Guatemala Population

Guatemala has Central America’s strongest economy, but only a small portion of the population has access to wealth. Since the end of the civil war in 1996, violence, corruption and gang crime have been a major societal problem.

Key figures and facts

• Capital: Guatemala city
• Ethnic groups: Mestis (mixture of Spanish and indigenous people) and Europeans 60.1%, Maya 39.3% (k’iche 11.3%, q’eqchi 7.6%, kaqchikel 7.4%, mam 5.5%, other 7.5%) non-maya, non-mastis 0.15% (xinca (indigenous, non-maya), garifuna (mix of West and Central African, Caribbean indigenous and Arabian)), other 0.5% (2001)
• Language: Spanish (official) 68.9%, Mayan language 30.9% (k’iche 8.7%, q’eqchi 7%, mam 4.6%, kaqchikel 4.3%, other 6.3%), other 0.3% (including xinca and garifuna) (2001), (There are 23 officially recognized origins, including 21 Mayan languages, xinca and garifuna)
• Religion: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Mayan religions
• Population: 17 245 346 (2018)
• Control Form: Republic
• Area: 108 890 km2
• Currency: Quetzal
• GNP per capita: 7 945 PPP $
• National Day: September 15th

Guatemala population

Guatemala’s population was estimated at 17.3 million by 2020 and annual population growth to 1.68 percent. The country has the highest birth rate in Latin America (23.3 per thousand) and the youngest population; Around 50 percent are 19 years or younger. Life expectancy is 76.8 years for women and 73.6 years for men. Infant mortality is 23.5 per 100,000, highest in Latin America.

The economic and social differences are large and poverty is widespread, especially in the rural areas where most indigenous people live. Between 2006 and 2014, the proportion of poor people increased from 51.2 to 59.3 percent and the proportion of extremely poor persons in 2014 was 15.7 percent.

Guatemala is also Latin America’s least urbanized country and one of the most ethnically composed. A little over 40 percent of the population are indigenous people, the vast majority of whom are Mayans.

Population of Guatemala by Year (Historical)

Year	Population	Annual Growth Rate	Population Density	Global Rank
2020	17,915,457	1.900%	167.1852	66
2019	17,581,361	1.930%	164.0675	66
2018	17,247,738	1.970%	160.9542	66
2017	16,914,859	2.000%	157.8478	67
2016	16,582,965	2.030%	154.7506	67
2015	16,252,318	2.130%	151.6651	67
2010	14,630,306	2.240%	136.5287	67
2005	13,095,917	2.370%	122.2100	67
2000	11,650,632	2.280%	108.7229	66
1995	10,408,378	2.360%	97.1304	68
1990	9,263,702	2.370%	86.4484	74
1985	8,239,949	2.500%	76.8949	75
1980	7,283,348	2.510%	67.9681	76
1975	6,433,617	2.730%	60.0385	76
1970	5,621,681	2.910%	52.4617	78
1965	4,869,605	2.950%	45.4434	77
1960	4,210,636	3.040%	39.2940	79
1955	3,625,189	3.080%	33.8307	83
1950	3,114,846	0.000%	29.0683	86

Major Cities in Guatemala by Population

Rank	City	Population
1	Guatemala City	994,827
2	Mixco	472,969
3	Villa Nueva	406,719
4	Petapa	141,344
5	San Juan Sacatepequez	136,775
6	Quetzaltenango	132,119
7	Villa Canales	122,083
8	Escuintla	103,054
9	Chinautla	97,061
10	Chimaltenango	82,259
11	Chichicastenango	79,648
12	Huehuetenango	79,315
13	Amatitlan	71,725
14	Totonicapan	69,623
15	Santa Catarina Pinula	67,883
16	Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa	61,986
17	Puerto Barrios	56,494
18	San Francisco El Alto	54,382
19	Coban	53,264
20	San Jose Pinula	47,136
21	San Pedro Ayampuc	46,692
22	Jalapa	45,723
23	Coatepeque	45,543
24	Solola	45,262
25	Mazatenango	44,021
26	Chiquimula	41,410
27	San Pedro Sacatepequez	39,910
28	Salama	39,889
29	Antigua Guatemala	39,257
30	Retalhuleu	36,545
31	Zacapa	35,977
32	Jutiapa	34,221
33	Jacaltenango	33,973
34	Santiago Atitlan	33,198
35	Momostenango	31,628
36	Palin	31,218
37	San Benito	30,653
38	Barberena	30,428
39	Ciudad Vieja	30,092
40	Ostuncalco	28,783
41	Fraijanes	28,381
42	Nahuala	27,579
43	Cantel	25,952
44	Panzos	25,458
45	San Marcos	24,977
46	Santiago Sacatepequez	24,099
47	La Gomera	23,890
48	Santa Cruz del Quiche	23,507
49	Nebaj	23,190
50	Tecpan Guatemala	21,867
51	Sumpango	20,773
52	Comalapa	20,627
53	Esquipulas	20,563
54	Flores	20,353
55	Chicacao	20,315
56	San Pablo Jocopilas	20,148
57	Comitancillo	19,558
58	San Cristobal Verapaz	19,553
59	Gualan	19,243
60	Nuevo San Carlos	19,051
61	Colomba	19,004
62	Morales	18,883
63	Patzun	18,593
64	Puerto San Jose	18,544
65	San Andres Itzapa	18,536
66	Palencia	18,463
67	Tiquisate	18,078
68	San Lucas Sacatepequez	17,848
69	Jocotenango	17,807
70	Alotenango	17,299
71	Poptun	17,209
72	Chisec	16,907
73	Patzicia	16,383
74	Cuilapa	16,373
75	La Esperanza	16,350
76	Sanarate	15,732
77	El Estor	15,731
78	El Tejar	15,659
79	Asuncion Mita	15,497
80	Santa Maria de Jesus	15,418
81	El Palmar	15,056
82	Malacatan	14,812
83	San Sebastian	14,712
84	Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan	14,623
85	San Lucas Toliman	14,434
86	Livingston	14,239
87	San Pedro Sacatepequez	14,204
88	Patulul	14,085
89	Barillas	13,989
90	San Francisco Zapotitlan	13,744
91	San Miguel Chicaj	13,636
92	San Pablo	13,557
93	Guastatoya	13,356
94	San Pedro Carcha	13,221
95	San Mateo Ixtatan	13,102
96	Joyabaj	13,053
97	Santa Lucia Milpas Altas	12,890
98	Santa Barbara	12,795
99	Panajachel	12,752
100	Chiquimulilla	12,731
101	San Andres Xecul	12,022
102	El Quetzal	12,011
103	Sacapulas	11,977
104	Flores Costa Cuca	11,873
105	Salcaja	11,855
106	Cabrican	11,835
107	San Juan Chamelco	11,833
108	Almolonga	11,802
109	Chajul	11,546
110	Atescatempa	11,432
111	Melchor de Mencos	11,346
112	Ciudad Tecun Uman	11,321
113	Nueva Concepcion	11,010
114	San Juan Cotzal	10,935
115	San Antonio Suchitepequez	10,840
116	Soloma	10,805
117	Cuyotenango	10,714
118	Santa Catarina Mita	10,706
119	Rabinal	10,626
120	Dolores	10,493
121	Jalpatagua	10,358
122	Pastores	10,282
123	Monjas	10,240
124	San Agustin Acasaguastlan	10,224
125	San Luis Jilotepeque	10,195
126	Oratorio	10,044
127	Nueva Santa Rosa	10,019
128	Masagua	9,934
129	Zunil	9,875
130	Huitan	9,847
131	San Martin Jilotepeque	9,735
132	Cubulco	9,642
133	San Pedro La Laguna	9,570
134	Parramos	9,502
135	Santa Ana	9,412
136	Ocos	9,352
137	Zaragoza	9,250
138	Zacualpa	9,130
139	San Cristobal Cucho	9,041
140	Sayaxche	8,989
141	Tactic	8,888
142	Samayac	8,883
143	Casillas	8,859
144	Yepocapa	8,850
145	Estanzuela	8,826
146	Concepcion Huista	8,814
147	San Felipe	8,810
148	Santo Domingo Xenacoj	8,680
149	San Raimundo	8,578
150	La Libertad	8,535
151	Chiantla	8,354
152	San Miguel Duenas	8,313
153	Cunen	8,289
154	Pajapita	8,053
155	Moyuta	8,034
156	Nuevo Progreso	8,002
157	San Jeronimo	7,982
158	Concepcion Chiquirichapa	7,969
159	San Luis Ixcan	7,739
160	Santa Cruz Balanya	7,714
161	San Antonio Aguas Calientes	7,700
162	San Antonio La Paz	7,670
163	Champerico	7,650
164	Rio Bravo	7,457
165	El Tumbador	7,451
166	San Miguel Siguila	7,440
167	Mataquescuintla	7,428
168	Chahal Guatemala	7,354
169	El Progreso	7,239
170	San Andres	7,124
171	San Vicente Pacaya	7,051
172	Chuarrancho	7,038
173	Santo Tomas La Union	6,970
174	Guazacapan	6,969
175	Acatenango	6,939
176	Santa Maria Chiquimula	6,869
177	San Carlos Sija	6,720
178	San Luis	6,665
179	Taxisco	6,407
180	La Libertad	6,328
181	Tacana	6,327
182	Teculutan	6,296
183	San Jose Acatempa	6,256
184	Santo Domingo Suchitepequez	6,159
185	San Bartolome Milpas Altas	6,150
186	Santa Cruz Naranjo	6,143
187	San Pablo La Laguna	6,075
188	El Asintal	6,045
189	Rio Hondo	5,886
190	San Jose Poaquil	5,876
191	Santa Rosa de Lima	5,873
192	Santa Cruz Verapaz	5,732
193	San Antonio Huista	5,558
194	Senahu	5,522
195	Magdalena Milpas Altas	5,471
196	Aguacatan	5,461
197	San Mateo	5,423
198	San Bernardino	5,390
199	La Democracia	5,368
200	Purulha	5,259
201	Santa Clara La Laguna	5,195
202	Ipala	5,172
203	San Andres Villa Seca	4,991

Ethnicity

Census in 2018 defined 41.7 percent itself as Mayan (maya) or indigenous (indigen). The latter category also includes the groups xinca and garífuna. Together these groups 6.2 million people, of whom Xinca counts 264,000 and Garifuna around 20 000. The vast majority of the rest are mestizos; in Guatemala often called ladinos.

From ancient times, Ladinos was a term for Mayans who adopted Spanish language and European or modern way of life. Until the 1960s, it was official policy to encourage what was seen as a natural modernization of the country’s indigenous peoples. The term ladino thus also has a class-defined denomination, which means that many upper middle class and upwards see themselves as white (blanco or criollo) rather than ladino. Statistics that differentiate between ladino and white show that 18 percent of the total is white. The vast majority of these are descendants of Spanish colonizers, as well as of a small but significant group of Germans who arrived around 1900. Since then Guatemala has also received some immigration from the Middle East and Asia and El Salvador.

The 1994 peace treaties state that Guatemala is a multicultural society, and in 2003 these agreements gained the rank of constitution. In line with developments throughout Latin America, the divisions between the peoples (or “races”, as it was called around 1990) have become increasingly blurred and removed in all legislation, but the country continues to be a “racialized” society, that is, that the contrasts between Spanish speakers and Mayans or indigenous peoples characterize all social, political and economic life. Furthermore, the marked distinctions between different indigenous peoples are not visible from the outside.

Language

Spanish is an official language, but there are also a number of languages ​​spoken by the Mayan family besides xinca (a language isolate) and garífuna (a Caribbean language). The Constitution states that these languages ​​are also entitled to state protection, such as “cultural heritage”.

The Academy of Mayan Languages ​​(ALMG) was established in 1990 and has the task of standardizing and regulating the use of Mayan languages. ALMG recognizes 22 different Mayan languages. The largest are k’iche ‘, mam, kaqchikel and q’eqchí which are used by 1.7 – 1.07 – 0.85 and 1.37 million people respectively. The distance between the Mayan languages ​​is the same as between the Germanic languages, and many of the 22 are considered dialects by each other. Several of the small Mayan languages ​​(for example, itza in Petén and ch’orti in eastern Guatemala), besides xinka, are spoken by so few that they are considered endangered languages.

City and country

Guatemala is the least urbanized country in the Western Hemisphere. Around half of the population lives in one of approximately 9000 hamlets with small, family-run farms. This is especially true of the Mayan groups in the highlands west and north of the capital Guatemala City. However, especially after the end of the civil war, urbanization has accelerated here as well. More and more Mayan borders are becoming increasingly interwoven into the national and international economy. The rural communities assume the character of being urban.

The white minority dominates economics and politics while the vast majority of Mayans and other non-whites are poor and participate little in national political life. However, from around 1990, the Mayans in the highlands have increasingly established themselves in regional economy and trade, as well as in local politics. However, when it comes to access to public services such as education and health, as well as in national politics and culture, indigenous people are discriminated against. On the other hand, most Mayan societies maintain their own traditions with a locally rooted political and cultural autonomy. In practice, they are the so-called ‘maya municipalities’ (alcaldías indígenas) to a considerable extent recognized by government agencies. In primary school, bilingual education (Spanish plus the local Mayan language) is becoming more prevalent after such programs were approved in 1987.

With its 2.8 million residents in the city center and surrounding areas, Guatemala City is by far the country’s largest urban area and the country’s industrial, financial, administrative and communications center. The city is also the largest in Central America. The second largest city, Quetzaltenango (Xelajú), with approximately 300,000 residents, is the economic center of the Mayan highlands in the west. From ancient times, the city also has a middle and upper class of Mayans (k’iche ‘). To some extent this is also the case in Copán, the dominant city in the northern highlands (q’eqchí).

Religion

Guatemala has been a secular state since 1879 and the state does not keep church membership statistics. However, Catholicism has dominated the country from the Spanish conquest and Christianity in the 16th century to the present day. Catholicism practiced in Guatemala has been largely mixed with elements of Mayan religion. As in Latin America, the Church, through the Catholic Action (Acción Católica) in the 1950s, initiated a large-scale reform effort to answer the social questions of modernity and to fight syncretism.

The first evangelical (Protestant) missionaries came from the United States at the invitation of President Jorge Ubico Castañeda in the 1930s, but not until the 1980s, during the Civil War, did their work accelerate. The Pentecostal churches in particular, with their decentralized structure, have had success. A large survey from 2015 found that 45 percent of the people consider themselves Catholics, 42 percent as Protestants (evangelicals), while 11 percent say they have no religion. How Many Follow Mayan Religion – A Shamanic Type – is difficult to say, as very many consult Mayan priests besides participating in Christian congregation life (or one perceives an unorganized religious life as having no religion).

In addition, there are smaller groups of Orthodox Christians as well as Muslims and Jews.

For the country’s Catholics, Easter is by far the most important holiday. The processions in Antigua Guatemala are one of the country’s foremost cultural institutions.

The Esquipulas Cathedral (Basilica) is the country’s largest church and the most important pilgrimage destination in Central America. Each year, 5.5 million pilgrims visit the site to see and pray to the statue of the Lord of Esquipulas. The statue was created in Antigua in 1594 and shows a black savior.

Emigration

It is estimated that between one and a half and a million Guatemalans live in the United States as labor migrants or refugees, and somewhere between 15,000 and 35,000 are in Canada. The influx of migrants is linked to the civil war of the 1980s and the economic development has since been too weak to capture population growth.