White Colombian
| Total population | |
|---|---|
|
approx. 17,519,500 (37% of Colombian population) |
|
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Throughout the nation, especially in the Andean Region, and the Major Cities. | |
| Languages | |
| Colombian Spanish | |
| Religion | |
| Predominantly Christianity (Roman Catholic, Protestant, other Christians), Atheism and Judaism |
White Colombians are the Colombian descendants of European and Middle Eastern people (including Armenians, Sephardic Jews and Berbers). According to the 2005 census, 37 percent of the population self-identify as being white, although the figure may be closer to 20 percent in terms of being predominantly of European ancestry. They constitute the second largest racial group in the country with a share of 37 to 38 percent of Colombia's population.
Per these figures, whites constitute the second largest racial group in the country, after mestizo.
An unofficial estimate finds that 37% of the Colombian population is white.
The various racial groups exist in differing concentrations throughout the nation, in a pattern that to some extent goes back to colonial origins. Paisa Region and Bogotá have the a largest concentration of White Colombians. Whites tend to live mainly in the urban centers, like Medellín or Bogotá, and the burgeoning highland cities.
The presence of Whites in Colombia began in 1510 with the colonization of San Sebastián de Urabá. In 1526, settlers founded Santa Marta, the oldest Spanish city still in existence in Colombia. Many Spaniards began their exploration searching for gold, while others established themselves as leaders of the native social organizations teaching the Christian faith and the ways of their civilization. Catholic priests would provide education for Native Americans that otherwise was unavailable. Within 100 years after the first Spanish settlement, nearly 95 percent of all Native Americans in Colombia had died. The majority of the deaths were the cause of diseases spread by the settlers, such as measles and smallpox. Some natives were also killed in armed conflicts with their new neighbours.
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Wikipedia