The Mayans | |
---|---|
![]() Maya women in traditional dress, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala | |
Total population | |
c. More than 8 million (2018) Pre-Columbian: 5 million to 10 million[1][2] | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Parts of modern-day countries of Guatemala, Mexico, United States, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador | |
![]() | 7,140,503 (2018)[3] |
![]() | 1,475,575 (2000)[4] |
![]() | 500,000 (2011)[5][6] |
![]() | 30,107 (2010)[7][8] |
![]() | 33,256 (2013)[9] |
Languages | |
Mayan languages, English, Spanish, and Kriol | |
Religion | |
Christianity and Maya religion |
The Maya (/ˈmaɪə/) are an ethnolinguistic group of indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica. The ancient Maya civilization was formed by members of this group, and today's Maya are generally descended from people who lived within that historical region. Today they inhabit southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and westernmost El Salvador and Honduras.
"Maya" is a modern collective term for the peoples of the region; however, the term was not historically used by the indigenous populations themselves. There was no common sense of identity or political unity among the distinct populations, societies and ethnic groups because they each had their own particular traditions, cultures and historical identity.[10]
It is estimated that seven million Maya were living in this area at the start of the 21st century.[1][2] Guatemala, southern Mexico and the Yucatán Peninsula, Belize, El Salvador, and western Honduras have managed to maintain numerous remnants of their ancient cultural heritage. Some are quite integrated into the majority westernised mestizo cultures of the nations in which they reside, while others continue a more traditional, culturally distinct life, often speaking one of the Mayan languages as a primary language.
El "Pueblo Maya" lo constituyen actualmente algo menos de 6 millones de hablantes de 25 idiomas
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We call this civilization "Maya", although the term would not have meant anything to the Mayas in Guatemala (it was a Yucatec Maya word) and there was never a common sense of identity or political unity among all the various groups we call Maya.