The following is a list of contemporary ethnic groups of South America. There has been constant debate over the classification of ethnic groups. Membership of an ethnic group tends to be associated with shared ancestry, history, homeland, language or dialect and cultural heritage; where the term "culture" specifically includes aspects such as religion, mythology and ritual, cuisine, dressing (clothing) style and other factors.
By the nature of the concept, ethnic groups tend to be divided into subgroups, may themselves be or not be identified as independent ethnic groups depending on the source consulted.
South America here is considered to be approximately delimited from Africa by the South Atlantic Ocean; from North America by the Darién Gap and the portion of the Caribbean Sea south of Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Nueva Esparta, Providencia, San Andrés, Trinidad, and Tobago; and from Oceania by the East Pacific Rise connecting the Pacific and Nazca Plates as well as by its intersection with the Chile Ridge at the Juan Fernández Microplate.
Ethnic groups
The following groups are commonly identified as "ethnic groups", as opposed to ethno-linguistic phyla, national groups, racial groups or similar.
| Ethnicity | Language(s) | Primary homeland | Subgroups, tribes & castes | Religion(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achagua | Arawakan → Upper Amazon Arawakan → Achagua | Colombia (Meta), Venezuela | Támara, Nunchía, Yopal, Tauramena, Recetor, Chámeza, Paya, Labranzagrande | Traditional religion, Christianity → Catholicism |
| Aché | Tupian → Guarani → Aché | Paraguay | Cerro Moroti, Ypetimi, Puerto Barra, Chupa Pou, Kuetuvy, Arroyo Bandera | Native American religion |
| Achuar | Chicham → Achuar | Peru (Peruvian Amazonia), Ecuador (Oriente) | Huasaga | Christianity, Shamanism, Animism |
| Afro-Argentines | Indo-European → Romance → Spanish → Rioplatense Spanish | Argentina | Christianity → Catholicism | |
| Afro-Brazilians | Indo-European → Romance → Portuguese → Brazilian Portuguese, Cafundó | Brazil | Christianity → Catholicism | |
| Afro-Bolivians | Indo-European → Romance → Spanish → Bolivian Spanish | Bolivia (Bolivian Yungas) | Christianity → Catholicism | |
| Afro-Chileans | Indo-European → Romance → Spanish → Chilean Spanish | Chile (Arica y Parinacota Region, Tarapacá Region and Santiago Metropolitan Region) | Christianity → Catholicism | |
| Afro-Colombians | Indo-European → Romance → Spanish → Colombian Spanish; Indo-European → Spanish-based creole → Palenquero; Indo-European → English-based creole → San Andres-Providencia Creole | Colombia (Pacific region, Caribbean region) | Palenques, Raizals | Christianity → Catholicism |
| Afro-Ecuadorians | Various African languages → Forced loss of languages due to slavery in the Americas Spanish (adopted language) | Ecuador (Esmeraldas Province, Guayaquil, Valle del Chota, Imbabura Province Sucumbíos Province) | Christianity → Catholicism | |
| Afro-Guyanese | Various African languages → Forced loss of languages due to slavery in the Americas English (adopted language)→ Guyanese Creole | Guyana | Christianity → Catholicism; Protestantism → Anglicanism, Methodism, Calvinism, Baptist, etc; Afro-American religions; Traditional African religions; Islam; Rastafari; Comfa | |
| Afro-Paraguayans | Various African languages → Forced loss of languages due to slavery in the Americas Spanish (adopted language) | Paraguay (Central Department, Paraguari Department and Cordillera Department) | Christianity → Catholicism | |
| Afro-Peruvians | Various African languages → Forced loss of languages due to slavery in the Americas Spanish (adopted language) | Peru (Lima, Piura, Lambayeque, Tumbes and Ica) | Christianity → Catholicism, Protestantism; Buddhism; Animism, etc | |
| Afro-Surinamese | Various African languages → Forced loss of languages due to slavery in the Americas Dutch (adopted language) English (adopted language) → Sranan Tongo, Aukan, Kwinti English + Portuguese → Saramaccan | Suriname | Christianity, Winti | |
| Afro-Uruguayans | Various African languages → Forced loss of languages due to slavery in the Americas Spanish (adopted language) → Rioplatense Spanish Spanish + Portuguese → Portuñol | Uruguay | Christianity → Catholicism, Protestantism; etc | |
| Afro-Venezuelans | Various African languages → Forced loss of languages due to slavery in the Americas Spanish (adopted language) | Venezuela (Venezuelan Caribbean and Barlovento) | Christianity → Catholicism, Protestantism; Birongo; Cult to María Lionza | |
| Aguaruna | Chicham → Aguaruna | Peru (Peruvian Amazonia) | Yutupiza, Japaime | Christianity, Shamanism, Animism |
| Aikana | Aikana language | Brazil (Rondonia) | Tubarão-Latundê, Vilhena | Animism |
| Akawaio | Cariban → Kapóng | Animism | ||
| Apanyekra | Macro-Je → Je → Canela | Brazil (Northeast Region) | Ethnic religion | |
| Apinajé | Macro-Je → Je → Apinayé | Brazil (Tocantins) | Animism | |
| Arhuaco | Chibchan → Arhuaco | Colombia (Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta) | Animism | |
| Atacama | Kunza | Chile (Atacama Desert, Altiplano), Argentina (Altiplano), Bolivia (Antofagasta Region) | Inca Religion | |
| Awa | Barbacoan → Awan → Awa | Colombia (Narino), Ecuador (Carchi) | Christianity | |
| Aymara | Aymaran → Aymara | Bolivia, Peru, Chile | Christianity → Catholicism | |
| Baniwa | Arawakan → Upper Amazon Arawakan → Karu | Brazil (Amazonas), Colombia (Amazonas), Venezuela (Amazonas) | Traditional religion; Christianity → Catholicism | |
| Boeroes | Indo-European → Germanic → Dutch → Surinaams | Suriname | Christianity | |
| Bororo | Macro-Je → Bororoan → Bororo | Brazil (Mato Grosso) | Animism | |
| Cabiyari | Arawakan → Upper Amazon Arawakan → Cabiyari | Colombia (Vaupes) | Christianity | |
| Caquetio | Arawakan → Ta-Arawakan → Caquetio | Venezuela (Falcón, Zulia), formerly Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire (Netherlands) | Native American religion | |
| Chachi | Barbacoan → Chaʼpalaa | Ecuador (Esmeraldas) | Christianity → Catholicism, Native American religion | |
| Caribs | Cariban → Carib | Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, Brazil | Animism | |
| Charrúa | Charruan languages | Uruguay | Chaná | Animism |
| Chiquitano | Macro-Jê(?) → Chiquitano | Bolivia (Santa Cruz), Brazil (Mato Grosso) | Tao, Miñoco, Manasi | Christianity → Catholicism; Traditional Religion |
| Cinta Larga | Tupian → Monde → Cinta Larga | Brazil (Amazon rainforest) | Indigenous religion, Santo Daime | |
| Cofan | Cofan language | Ecuador (Sucumbios), Colombia (Putumayo) | Animism | |
| Comechingon | Comechingon | Argentina (Cordoba, San Luis) | ||
| Embera | Choco → Embera | Colombia (Choco Department), Panama (Darien, Embera) | Shamanism | |
| Ese Ejja | Tacanan → Ese Ejja | Bolivia (Beni, La Paz, Pando), Peru (Madre de Dios) | Christianity → Catholicism; Traditional Religion | |
| Falkland Islanders | Indo-European → Germanic → English → Falkland Islands English | British Overseas Territories (Falkland Islands) | Christianity | |
| Gaviao (Je) | Macro-Je → Je → Para Gaviao → Parkateje, Macro-Je → Je → Para Gaviao → Pykobje | Brazil (Pará, Maranhão) | Parkateje, Pykobje | Animism |
| Gaviao (Rondonia) | Tupian → Monde → Gavião of Jiparaná | Brazil (Rondonia) | Animism | |
| Guajajara | Tupian → Tenetehara | Brazil (Maranhão) | Shamanism, Santo Daime | |
| Guarani | Tupian → Guarani | Paraguay, Argentina (Misiones), Bolivia | Chiriguanos | Christianity → Catholicism |
| Guarayos | Tupian → Tupi-Guarani → Guarayu-Sirionó → Guarayo | Bolivia (Santa Cruz department), Paraguay (Boquerón department) | Traditional religion, Christianity → Catholicism | |
| Hispanic Americans | Indo-European → Romance → Spanish → American Spanish | Hispanic South America (Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay) | Colombian (Cundinamarqués, Bogotan, Boyacense, Santandereano, Huilense, Tolimense, Paisa, Caucano, Pastuso, Valluno, Llanero, Amazonian Colombian, Guajiro, Sabanero, Samario, Vallenato, Chochoano, Tumaqueño, Basque-Colombian, Colombian-American), Argentinian (North Argentinian, Guaranitic, Cuyano, Cordobes, Puntano, Litoraleno, Porteno, Patagonian, Basque-Argentinian, Argentinian-American), Peruvian (Ecuatorial Peruvian, Coastal Peruvian, Andean Peruvian, Amazonian Peruvian, Peruvian-American), Hispanic Venezuelans (Amazonian Venezuelans, Llaneros, Andean Venezuelans, Western Venezuelans, Eastern Venezuelan, Island Venezuelans, Caraquenos, Zulianos, Central Venezuelans, Venezuelan-American, Venezuelan-Colombian), Chilean (Chilean-American), Ecuadorian (Quitenos, Riobambenos, Cuencanos, Lojano, Esmeraldeno, Manabita, Guayaco, Amazonian Ecuadorian, Galapagueños, Ecuadorian Americans), Bolivian (Bolivian-American), Paraguayan (Paraguayan-American), Uruguayans (including Uruguayan Americans), along with significant populations in the United States, Spain, France, Canada, Italy, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, Portugal, Australia and Sweden | Christianity → Catholicism |
| Huambisa | Chicham → Huambisa | Peru (Peruvian Amazonia), Ecuador (Oriente) | Christianity, Shamanism, Animism | |
| Huarpe | Huarpean | Argentina (Cuyo Region) | Millcayac, Allentiac | |
| Hunsrikers | Indo-European → Germanic → Hunsrik | Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina) | Christianity → Catholicism, Protestantism | |
| Indo-Caribbeans | Indo-European → Germanic → English → English Creole; Indo-European → Germanic → Dutch → Surinamese Dutch; Indo-European → Romance → Portuguese → Papiamento; Indo-European → Indo-Aryan → Hindustani → Caribbean Hindustani; Dravidian → Tamiloid → Tamil | Guyana, Suriname | Indo-Guyanese, Indo-Surinamese, with significant populations in the United States and the United Kingdom | Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Baháʼí |
| Kaingang | Macro-Je → Je → Kaingang | Brazil (Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Sao Paulo) | Shamanism | |
| Kamentsa | Camsa language | Colombia (Putumayo) | Christianity | |
| Kawesqar | Alacalufan → Kawesqar | Chile (Chilean Patagonia, Wellington Island) | Christianity → Protestantism | |
| Kayapo | Macro-Je → Je → Kayapo | Brazil (Pará, Mato Grosso) | Animism | |
| Kiriri | Indo-European → Romance → Portuguese → Brazilian Portuguese; formerly Macro-Jê → Kariri | Brazil (Ceará) | Toré religion | |
| Kraho | Macro-Je → Je → Kraho | Brazil (Terra Indigena Kraolandia) | Animism | |
| Kwinti | Indo-European → English Creole → Kwinti | Suriname | Christianity → Moravian Church | |
| Luso-Brazilians | Indo-European → Romance → Portuguese → Brazilian Portuguese | Portuguese America (Brazil) | North Brazilians, Northeast Brazilians, Central-West Brazilians, Southeast Brazilians (includes Caipiras), South Brazilians, along with significant populations in the United States, Portugal, Paraguay, United Kingdom, Japan, Italy, Spain, Germany, Canada, Argentina, France, Switzerland, French Guiana, Australia, Ireland, Mexico, Uruguay, Belgium, Bolivia, Netherlands, and Suriname | Christianity → Catholicism |
| Macushi | Cariban → Macushi | Guyana (Rupununi), Brazil (Roraima) | Shamanism | |
| Mapuche | Araucanian languages | Chile (Araucania), Argentina | Huilliche, Moluche, Pehuenche | Christianity, Mapuche religion |
| Matawai | Indo-European → Germanic → English → Saramaccan | Suriname | Christianity → Moravian Church | |
| Mennonites | Indo-European → Germanic → German, Dutch; Romance → Spanish | South America | Significant populations in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay | Christianity → Anabaptism → Mennonitism |
| Misak | Barbacoan → Northern Barbacoan → Coconucan → Nam Trik | Colombia (Cauca) | Traditional religion, Christianity → Catholicism | |
| Muiscas | Chibchan → Chibcha | Colombia (Altiplano Cundiboyacense) | Muisca religion, Christianity → Catholicism | |
| Mojeños | Arawakan → Southern → Bolivia-Parana → Moxo languages | Bolivia (Beni Department) | Mojeño-Trinitarios, Mojeño-Loretano, Mojeño-Javerianos, Mojeño-Ignacianos | Traditional religion, Christianity → Catholicism |
| Palikur | Arawakan → Palikur | Brazil (Amapá), French Guiana | Animism | |
| Paramaccan | Indo-European → Germanic → English → Ndyuka | Suriname (Pamacca) | Winti | |
| Pardo | Indo-European → Romance → Portuguese | Brazil | Christianity → Catholicism | |
| Pataxó | Macro-Jê → Maxakalian → Pataxó | Brazil (Bahia) | Shamanism | |
| Pemon | Cariban → Pemon | Venezuela, Brazil, Guyana | Animism | |
| Piapoco | Arawakan → Upper Amazon Arawakan → Piapoco | Colombia (Meta), Venezuela | Traditional religion, Christianity → Catholicism | |
| Piaroa | Piaroa | Venezuela | Animism | |
| Potiguara | Tupian → Potiguara' Indo-European → Romance → Portuguese | Brazil (Paraíba) | Shamanism | |
| Puelche | Chonan → Gününa Küne | Argentina | ||
| Quechua | Quechuan | Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina | Ayacucho, Cajamarca–Canaris, Central, Chachapoyas, Cusco, Inga, Huanca, Kichwa, Lamas, North Bolivian, Pacaraos, Puno, Santiagueno, South Bolivian | Christianity → Catholicism, Inca religion |
| Qulla | Quechuan → Quechua II → Southern Quechua | Qullaw (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile) | Christianity → Catholicism | |
| Ramkokamekra | Macro-Je → Je → Canela | Brazil (Northeast Region) | Animism | |
| Ranquel | Araucanian → Mapudungun → Ranquel | Argentina (La Pampa Province) | Native American religion | |
| Saramaka | Indo-European → Germanic → English → Saramaccan | Suriname | Winti, Christianity → Moravian Church | |
| Selk'nam | Chonan → Selk'nam, Indo-European → Romance → Spanish | Tierra del Fuego (Argentina, Chile) | Animism, Christianity | |
| Shiriana | Arawakan → Shiriana, Arutani language | Brazil (Amazonas, Amazon rainforest), Venezuela (Amazon rainforest) | Auake | Animism |
| Shuar | Chicham → Shuar | Peru (Peruvian Amazonia), Ecuador (Oriente) | Christianity, Shamanism, Animism | |
| Siona | Tucanoan → Western Tucanoan → Siona | Ecuador (Sucumbios), Colombia (Putumayo) | Animism | |
| Tapayuna | Macro-Jê → Jê → Tapayuna | Brazil (Mato Grosso) | Ethnoreligion | |
| Tehuelche | Chonan → Tehuelche, Araucanian → Mapudungun, Indo-European → Romance → Spanish | Argentina (eastern Patagonia) | Animism, Christianity | |
| Terena | Arawakan → Terena; Brazilian Sign language; Terena Sign language | Brazil (Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul) | Shamanism | |
| Ticuna | Ticuna–Yuri → Ticuna | Brazil (Amazonas) | Shamanism | |
| Tiriyo | Cariban → Tiriyo | Brazil, Suriname | Shamanism | |
| Trumai | Trumai | Brazil (Mato Grosso) | Animism | |
| Tsimané | Macro-Panoan → Moseten–Chonan → Tsimané | Bolivia (Beni) | Mosetén | Traditional tribal religion |
| Uru | Uru-Chipaya → Uru; Aymaran → Aymara | Bolivia (La Paz), Peru (Puno) | Christianity → Catholicism; Traditional Religion | |
| Wapishana | Arawakan → Wapishana | Brazil, Guyana | Shamanism | |
| Warao | Warao | Venezuela, Guyana | Shamanism | |
| Wayuu | Arawakan → Wayuunaiki | Colombia (La Guajira), Venezuela | Ethnic religion, Christianity → Catholicism | |
| Wichí | Matacoan → Wichí-Chorote → Wichí languages | Argentina, Bolivia (Tarija department) | Vejoz, Güisnay, Nocten | |
| Xavante | Macro-Je → Je → Xavante | Brazil (Mato Grosso) | Shamanism | |
| Xerente | Macro-Je → Je → Xerente | Brazil (Tocantins) | Christianity and traditional folk religion → Folk Catholicism | |
| Xokleng | Macro-Je → Je → Xokleng | Brazil (Santa Catarina) | Shamanism | |
| Yahgan | Yahgan; Indo-European → Romance → Spanish | Tierra del Fuego (Argentina, Chile) | Christianity → Protestantism | |
| Yanomami | Yanomaman | Southeastern Venezuela, and northern Brazil | Shamanism | |
| Ye'kuana | Cariban → Ye'kuana | Venezuela | Shamanism | |
| Zoró | Tupian → Monde → Gavião of Jiparaná → Zoró | Brazil (Mato Grosso) | Christianity |
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