Prototype rebuild by the IMB Innovation Team. The official site is peoplegroups.org.

People group profile · PG039197

The Central Miahuatlan Zapotec of Mexico

The Central Miahuatlan Zapotec of Mexico, numbering about 36,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an Indigenous people of southern Mexico, primarily concentrated in the state of Oaxaca, with a long history of cultural continuity from pre-Columbian times to the present.

They are an indigenous people in the Zapotec people cluster of the Latin American and Caribbean Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Catholicism, and they primarily speak Spanish.

Pray for the Central Miahuatlan ZapotecPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Central Miahuatlan Zapotec people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: Zapotec, Central Miahuatlan

Fast facts

Country
Mexico
Population
36,000
Affinity group
American Peoples
People cluster
Zapotec
Primary language
Spanish (spa)
Primary religion
Folk Catholicism
Strategic Progress Index
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
5% or Greater but Less than 10%
GSEC
5% or Greater but Less than 10% Evangelical
Lostness priority
Marginally Reached People Group
Region
Central America, Americas
Location
Oaxaca: southeast Miahuatlán, halfway to the coast. Most towns with ‘Ozolotepec’ in the name included, but not San Francisco Ozolotepec or San José Ozolotepec

Where they live

Gospel status

The Central Miahuatlan Zapotec are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 5% evangelical.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Central Miahuatlan Zapotec

  • Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
  • Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
  • Send out laborers from this people to the nations

Primary religion

Folk Catholicism · Christianity

87% adherents

Primary language

Spanish · Indo-European family

100% speak Spanish

Gospel resources in Spanish

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Central Miahuatlan Zapotec

  1. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  2. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  3. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  4. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.

Download a prayer guide

Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.