Italian explorer
Christopher 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.
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". Throughout the colonial period,
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. This surge in migration was largely prompted by a genocide perpetrated by
Afro-descendant Haitians following the
capture of Hispaniola. 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, 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 1940 to 1961, an estimated 900,000 European immigrants arrived in Venezuela, following the
Second World War, the
Francoist dictatorship and the policies of the governments of the
Warsaw Pact. Among them, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese migrants constituted the majority, 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. == Census ==