Indigenous peoples in Guatemala

Native Guatemalans
Guatemaltecos nativos (Spanish)
Indigenous girls in Retalhuleu Department
Total population
6,471,670 (2018 census)[1]
43.43% of the Guatemalan population
Regions with significant populations
Guatemalan Highlands and Alta Verapaz
Languages
Spanish, Mayan languages
Related ethnic groups
Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Ladino people

Indigenous peoples in the country of Guatemala (Spanish: Pueblos Indígenas en Guatemala), also known as Native Guatemalans (Spanish: Guatemaltecos nativos), are the original inhabitants of Guatemala, predating Spanish colonization.

Guatemala is home to about 6.5 million (43.75%) people of Indigenous heritage belonging to the 22 Mayan peoples (Achi’, Akatec, Awakatec, Chalchitec, Ch’ortí, Chuj, Itzá, Ixil, Jacaltec, Kaq- chikel, K’iche, Mam, Mopan, Poqomam, Poqomchí, Q’anjob’al, Q’eqchí, Sakapultec, Sipakapense, Tektitek, Tz’utujil and Us- pantek), Garífuna and Xinca.[2] The Maya are the largest Indigenous population in Guatemala.[3]

Table by department

The following is a table of Native populations by department in Guatemala.

Map of indigenous distribution
Indigenous population in Guatemala by department (2018)[4]
Department Ethnic groups Pop.
(Indigenous) 		% of pop.
1 Alta Verapaz Q'eqchi', Poqomchi' 1,129,369 92.9%
2 El Quiché Kʼicheʼ, Ixil 846,500 89.1%
3 Huehuetenango Mam, Qʼanjobʼal, Jakaltek 760,871 64.9%
4 Chimaltenango Kaqchikel 481,335 78.1%
5 Totonicapán Kʼicheʼ, Mam 410,195 97.9%
6 Quetzaltenango Kʼicheʼ, Mam 406,491 50.8%
7 Sololá Kʼicheʼ, Kakchikel, Tz'utujil 406,295 96.3%
8 Guatemala Kaqchikel 402,376 13.3%
9 San Marcos Mam 318,093 30.8%
10 Suchitepéquez Kʼicheʼ 211,103 38.1%
11 Baja Verapaz Achi 179,746 59.9%
12 Petén Q'eqchi' 164,814 30.2%
13 Sacatepéquez Kaqchikel 132,762 40.1%
14 Izabal Q'eqchi' 115,296 28.3%
15 Chiquimula Chʼortiʼ 111,368 26.8%
16 Retalhuleu K'iche' 48,871 14.9%
17 Escuintla Poqomam 37,100 5.1%
18 Jalapa Poqomam 24,891 7.2%
19 Santa Rosa Xinca 7,863 1.9%
20 Zacapa 4,769 1.9%
21 Jutiapa Xinca 4,768 0.97%
22 El Progreso 2,627 1.4%
Guatemala Guatemala 6,207,503 41.6%

History

The earliest proof of human settlement in Guatemala dates back to 10,000 BCE, although some evidence suggests human settlement as early as 18,000 BCE.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Resultados del Censo 2018". INE. 2018. Archived from the original on 2020-04-16. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  2. ^ Guatemala - IWGIA - International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs
  3. ^ "Indigenous Peoples". United States Agency for International Development. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  4. ^ Resultados Censo 2018 (PDF) (Report) (in Spanish). Instituto Nacional de Estadística Guatemala. Dec 2019. p. 112. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  5. ^ "History of Guatemala". Adventure Life. Retrieved 2025-11-07.


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