In Venezuela, Moreno (Spanish: Dark, Swarthy, Brown) is a broad term to describe those Venezuelans who are notoriously multiracial, typically those who are genetically intermediate between Africans, Amerindians and/or Europeans. Historically known as mulattos, mestizos, pardos, and zambos. Some Moreno Venezuelans may also be mixed with Asian ancestry (Arabs or Chinese), although this is not as common.

Moreno Venezuelans
Venezolanos Morenos
Morenos
Total population
15,586,454
51.6% of the Venezuelan population[1][2]
Regions with significant populations
   Throughout Venezuela
Languages
Venezuelan Spanish
small minorities speak Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, English, German, and French.
Religion
Roman Catholicism
Related ethnic groups
Other Venezuelans, Mestizos, White Venezuelan, Afro-Venezuelan, Amerindian, Spaniards, Pardos, Mestizo Colombian, Latin Americans, Cocoa panyol

Since the concept of "race" in Venezuela is rather fluid, there is no defined boundary to what is and isn't Moreno. Many self-proclaimed White and Black Venezuelans have some degree of Moreno ancestry.

In terms of mere physical description, Moreno can be used to describe indigenous Venezuelans because of their brown complexion.

Moreno may occasionally apply to olive-skinned people of Mediterranean or Canarian origins.

The diminutive Morenito can be used to describe Blacks in a less racial connotation.

According to the 2011 Census, people who identify as Moreno amount to 51.6% of Venezuela's population.

Per an autosomal DNA genetic study conducted in 2008 by the University of Brasília (UNB), Venezuela's gene pool is composed of 61% European contribution, 23% indigenous contribution, and 16% African contribution.[3]

Census edit

The Census of Venezuela classifies the population as:

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Resultado Básico del XIV Censo Nacional de Población y Vivienda 2011 (Mayo 2014)" (PDF). Ine.gov.ve. p. 29. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  2. ^ http://www.ine.gob.ve/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=95&Itemid=26 Venezuelan population by 30/Jun/2014 is 30,206,2307 according to the National Institute of Statistics
  3. ^ Godinho, Neide Maria de Oliveira (2008). "O impacto das migrações na constituição genética de populações latino-americanas". Universidade de Brasília. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e http://www.ine.gob.ve/documentos/Demografia/CensodePoblacionyVivienda/pdf/nacional.pdf [bare URL PDF]