MigrantoGuatemalan Diaspora
1.5M Guatemalans live abroad — 8% of the population of Guatemala
Guatemalan diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 97% of the diaspora
| 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 region
90% of the diaspora lives in North America
Ask Migo
Tap a question — our AI assistant answers it in chat, with real migration data
Key facts
The Guatemalan diaspora in numbers
Most Guatemalans abroad live in the USA
89% of the diaspora lives in the USA, while the next country accounts for just 6%.
The community in Mexico is growing fastest
The number of Guatemalans living in Mexico has grown 77% since 2015, from 45.7K to 81K.
The diaspora is more concentrated than in 1990
The largest country's share rose from 71% to 89%, and today that country is USA.
The share of the diaspora living in North America has grown since 1990
73.5% of the diaspora lived in North America in 1990, compared with 90.2% today.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
3 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: Chile, Peru, Ecuador. Chile climbed from outside the top 20 to #13.
1 in 13 people born in Guatemala lives abroad
1.5M people born in Guatemala now live in other countries — 7.9% of a population of 18.4M.
Guatemalan diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 323376 |
| 1995 | 429957 |
| 2000 | 545695 |
| 2005 | 737245 |
| 2010 | 919782 |
| 2015 | 1067787 |
| 2020 | 1282668 |
| 2024 | 1460232 |
Largest communities over time
Guatemalans living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| 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 communities
How the number of Guatemalans in each country has changed since the selected year
Guatemalans among immigrants in other countries
Where Guatemalans make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Guatemalans live outside Guatemala?
Around 1.5M Guatemalans live abroad, the world's #54 largest diaspora.
Where do most Guatemalans abroad live?
Most Guatemalans live in USA, Mexico and Belize — these three countries account for about 97% of all Guatemalans living abroad.
Which country has the largest Guatemalan population outside Guatemala?
USA is home to the largest Guatemalan community abroad — 1.3M people, about 89% of all Guatemalans living abroad.
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.
Is the Guatemalan diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Guatemalans living abroad has grown from 1.1M to 1.5M, about 37%.
Where does the data on the Guatemalan diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Guatemala who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
Where to live?
Score countries, regions and cities by what matters to you
Living in Guatemala
See the full country overview