Brazil has a population of over 192 million people that is decreasing slightly due to lower birth rates and urbanization. The birth rate is 16.04 per 1,000 people while the mortality rate is 6.22 per 1,000. Most Brazilians are of European descent, especially Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. The population was once much lower but grew significantly over time due to declines in epidemics, wars and the destruction of indigenous tribes' traditional ways of life. Immigration has also played an important role in Brazil's demographics, culture and economy.