Ethnic groups in Latin America
The inhabitants of Latin America are of a variety of ancestries, ethnic groups, and races, making the region one of the most diverse in the world. The specific composition varies from country to country: many have a predominance of European-Amerindian, or Mestizo, population; in others, Amerindians are a majority; some are dominated by inhabitants of European ancestry; and some countries' populations are primarily Mulatto. Black, Asian, and Zambo (mixed Black and Amerindian) minorities are also identified regularly. Europeans/Whites are the largest single group, and along with people of part-European ancestry, they combine to make up approximately 80% of the population,[1] or even more.[2]
In terms of culture, society, and national identity, Mario Sambarino classified Latin American states, based on Elman Service's classification, into "Mestiza America" (Paraguay, Brazil, Chile, Venezuela, Colombia), "Indigenous America" (Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, Mexico) and "European America" (Argentina and Uruguay).[3] In Darcy Ribeiro's classification system, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Paraguay, and the Caribbean are classified as predominantly "new peoples", which emerged from the fusion of Europeans, Amerindians and/or Africans; Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Central America and Mexico are predominantly "witness peoples", the heirs of ancient civilizations (Andean and Mesoamerican), while Argentina and Uruguay are "transplantated peoples", essentially European after massive immigration in the 19th century.[3] However, under this scheme most Brazilian Amazon peoples can be regarded as "Witness Peoples", in the same way as Peruvian Amazon peoples; most Southern Brazilian peoples, i.e., Riograndenses, can be considered "Transplanted peoples" like those of the very similar cultures of neighboring Uruguay and Argentina; and so on.[4]
Ethnic groups
- Amerindians. The aboriginal population of Latin America, the Amerindians (Native Americans), arrived thousands of years ago, during the Lithic stage. In post-Columbian times they experienced tremendous population decline, particularly in the early decades of colonization. They have since recovered in numbers, surpassing sixty million (by some estimates[1]), though with the growth of the other groups meanwhile, they now compose a majority only in Bolivia and Guatemala, and at least a plurality in Peru. In Ecuador, Amerindians are a large minority that comprises two-fifths of the population. Mexico's 14%[2] (alternatively 30%[1]) is the next largest ratio, and actually the largest Amerindian population in the Americas, in absolute numbers. Most of the remaining countries have Amerindian minorities, in every case making up less than one-tenth of the respective country's population. In many countries, people of mixed Amerindian and European ancestry make up the majority of the population (see "Mestizo", below).
- Asians. People of Asian descent number several million in Latin America. The first Asians to settle in the region were Filipino, as a result of Spain's trade involving Asia and the Americas. The majority of Asian Latin Americans are of Japanese or Chinese ancestry and reside mainly in Brazil and Peru; there is also a growing Chinese minority in Panama. Brazil is home to perhaps two million people of Asian descent, which includes the largest ethnic Japanese community outside of Japan itself, estimated as high as 1.5 million, and circa 200,000 ethnic Chinese and 100,000 ethnic Koreans.[5][6] Ethnic Koreans also number tens of thousands of individuals in Argentina and Mexico.[7] Peru, with 1.47 million people of Asian descent,[8][9] has one of the largest Chinese communities in the world, with nearly one million Peruvians being of Chinese ancestry. There is a strong ethnic-Japanese presence in Peru, where a past president and a number of politicians are of Japanese descent. The Martiniquais population includes an African-White-Indian mixed population, and an East Indian population.[10] The Guadeloupe, an East Indian population, is estimated at 14% of the population.
- Blacks. Millions of African slaves were brought to Latin America from the sixteenth century onward, the majority of whom were sent to the Caribbean region and Brazil. Today, people identified as "Black" are most numerous in Brazil (more than 10 million) and in Haiti (more than 7 million). Among the Hispanic nations and Brazil, Puerto Rico leads this category in relative numbers, with a 15% ratio. Significant populations are also found in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Panama, Colombia, and Venezuela. Latin Americans of mixed Black and White ancestry, called Mulattoes, are far more numerous than Blacks.
- Mestizos. Intermixing between Europeans and Amerindians began early in the colonial period and was extensive. The resulting people, known as Mestizos, make up the majority of the population in half of the countries of Latin America. Additionally, Mestizos compose large minorities in nearly all the other mainland countries.
- Mulattoes. Mulattoes are people of mixed European and African ancestry, mostly descended from Spanish or Portuguese settlers on one side and African slaves on the other, during the colonial period. Brazil is home to Latin America's largest mulatto population. Mulattoes form a majority of population in the Dominican Republic and Cuba, and are also numerous in Venezuela, Panama, Peru, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Ecuador. Smaller populations of mulattoes are found in other Latin American countries.[1]
- Whites. Beginning in the late fifteenth century, large numbers of Iberian colonists settled in what became Latin America (Portuguese in Brazil and Spaniards elsewhere in the region), and at present most white Latin Americans are of Spanish or Portuguese origin. Iberians brought the Spanish and Portuguese languages, the Catholic faith, and many Iberian traditions. Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico contain the largest numbers of whites in Latin America. Whites make up the majorities of Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and depending on source, Chile and Cuba, also.[2][11][12] Of the millions of immigrants to Latin America since most of the area gained independence in the 1810s–1820s, Italians formed the largest group, and next were Spaniards and Portuguese.[13] Many others arrived, such as French, Germans, Greeks, Poles, Ukrainians, Russians, Estonians, Latvians, Jews, Irish and Welsh. Also included are Middle Easterners of Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian descent; Most of them are Christian. Whites presently compose the largest racial group in Latin America (36% in the table herein). Whether as White, Mestizo, or Mulatto, the vast majority of Latin Americans have white ancestry.
- Zambos: Intermixing between Africans and Amerindians was especially prevalent in Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil, often due to slaves running away (becoming cimarrones: maroons) and being taken in by Amerindian villagers. In Spanish speaking nations, people of this mixed ancestry are known as Zambos or Cafuzos in Brazil.
In addition to the foregoing groups, Latin America also has millions of tri-racial people of African, Amerindian, and European ancestry. Most are found in Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil, with a much smaller presence in other countries.
Ethnic groups according to Lizcano
The following table contains information based on work by National Autonomous University of Mexico professor Francisco Lizcano Fernández in 2005.[2]
| Country |
Population
2011[14] |
Whites |
Mestizos |
Mulattos |
Amerindians |
Blacks |
Asians |
Creoles &
Garifunas |
| Argentina |
41,769,726 |
85.0% |
11.1% |
0.0% |
1.0% |
0.0% |
2.9% |
0.0% |
| Bolivia |
10,118,683 |
15.0% |
28.0% |
2.0% |
55.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
| Brazil |
203,429,773 |
53.8% |
0.0% |
39.1% |
0.4% |
6.2% |
0.5% |
0.0% |
| Chile |
16,888,760 |
52.7% |
39.3% |
0.0% |
8.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
| Colombia |
44,725,543 |
20.0% |
53.2% |
21.0% |
1.8% |
3.9% |
0.0% |
0.1% |
| Costa Rica |
4,576,562 |
82.0% |
15.0% |
0.0% |
0.8% |
0.0% |
0.2% |
2.0% |
| Cuba |
11,087,330 |
37.0% |
0.0% |
51.0% |
0.0% |
11.0% |
1.0% |
0.0% |
| Dominican Republic |
9,956,648 |
14.6% |
0.0% |
75.0% |
0.0% |
7.7% |
0.4% |
2.3% |
| Ecuador |
15,007,343 |
9.9% |
41.0% |
5.0% |
39.0% |
5.0% |
0.1% |
0.0% |
| El Salvador |
6,071,774 |
1.0% |
91.0% |
0.0% |
8.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
| Guatemala |
13,824,463 |
4.0% |
42.0% |
0.0% |
53.0% |
0.0% |
0.8% |
0.2% |
| Honduras |
8,143,564 |
1.0% |
85.6% |
1.7% |
7.7% |
0.0% |
0.7% |
3.3% |
| Mexico |
113,724,226 |
15.0% |
70.0% |
0.5% |
14.0% |
0.0% |
0.5% |
0.0% |
| Nicaragua |
5,666,301 |
14.0% |
78.3% |
0.0% |
6.9% |
0.0% |
0.2% |
0.6% |
| Panama |
3,460,462 |
10.0% |
32.0% |
27.0% |
8.0% |
5.0% |
4.0% |
14.0% |
| Paraguay |
6,459,058 |
20.0% |
74.5% |
3.5% |
1.5% |
0.0% |
0.5% |
0.0% |
| Peru |
29,248,943 |
12.0% |
32.0% |
9.7% |
45.5% |
0.0% |
0.8% |
0.0% |
| Puerto Rico |
3,989,133 |
74.8% |
0.0% |
10.0% |
0.0% |
15.0% |
0.2% |
0.0% |
| Uruguay |
3,308,535 |
88.0% |
8.0% |
4.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
| Venezuela |
27,635,743 |
16.9% |
37.7% |
37.7% |
2.7% |
2.8% |
2.2% |
0.0% |
| Total |
579,092,570 |
36.2% |
29.9% |
20.5% |
9.3% |
3.2% |
0.7% |
0.2% |
Note: "Creoles" refer to people of African descent who emigrated from British and French colonies in the Caribbean to Central America.[2]
Ethnic groups according to The World Factbook
The following table shows the different racial groups and their percentages for all Latin American countries and territories, according to information provided by The World Factbook.[1]
| Country |
Population
(2011)[14] |
White |
Mestizo |
Mulatto |
Amerindian |
Black |
White and
mestizo |
Mixed |
Other1 |
| Argentina |
41,769,726 |
97.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.0% |
| Aruba |
106,113 |
|
80.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
20.0% |
| Bolivia |
10,118,683 |
15.0% |
30.0% |
|
55.0% |
|
|
|
|
| Brazil |
203,429,773 |
53.7% |
|
38.5% |
|
6.2% |
|
|
1.6% |
| Chile |
16,888,760 |
|
|
|
4.6% |
|
95.4% |
|
|
| Colombia |
44,725,543 |
20.0% |
58.0% |
14.0% |
1.0% |
4.0% |
|
3.0% |
|
| Costa Rica |
4,576,562 |
|
|
|
1.0% |
3.0% |
94.0% |
|
2.0% |
| Cuba |
11,087,330 |
65.1% |
|
|
|
10.1% |
|
24.8% |
|
| Curaçao |
144,688 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100.0% |
| Dominican Republic |
9,956,648 |
16.0% |
|
|
|
11.0% |
|
73.0% |
|
| Ecuador |
15,007,343 |
|
65.0% |
|
25.0% |
3.0% |
|
|
7.0% |
| El Salvador |
6,071,774 |
9.0% |
90.0% |
|
1.0% |
|
|
|
|
| Guatemala |
13,824,463 |
|
|
|
40.5% |
|
59.4% |
|
0.1% |
| Haiti |
9,719,932 |
|
|
|
|
95.0% |
|
5.0% |
|
| Honduras |
8,143,564 |
1.0% |
90.0% |
|
7.0% |
2.0% |
|
|
|
| Mexico |
113,724,226 |
9.0% |
60.0% |
|
30.0% |
|
|
|
1.0% |
| Nicaragua |
5,666,301 |
17.0% |
69.0% |
|
5.0% |
9.0% |
|
|
|
| Panama |
3,460,462 |
10.0% |
70.0% |
|
6.0% |
|
|
14.0% |
|
| Paraguay |
6,459,058 |
|
95.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
5.0% |
| Peru |
29,248,943 |
15.0% |
37.0% |
|
45.0% |
|
|
|
3.0% |
| Puerto Rico |
3,989,133 |
76.2% |
|
|
0.2% |
6.9% |
|
4.4% |
12.3% |
| Saint Barthélemy |
7,367 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100.0% |
| Saint Martin |
30,615 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100.0% |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon |
5,888 |
100.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Uruguay |
3,308,535 |
88.0% |
8.0% |
|
|
4.0% |
|
|
|
| Venezuela[15] |
27,635,743 |
21.0% |
67.0% |
|
2.0% |
10.0% |
|
|
|
| Total |
589,107,173 |
33.5% |
27.5% |
14.4% |
11.1% |
5.1% |
4.9% |
2.1% |
1.5% |
1 May include one or more of the other groups.
Ethnic groups according to other sources
This is a list of ethnic groups based on national or other sources.
Ethnic groups according to self-identification
The Latinobarómetro surveys have asked respondents in 18 Latin American countries what race they considered themselves to belong to. The figures shown below are averages for 2007 through 2011.[21]
1 Don't know/No response.
2 Weighted using 2011 population.[14]
References
- ^ a b c d e "CIA — The World Factbook -- Field Listing — Ethnic groups". https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2075.html. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
- ^ a b c d e Lizcano Fernández, Francisco (May–August 2005). "Composición Étnica de las Tres Áreas Culturales del Continente Americano al Comienzo del Siglo XXI" (in Spanish) (PDF). Convergencia (Mexico: Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades) 38: 185–232; table on p. 218. ISSN 1405-1435. http://convergencia.uaemex.mx/rev38/38pdf/LIZCANO.pdf.
- ^ a b Larraín, Jorge (2000). Identity and modernity in Latin America. Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 3, 4, 65. ISBN 0745626246, 9780745626246. http://books.google.com/?id=grvnsgM0nDcC&pg=PA3.
- ^ "Las Américas y la civilización: proceso de formación y causas del desarrollo By Darcy Ribeiro and Mércio Pereira Gomes". Books.google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=NWUggn5SzkIC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 2011-10-05.
- ^ Shoji, Rafael (2004). "Reinterpretação do Budismo Chinês e Coreano no Brasil". Revista de Estudos da Religião. pp. 74–87. ISSN 1677-1222. http://www.pucsp.br/rever/rv3_2004/p_shoji.pdf. Retrieved 2010-06-02
- ^ "Japan-Brazil Relations". MOFA. http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/latin/brazil/index.html. Retrieved 2011-10-05.
- ^ 재외동포현황/Current Status of Overseas Compatriots. South Korea: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 2009. http://www.mofat.go.kr/consul/overseascitizen/compatriotcondition/index6.jsp?TabMenu=TabMenu6. Retrieved 2009-05-21
- ^ ":: Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission, R.O.C. ::". Ocac.gov.tw. 2007-11-01. http://www.ocac.gov.tw/english/public/public.asp?selno=1163&no=1163&level=B. Retrieved 2011-10-05.
- ^ "Desafíos que nos acercan". Universia.edu.pe. http://www.universia.edu.pe/noticias/principales/destacada.php?id=65889. Retrieved 2011-10-05.
- ^ The World Factbook (USA: CIA). 2003. http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/wofact2003/geos/mb.html. Retrieved 2010-06-02
- ^ Cap.%202.%20Pensar%20a%20los%20indios,%20tarea%20de%20criollos.pdf massive immigration of European Argentina Uruguay Chile Peru Brazil
- ^ Latinoamerican.
- ^ "South America :: Postindependence overseas immigrants". Britannica Online Encyclopedia. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-41807/South-America. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ^ a b c Population obtained from U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base, accessed on 5 October 2011.
- ^ Venezuela People 1998, The World Factbook 1998 archive.
- ^ "5.2.6. Estructura racial" (in Spanish). University of Chile. http://mazinger.sisib.uchile.cl/repositorio/lb/ciencias_quimicas_y_farmaceuticas/medinae/cap2/5b6.html. Retrieved 2007-08-26. (Main page)
- ^ "Tabela 262 - População residente, por cor ou raça, situação e sexo" (in Portuguese). IBGE. http://www.sidra.ibge.gov.br/bda/tabela/protabl.asp?c=262&i=P&nome=on¬arodape=on&tab=262&unit=0&pov=3&opc1=1&poc2=1&OpcTipoNivt=1&opn1=2&nivt=0&orc86=3&poc1=1&orp=6&qtu3=27&opv=1&poc86=2&sec1=0&opc2=1&pop=1&opn2=0&orv=2&orc2=5&qtu2=5&sev=93&sev=1000093&opc86=1&sec2=0&opp=1&opn3=0&sec86=0&sec86=2776&sec86=2777&sec86=2779&sec86=2778&sec86=2780&sec86=2781&ascendente=on&sep=43344&orn=1&qtu7=9&orc1=4&qtu1=1&cabec=on&pon=1&OpcCara=44&proc=1&opn7=0&decm=99. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
- ^ Resultados del Censo 2010. INEC.
- ^ *The category of "indígena" (indigenous) can be defined narrowly according to linguistic criteria including only persons that speak one of Mexicos 62 indigenous languages, this is the categorization used by the National Mexican Institute of Statistics. It can also be defined broadly to include all persons who selfidentify as having an indigenous cultural background, whether or not they speak the language of the indigenous group they identify with. This means that the percentage of the Mexican population defined as "indigenous" varies according to the definition applied.(Knight (1990:73-74)Bartolomé (1996:3-4))Sometimes, particularly outside of Mexico, the word "mestizo" is used with the meaning of a person with mixed Indigenous and European blood. This usage does not conform to the Mexican social reality where a person of pure indigenous genetic heritage would be considered Mestizo either by rejecting his indigenous culture or by not speaking an indigenous language, (Bartolomé (1996:2)) and a person with a very low percentage of indigenous genetic heritage would be considered fully indigenous either by speaking an indigenous language or by identifying with a particular indigenous cultural heritage.(Knight (1990:73))
- ^ "Síntesis de Resultados". Comisión Nacional para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas. 2006. http://www.cdi.gob.mx/cedulas/sintesis_resultados_2005.pdf. Retrieved 2010-12-22.
- ^ Informe Latinobarómetro, Latinobarómetro.