Region
The Andes
22 nations of The Andes, each with its own name first and checked facts with sources.
22 nations
-
Arhuaco
Also known as Wíntukwa
Lands South-eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Cesar and Magdalena, northern Colombia
The Confederación Indígena Tayrona, the Arhuaco organization founded in 1976, plans to restore the Guatapurí river basin with 18,000 native trees.
Source: Confederación Indígena Tayrona (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Aymara
Also known as Aimara
Lands The altiplano around Lake Titicaca and nearby valleys and cities of Bolivia and Peru, and the far north of Chile
In Bolivia's 2024 census, more than one million people self-identified as Aymara, and more than one million as Quechua.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Bolivia (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Colla
Also known as Kolla
Lands Atacama Region of Chile, around Copiapó, Chañaral, Tierra Amarilla and Diego de Almagro, and the puna of northwestern Argentina
In Chile's 2024 census, 0.1 percent of the national population identified as Colla.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas de Chile (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Diaguita
Lands Huasco and Choapa valleys of Chile's Norte Chico, and northwestern Argentina
The first Diaguita community constituted under Chile's Indigenous Law, the Estancia Agrícola Diaguita de los Huascoaltinos, formed in 2006.
Source: Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Kággaba
Also known as Kogi
Lands Northern, eastern and western slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in La Guajira, Magdalena and Cesar, Colombia
The Organización Gonawindúa Tayrona serves as the representative body of the Kággaba people's own Indigenous government.
Source: Organización Gonawindúa Tayrona (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Kankuamo
Also known as Kankuamos
Lands South-eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta near Valledupar, Cesar, Colombia, centered on Atánquez
In 2022 UNESCO recognized the ancestral knowledge system shared by the Kankuamo, Arhuaco, Kogui and Wiwa as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Source: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Kichwa
Also known as Quichua
Lands Highland provinces of Ecuador along the Andes, from Imbabura and Pichincha south to Chimborazo, Cañar and Loja
In 2009 Ecuador's Constitution was translated into Kichwa, with five delegates from Indigenous communities reviewing the translation.
Source: Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Kichwa Kañari
Also known as Kañari
Lands Cañar and Azuay provinces in the southern highlands of Ecuador
In Cañar parish, the province's largest Indigenous organizational network brings together 15 communities and 5 cooperatives.
Source: Ministerio de Salud Pública del Ecuador (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Kichwa Kayambi
Also known as Kayambi
Lands Around Cayambe in Pichincha province and neighboring areas of Imbabura, northern Ecuador
In 2022 Kayambi water boards, communes and community organizations met with a national legislator to discuss issues including a new water law.
Source: Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Kichwa Otavalo
Also known as Otavalo
Lands Otavalo and nearby communities such as Peguche in Imbabura province, northern Ecuador
Hampiriypacha, a Kichwa Otavalo association of seed guardians, works to protect knowledge that women have passed down for generations.
-
Kichwa Puruwá
Also known as Puruhá
Lands Chimborazo province in the central highlands of Ecuador
Ecuador's 2010 census counted 136,141 Kichwa Puruwá people, about 18.5 percent of the whole Kichwa nationality.
Source: Ministerio de Salud Pública del Ecuador (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Kichwa Saraguro
Also known as Saraguro
Lands Saraguro canton in Loja province and nearby areas of southern Ecuador
In 2019 Radio Kipa, a new community radio station in Saraguro, was one of the few radios to have won a license from Ecuador's state in recent years, and planned to train 30 young people.
-
Lickanantay
Also known as Atacameño
Lands Oases and valleys of the Salar de Atacama and the Loa river basin, Antofagasta Region, northern Chile
Lickanantay communities are revitalizing their language, Ckunsa. A 2025 regional arts project in Chiu Chiu promotes it through art and stop-motion animation.
Source: Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes y el Patrimonio de Chile (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Mapuche
Lands South-central Chile, especially La Araucanía and Santiago, and Patagonian provinces of Argentina such as Neuquén and Río Negro
Most Mapuche in Chile today live in cities, with the largest groups in La Araucanía region and in the capital, Santiago.
Source: Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Misak
Also known as Guambiano
Lands Resguardos of Guambía and Quisgó in Silvia, Cauca, and nearby municipalities of southwestern Colombia
In 2000 a Misak leader became the first Indigenous person elected by popular vote as governor of Colombia's Cauca department.
Source: Ministerio de Cultura de Colombia, Dirección de Poblaciones (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Nasa
Also known as Páez
Lands Cauca department, especially Tierradentro and northern Cauca, with communities in Huila, Valle del Cauca, Tolima and Putumayo, Colombia
The Nasa language is Nasa Yuwe. In Colombia's 2005 census, 41.9 percent of Nasa people reported speaking it.
Source: Ministerio de Cultura de Colombia, Dirección de Poblaciones (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Pasto
Also known as Los Pastos
Lands Highlands of Nariño, Colombia, in municipalities such as Cumbal, Guachucal, Ipiales and Túquerres, and across the border in northern Ecuador
The Pasto are working to recover their identity, oral tradition and ancestral customs, and to strengthen their own law through their cabildos.
Source: Ministerio de Cultura de Colombia, Dirección de Poblaciones (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Quechua
Also known as Quechuas
Lands Andean highlands and valleys of Peru and Bolivia, with Quechua communities also in Argentina and Chile
Peru's Ministry of Culture reports that 5,179,774 people nationwide feel or consider themselves part of the Quechua peoples.
-
Uro
Also known as Uru
Lands Lake Titicaca, especially the Bay of Puno in Peru, with Uru communities also in Bolivia
In Peru's 2017 census, 681 people self-identified as part of the Uro people.
-
Uru Chipaya
Also known as Chipaya
Lands Chipaya, on the altiplano of Oruro department, Bolivia
The Uru Chipaya statute recognizes the Uru Chipaya language as an official language of their autonomous government.
Source: Órgano Electoral Plurinacional de Bolivia, Fuente Directa (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Wiwa
Also known as Arzario
Lands Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in La Guajira, Cesar and Magdalena, Colombia
Through education policies the Wiwa established an alphabet for Damana, and they are working to have it taught alongside Spanish in schools.
Source: Ministerio de Cultura de Colombia, Dirección de Poblaciones (opens in a new tab) Checked
-
Yanacona
Also known as Yanaconas
Lands The Macizo Colombiano in southern Cauca, with communities in Huila and Valle del Cauca, Colombia
The Yanacona are recovering their identity and culture, including their traditional language, Quechua, and strengthening their cabildo authorities.
Source: Ministerio de Cultura de Colombia, Dirección de Poblaciones (opens in a new tab) Checked