In 2019, Venezuela’s estimated gross domestic product (GDP) per capita dropped to 2,624.41 U.S. dollars from 3,529.72 U.S. dollars the year before. the country's GDP has been on a continuous downswing for about a decade now - in 2010, it amounted to more than 11,000 U.S. dollars, and seemed to recover from a sudden slump again in 2016, before decreasing rapidly ever since. GDP per capita is a measurement of a country’s economic output that accounts for its number of people, thus making it a good measurement of a country’s standard of living.

A time of economic hardships

Currently, a major economic crisis is shaking Venezuela, resulting in hyperinflation, food and water shortages, and unemployment. Venezuela’s inflation rate has skyrocketed to over 900,000 percent in 2018, and the economy is suffering, with the Venezuelan GDP growth decreasing substantially each year since 2014.

A population affected by instability

In response to the economic and political climate, many are leaving the country for places such as Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador, with hopes for more stability and better economic prospects. Due in part to this, Venezuela’s population growth has decreased consistently over the last five years: In 2019, the country’s population was around 28 million inhabitants - a figure that is estimated to decrease further in the future.