MigrantoGuatemalan Diaspora
1.5M Guatemalans live abroad — the #54 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 97% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| USA | 1298936 |
| Mexico | 81012 |
| Belize | 29643 |
| Canada | 18187 |
| El Salvador | 9157 |
| Honduras | 4796 |
| Costa Rica | 3852 |
| Panama | 2937 |
| Italy | 2492 |
| Nicaragua | 1912 |
| Colombia | 979 |
| Australia | 788 |
| Chile | 771 |
| Argentina | 553 |
| Peru | 541 |
| Norway | 525 |
| Dominican Republic | 481 |
| Venezuela | 384 |
| Brazil | 372 |
| Ecuador | 334 |
| Denmark | 319 |
| Jamaica | 312 |
| Puerto Rico | 299 |
| Bolivia | 176 |
| Luxembourg | 139 |
| Finland | 100 |
| Iceland | 54 |
| Hungary | 38 |
| Bahamas | 38 |
| Portugal | 36 |
| Greece | 32 |
| Cuba | 13 |
| Estonia | 10 |
| Bulgaria | 6 |
| Slovakia | 5 |
| Latvia | 1 |
| Slovenia | 1 |
| Saint Lucia | 1 |
| Liechtenstein | 0 |
By destination region
North America is the leading destination region at 90%
1.3M
138.6K
3.8K
788
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Guatemala.
USA is the primary destination for emigrants
USA attracts 89% of all emigrants from Guatemala, while the second-largest destination receives just 6%.
Mexico is the fastest-growing major destination
Emigration to Mexico has increased by 77% since 2015, rising from 45.7K to 81K in 9 years.
Emigration has become more concentrated over time
The top destination's share rose from 71% to 89%, with USA increasingly the primary choice.
The share of emigrants going to North America has grown since 1990
The share of emigrants going to North America has shifted from 73.5% to 90.2% since 1990.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 323376 |
| 1995 | 429957 |
| 2000 | 545695 |
| 2005 | 737245 |
| 2010 | 919782 |
| 2015 | 1067787 |
| 2020 | 1282668 |
| 2024 | 1460232 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | USA | Mexico | Belize | Canada | El Salvador |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 229073 | 53625 | 12650 | 8560 | 8235 |
| 1995 | 331681 | 54776 | 14350 | 10630 | 7224 |
| 2000 | 454084 | 43354 | 16058 | 13187 | 6212 |
| 2005 | 651897 | 31145 | 18022 | 15513 | 7367 |
| 2010 | 823536 | 35780 | 19995 | 16090 | 8521 |
| 2015 | 952839 | 45664 | 23580 | 18309 | 8885 |
| 2020 | 1144667 | 63459 | 26767 | 18131 | 9036 |
| 2024 | 1298936 | 81012 | 29643 | 18187 | 9157 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Guatemala as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Guatemala
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Guatemalans move to?
Most Guatemalans have moved to USA, Mexico and Belize — these three countries account for about 97% of all Guatemalans living abroad.
How many Guatemalans live abroad?
Around 1.5M Guatemalans live abroad, making it the #54-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Guatemala lives abroad?
About 8% of the population of Guatemala lives abroad — that's 1.5M out of a total population of 18.4M.
How has emigration from Guatemala changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Guatemala has grown from 1.1M to 1.5M people, a growth of about 37%.
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