# 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 reside 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.
The 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects estimate puts Venezuela's total population at 28,199,867 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 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects the total population was 28,199,867 in 2021, 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 population | Proportion aged 0–14 (%) | Proportion aged 15–64 (%) | Proportion aged 65+ (%) |
| 1950 | 5,482,000 | 43.5 | 54.6 | 1.9 |
| 1955 | 6,758,000 | 44.8 | 53.1 | 2.0 |
| 1960 | 8,147,000 | 45.6 | 51.9 | 2.4 |
| 1965 | 9,825,000 | 46.4 | 51.0 | 2.6 |
| 1970 | 11,588,000 | 45.7 | 51.5 | 2.8 |
| 1975 | 13,361,000 | 43.3 | 53.6 | 3.0 |
| 1980 | 15,344,000 | 40.7 | 56.2 | 3.2 |
| 1985 | 17,508,000 | 38.8 | 57.8 | 3.4 |
| 1990 | 19,862,000 | 37.9 | 58.4 | 3.7 |
| 1995 | 22,189,000 | 36.3 | 59.8 | 3.9 |
| 2000 | 24,192,000 | 34.0 | 61.5 | 4.5 |
| 2005 | 26,432,000 | 31.7 | 63.3 | 5.0 |
| 2010 | 28,440,000 | 29.9 | 64.5 | 5.6 |
| 2015 | 30,082,000 | 28.4 | 65.3 | 6.4 |
| 2020 | 28,436,000 | 27.3 | 64.8 | 8.0 |
    Source:

### Structure of the population

| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Total | 13 549 752 | 13 678 178 | 27 227 930 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 1 254 208 | 1 183 423 | 2 437 631 | 8.95 |
| 5–9 | 1 236 217 | 1 166 147 | 2 402 364 | 8.82 |
| 10–14 | 1 298 191 | 1 218 588 | 2 516 779 | 9.24 |
| 15–19 | 1 336 159 | 1 305 161 | 2 641 320 | 9.70 |
| 20–24 | 1 280 125 | 1 280 524 | 2 560 649 | 9.40 |
| 25–29 | 1 159 400 | 1 184 932 | 2 344 332 | 8.61 |
| 30–34 | 1 105 617 | 1 114 124 | 2 219 741 | 8.15 |
| 35–39 | 942 311 | 962 942 | 1 905 253 | 7.00 |
| 40–44 | 873 509 | 881 981 | 1 755 490 | 6.45 |
| 45–49 | 747 704 | 781 077 | 1 528 781 | 5.61 |
| 50–54 | 651 255 | 686 679 | 1 337 934 | 4.91 |
| 55–59 | 530 935 | 577 864 | 1 108 799 | 4.07 |
| 60–64 | 407 656 | 440 702 | 848 358 | 3.12 |
| 65-69 | 267 691 | 300 997 | 568 688 | 2.09 |
| 70-74 | 189 285 | 221 170 | 410 455 | 1.51 |
| 75-79 | 130 126 | 162 866 | 292 992 | 1.08 |
| 80-84 | 78 996 | 109 899 | 188 895 | 0.69 |
| 85-89 | 40 560 | 63 581 | 104 141 | 0.38 |
| 90-94 | 14 875 | 25 495 | 40 370 | 0.15 |
| 95+ | 4 932 | 10 026 | 14 958 | 0.05 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Per cent |
| 0–14 | 3 788 616 | 3 568 158 | 7 356 774 | 27.02 |
| 15–64 | 9 034 671 | 9 215 986 | 18 250 657 | 67.03 |
| 65+ | 726 465 | 894 034 | 1 620 499 | 5.95 |
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Total | 16 085 704 | 15 979 037 | 32 064 741 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 1 392 960 | 1 317 350 | 2 710 310 | 8.45 |
| 5–9 | 1 420 995 | 1 327 513 | 2 748 508 | 8.57 |
| 10–14 | 1 442 288 | 1 349 218 | 2 791 506 | 8.71 |
| 15–19 | 1 427 367 | 1 342 856 | 2 770 223 | 8.64 |
| 20–24 | 1 372 148 | 1 306 480 | 2 678 628 | 8.35 |
| 25–29 | 1 322 783 | 1 281 779 | 2 604 562 | 8.12 |
| 30–34 | 1 294 114 | 1 275 147 | 2 569 261 | 8.01 |
| 35–39 | 1 180 244 | 1 177 120 | 2 357 364 | 7.35 |
| 40–44 | 1 042 646 | 1 050 897 | 2 093 543 | 6.53 |
| 45–49 | 946 494 | 963 933 | 1 910 427 | 5.96 |
| 50–54 | 877 401 | 903 878 | 1 781 279 | 5.56 |
| 55–59 | 747 504 | 781 852 | 1 529 356 | 4.77 |
| 60–64 | 574 077 | 613 380 | 1 187 457 | 3.70 |
| 65-69 | 409 138 | 450 856 | 859 994 | 2.68 |
| 70-74 | 282 267 | 326 025 | 608 292 | 1.90 |
| 75-79 | 179 631 | 221 308 | 400 939 | 1.25 |
| 80-84 | 101 653 | 140 040 | 241 693 | 0.75 |
| 85-89 | 48 109 | 81 333 | 129 442 | 0.40 |
| 90-94 | 17 947 | 43 357 | 61 304 | 0.19 |
| 95-99 | 4 924 | 19 593 | 24 517 | 0.08 |
| 100+ | 1 014 | 5 122 | 6 136 | 0.02 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Per cent |
| 0–14 | 4 256 243 | 3 994 081 | 8 250 324 | 25.73 |
| 15–64 | 10 784 778 | 10 697 322 | 21 482 100 | 67.00 |
| 65+ | 1 044 683 | 1 287 634 | 2 332 317 | 7.27 |

## Vital statistics
### Registered births and deaths

| Year | Population | Live births | Deaths | Natural increase | Crude birth rate | Crude death rate | Rate of natural increase | TFR |
| 1948 | | 183 590 | 59 934 | 123 656 | | | | |
| 1949 | | 198 773 | 57 477 | 141 296 | | | | |
| 1950 | 5,034,838 | 212 096 | 54 397 | 157 699 | 42.1 | 10.8 | 31.3 | |
| 1951 | | 224 553 | 56 757 | 167 796 | | | | |
| 1952 | | 230 703 | 57 115 | 173 588 | | | | |
| 1953 | | 250 943 | 53 945 | 196 998 | | | | |
| 1954 | | 262 134 | 56 846 | 205 288 | | | | |
| 1955 | | 272 433 | 59 348 | 213 085 | | | | |
| 1956 | | 278 072 | 59 339 | 218 733 | | | | |
| 1957 | | 284 080 | 61 918 | 222 162 | | | | |
| 1958 | | 291 747 | 59 037 | 232 710 | | | | |
| 1959 | | 324 739 | 58 988 | 265 751 | | | | |
| 1960 | | 338 199 | 55 354 | 282 845 | | | | |
| 1961 | 7,523,999 | 344 989 | 55 585 | 289 404 | 45.9 | 7.4 | 38.5 | |
| 1962 | | 341 324 | 54 960 | 286 364 | | | | |
| 1963 | | 353 546 | 58 474 | 295 072 | | | | |
| 1964 | | 365 340 | 60 912 | 304 428 | | | | |
| 1965 | | 379 530 | 61 568 | 317 962 | | | | |
| 1966 | | 376 367 | 61 691 | 314 676 | | | | |
| 1967 | | 407 986 | 62 111 | 345 875 | | | | |
| 1968 | | 384 678 | 64 592 | 320 086 | | | | |
| 1969 | | 397 003 | 67 784 | 329 219 | | | | |
| 1970 | | 392 583 | 68 493 | 324 090 | | | | |
| 1971 | 10,721,522 | 405 964 | 70 478 | 335 486 | 37.9 | 6.6 | 31.3 | |
| 1972 | | 406 120 | 73 379 | 332 741 | | | | |
| 1973 | | 405 455 | 76 333 | 329 122 | | | | |
| 1974 | | 433 397 | 73 555 | 359 842 | | | | |
| 1975 | | 446 110 | 74 388 | 371 722 | | | | |
| 1976 | | 462 233 | 75 088 | 387 145 | | | | |
| 1977 | | 465 332 | 74 257 | 391 075 | | | | |
| 1978 | | 475 824 | 72 584 | 403 240 | | | | |
| 1979 | | 481 349 | 74 649 | 406 700 | | | | |
| 1980 | | 493 009 | 77 018 | 415 991 | | | | |
| 1981 | 14,516,735 | 497 270 | 80 346 | 416 924 | 34.3 | 5.5 | 28.8 | |
| 1982 | | 510 532 | 77 021 | 433 511 | | | | |
| 1983 | | 514 381 | 75 743 | 438 638 | | | | |
| 1984 | | 503 973 | 78 091 | 425 882 | | | | |
| 1985 | | 502 329 | 78 938 | 423 391 | | | | |
| 1986 | | 504 278 | 77 647 | 426 631 | | | | |
| 1987 | | 516 773 | 80 322 | 436 451 | | | | |
| 1988 | | 522 392 | 81 442 | 440 950 | | | | |
| 1989 | | 529 015 | 84 761 | 444 254 | | | | |
| 1990 | 18,105,265 | 577 976 | 89 830 | 488 146 | 31.9 | 5.0 | 26.9 | |
| 1991 | | 602 024 | 88 634 | 513 390 | | | | |
| 1992 | | 559 950 | 90 566 | 469 384 | | | | |
| 1993 | | 524 387 | 89 105 | 435 282 | | | | |
| 1994 | | 547 819 | 96 696 | 451 123 | | | | |
| 1995 | | 520 584 | 92 273 | 428 311 | | | | |
| 1996 | | 497 975 | 93 839 | 404 136 | 22.3 | 4.2 | 18.1 | |
| 1997 | | 516 616 | 94 334 | 422 282 | 22.7 | 4.1 | 18.6 | |
| 1998 | | 501 808 | 98 624 | 403 184 | 21.6 | 4.2 | 17.4 | |
| 1999 | | 527 888 | 101 907 | 425 981 | 22.1 | 4.3 | 17.8 | |
| 2000 | | 544 416 | 103 255 | 441 161 | 22.4 | 4.2 | 18.2 | |
| 2001 | 23,232,553 | 529 552 | 107 867 | 421 685 | 21.4 | 4.4 | 17.0 | |
| 2002 | | 492 678 | 105 388 | 387 290 | 19.5 | 4.2 | 15.3 | |
| 2003 | | 555 614 | 118 562 | 437 052 | 21.6 | 4.6 | 17.0 | |
| 2004 | | 637 799 | 114 480 | 523 319 | 24.4 | 4.4 | 20.0 | |
| 2005 | | 665 997 | 110 301 | 555 696 | 25.1 | 4.2 | 20.9 | |
| 2006 | | 646 225 | 115 348 | 530 877 | 23.9 | 4.3 | 19.6 | |
| 2007 | | 615 371 | 118 594 | 496 777 | 22.4 | 4.3 | 18.1 | |
| 2008 | | 581 480 | 124 062 | 457 418 | 20.8 | 4.4 | 16.4 | |
| 2009 | | 593 845 | 123 530 | 470 315 | 20.9 | 4.4 | 16.6 | |
| 2010 | | 591 303 | 130 597 | 460 706 | 20.7 | 4.6 | 16.1 | |
| 2011 | 27,722,793 | 615 132 | 136 803 | 478 329 | 21.3 | 4.7 | 16.5 | 2.466 |
| 2012 | | 619 530 | 142 988 | 476 542 | 21.1 | 4.9 | 16.2 | 2.446 |
| 2013 | | 597 902 | 147 901 | 450 001 | 20.1 | 5.0 | 15.1 | 2.427 |
| 2014 | 30,070,000 | 597 773 | 159 239 | 438 534 | 19.9 | 5.3 | 14.6 | 2.410 |
| 2015 | 30,489,000 | 600 860 | 163 367 | 437 493 | 19.6 | 5.3 | 14.3 | |
| 2016 | 30,740,000 | 642 664 | 202,208 | 440,456 | 20.8 | 6.0 | 14.8 | |
| 2017 | 30,560,000 | 558,064 | 207,885 | 350,179 | 18.5 | 6.7 | 11.8 | |
| 2018 | 29,830,000 | 516,556 | 199,263 | 317,293 | 17.8 | 7.0 | 10.8 | |
| 2019 | 28,970,000 | 471,676 | 196,851 | 290,692 | 16.9 | 7.0 | 9.9 | |
| 2020 | 28,490,000 | 442,091 | 204,848 | 237,243 | 16.2 | 7.6 | 8.6 | |
| 2021 | 28,200,000 | 429,761 | 222,007 | 207,754 | 15.9 | 8.1 | 7.8 | |
| 2022 | 28,300,000 | 423,888 | 207,267 | 216,621 | 15.6 | 8.1 | 7.5 | 2.0 |
| 2023 | | 426,984 | 213,959 | 213,025 | | | | |

### UN estimates

Registration of vital events in Venezuela is not complete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.
| Period | Live births per year | Deaths per year | Natural change per year | CBR* | CDR* | NC* | TFR* | IMR* | Life expectancy | Life expectancy | Life expectancy |
| Period | Live births per year | Deaths per year | Natural change per year | CBR* | CDR* | NC* | TFR* | IMR* | total | males | females |
| 1950–1955 | 263,000 | 69,000 | 193,000 | 46.5 | 12.6 | 34.1 | 6.46 | 107 | 54.3 | 52.9 | 55.8 |
| 1955–1960 | 309,000 | 73,000 | 236,000 | 44.9 | 10.9 | 34.2 | 6.46 | 89 | 57.1 | 55.6 | 58.7 |
| 1960–1965 | 375,000 | 77,000 | 298,000 | 45.1 | 9.5 | 35.7 | 6.66 | 73 | 59.9 | 58.2 | 61.7 |
| 1965–1970 | 397,000 | 76,000 | 320,000 | 40.1 | 8.0 | 32.4 | 5.90 | 60 | 62.6 | 60.5 | 64.9 |
| 1970–1975 | 411,000 | 76,000 | 334,000 | 35.1 | 6.7 | 28.6 | 4.94 | 49 | 65.0 | 62.4 | 67.7 |
| 1975–1980 | 476,000 | 81,000 | 395,000 | 34.2 | 5.8 | 28.4 | 4.47 | 39 | 67.3 | 64.6 | 70.4 |
| 1980–1985 | 519,000 | 89,000 | 430,000 | 32.0 | 5.3 | 26.5 | 3.96 | 34 | 68.9 | 66.0 | 72.0 |
| 1985–1990 | 561,000 | 92,000 | 468,000 | 30.3 | 4.9 | 25.3 | 3.65 | 27 | 70.5 | 67.7 | 73.5 |
| 1990–1995 | 563,000 | 101,000 | 461,000 | 26.9 | 4.8 | 22.1 | 3.25 | 23 | 71.5 | 68.7 | 74.5 |
| 1995–2000 | 569,000 | 114,000 | 455,000 | 24.5 | 4.9 | 19.7 | 2.94 | 21 | 72.1 | 69.3 | 75.1 |
| 2000–2005 | 585,000 | 129,000 | 456,000 | 23.0 | 5.1 | 17.9 | 2.72 | 19 | 72.7 | 69.9 | 75.8 |
| 2005–2010 | 598,000 | 142,000 | 456,000 | 21.5 | 5.4 | 16.1 | 2.55 | 17 | 73.7 | 70.8 | 76.8 |
| 2010–2015 | 601,000 | 159,000 | 442,000 | 20.0 | 5.9 | 14.1 | 2.40 | 15 | 74.5 | 71.7 | 77.6 |
| 2015–2020 | 595,000 | 178,000 | 417,000 | 18.0 | 7.0 | 11.0 | 2.28 | 13 | 75.3 | 72.5 | 78.4 |
| 2020–2025 | | | | 16.8 | 7.3 | 9.5 | 2.18 | | | | |
| 2025–2030 | | | | 16.5 | 7.4 | 9.1 | 2.10 | | | | |
| * CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman) ||||||||||||

### Life expectancy

    total population: 76.2 years
    male: 73.2 years
    female: 79.3 years (2018 est.)

## Ethnic groups

* Multiracial (51.6%)
* White (43.6%)
* Black (3.6%)
* Others (1.2%)
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 to 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. 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

* Catholicism (64.2%)
* Evangelicalism (22%)
* Other Christians (3.9%)
* No religion (8.3%)
* Others (1.6%)
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).
Religious affiliation in Venezuela. (2011) :
| Affiliation | % of Venezuela population |
| Christian | 88.3% |
| Catholic | 71% |
| Protestant | 17% |
| Mormon | 0.3% |
| Non-Christian faiths | 2.7% |
| Jewish | 0.05% |
| Muslim | 0.4% |
| Santería | 1% |
| Other Non-Christian faiths | 1.25% |
| Unaffiliated | 9% |
| Agnostic/indifferent | 6% |
| Atheist | 2% |
| Don't know/refused answer | 1% |
| Total | 100% |