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
Languages
Spanish, Mayan languages
Related ethnic groups
Indigenous peoples of the Americas

Indigenous peoples in 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.

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 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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