| Group: | Moreno Venezuelans Venezolanos Morenos Morenos |
| Pop: | 15,586,454 51.6% of the Venezuelan population[1] [2] |
| Popplace: | Throughout Venezuela |
| Langs: | Venezuelan Spanish small minorities speak Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, English, German, and French. |
| Rels: | Roman Catholicism |
| Related: | Other Venezuelans, Mestizos, White Venezuelan, Afro-Venezuelan, Amerindian, Spaniards, Pardos, Mestizo Colombian, Latin Americans, Cocoa panyol |
In Venezuela, Moreno (Spanish: Dark, Swarthy, Brown) is a broad term to describe those Venezuelans, who tend to be 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, Chinese, or Indian), although this is not as common.
Since the concept of "race" in Venezuela is rather fluid, there is no defined boundary to what is and is not 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.
Moreno or 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]
The Census of Venezuela classifies the population as: