People, Languages

Spanish is the official language of Guatemala and the primary language of 60 percent of the population. For the rest of the population, the primary language is one of the more than 20 Mayan languages, including Cakchiquel, Quiche, and Kekchi. Many Mayan speakers also know Spanish. English is widely understood among the upper class and business people, and there is a significant German-speaking community, descended from Germans who settled in Guatemala in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.