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Venezolanos blancos (Spanish) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Total population | |
| White ancestry predominates 13,169,949 (2011 census)[1] 43.6% of the Venezuelan population | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Entire country; highest percents found inAndean,Central,Capital region and major urban-conglomerations.[citation needed] | |
| Languages | |
| Venezuelan Spanish small minorities speakItalian,Catalan,Basque,Galician,Valencian,Aragonese,Occitan,Asturleonese,Portuguese,English,French,Polish,Ukrainian,Russian,Hungarian,Yiddish, andAlemán Coloniero, a dialect ofGerman[citation needed] | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity[citation needed] | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Spaniard Venezuelan,Italo-Venezuelans,Portuguese Venezuelans,German Venezuelans,Ukrainian Venezuelans,Russian Venezuelans,Polish Venezuelans,Hungarian Venezuelans,Jewish Venezuelans,White Colombians,White Latin Americans[dubious –discuss] |
European Venezuelans (Spanish:Venezolanos europeos), also known asWhite Venezuelans (Spanish:Venezolanos blancos) areVenezuelans who self-identify in the national census as white,[1] tracing their heritage toEuropean ethnic groups. According to the official census report, although "white" literally involves externalcaucasoid features such as fair skin, hair, and eyes, among others, the term "white" has been used in different ways in different historical periods and places, and so its precise definition is somewhat confusing.[1]: 65
According to the 2011 National Population and Housing Census, 43.6% of the population identified themselves aswhite people.[1] Agenomic study shows that about 61.5% of the Venezuelangene pool has European ancestry. Among the Latin American and Caribbean countries in the study (Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, El Salvador, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela), Brazil, Venezuela, and Argentina exhibit the highest European contribution.[2]
The ancestry of European Venezuelans is primarilySpanish,Portuguese, andItalian.[3]
Other ancestries of European Venezuelans are:Germans,Poles,Greeks,Serbs and another minorities.[citation needed]
Italian explorerChristopher Columbus arrived in the Venezuela region in 1498. European explorers named Venezuela ("Little Venice") after observing local indigenous houses on stilts over water. During the first quarter-century of contact, the Europeans limited themselves to slave hunting and pearlfishing on the northeastern coast; the first permanent Spanish settlement in Venezuela,Cumaná, was not made until 1523.[4]
European colonization of Venezuela commenced with the arrival of theSpanish in the late 15th century, with settlers predominantly hailing from regions such asAndalusia,Galicia, theBasque Country, and theCanary 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".[5]
Throughout the colonial period,Spanish authorities discouraged non-Spanish migration to safeguardcolonial territories from rival European claims, although exceptions existed. Theinflux of Germans began in the early 16th century, withKing Carlos I granting colonization privileges to German families to offset certain debts.[6] This led to the renaming of theProvince of Venezuela asKlein-Venedig, with its capital established asNeu-Augsburg (nowCoro), and the founding ofNeu-Nürnberg (nowMaracaibo), the country's second-largest city. In 1542, theDutch seized control of the Araya peninsula for its lucrative salt flats,[7] subsequently expanding their presence to other coastal areas such asFalcón,Carabobo, andZulia due to economic ties with the nearbyNetherlands Antilles. Until deep into the 19th century, the now Venezuelan islands ofAves, theAves archipelago,Los Roques andLa Orchila were also considered by the Dutch government to be part of theDutch West Indies.
During the emergence of theindependence movements in the Americas, Venezuela experienced a notable influx ofWhite Dominicans.[8] This surge in migration was largely prompted by a genocide perpetrated byAfro-descendant Haitians following thecapture of Hispaniola. AsVenezuela pursued independence, it witnessed a significant arrival of Italian immigrants seeking better opportunities, with migration beginning in 1814 and intensifying around 1870 duringItaly's unification. These Italian immigrants primarily concentrated in agricultural regions, particularly focusing on coffee and cocoa cultivation in theAndean andthe Coastal Range area of the country.[9] Concurrently, volunteers fromEngland,Scotland, andIreland 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.[10]
Following independence, Venezuela faced challenges attracting immigrants due to economic stagnation and internal conflicts. Despite this, small groups ofFrench settlers,[10] particularlyCorsicans, established themselves along the coast of the Paria Peninsula, contributing significantly to the cocoa industry.[11] Additionally, Italians were notably present in theAndean region,[12][13] whileGerman immigrants formed communities such asColonia Tovar in thecenter-north, they also played vital roles in commerce, particularly inMaracaibo's retail sector and informal banking systems.[14] Towards the late 19th century,White Americans andWhite Canadians relocated to Venezuela,[15] primarily as evangelical missionaries representing various Protestant denominations,[16] along with engineers drawn by the burgeoning oil industry.[17]
After 1935, Venezuela underwent a period of economic and social advancement with thediscovery of oil, positioning itself as an attractive destination for immigrants. From 1940 to 1961, an estimated 900,000 European immigrants arrived in Venezuela, following theSecond World War, theFrancoist dictatorship and the policies of the governments of theWarsaw Pact.[18][19] Among them, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese migrants constituted the majority,[20] while smaller numbers included Germans,French,Swiss,Poles,Greeks,Czechs,Russians,Ukrainians,Serbs,Nordics,Romanians,Slovenes,Croats,Belgians,Austrians andHungarians.[21][22]
During the 1970s and 1980s, Southern Cone nations likeArgentina andUruguay with a predominantly Spanish and Italian-descents population, were plagued byoppressive dictatorships. Consequently, many individuals from these countries sought refuge in Venezuela, attracted by the promise of safety and stability.[23] Additionally, Venezuela became a destination for otherEuropean Latin Americans communities, includingColombians,Chileans,Dominicans,Brazilians,Cubans, and others, fleeing economic struggles, political unrest, and autocratic regimes in their homelands.[10]
Around 42-43% of the population are identified as white Venezuelan although most have Native American and African mixtures. The highest concentrations, ranging from 65 to 80%, are found in theVenezuelan 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 thenorth-eastern Caribbean coast (Lechería,Porlamar,Pampatar,Araya Peninsula).[1]
Census data reveals that in major urban areas likeMaracaibo,Valencia,Maracay,Barquisimeto,Ciudad Guayana,Puerto La Cruz, among others, severaldistricts 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 asMontevideo andBuenos Aires.[20] Conversely, regions likeAmazonas state,Orinoco Delta, andAlta Guajira exhibit minimal white presence, often less than 1% of the local population.[1]
The following is a sortable table of the white Venezuelan proportion of the population in each Venezuelan state, according to the 2011 Census data.[1]: table 2.12 on page 30
| Rank (by %) | State | White Venezuelan population (2011) | % white[1] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tachira | 743,013 | 58.8% |
| 2 |  Mérida | 479,021 | 53.7% |
| 3 |  Capital District | 1,079,892 | 51.2% |
| 4 |  Trujillo | 369,961 | 48.3% |
| 5 |  Nueva Esparta | 217,828 | 47.1% |
| 6 |  Zulia | 1,799,760 | 46.3% |
| 7 |  Miranda | 1,387,265 | 45.8% |
| 8 |  Vargas | 153,252 | 44.7% |
| 9 |  Aragua | 763,351 | 43.4% |
| 10 |  Carabobo | 1,010,138 | 42.7% |
| 11 |  Barinas | 344,265 | 41.5% |
| 12 |  Lara | 800,225 | 41.9% |
| 13 |  Anzoátegui | 629,802 | 40.0% |
| 14 |  Bolívar | 646,059 | 39.2% |
| 15 |  Falcón | 375,823 | 38.9% |
| 16 |  Monagas | 359,473 | 38.8% |
| 17 |  Sucre | 375,688 | 38.5% |
| 18 |  Portuguesa | 348,745 | 37.0% |
| 19 |  Delta Amacuro | 62,457 | 36.4% |
| 20 |  Cojedes | 115,437 | 35.6% |
| 21 |  Yaracuy | 229,542 | 35.5% |
| 22 | Amazonas | 54,102 | 34.4% |
| 23 |  Guárico | 264,036 | 32.9% |
| 24 |  Apure | 157,193 | 30.2% |
The top 20 communities (municipalities) with the highest percentage of White Venezuelans according to the 2011 Census:[24]
The top 20 communities (municipalities) bypopulation density (per km2) of white Venezuelans, according to the 2011 Census:[24]
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| European emigration by location |
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| Negative stereotypes of Whites | |||||||||||
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