Demographics of Guatemala

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Guatemala, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Guatemala population pyramid in 2020

According to the 2018 census, 43.56% of the population is Indigenous including 41.66% Mayan, 1.77% Xinca, and 0.13% Garifuna (Mixed African and indigenous).[1] Approximately 56% of the population is "non-Indigenous",[1] referring to the Mestizo population and the people of European origin. These people are called Ladino in Guatemala. The population is divided almost evenly between rural and urban areas.[2]

About 65% of the population speak Spanish, with nearly all the rest speaking indigenous languages (there are 23 officially recognized indigenous languages).[3]

Population census
YearPop.±%
1778 396,149    
1880 1,224,602+209.1%
1893 1,364,678+11.4%
1921 2,004,900+46.9%
1940 2,400,000+19.7%
1950 2,790,868+16.3%
1964 4,287,997+53.6%
1973 5,160,221+20.3%
1981 6,054,227+17.3%
1994 8,331,874+37.6%
2002 11,237,196+34.9%
2018 14,901,286+32.6%
Source: [4] [5]

Population

Guatemala's population (1950-2010)[6]

According to the 2019 revision of the World Population Prospects[7][8] the total population estimate was 17,247,849 in 2018. The proportion of the population below the age of 15 in 2010 was 41.5%, 54.1% were aged between 15 and 65 years of age, and 4.4% were aged 65 years or older.[6]

Guatemala City is home to almost 3 million inhabitants.[9] In 1900 Guatemala had a population of 885,000.[10] Over the twentifirst century Guatemala's population grew by a factor of fourteen. Even though Guatemala's population grew by a factor of 14, it still wasn't the biggest jump in that region.[11] Although Guatemala does have an increase in population, the annual population isn't the superior in that region of the world as well.[11]

Total population
(x 1000)
Proportion
aged 0–14
(%)
Proportion
aged 15–64
(%)
Proportion
aged 65+
(%)
1950 3 14644.652.92.5
1955 3 61945.452.02.6
1960 4 14145.851.62.7
1965 4 73645.252.02.8
1970 5 41644.652.52.9
1975 6 19444.852.32.9
1980 7 00145.451.63.0
1985 7 92045.751.23.1
1990 8 89045.451.33.4
1995 9 98444.951.43.7
2000 11 65143.752.34.0
2005 13 09642.353.64.2
2010 14 63039.456.34.3
2015 16 25236.259.34.5
2020 17 91633.361.65.0

Population by departments

In Guatemala, there are 22 departments that make up the country. Each department has its own population, with Guatemala City ranking at 1 with the highest population and El Progreso ranking at 22 with the lowest population.[12]

Rank Department Pop. Rank Department Pop.
1 Guatemala 3,306,397 12 Jutiapa 489,085
2 Huehuetenango 1,234,593 13 Izabal 445,125
3 Alta Verapaz 1,219,585 14 Chiquimula 397,202
4 San Marcos 1,095,997 15 Santa Rosa 367,569
5 Quiché 955,705 16 Jalapa 345,926
6 Quetzaltenango 844,906 17 Sacatepéquez 336,606
7 Escuintla 746,309 18 Retalhuleu 325,556
8 Petén 711,585 19 Baja Verapaz 291,903
9 Chimaltenango 666,938 20 Zacapa 291,903
10 Suchitepéquez 555,261 21 Totonicapán 134,373
11 Sololá 430,573 22 El Progreso 22,654
Overall Total: 15,806,675 (2014)
Source: National Institute of Statistics (INE)[13]

According to the table, Guatemala City accounts for 20% of the entire population in Guatemala, while El Progreso only accounts for 0.14% of the population. Sololá accounts for 2.7% of the population while ranking in the middle at 11. Overall, the rankings correlate to the percent of the population that each department contains.

Emigration

The Guatemalan civil war from 1960 to 1996 led to mass emigration, particularly Guatemalan immigration to the United States. According to the International Organization for Migration, the total number of emigrants increased from 6,700 in the 1960s to 558,776 for the period 1995-2000; by 2005, the total number had reached 1.3 million.[14] In 2013, the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) estimated that there were about 900,000 Guatemalan Americans (persons of Guatemalan origin in the United States).[15]

Country Count
United States 480,665[16] – 1,489,426[17]
Mexico 23,529[17]
Belize 14,693[17]
Canada 14,256[17] – 34,665[18]
Germany 5,989[17]
Honduras 5,172[17]
El Salvador 4,209[17]
Spain 2,491[17]

Ethnic groups

Indigenous girls in Chichicastenango

Official 2018 statistics indicate that approximately 56% of the population is "non-Indigenous",[1] referring to the Mestizo population (50-52%) and the people of European origin (4-6%), Most are of Spanish, German and Italian descent. These people are called Ladino in Guatemala.

Approximately 43.4% of the population is Indigenous[2] and consist of 23 Maya groups and one non-Maya group. In 2012 these are divided as follows: K'iche 9.1%, 8.4% Kaqchikel, Mam 7.9%, 6.3% Q'eqchi', other Maya peoples 8.6%, 0.2% Indigenous non-Maya).[3] They live all over the country, especially in the highlands.

In 2002 Census, The Amerindian populations in Guatemala include the K'iche' 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9% and Q'eqchi 6.3%. 8.6% belongs to other Maya groups, 0.4% belong to non-Maya Indigenous peoples. The whole Indigenous community in Guatemala is about 40.5% of the population.

The Maya Civilization ruled Guatemala and the surrounding regions until around 1,000 A.D. Following 1,000 A.D., Guatemala became a Spanish colony for approximately three centuries, until in 1821 when Guatemala won its independence. Since the independence of Guatemala, the country has experienced a wide range of governments, including civilian and military governments. In 1996, a peace treaty was signed by the government that ended internal conflicts within the region, which caused over 200,000 casualties and approximately one million refugees.[19]

Historically, the ethnicity population in the Kingdom of Guatemala at the time of Independence amounted to nearly 600,000 Indians, 300,000 Castas (mostly Mestizos and a lesser number of Mulattos, Zambos, and Pardos), and 45,000 Criollos or Spaniards, with a very small number of English traders.[20]

Other racial groups include numbers of Afro-Guatemalans, Afro-Mestizos, and Garifuna of mixed African and Indigenous Caribbean origins who live in the country's eastern end. Some Garifunas live mainly in Livingston, San Vicente and Puerto Barrios. They descend mainly from the Arawaks and Belizean Creoles.[3]

There are thousands of Arab Guatemalans descending from; Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and other Arab countries who reside in Guatemala City. Some belong to Christian Churches while others to Islamic Mosques.

There are also thousands of Jews residing in Guatemala. They are immigrants from Germany and Eastern Europe that arrived in the 19th century. Many immigrated during World War II. There are approximately 9,000 Jews living in Guatemala today. Most live in Guatemala City, Quezaltenango and San Marcos. Today, the Jewish community in Guatemala is made up of Orthodox Jews, Sephardi, Eastern European and German Jews.

In 2014, numerous members of the Hassidic communities Lev Tahor and Toiras Jesed began settling in the village of San Juan La Laguna. The mainstream Jewish community was reportedly dismayed and concerned that the arrival of communities with a more visible adherence to Judaism might stir up anti-Jewish sentiment. Despite the tropical heat, the members of the community continued to wear the traditional ancient Jewish clothing.[21][22]

Asian Guatemalans are primarily of Korean descent[23] and Chinese descent, whose ancestors were farm workers and railroad laborers in the early 20th century.

Vital statistics

UN estimates

The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.[6]

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
1950-1955170 00075 00095 00050.322.328.07.0014142.541.843.3
1955-1960183 00078 000104 00047.020.226.96.6013444.543.745.4
1960-1965204 00080 000124 00046.018.028.06.5012747.146.248.1
1965-1970227 00080 000146 00044.715.828.86.3011650.149.051.3
1970-1975255 00079 000177 00044.013.530.46.2010253.952.455.4
1975-1980287 00080 000206 00043.512.231.36.209156.254.458.2
1980-1985315 00081 000234 00042.210.931.36.107958.356.160.8
1985-1990333 00079 000254 00039.69.430.25.706760.958.363.8
1990-1995367 00076 000291 00038.98.130.85.455563.560.566.9
1995-2000396 00073 000322 00037.36.930.45.004666.362.970.0
2000-2005427 00072 000355 00033.85.927.94.333969.065.572.5
2005-2010449 00077 000373 00029.25.423.83.623070.366.773.8
2010-201526.65.021.63.19
2015-202024.84.820.02.90
2020-202523.04.718.32.67
2025-203021.14.716.42.50
* 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)

Vital statistics

[24] [25]

Average population Live births Deaths Natural change Crude birth rate(per 1,000) Death rate (per 1,000) Natural change (per 1,000) Fertility rate
1930 1,760,000 100,00043,50056,500 56.824.732.1
1931 1,810,000 99,00044,00055,000 54.724.330.4
1932 1,860,000 93,60043,90049,700 50.323.626.7
1933 1,910,000 90,70052,10038,600 47.527.320.2
1934 1,940,000 92,20560,05132,154 47.531.016.6
1935 1,980,000 96,03154,78941,242 48.527.720.8
1936 2,020,000 97,64650,60447,042 48.325.123.3
1937 2,070,000 96,98151,02745,954 46.924.722.2
1938 2,110,000 98,90656,13142,775 46.926.620.3
1939 2,150,000 102,90864,11738,791 47.929.818.0
1940 2,200,000 106,99855,08351,915 48.625.023.6
1941 2,250,000 103,68856,44447,244 46.125.121.0
1942 2,300,000 107,51972,47735,042 46.731.515.2
1943 2,340,000 112,40772,83739,570 48.031.116.9
1944 2,390,000 111,32463,06848,256 46.626.420.2
1945 2,440,000 118,91259,73259,180 48.724.524.3
1946 2,500,000 120,52561,64158,884 48.224.723.6
1947 2,570,000 134,06663,31670,750 52.224.627.5
1948 2,641,000 137,00962,09074,919 51.923.528.4
1949 2,724,000 140,59659,27781,319 51.621.829.9
1950 3,146,000 142,67361,23481,439 48.120.627.4
1951 3,238,000 151,41656,55094,866 49.618.531.1
1952 3,331,000 151,86571,99479,871 48.322.925.4
1953 3,426,000 156,37770,79485,583 48.321.926.4
1954 3,521,000 162,77358,132104,641 48.917.431.4
1955 3,619,000 158,85667,08891,768 46.319.626.7
1956 3,719,000 163,30166,28097,021 46.218.827.5
1957 3,820,000 170,38170,93399,448 46.919.527.4
1958 3,924,000 172,74575,63497,111 46.220.226.0
1959 4,031,000 181,74063,010118,730 47.216.430.8
1960 4,141,000 186,47665,805120,671 47.116.630.4
1961 4,253,000 193,83363,287130,546 47.515.532.0
1962 4,369,000 191,42069,287122,133 45.616.529.1
1963 4,488,000 197,67171,449126,222 45.816.629.2
1964 4,610,000 196,38668,278128,108 44.215.428.9
1965 4,736,000 201,05974,830126,229 44.016.427.6
1966 4,864,000 206,52075,774130,746 44.016.127.8
1967 4,996,000 201,81671,191130,625 41.814.827.1
1968 5,132,000 211,67979,421132,258 42.716.026.7
1969 5,271,000 215,39785,174130,223 42.216.725.5
1970 5,416,000 212,15177,333134,818 40.514.725.7
1971 5,565,000 229,67475,223154,451 42.614.028.6
1972 5,719,000 241,59367,989173,604 43.612.331.3
1973 5,877,000 238,49869,454169,044 41.812.229.6
1974 6,036,000 252,20369,820182,383 43.011.931.1
1975 6,194,000 249,33278,708170,624 41.413.128.4
1976 6,352,000 266,72881,627185,101 43.213.230.0
1977 6,510,000 284,74771,777212,970 45.011.333.6
1978 6,669,000 286,41566,844219,571 44.110.333.8
1979 6,832,000 295,97272,274223,698 44.510.933.6
1980 7,001,000 303,64371,352232,291 44.510.534.1
1981 7,177,000 308,41375,658232,755 44.110.833.3
1982 7,358,000 312,04776,267235,780 43.510.632.9
1983 7,543,000 306,82774,462232,365 41.710.131.6
1984 7,731,000 312,09475,462236,632 41.310.031.4
1985 7,920,000 326,84969,455257,394 42.29.033.3
1986 8,109,000 318,34066,328252,012 40.18.431.8
1987 8,299,000 319,94266,404253,538 39.48.231.2
1988 8,492,000 337,39664,100273,296 40.57.732.8
1989 8,688,000 340,80761,548279,259 39.97.232.7
1990 8,890,000 347,20773,344273,863 39.78.431.3
1991 9,099,000 359,90472,896287,008 39.68.031.5
1992 9,313,000 363,64873,124290,524 39.07.931.2
1993 9,533,000 370,13873,870296,268 38.87.731.1
1994 9,756,000 381,49774,761306,736 39.17.731.4
1995 9,984,000 371,09165,159305,932 37.26.530.6
1996 10,215,000 377,72360,618317,105 37.05.931.0
1997 10,450,000 387,86267,691320,171 37.16.530.6
1998 10,691,000 400,13369,847330,286 37.46.530.9
1999 10,942,000 409,03465,139343,895 37.46.031.4
2000 11,204,000 425,41067,284358,126 38.06.032.0
2001 11,479,000 415,33868,041347,297 36.25.930.3
2002 11,766,000 387,28766,089321,198 32.95.627.3
2003 12,063,000 375,09266,695308,397 31.15.525.6
2004 12,368,000 383,70466,991316,713 31.05.425.6
2005 12,679,000 374,06671,039303,027 29.55.623.93.796
2006 12,995,000 368,39969,756298,643 28.35.422.93.621
2007 13,318,000 366,12870,030296,098 27.45.222.23.461
2008 13,678,000 369,76970,233299,536 27.05.121.93.386
2009 14,000,190 351,62871,707279,921 25.15.120.03.122
2010 14,259,687 361,90672,748289,158 25.45.120.33.095
2011 14,521,515 373,69272,354301,338 25.75.020.73.088
2012 14,781,942 388,61372,657315,956 26.34.821.53.105
2013 15,043,981 387,34276,639310,703 25.75.120.63.050
2014 15,306,316 386,19577,807308,388 25.25.120.13.046
2015 15,567,419 391,42580,876310,549 25.15.219.92.896
2016 15,827,690 390,38282,585307,797 24.75.219.52.804
2017 16,087,418 381,66481,726299,938 23.75.118.62.663
2018 (C) 16,346,950 383,26383,071300,192 23.45.118.32.617
2019 16,604,026 366,85585,600281,255 22.15.216.92.464

(C) = Census results.

Fertility and births (demographic and health surveys)

Total fertility rate (TFR) (wanted fertility rate) and crude birth rate (CBR):[26][27]

Year CBR (total) TFR (total) CBR (urban) TFR (urban) CBR (rural) TFR (rural)
1987 5.6 (4.9) 4.1 (3.5) 6.5 (5.8)
1995 5.1 (4.0) 3.8 (3.0) 6.2 (4.8)
1998-99 38.0 5.0 (4.1) 34.8 4.1 (3.4) 40.1 5.8 (4.6)
2002 4.4 3.4 5.2
2008-09 3.6 2.9 4.2
2014-15 27.3 3.1 (2.6) 22.5 2.5 (2.0) 31.0 3.7 (3.0)

Structure of the population

Structure of the population (01.07.2005) (estimates):[28]

Age group Male Female Total %
Total 6 197 399 6 502 381 12 699 780 100
0-4 1 035 549 1 000 763 2 036 312 16,03
5-9 921 924 901 718 1 823 642 14,36
10-14 815 791 808 328 1 624 119 12,79
15-19 685 359 694 215 1 379 574 10,86
20-24 571 385 608 879 1 180 264 9,29
25-29 446 309 506 386 952 695 7,50
30-34 340 378 412 767 753 145 5,93
35-39 270 907 329 253 600 160 4,73
40-44 225 243 267 504 492 747 3,88
45-49 191 635 218 053 409 688 3,23
50-54 175 311 191 751 367 062 2,89
55-59 149 593 161 320 310 913 2,45
60-64 113 686 119 957 233 643 1,84
65-69 94 128 98 864 192 992 1,52
70-74 74 463 81 804 156 267 1,23
75-79 50 340 57 089 107 429 0,85
80+ 35 398 43 730 79 128 0,62
Age group Male Female Total Percent
0-14 2 773 264 2 710 809 5 484 073 43,18
15-64 3 169 806 3 510 085 6 679 891 52,60
65+ 254 329 281 487 535 816 4,22

Structure of the population (01.07.2010) (estimates) (projections based on the 2002 Population Census):

Age group Male Female Total %
Total 7 003 337 7 358 328 14 361 666 100
0-4 1 103 521 1 062 224 2 165 745 15,08
5-9 1 017 180 987 490 2 004 670 13,96
10-14 906 603 891 659 1 798 262 12,52
15-19 794 459 795 688 1 590 147 11,07
20-24 646 911 675 214 1 322 125 9,21
25-29 538 214 590 746 1 128 960 7,86
30-34 418 535 494 657 913 192 6,36
35-39 323 010 402 681 725 691 5,05
40-44 258 454 321 849 580 303 4,04
45-49 215 304 260 145 475 449 3,31
50-54 182 662 211 040 393 702 2,74
55-59 165 910 184 214 350 124 2,44
60-64 139 395 152 936 292 331 2,04
65-69 103 433 111 058 214 491 1,49
70-74 81 809 88 219 170 028 1,18
75-79 60 257 68 733 128 990 0,90
80+ 47 678 59 778 107 456 0,75
Age group Male Female Total Percent
0-14 3 027 304 2 941 373 5 968 677 41,56
15-64 3 682 856 4 089 167 7 772 023 54,12
65+ 293 177 327 788 620 965 4,32

Structure of the population (2015):[29]

Age group Total %
Total 16 176 133 100
0-4 2 262 514 13.99
5-9 2 142 308 13.24
10-14 1 988 541 12.29
15-19 1 776 352 10.98
20-24 1 553 450 9.60
25-29 1 286 639 7.95
30-34 1 099 039 6.79
35-39 889 673 5.50
40-44 707 191 4.37
45-49 563 431 3.48
50-54 459 432 2.84
55-59 377 242 2.33
60-64 330 803 2.05
65+ 739 518 4.57%
Age group Total Percent
0-14 6 393 363 39.52
15-64 9 043 252 55.90
65+ 739 518 4.57

Marriage and childbearing

The legal age for females to get married in Guatemala was 14, but was raised to 16 with parental consent and 18 without in November 2015. This phenomenon, known as child marriage, is prevalent in Central America; in rural areas of Guatemala, 53% of 20 to 24 year-old women married before their 18th birthday. Once married, young girls are likely to abandon their education and are exposed to domestic and sexual violence. They are no longer seen as girls; their husbands, who are often older men, see them as servants. Frequently births are at home. Most of these women are isolated without networks of support.[30]

In most cases, motherhood comes after marriage. However, due to the fact that these young women' bodies are not entirely developed, many pregnancies result in high complications and high risks for both the mother and baby, during and after labor.[30] Because there is limited access to health services, women in Guatemala choose a different alternative when it comes to the care during and after child delivery. Pregnancies before marriage are on the rise and unmarried women make their decision based on their image more than their safety.[31] Single Guatemalan women may choose midwives as their health care provider during pregnancy and delivery to avoid feeling ashamed.[31] Other women know the midwives in the community personally so they opt for a private healthcare provider.[31] Throughout the country, midwives are known as the providers of choice for approximately 80% of the births even though they are not professionally trained.[31] This contributes to the increasing infant mortality rate of 100 per 1,000 births as reported in some Guatemalan communities.[31]

Other demographic statistics

Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2019.[32]

  • One birth every 1 minutes
  • One death every 6 minutes
  • One net migrant every 58 minutes
  • Net gain of one person every 2 minutes

Demographic statistics according to the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.[33]

Population
16,581,273 (July 2018 est.)
Ethnic groups

mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) and European 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-mestizo 0.15% (Xinca (indigenous, non-Maya), Garifuna (mixed West and Central African, Island Carib, and Arawak)), other 0.5% (2001 est.)

Age structure
Population pyramid of Guatemala in 2017
0-14 years: 34.55% (male 2,919,281 /female 2,810,329)
15-24 years: 20.23% (male 1,688,900 /female 1,665,631)
25-54 years: 35.47% (male 2,878,075 /female 3,002,920)
55-64 years: 5.28% (male 407,592 /female 468,335)
65 years and over: 4.46% (male 336,377 /female 403,833) (2018 est.)
Median age
total: 22.5 years. Country comparison to the world: 179th
male: 22 years
female: 23.1 years (2018 est.)
Birth rate
24.6 births/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 50th
Death rate
5 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 194th
Total fertility rate
2.87 children born/woman (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 58th
Net migration rate
-2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 168th
Population growth rate
1.72% (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 59th
Mother's mean age at first birth
21.2 years (2014/15 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
Contraceptive prevalence rate
60.6% (2014/15)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 68.7 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 61.1 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 7.6 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 13.1 (2015 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 71.8 years
male: 69.8 years
female: 73.9 years (2018 est.)
Languages
Spanish (official) 68.9%, Maya languages 30.9% (K'iche 8.7%, Q'eqchi 7%, Mam 4.6%, Kaqchikel 4.3%, other 6.3%), other 0.3% (includes Xinca and Garifuna) (2001 est.)
note: the 2003 Law of National Languages officially recognized 23 indigenous languages, including 21 Maya languages, Xinka, and Garifuna
Urbanization
urban population: 51.1% of total population (2018)
rate of urbanization: 2.68% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Education expenditures
2.8% of GDP (2017) Country comparison to the world: 149th
Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

total population: 81.5%
male: 87.4%
female: 76.3% (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 11 years (2014)
Unemployment, youth ages 15–24
total: 6.1%. Country comparison to the world: 151st
male: 4.6%
female: 9.1% (2016 est.)

Languages

The official language of Guatemala is Spanish. It is spoken by nearly 93% of the population and is found mainly in the departments of the Southern region, Eastern region, Guatemala City and Peten.[34] Though the official language is Spanish, it is often the second language among the Indigenous population.

Approximately 23 additional Amerindian languages are spoken by more than 40% of the population.[35] 21 Mayan languages, one indigenous, and one Arawakan are spoken in Guatemala.[36] The most significant are; Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna and Xinca.[35]

There are also significant numbers of German, Chinese, French and English speakers.

Rank Language Language family
1 Spanish Indo-European
2 K’iche’ Mayan
3 Q'eqchi' Mayan
4 Kaqchikel Mayan
5 Mam Mayan
6 Poqomchi Mayan
7 Tz’utujil Mayan
8 Achí Mayan
9 Q’anjob’al Mayan
10 Ixil Mayan
11 Akatek Mayan
12 Jakaltek Mayan
13 Chuj Mayan
14 Poqomam Mayan
15 Ch'orti' Mayan
16 Awakatek Mayan
17 Sakapultek Mayan
18 Sipakapa Mayan
19 Garífuna Arawakan
20 Uspantek Mayan
21 Tektitek Mayan
22 Mopan Mayan
23 Xincan languages Isolate
24 Itza Mayan

[36]

Religion

Catholicism was the official religion during the colonial era, and today is the most professed Church in the population, but since the 1960s, with the Armed Conflict, Protestantism has increased progressively, today more than one-third of Guatemalans are Protestant, specially Evangelicals (with Pentecostals as the biggest branch).[37] Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy claim rapid growth, especially among the Indigenous Maya. Other Churches include the Mormon Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, and other Christian minorities.

Although most of Catholicism and some part of Protestants practice Indigenous Beliefs combined with Christianity,[37] Maya religion believers only account for less than 0.5% of population, but since mid-'90s the Constitution recognizes the rights of Maya Religion. The Islamic community in Guatemala is growing, with approximately 2,000 believers. There is a mosque in Guatemala City called the Islamic Da'wah Mosque of Guatemala (Spanish: Mezquita de Aldawaa Islámica). The president of the Islamic Community of the country is Jamal Mubarak.

Historically, the population has been nearly all Roman Catholic, because of gradual changes in State during the half of the 20th century, Protestantism began to grow quickly, in the 1970s and doubled their percentage, while Catholics were reduced considerably until the early 1980s. During the period 1980–1993 Guatemala accounted for 3 Protestant-evangelical presidents, but neither is remembered for making a positive administration. After the intense war during 1980s, in public surveys there was a growth of non-religious people, among Evangelicals, some analysts consider that Protestant growth in recent times is actually superficial, although they continue to relatively rise in percent, during last decades, part of Protestants are returning to Catholic Church, also less committed Christians (both Catholic and Protestants) became non-religious, but few years after much of them could be re-evangelized by either Church denomination. In recent years, Christianity still so influential in society, even in mundane areas people include religious aspects in social interation, more than 60% of Catholics and nearly 80% of Protestants are actives members,[37] today Catholicism and Protestantism are more unity to obtain the Politic control, this cannot undermine the growth of homosexual-marriage acceptance, but together are working intensely to teach their beliefs about society, and two-thirds (approx.) of Guatemalans are under of Christian-conservative influence. Possibly, the acceptance of Homosexuality and Human rights (specially for Womans) makes that a new group that left religion keep stable the "unaffiliated percent", because most of non-religious people in some decades ago, today is no longer. A lot of Catholics are still becoming Protestant, but today Catholic Church in the country retains more strongly their faithful. Other Christian denominations (neither Catholic and Protestant) are estimated at around 2% of population.

Religious evolution in Guatemala[37]
Year % Catholic % Protestant % Others % No religion
1940 96.6% 2.4% 0.6% 0.4%
1975 85.8% 12.7% 0.3% 1.2%
1982 75.1% 20.2% 0.7% 4.0%
1986 63.5% 26.8% 1.5% 8.2%
1990 62.1% 24.2% 2.1% 11.6%
1996 61.2% 26.2% 2.5% 10.1%
2001 55.7% 29.3% 2.3% 12.7%
2006 56.8% 31.1% 2.8% 9.3%
2011 51.7% 34.1% 3.0% 11.2%
2017 48.1% 35.2% 2.6% 14.1%

References

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