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socioeconomic stratification in Guatemala 1989-2004 contemplates the following strata and percentages (Table 4.1).\u000ATable 4.1 Socioeconomic stratification in Guatemala\u000A Strata Population (thousands)\u000A2000 529.1\u000A1,332.2 2,220.0 4,636.2 2,624.8\u000AAccording to the data above 3.2 per cent are in the high class, 35.9 per cent middle and lower middle classes and 60.9 per cent the lower and extremely low classes of the total population. Within this range, the indigenous population is in the lower and extremely low strata. In general terms, the possibility of mobility within the social scale will present difficulties for those who have low levels of income and education. For example, of the lower and semi lower sectors (60.9% of the total population), less than 2% have access to tertiary level education which limits their possibilities of incorporation into the labour market, presenting an obstacle for the possibility of a short term rise in social mobility Informe Nacional de Desarrollo Humano, 2005: 96).The high percentage differential between the high social strata o classes and the lower ones reflects the accentuated socio economical disparity among Guatemalans.\u000ASome authors point out that the profound division between the rural areas and the city, and the structural dualism which has existed in Guatemala since colonial times, separated the population en two layers with characteristics of domination with one over the other (Amaro 1970: 158). According to Loup Herbert, \u2018the relationship of exploitation of the ladino over the indigenous people constitutes the dominant contradiction in the class structure\u2019 (1970: 94). For Casaus Arz\u00FA the dominant class (the elite of the Guatemalan oligarchy), their structure, racist posture towards the indigenous people since colonial times, has defined the present social structures of the country (1995: 12-14, 21-25).\u000APercentages\u000A1989 2000 2004\u000A4.3 4.7 3.2\u000A8.7 11.7 15.5 14.5 19.6 20.4 48.9 40.9 32.1 23.6 23.1 28.8\u000A100.0 100.0 100.0\u000A 1989 High 368.0 Middle 749.7 1,258.8 4,219.9 2,032.5 8,623.0\u000A2004 380.5\u000A1,847.1 2,421.6 3,819.3 3,419.7\u000A Lower middle Low Extremely low Total\u000A 11,342.5\u000ASource data elaboration de ENS 1989, ENCOVI 2000 & ENEI 2004\u000A11,888.3\u000A 162\u000A