Guatemala Population 2013

Guatemala Population 2013

The current population of the Republic of Guatemala is estimated to be about 15.44 million people, which is a 4.6% increase from the last record of population. The population is much greater than the population of both Honduras and El Salvador and has been historically as well. Based on the total land area and the total population, the population density of the country is about 348.6 people per square mile.

Demographics of Guatemala

The largest ethnic group in the Republic of Guatemala is the group of people who identify as mestizo, which is mixed ancestry, or European. This group makes up about 59% of the population. The other ethnicities in the country are indigenous populations: K’iche, Kaqchikel, Mam, and Q’eqchi. There are also some other small Mayan groups. The official language of the country is Spanish; however, there are also 21 Mayan languages that are spoken throughout the country. But, 93% of the population does speak Spanish as a first or second language.

Religion of Guatemala

The major religion in the Republic of Guatemala is Roman Catholicism. However, the Guatemalans also tend to practice their Roman Catholicism with Mayan influence and traditions interwoven into the practices. The next largest religion is Protestantism due to the many Protestant missionaries that have been in Central America. Lastly, there are some that practice solely Mayan religions and faiths.

Sports in Guatemala

The most popular sport in the Republic of Guatemala is football (American soccer). Guatemala City used to even be the home of the largest stadium in all of Central America. The oldest sport, however, in the country is a game called Maya ball. The game dates back to at least 500 B.C. Guatemalans also enjoy playing baseball, basketball, boxing, and American football. Guatemala’s dramatic highland landscape and tumbling rivers also provide some excellent opportunities for whitewater rafting. Rafting on the rio Cahabon, Usumacinta, Nahualate or Motagua give you the chance to see some very remote areas and also visit some of the country’s most inaccessible Maya sites. There is also some surfing in Guatemala, on the Pacific coast with a small, new surf camp set up near the village of Sipacate.

Historical Population of Guatemala

The population of the Republic of Guatemala has continually increased over the last half a century. In fact, it seems that the rate of growth has begun to exponentially increase in the latter half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century.

Projected Population of Guatemala

The population of the Republic of Guatemala is expected to maintain its population growth trends that it has been exhibiting. The birth rates of the country are projected to remain quite high, as it ranges from 32 births per 1000 people to about 20 births per 1000 people. However, the death rates will remain fairly steady at about 5 deaths per 1000 people. There is also a substantial positive migration rate, which accounts for the population increase as well.

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Other Resources

Learn more about Guatemala here.