The population of Guatemala is 55% Mestizo (mixed Indigenous-Spanish or Mayans assimilated to Mestizo culture). Unmixed Indigenous people make up 43% of the population. Africans, Asians and Whites make up less than 3%, respectively.

Most of Guatemala's population is rural, though urbanization is accelerating. The predominant religion is Roman Catholicism, into which many indigenous Guatemalans have incorporated traditional forms of worship. Protestantism and traditional Maya religions are practiced by an estimated 40% and 1% of the population, respectively. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Protestantism is a movement within Christianity, representing a split from the Roman Catholic Church during the mid to late Renaissance in Europe —a period known as the Protestant Reformation. ... Maya mythology refers to the pre-Columbian Maya civilizations extensive polytheistic religious beliefs. ...

Though the official language is Spanish, it is not universally understood 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).

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

Population: 12,639,939 (July 2000 est.) Image File history File links Subject : evolution of demography in Guatemala (1961-2003) Source : Data FAOSTAT, year 2005 : http://faostat. ... Image File history File links Subject : evolution of demography in Guatemala (1961-2003) Source : Data FAOSTAT, year 2005 : http://faostat. ... Headquartered in Rome, Italy, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations programs seek to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living; to improve the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of food and agricultural products; to promote rural development; and, by these means, to eliminate hunger. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ...

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 2,735,107; female 2,622,412)
15-64 years: 54% (male 3,411,575; female 3,413,932)
65 years and over: 4% (male 213,791; female 243,122) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.63% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 35.05 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 6.92 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) In Western culture, skeletons are often the symbol of death. ...

Net migration rate: -1.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Migration occurs when living things move from one biome to another. ...

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 47.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) For early system failures, see failure rate. ...

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.18 years
male: 63.53 years
female: 68.96 years (2000 est.) Life expectancy is the most likely number of years remaining for a living being (or the average for a class of living beings) of a given age to live. ...

Total fertility rate: 4.66 children born/woman (2000 est.) Fertility is the ability of people or animals to produce healthy offspring in abundance. ...

Nationality:
noun: Guatemalan(s)
adjective: Guatemalan Nationality is, in English usage, a legal relationship existing between a person and a state. ...

Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) and European 59.4%, 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% (2001 census)

Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Languages: Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (more than 20 Amerindian languages, including Quiché, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca) The Kiche , or Quiché in Spanish spelling, are a Native American people, part of the Maya ethnic group. ... The Cakchiquiel are a group of indegenous people of Mayan descent, native to the midwestern highlands of Guatemala. ... The Mam are a Native American people of the highlands of western Guatemala. ... The Garifuna or Garífuna are an ethnic group in the Caribbean area, descended from a mix of Amerindian and African people. ...

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 55.6%
male: 62.5%
female: 48.6% (1995 est.) Literacy is the ability to read and write. ...