Latin America has 40 million indigenous residents, who speak 420 languages, says UNICEF

Up to 40 million indigenous people, speaking 420 different native languages, now inhabit Latin America, according to a recent UNICEF survey.

There are a total of 522 indigenous villages scattered from Mexico to Argentina. Of the 21 countries involved in the survey, Brazil had 247 of the 522 indigenous villages, and El Salvador had the fewest. Indigenous populations count for 10% of the entire population of Latin America.

Inge Sichra, who was in charge of the project, said the survey was an effort to educate people about the current life of indigenous people with a hope of correcting social inequality.

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City

Comments

[Esteban Mendez]

In Latin America, "race" does not determine indigeneity; culture does. The Mexican government accepts peoples who speak indigenous languages as indigenous people, but in the census, people can identify as indigenous for other cultural reasons, such as wearing indigenous clothes. Most mestizos of indigenous origin have abandoned indigenous culture altogether (language, religion, clothing, etc.) except for a few traits, such as food and a few customs, in favour of (Spanish) European culture.

[Grant Silva]

Note: There are way more. Notice how language seems to be that which designates indigeneity or who is indigenous. I'm sure that most mestizo/as can be considered indigenous as well, but are not because they speak a non-native language.