Which ethnic groups make up most of Guatemala’s population?

Guatemala’s population is primarily composed of two main ethnic groups, defined by their cultural traits:1

• Ladinos: Comprising individuals of mixed Hispanic-Maya descent, this group makes up between one-half and three-fifths of the total population. They are primarily Spanish-speaking and hold significant political and commercial influence, particularly in urban areas.1
• Maya: Accounting for approximately two-fifths of the population, the Maya represent the vast majority of the country's Indigenous people and consist of several distinct cultures, such as the K’iche’.12

In addition to these two groups, there are smaller populations of Xinca in the south and Garífuna—people of mixed African and Caribbean descent—residing in northeastern port towns like Puerto Barrios.1