100
0–41 254 2081 183 4232 437 6318.95
5–91 236 2171 166 1472 402 3648.82
10–141 298 1911 218 5882 516 7799.24
15–191 336 1591 305 1612 641 3209.70
20–241 280 1251 280 5242 560 6499.40
25–291 159 4001 184 9322 344 3328.61
30–341 105 6171 114 1242 219 7418.15
35–39942 311962 9421 905 2537.00
40–44873 509881 9811 755 4906.45
45–49747 704781 0771 528 7815.61
50–54651 255686 6791 337 9344.91
55–59530 935577 8641 108 7994.07
60–64407 656440 702848 3583.12
65-69267 691300 997568 6882.09
70-74189 285221 170410 4551.51
75-79130 126162 866292 9921.08
80-8478 996109 899188 8950.69
85-8940 56063 581104 1410.38
90-9414 87525 49540 3700.15
95+4 93210 02614 9580.05
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPer cent
0–143 788 6163 568 1587 356 77427.02
15–649 034 6719 215 98618 250 65767.03
65+726 465894 0341 620 4995.95

Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total16 085 70415 979 03732 064 741100
0–41 392 9601 317 3502 710 3108.45
5–91 420 9951 327 5132 748 5088.57
10–141 442 2881 349 2182 791 5068.71
15–191 427 3671 342 8562 770 2238.64
20–241 372 1481 306 4802 678 6288.35
25–291 322 7831 281 7792 604 5628.12
30–341 294 1141 275 1472 569 2618.01
35–391 180 2441 177 1202 357 3647.35
40–441 042 6461 050 8972 093 5436.53
45–49946 494963 9331 910 4275.96
50–54877 401903 8781 781 2795.56
55–59747 504781 8521 529 3564.77
60–64574 077613 3801 187 4573.70
65-69409 138450 856859 9942.68
70-74282 267326 025608 2921.90
75-79179 631221 308400 9391.25
80-84101 653140 040241 6930.75
85-8948 10981 333129 4420.40
90-9417 94743 35761 3040.19
95-994 92419 59324 5170.08
100+1 0145 1226 1360.02
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPer cent
0–144 256 2433 994 0818 250 32425.73
15–6410 784 77810 697 32221 482 10067.00
65+1 044 6831 287 6342 332 3177.27

Vital statistics

Registered births and deaths

Year
PopulationLive birthsDeathsNatural increaseCrude birth rateCrude death rateRate of natural increaseTFR
1948183 59059 934123 656
1949198 77357 477141 296
19505,034,838212 09654 397157 69942.110.831.3
1951224 55356 757167 796
1952230 70357 115173 588
1953250 94353 945196 998
1954262 13456 846205 288
1955272 43359 348213 085
1956278 07259 339218 733
1957284 08061 918222 162
1958291 74759 037232 710
1959324 73958 988265 751
1960338 19955 354282 845
19617,523,999344 98955 585289 40445.97.438.5
1962341 32454 960286 364
1963353 54658 474295 072
1964365 34060 912304 428
1965379 53061 568317 962
1966376 36761 691314 676
1967407 98662 111345 875
1968384 67864 592320 086
1969397 00367 784329 219
1970392 58368 493324 090
197110,721,522405 96470 478335 48637.96.631.3
1972406 12073 379332 741
1973405 45576 333329 122
1974433 39773 555359 842
1975446 11074 388371 722
1976462 23375 088387 145
1977465 33274 257391 075
1978475 82472 584403 240
1979481 34974 649406 700
1980493 00977 018415 991
198114,516,735497 27080 346416 92434.35.528.8
1982510 53277 021433 511
1983514 38175 743438 638
1984503 97378 091425 882
1985502 32978 938423 391
1986504 27877 647426 631
1987516 77380 322436 451
1988522 39281 442440 950
1989529 01584 761444 254
199018,105,265577 97689 830488 14631.95.026.9
1991602 02488 634513 390
1992559 95090 566469 384
1993524 38789 105435 282
1994547 81996 696451 123
1995520 58492 273428 311
1996497 97593 839404 13622.34.218.1
1997516 61694 334422 28222.74.118.6
1998501 80898 624403 18421.64.217.4
1999527 888101 907425 98122.14.317.8
2000544 416103 255441 16122.44.218.2
200123,232,553529 552107 867421 68521.44.417.0
2002492 678105 388387 29019.54.215.3
2003555 614118 562437 05221.64.617.0
2004637 799114 480523 31924.44.420.0
2005665 997110 301555 69625.14.220.9
2006646 225115 348530 87723.94.319.6
2007615 371118 594496 77722.44.318.1
2008581 480124 062457 41820.84.416.4
2009593 845123 530470 31520.94.416.6
2010591 303130 597460 70620.74.616.12.40
201127,722,793615 132136 803478 32921.34.716.52.40
2012619 530142 988476 54221.14.916.22.38
2013597 902147 901450 00120.15.015.12.33
201430,070,000597 773159 239438 53419.95.314.62.30
201530,489,000600,875163,367437,50819.65.314.32.25
201630,770,000642,664185,697456,96720.96.014.92.22
201730,570,000579,349188,034391,31519.06.212.82.18
201829,810,000485,631176,539309,09216.35.910.42.15
201928,940,000455,670133,072322,59815.74.611.12.13
202028,440,000442,091204,848237,24315.57.28.32.12
202128,237,826429,761222,005207,75615.27.97.32.10
202228,213,017423,888207,270216,61815.07.37.72.09
202328,300,854426,984213,955213,02915.17.67.52.08
202428,405,543432,648218,109214,53915.27.77.62.08
202528,516,896436,134222,194213,94015.37.87.52.06

Venezuela Statistical Office stopped providing vital statistics data to the United Nations Statistics Division in 2019, births and death data after 2019 are estimations published by the UN population prospects.

UN estimates

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

Ethnic groups

According to an autosomal DNA genetic study conducted in 2008 by the University of Brasília, the composition of Venezuela's population is: 60.60% of European contribution, 23% of Amerindian contribution and 16.30% of African contribution. According to the Statistics National Institute of Venezuela, individuals of mixed race constitute the largest demographic group nationwide, comprising approximately half of the population. 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 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. 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, followed by Amerindian, and to a lesser extent, African 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. Noteworthy towns in the Los Llanos region, such as El Pao, San Antonio, Trinidad de La Capilla - Guanarito, La Union, Florida, and Libertad de Orituco, 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, where they represent less than 1% of the total population. States with the lowest percentage of mestizo population include Amazonas and Delta Amacuro, 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, the Coastal Range and areas of the north-eastern Caribbean coast.
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, and the founding of Neu-Nürnberg, 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. 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.

Religion

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, 17 per cent Protestant, and the remaining 0.03 per cent Mormons. The Venezuelans without religion are 9%, almost 3% of the population follow other religions.