Over the past decade, Venezuela has faced major challenges. Soaring inflation made everyday items expensive, basic goods like food became scarce, and strict government actions made daily life even harder. That pushed a ton of people to pick up and head out, chasing steady paychecks and calmer spots to raise families. These days, you’ve got more than 8 million Venezuelans settled elsewhere, which has really mixed things up in areas across Latin America, North America, and even Europe. The rush peaked around 2017 through 2023, but it’s not stopped entirely – counts are ticking higher in countries like Chile, Peru, the US, Brazil, and Spain.
The map below shows the Venezuelan diaspora in the world.
Not every place has dropped their latest 2024 or 2025 numbers, so we’re probably undercounting a bit. Then there’s the big news from January 3, 2026, when US forces helped nab Maduro, shaking things up big time. It might mean more folks leaving if chaos sticks around, or maybe some heading back if stability kicks in – too soon to tell.
The map above, created by The World in Maps, shows the top 10 countries receiving Venezuelan migrants, based on data from GeoPolaris.
Inside Venezuela, the headcount’s sitting at roughly 29.9 million. Factor in those 8 million plus abroad, and you’re looking at about 22 percent of all Venezuelans not at home!
A lot landed in close-by nations or ones with solid job scenes. Here’s the rundown:
Country
Venezuelans
Colombia
2,810,358
Peru
1,662,889
U.S.
759,664
Chile
729,000
Spain
700,769
Brazil
672,894
Ecuador
444,778
Argentina
197,395
Dominican Republic
125,549
Mexico
106,015
Zoom out globally, and Venezuela’s in the mix with places where big chunks of the population head out. Guyana has the highest rate at 36%, followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina at 34%, Albania at 31%, Syria at approximately 30%, and Jamaica at 29%. This situation frequently stems from financial difficulties or disputes, reminiscent of the issues in Venezuela.
