The Chinantec people live mainly in northern Oaxaca and parts of Veracruz. Chinantec languages form a diverse group, and different communities may speak varieties that are not mutually identical.

For citizenship learners and curious expats, the Chinantec are another example of Oaxaca’s dense linguistic diversity. Their presence helps explain why Indigenous language recognition in Mexico matters: many languages are regional, community-based, and central to local identity.