Guatemala’s population is divided into two main ethnic groups—Ladinos and Maya, who make up the vast majority of Indigenous people. The Ladinos (mestizos) comprise those of mixed Hispanic-Maya origin and makeup between one-half and three-fifths of the total population, whereas the Maya account for some two-fifths of the country’s population.

There are much smaller numbers of Spanish-speaking Xinca in southern Guatemala and Garífuna (people of mixed African and Caribbean descent; formerly called Black Caribs) in the northeastern port towns of Livingston and Puerto Barrios.