Data Sources

A description of the empirical data used and the methods applied in revising past estimates of population and components of demographic change (fertility, child, adult and overall mortality, international migration) is available here for each country or area for the period 1950 to 2021. For the countries with less than 1,000 inhabitants in 2021, only the data sources for total population are made available.

Select below a country or area to see the respective information, or download the whole set of metadata in PDF format for all countries or areas or a tabular version for each demographic component under Documentation.

Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

Population: Total population and distribution by age and sex estimated to be consistent with the population by age and sex of the (a) 1950, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1990, 2001, 2011 censuses; (b) adjusted for under/over count; (c) adjusted for age heaping; (d) adjusted for under enumeration of children under age 15; (e) 1974 NSSH and 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 ENCOVI survey estimates; (f) official estimates through 2019; and with estimates of the subsequent trends in fertility, mortality and international migration.

Fertility: Total fertility rate and age pattern of fertility based on: (a) registered births classified by age of mother and the underlying female population by age through 2017; (b) adjusted for underregistration; (c) birth-histories data from the 1977 WFS and 1998 ENPOFAM and 2010 ENDEVE; (d) adjusted fertility using Brass P/F ratio method (or variants) with data on children ever born and births in the preceding 12 (or 24/36) months, both classified by age of mother, from the 2001, 2011 censuses; (e) indirect estimates obtained from the application of the reverse survival method to the 1950, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1990, 2001, 2011 censuses and 2000 MICS.  In addition, the (a) official estimates of age-specific fertility rates through 2014; (b) birth-histories data from the 1993 ENSO; (c) births in the household in the preceding 12 (or 24) months classified by age of mother from the 1990, 2001, 2011 censuses; (d) adjusted fertility using Brass P/F ratio method (or variants) with data on children ever born and births in the preceding 12 (or 24/36) months, both classified by age of mother, from the 1990 Census; (e) indirect estimates obtained from the application of the reverse survival method to the 1956-2010 Education Stats and 1974 NSSH; (f) cohort-completed fertility backdated by the mean age of childbearing from the 1950, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1990, 2001, 2011 censuses and 1977 WFS have been considered.

Child Mortality: Under-five mortality based on: (a) official estimates of infant and child mortality through 2017; (b) registered infant and child deaths through 2019; (c) direct estimates from births and deaths under-five calculated from full birth histories data from the 1977 WFS and 1998 ENPOFAM; (d) indirect estimates from data on children ever born and surviving from the 1981, 1990, 2001, 2011 censuses; (e) International estimates used up to 2021.

Overall Mortality: Life expectancy at birth and age pattern of mortality based on: (a) official estimates through 2010; (b) registered deaths by age and sex available through 2018; (c) adjusted for underreporting of infant and child deaths; (d) adult deaths adjusted for underregistration using death distribution methods; (e) mortality rates for older ages were adjusted; (f) estimates using CD West model life tables and estimates of under-five mortality (5q0), and adult mortality (45q15).

Adult and Old Age Mortality: Estimates derived from: (a) deaths by age and sex available from Register through 2018; (b) adjusted for underregistration; (c) recent household deaths adjusted at adult ages for underregistration using death distribution methods; (d) intercensal survivorship from successive census age distributions; (e) International estimates used up to 2021; (f) estimates of under-five, adult and old age mortality.

Migration: International migration based on: (a) information on foreign-born populations from censuses and registers from major countries of destination (Latin American countries, Spain and United States of America); (b) estimates derived as the differences between overall population growth and natural increase; (c) UNHCR statistics on the number of refugees in the main countries of asylum.

Disclaimer: This web site contains data tables, figures, maps, analyses and technical notes from the current revision of the World Population Prospects. These documents do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.