Demographics of Guatemala

The demographics of Guatemala are diverse, constituting primarily of Mestizos, Amerindians and Europeans. About 60% of the population speak Spanish, with nearly all of the rest speaking Amerindian languages.

According to the CIA World Fact Book, Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) and European made 59.4% of the population (Approximately the 41.4% are Mestizos and 18% are white population of European origin) , and K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1%. Therefore, 40% of the population is Amerindian. The 1893 Guatemalan Census reported that 481,945 persons —or 35.3% of the population— were Ladinos (includes both whites and mixed-race persons), and 882,733 persons —or 64.7% of the population— were Indios (Natives).

Though the official language is Spanish, it is often the second language among the indigenous population. However, the Peace Accords signed in December 1996 provide for the translation of some official documents and voting materials into several indigenous languages (see summary of main substantive accords).

Racial stratification is complex and fluid in Guatemalan politics, culture and identity. Guatemala City, the largest city in Central America, is home to over 3 million inhabitants.

Other racial groups include small numbers of Afro-Guatemalans and Garifuna of mixed African and indigenous Caribbean origins who live in the country's Eastern end. Asians, mostly of Chinese descent are descendants of farm workers and railroad laborers in the early 20th century.

In 1900, Guatemala had a population of just 885,000. Over the course of the twentieth century, the population of the country grew by a factor of fourteen. No other western hemisphere country saw such rapid growth.

Population

Population growth 1961-2003, as reported by FAO, 2005. Population numbers are in thousands.

According to the 2012 revison of the World Population Prospects the total population was 14 342 000 in 2010, compared to only 3 146 000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 41.5%, 54.1% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 4.4% was 65 years or older .

	Total population (x 1000)	Proportion aged 0–14 (%)	Proportion aged 15–64 (%)	Proportion aged 65+ (%)
1950	3 146	44.6	52.9	2.5
1955	3 619	45.4	52.0	2.6
1960	4 141	45.8	51.6	2.7
1965	4 736	45.2	52.0	2.8
1970	5 416	44.6	52.5	2.9
1975	6 194	44.8	52.3	2.9
1980	7 001	45.4	51.6	3.0
1985	7 920	45.7	51.2	3.1
1990	8 890	45.4	51.3	3.4
1995	9 984	44.9	51.4	3.7
2000	11 204	44.1	51.9	4.0
2005	12 679	43.2	52.6	4.3
2010	14 342	41.5	54.1	4.4

Vital statistics

UN estimates

The Population Departement of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.

Period	Live births per year	Deaths per year	Natural change per year	CBR*	CDR*	NC*	TFR*	IMR*	Life expectancy total	Life expectancy males	Life expectancy females
1950-1955	170 000	75 000	95 000	50.3	22.3	28.0	7.00	141	42.5	41.8	43.3
1955-1960	183 000	78 000	104 000	47.0	20.2	26.9	6.60	134	44.5	43.7	45.4
1960-1965	204 000	80 000	124 000	46.0	18.0	28.0	6.50	127	47.1	56.2	48.1
1965-1970	227 000	80 000	146 000	44.7	15.8	28.8	6.30	116	50.1	49.0	51.3
1970-1975	255 000	79 000	177 000	44.0	13.5	30.4	6.20	102	53.9	52.4	55.4
1975-1980	287 000	80 000	206 000	43.5	12.2	31.3	6.20	91	56.2	54.4	58.2
1980-1985	315 000	81 000	234 000	42.2	10.9	31.3	6.10	79	58.3	56.1	60.8
1985-1990	333 000	79 000	254 000	39.6	9.4	30.2	5.70	67	60.9	58.3	63.8
1990-1995	367 000	76 000	291 000	38.9	8.1	30.8	5.45	55	63.5	60.5	66.9
1995-2000	396 000	73 000	322 000	37.3	6.9	30.4	5.00	46	66.3	62.9	70.0
2000-2005	427 000	72 000	355 000	35.8	6.1	29.7	4.60	39	69.0	65.5	72.5
2005-2010	449 000	77 000	373 000	33.3	5.7	27.6	4.15	30	70.3	66.7	73.8
* CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)

Registered annual data

	Average population (x 1000)	Live births	Deaths	Natural change	Crude birth rate (per 1000)	Crude death rate (per 1000)	Natural change (per 1000)
1930	1 760	100 000	43 500	56 500	56.8	24.7	32.1
1931	1 810	99 000	44 000	55 000	54.7	24.3	30.4
1932	1 860	93 600	43 900	49 700	50.3	23.6	26.7
1933	1 910	90 700	52 100	38 600	47.5	27.3	20.2
1934	1 940	92 205	60 051	32 154	47.5	31.0	16.6
1935	1 980	96 031	54 789	41 242	48.5	27.7	20.8
1936	2 020	97 646	50 604	47 042	48.3	25.1	23.3
1937	2 070	96 981	51 027	45 954	46.9	24.7	22.2
1938	2 110	98 906	56 131	42 775	46.9	26.6	20.3
1939	2 150	102 908	64 117	38 791	47.9	29.8	18.0
1940	2 200	106 998	55 083	51 915	48.6	25.0	23.6
1941	2 250	103 688	56 444	47 244	46.1	25.1	21.0
1942	2 300	107 519	72 477	35 042	46.7	31.5	15.2
1943	2 340	112 407	72 837	39 570	48.0	31.1	16.9
1944	2 390	111 324	63 068	48 256	46.6	26.4	20.2
1945	2 440	118 912	59 732	59 180	48.7	24.5	24.3
1946	2 500	120 525	61 641	58 884	48.2	24.7	23.6
1947	2 570	134 066	63 316	70 750	52.2	24.6	27.5
1948	2 641	137 009	62 090	74 919	51.9	23.5	28.4
1949	2 724	140 596	59 277	81 319	51.6	21.8	29.9
1950	3 146	142 673	61 234	81 439	48.1	20.6	27.4
1951	3 238	151 416	56 550	94 866	49.6	18.5	31.1
1952	3 331	151 865	71 994	79 871	48.3	22.9	25.4
1953	3 426	156 377	70 794	85 583	48.3	21.9	26.4
1954	3 521	162 773	58 132	104 641	48.9	17.4	31.4
1955	3 619	158 856	67 088	91 768	46.3	19.6	26.7
1956	3 719	163 301	66 280	97 021	46.2	18.8	27.5
1957	3 820	170 381	70 933	99 448	46.9	19.5	27.4
1958	3 924	172 745	75 634	97 111	46.2	20.2	26.0
1959	4 031	181 740	63 010	118 730	47.2	16.4	30.8
1960	4 141	186 476	65 805	120 671	47.1	16.6	30.4
1961	4 253	193 833	63 287	130 546	47.5	15.5	32.0
1962	4 369	191 420	69 287	122 133	45.6	16.5	29.1
1963	4 488	197 671	71 449	126 222	45.8	16.6	29.2
1964	4 610	196 386	68 278	128 108	44.2	15.4	28.9
1965	4 736	201 059	74 830	126 229	44.0	16.4	27.6
1966	4 864	206 520	75 774	130 746	44.0	16.1	27.8
1967	4 996	201 816	71 191	130 625	41.8	14.8	27.1
1968	5 132	211 679	79 421	132 258	42.7	16.0	26.7
1969	5 271	215 397	85 174	130 223	42.2	16.7	25.5
1970	5 416	212 151	77 333	134 818	40.5	14.7	25.7
1971	5 565	229 674	75 223	154 451	42.6	14.0	28.6
1972	5 719	241 593	67 989	173 604	43.6	12.3	31.3
1973	5 877	238 498	69 454	169 044	41.8	12.2	29.6
1974	6 036	252 203	69 820	182 383	43.0	11.9	31.1
1975	6 194	249 332	78 708	170 624	41.4	13.1	28.4
1976	6 352	266 728	81 627	185 101	43.2	13.2	30.0
1977	6 510	284 747	71 777	212 970	45.0	11.3	33.6
1978	6 669	286 415	66 844	219 571	44.1	10.3	33.8
1979	6 832	295 972	72 274	223 698	44.5	10.9	33.6
1980	7 001	303 643	71 352	232 291	44.5	10.5	34.1
1981	7 177	308 413	75 658	232 755	44.1	10.8	33.3
1982	7 358	312 047	76 267	235 780	43.5	10.6	32.9
1983	7 543	306 827	74 462	232 365	41.7	10.1	31.6
1984	7 731	312 094	75 462	236 632	41.3	10.0	31.4
1985	7 920	326 849	69 455	257 394	42.2	9.0	33.3
1986	8 109	318 340	66 328	252 012	40.1	8.4	31.8
1987	8 299	319 942	66 404	253 538	39.4	8.2	31.2
1988	8 492	337 396	64 100	273 296	40.5	7.7	32.8
1989	8 688	340 807	61 548	279 259	39.9	7.2	32.7
1990	8 890	347 207	73 344	273 863	39.7	8.4	31.3
1991	9 099	359 904	72 896	287 008	39.6	8.0	31.5
1992	9 313	363 648	73 124	290 524	39.0	7.9	31.2
1993	9 533	370 138	73 870	296 268	38.8	7.7	31.1
1994	9 756	381 497	74 761	306 736	39.1	7.7	31.4
1995	9 984	371 091	65 159	305 932	37.2	6.5	30.6
1996	10 215	377 723	60 618	317 105	37.0	5.9	31.0
1997	10 450	387 862	67 691	320 171	37.1	6.5	30.6
1998	10 691	400 133	69 847	330 286	37.4	6.5	30.9
1999	10 942	409 034	65 139	343 895	37.4	6.0	31.4
2000	11 204	425 410	67 284	358 126	38.0	6.0	32.0
2001	11 479	415 338	68 041	347 297	36.2	5.9	30.3
2002	11 766	387 287	66 089	321 198	32.9	5.6	27.3
2003	12 063	375 092	66 695	308 397	31.1	5.5	25.6
2004	12 368	383 704	66 991	316 713	31.0	5.4	25.6
2005	12 679	374 066	71 039	303 027	29.5	5.6	23.9
2006	12 995	368 399	69 756	298 643	28.3	5.4	23.0
2007	13 318	366 128	70 030	296 098	27.5	5.3	22.2
2008	13 648	369 769	70 233	299 536	27.1	5.1	21.9
2009	13 989	351 628	71 707	279 921	25.1	5.1	20.0
2010	14 342	361 906	72 000	289 906	25.2	5.0	20.2
2011	14 707	373 692	72 354	301 338	25.4	4.9	20.5

Departments by population

Guatemala city.

Rank	Department	Pop.	Rank	Department	Rank.	Department	Pop.
1	Guatemala	3,306,397	10	Totonicapán	18	Retalhuleu	325,556
2	Huehuetenango	1,234,593	11	Sololá	19	Baja Verapaz	291,903
3	Alta Verapaz	1,219,585	12	Jutiapa	20	Zacapa	291,903
4	San Marcos	1,095,997	13	Izabal	445,125
5	Quetzaltenango	844,906	14	Chiquimula	397,202
6	Escuintla	746,309	15	Santa Rosa	367,569
7	Petén	711,585	16	Jalapa	345,926
8	Chimaltenango	666,938	17	Sacatepéquez	336,606
9	Suchitepéquez	555,261	18	Total	--	15,806,675 (2014)
Source: National Institute of Statistics (INE).

Ethnic groups

Ethnic groups
Group	Number
Mestizo (42%)	6,638,803
Indigenous people (38.8%)	6,132,989
White (18%)	2,845,201
Other (1.2%)	189,670
Source: INE (2012)

Ethnic groups
Group	Number
Mestizo and White (59.4%%)	9,448,004
Indigenous people (40.5%)	6,304,659
Other (0.1%)	18,000
Source: CIA (2010)

Almost 60% of the population is white of European origin (descendants of Spanish, German, Italian, Belgian and Dutch), also including mestizos (being a mixture between Spaniards and indigenous peoples), locally they are called Ladino. The majority live in the central region, east and south. But there are significant communities in the north.

Almost 40% of the population is indigenous and is divided as follows (K'iche 9.1%, 8.4% Kaqchikel, Mam 7.9%, 6.3% Q'eqchi', other Mayans 8.6%, 0.2% indigenous non-Mayan). And they are distributed all over the country, although they live most in the highlands.

There is a small number of Garifunas who live mainly in Livingstone, San Vicente and Puerto Barrios. and they are descendants mainly from the Arawak family, and Belizean Creole.

According to the census of 2012, almost 42% of the population are Mestizos and the 38.8% are Indigenous people of the 23 groups mayans and 1 non-mayan, followed by the white population of European origin, and 1.2% are other ethnic groups, such as Garifunas and Asian Guatemalan.

Immigration

Guatemala counted with waves of immigration of Germans, Spaniards and Belgians in the Nineteenth Century and twentieth century, these they were granted Fincas and lands of the coffee, sugar and cardamom cultivation mainly in Alta Verapaz, Zacapa, Izabal and Retalhuleu. Guatemala City was an important settlement of the European activities such as schools, transport, hotels, banks and European commerce. and to a lesser extent arrived British, Dutch, French and Italian.

Emigration

During the Guatemalan civil war from 1960 to 1996, he provoked a migratory phenomenon of Guatemalans living abroad and a large majority live in the United States. According to the International Organization for Migration, between 1960-1995 the number of emigrants increased very considerably from 6.700 to 558.776, but by 2005 the number was surpassed the million. Over a million Guatemalan emigrants went to the US in the 1980s and 1990s for a better life mostly because of the Civil War. The 2010 U.S. Census counted 1,044,209 Guatemalans in the United States, up from 372,487 in 2000.

Languages

Main article: Languages of Guatemala

The official language of Guatemala is Spanish, it is spoken by more than 60% of the population and is found mainly in the departments of South region, east region, Guatemala City and Peten. An additional approximately 23 indigenous languages Mayana spoken by more than 30% of the population, and the most significant are (Quiche, Kaqchikel, Mam, Tz’utujil, Q'eqchi' and Pocomam), plus a non-Mayan indigenous language is xinca, this language is almost extinct as the speakers less than 10,000 people. About 50,000 people speak the Garifuna language, there are also significant nuclei of German, Chinese, French and English language.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Guatemala

The Article 36 of the Political Constitution of Guatemala states that everyone has the right to practice their religion or belief, in public and in private (in this Act include Protestants, practitioners of Mayan beliefs and with those who do not practice no religion). Since 1882 the country has no official religion, this was approved in the government of Justo Rufino Barrios. Catholicism was the official religion during the colonial era. However, Protestantism has been increased in recent decades. Around two-fifths of Guatemalans are Protestant, chiefly Evangelicals and Pentecostals. Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy have also been expanding rapidly, especially among indigenous Mayans; Guatemala is now the most Orthodox country in the entire Western Hemisphere.