Editing Venezuela (section)

=== Ethnicity ===
{{Main|Venezuelan people}}
[[File:Spaniards in Venezuela by state.png|thumb|Map showing the proportion of the Venezuelan population which has the Spanish nationality or people who are residing in Venezuela which are declared as Spanish or people with declared Iberian Spanish ancestry]]
The people of Venezuela come from a variety of ancestries. It is estimated that the majority of the population is of [[pardo]], or mixed, ethnic ancestry. In the 2011 census, which Venezuelans were asked to identify themselves according to their customs and ancestry, the term ''pardo'' was excluded from the answers. The majority claimed to be [[Moreno Venezuelans|moreno]] or [[White Venezuelan|white]]—51.6% and 43.6%, respectively.<ref name="Census-ethnics" /> Slightly more than half of the population claimed to be ''[[:wikt:moreno|moreno]]'', a term used throughout Ibero-America that in this case means "dark-skinned" or "brown-skinned", as opposed to having a [[light skin|lighter skin]].

Ethnic minorities in Venezuela consist of groups that descend mainly from African or Indigenous peoples; 2.8% identified themselves as "black" and 0.7% as ''afrodescendiente'' (Afro-descendant), 2.6% claimed to belong to Indigenous peoples, and 1.2% answered "other races".<ref name="Census-ethnics" />

Among Indigenous people, 58% were [[Wayúu]], 7% [[Warao people|Warao]], 5% [[Kariña]], 4% [[Pemon|Pemón]], 3% [[Piaroa]], 3% [[Jivi]], 3% [[Añu]], 3% [[Cumanágoto]], 2% [[Yukpa]], 2% [[Chaima]] and 1% [[Yanomami]]; the remaining 9% consisted of other Indigenous nations.<ref>{{cite news|author=Benítez, Deivis |date=2011 |title=Poblaciones Indígenas en aumento según censo poblacional 2011 |url=http://www.minpi.gob.ve/minpi/es/noticias/1548-np1428 |access-date=10 October 2012 |agency=PRENSA MINPPPI |language=es |orig-date=Updated 13 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116234901/http://www.minpi.gob.ve/minpi/es/noticias/1548-np1428 |archive-date=16 January 2013}} {{Poem quote|Los resultados arrojados por el censo poblacional realizado por el Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas en el 2011 demuestra que las poblaciones indígenas ha aumentado progresivamente con respecto al censo del año 2001.

Según los datos estadísticos publicados por el INE, el total de población que se declaró indígena por sexo, arrojó un resultado de 50,46% hombre y 49,54% mujeres representando 365.920 hombres y 359.208 mujeres para un total de 725.148 personas que se declararon indígenas de Venezuela.

Así mismo, se tomó el porcentaje de población por entidad donde el estado Zulia es la entidad con más indígenas con un 61%, seguido del estado Amazonas con 10%, Bolívar con un 8%, Delta Amacuro con 6%, Anzoátegui 5%, Sucre 3%, Apure y Monagas 2% mientras que en otras entidades existe un 3% de población indígena.

Entre tanto, los pueblos indígenas con mayor población se encuentran los Wayuu 58%, Warao 7%, Kariña 5%, Pemón 4%, Piaroa, Jivi, Añu, Cumanágoto 3%, Yukpa, Chaima 2%, el pueblo Yanomami 1% y otros pueblos con un 9%.}}</ref>

According to an autosomal DNA study conducted in 2008 by the [[University of Brasília]], the composition of Venezuela's population is 60.60% European, 23% Indigenous, and 16.30% African.<ref>{{cite web|last=Godinho|first=Neide Maria de Oliveira|year=2008 |title=O impacto das migrações na constituição genética de populações latino-americanas |url=http://bdtd.bce.unb.br/tedesimplificado/tde_busca/arquivo.php?codArquivo=3873 |publisher=Universidade de Brasília |access-date=1 August 2012 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706162307/http://bdtd.bce.unb.br/tedesimplificado/tde_arquivos/36/TDE-2008-08-21T100337Z-3085/Publico/2008_NeideMOGodinho.pdf |archive-date=6 July 2011}}</ref>
{{Multiple image
 | align = right
 | direction = horizontal |perrow=2 |total_width=400
 | image1 = Venezuela 2011 Moreno (Brown) population proportion map.png
 | caption1 = [[Mestizos in Venezuela|Moreno (Mestizo)]] population of Venezuela in 2011
 | image2 = Venezuela 2011 White population proportion map.png
 | caption2 = [[White Venezuelan|White]] population of Venezuela in 2011
 | image3 = Venezuela 2011 Ameridian population proportion map.png
 | caption3 = [[Indigenous peoples in Venezuela|Amerindian]] population of Venezuela in 2011
 | image4 = Venezuela 2011 Black and Afrodescendant population proportion map.png
 | caption4 = [[Black Venezuelan|Black and Afrodescendant]] population of Venezuela in 2011
}}
During the colonial period and until after the Second World War, many of the European immigrants to Venezuela came from the [[Canary Islands]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/j/m/jml34/Canary.htm|title=The Spanish of the Canary Islands|website=personal.psu.edu|access-date=13 March 2012|archive-date=20 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320082713/http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/j/m/jml34/Canary.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Spaniards in Venezuela|Spain]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ministerio de Trabajo y Economía Social |url=https://www.mites.gob.es/es/mundo/consejerias/venezuela/emigracion/contenidos/datosSocio.htm |access-date=22 December 2022 |website=www.mites.gob.es |archive-date=29 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429194556/https://www.mites.gob.es/es/mundo/consejerias/venezuela/emigracion/contenidos/datosSocio.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> with a relevant amount of [[Galicians]] and [[Asturians]]. These immigrants from [[Spain]] had a significant cultural impact on the cuisine and customs of Venezuela.<ref>{{cite web|last=Erichsen|first=Gerald|url=http://spanish.about.com/od/Country-Highlights/tp/Facts-About-Venezuela-for-Spanish-Students.htm|title=Facts About Venezuela for Spanish Students|publisher=About|access-date=30 June 2015|archive-date=6 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906183124/http://spanish.about.com/od/Country-Highlights/tp/Facts-About-Venezuela-for-Spanish-Students.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grancanariainfo.co.uk/culture.asp|title=Gran Canaria Culture|publisher=GranCanariaInfo|access-date=30 June 2015|archive-date=24 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150624141850/http://www.grancanariainfo.co.uk/culture.asp|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sazonlatinorestaurant.com/history|title=History|publisher=Sazon Latino Restaurant|access-date=30 June 2015|archive-date=29 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529215505/http://sazonlatinorestaurant.com/history|url-status=live}}</ref> These influences on Venezuela have led to the nation being called the 8th island of the Canaries.<ref>{{cite news|last=Calder|first=Simon|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/africa/secret-canaries-explore-these-warm-volcanic-islands-all-year-round-9831652.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220811/https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/africa/secret-canaries-explore-these-warm-volcanic-islands-all-year-round-9831652.html |archive-date=11 August 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Secret Canaries: Explore these warm volcanic islands all year round|newspaper=The Independent|date=31 October 2014|access-date=30 June 2015|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Ross|first1=Ben|last2=Calder|first2=Simon|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/tale-of-two-travellers-the-two-sides-of-the-canaries-1834321.html|title=Tale of Two Travellers: The two sides of the Canaries|newspaper=The Independent|date=5 December 2009|access-date=30 June 2015|location=London|archive-date=25 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925234956/http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/tale-of-two-travellers-the-two-sides-of-the-canaries-1834321.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> With the start of oil exploitation in the early 20th century, companies from the United States began establishing operations in Venezuela, bringing with them U.S. citizens. Later, during and after the war, new waves of immigrants from other parts of Europe, the Middle East, and China began; many were encouraged by government-established [[Immigration to Venezuela|immigration programs]] and lenient immigration policies.<ref name="Romero2010">{{cite news|last=Romero|first=Simon|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/world/americas/07venez.html?_r=0|title=In Venezuela, a New Wave of Foreigners|newspaper=The New York Times|date=7 November 2010|access-date=30 June 2015|archive-date=3 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203032543/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/world/americas/07venez.html?_r=0|url-status=live}}</ref> During the 20th century, Venezuela, along with the rest of Latin America, received millions of immigrants from Europe.<ref name="PadillaPeixoto2007">{{cite web|last1=Padilla|first1=Beatriz|last2=Peixoto|first2=Joāo|url=http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/latin-american-immigration-southern-europe|title=Latin American Immigration to Southern Europe|publisher=Migration Policy|date=28 June 2007|access-date=30 June 2015|archive-date=22 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150622101652/http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/latin-american-immigration-southern-europe|url-status=live}}</ref> This was especially true post-World War II, as a consequence of war-ridden Europe.<ref name="PadillaPeixoto2007" /><ref name="Brooke1992">{{cite news|last=Brooke|first=James|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/02/17/world/latin-america-offers-new-world-to-east-europe-emigrants.html|title=Latin America Offers 'New World' to East Europe Emigrants|newspaper=The New York Times|date=17 February 1992|access-date=30 June 2015|archive-date=26 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526054830/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/02/17/world/latin-america-offers-new-world-to-east-europe-emigrants.html|url-status=live}}</ref> During the 1970s, while experiencing an oil-export boom, Venezuela received millions of immigrants from Ecuador, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic.<ref name="Brooke1992" /> Due to the belief that this immigration influx depressed wages, some Venezuelans opposed European immigration.<ref name="Brooke1992" /> The Venezuelan government, however, were actively recruiting immigrants from Eastern Europe to fill a need for engineers. Millions of Colombians, as well as Middle Eastern and Haitian populations would continue immigrating to Venezuela into the early 21st century.<ref name="Romero2010" />

According to the ''World Refugee Survey 2008'', published by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Venezuela hosted a population of [[refugee]] and asylum seekers from Colombia numbering 252,200 in 2007, and 10,600 new asylum seekers entered Venezuela in 2007.<ref name="World Refugee Survey 2008">{{cite news|title=World Refugee Survey 2008|publisher=U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants|date=19 June 2008|url=http://www.refugees.org/article.aspx?id=2114&subm=179&area=Investigate|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429171446/http://www.refugees.org/article.aspx?id=2114&subm=179&area=Investigate|archive-date=29 April 2009}}</ref> Between 500,000 and one million [[illegal immigrant]]s are estimated to be living in the country.<ref>[http://countrystudies.us/venezuela/12.htm Venezuela – Population] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012080622/http://countrystudies.us/venezuela/12.htm |date=12 October 2011 }}. U.S. Library of Congress.</ref>

The total Indigenous population of the country is estimated at 500 thousand people (2.8% of the total), distributed among 40 Indigenous peoples.<ref>[http://www.ine.gob.ve/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=95&Itemid=9# > Censos de población y vivienda] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170719020310/http://www.ine.gob.ve/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=95&Itemid=9 |date=19 July 2017}}. INE (23 February 2012). Retrieved on 16 April 2012.</ref> There are three [[Uncontacted peoples|uncontacted tribes]] living in Venezuela. The Constitution recognizes the multi-ethnic, pluri-cultural, and multilingual character of the country and includes a chapter devoted to Indigenous peoples' rights, which opened up spaces for their political inclusion at national and local level in 1999.
Most Indigenous peoples are concentrated in eight states along Venezuela's borders with Brazil, Guyana, and Colombia, and the majority groups are the [[Wayuu people|Wayuu]] in the west, the [[Warao people|Warao]] in the east, the [[Yanomami]] installed in the south, and the [[Pemon]] which are mostly in the southeast of Venezuela.