A recent survey estimated that 7.5 percent of the population in Latin America spoke a native or indigenous language as their mother tongue. Among the countries included in the study, the highest share was found in Paraguay, where 49 percent of respondents said their first language was either native or indigenous. Bolivia followed second, with 31.9 percent of the people interviewed having an indigenous language as their mother tongue.
Share of indigenous or native language speakers in Latin America in 2018, by country
The original question posed on the survey was: "¿Cuál es su idioma materno?"
This graph shows the share of respondents who answered: "Lengua autóctona/Indígena"
Data collection was outsourced to different consultancy companies in each country. The date of survey, number and age of respondents may vary from one country to another.
More methodological information is available here.
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Corporación Latinobarómetro. (November 9, 2018). Share of indigenous or native language speakers in Latin America in 2018, by country [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 10, 2024, from https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/1058273/latin-america-share-indigenous-language-speakers-country/
Corporación Latinobarómetro. "Share of indigenous or native language speakers in Latin America in 2018, by country." Chart. November 9, 2018. Statista. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/1058273/latin-america-share-indigenous-language-speakers-country/
Corporación Latinobarómetro. (2018). Share of indigenous or native language speakers in Latin America in 2018, by country. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: November 10, 2024. https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/1058273/latin-america-share-indigenous-language-speakers-country/
Corporación Latinobarómetro. "Share of Indigenous or Native Language Speakers in Latin America in 2018, by Country." Statista, Statista Inc., 9 Nov 2018, https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/1058273/latin-america-share-indigenous-language-speakers-country/
Corporación Latinobarómetro, Share of indigenous or native language speakers in Latin America in 2018, by country Statista, https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/1058273/latin-america-share-indigenous-language-speakers-country/ (last visited November 10, 2024)
Share of indigenous or native language speakers in Latin America in 2018, by country [Graph], Corporación Latinobarómetro, November 9, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/1058273/latin-america-share-indigenous-language-speakers-country/
