Where Did the Maya Live?
Mayan Civilization
Image: history.com
Amita Vadlamudi is a computer systems engineer who has spent 35 years in the information technology industry. Additionally, Amita Vadlamudi enjoys studying and learning about ancient cultures, such as the Mayans and the Incas.
The Mayan civilization flourished in Mesoamerica (the name used to describe Central America and Mexico as it existed before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century). Unlike other indigenous populations of the time, the Maya were centered in one region, covering what are now known as the Yucatan Peninsula, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, and parts of the Mexican states of Chiapas and Tabasco. Because of this concentration, the Maya were relatively safe from invasion by other Mesoamericans.
Within this region, the Maya occupied three different areas, each with its own environment and culture. One group lived in the northern lowlands on the Yucatan Peninsula, while another group resided in the southern lowlands in what is now the Peten district of northern Guatemala as well as nearby parts of Mexico, Belize, and Honduras. A third group lived in the southern highlands in the mountains of southern Guatemala.
