South America

Peru

Source: https://www.peru.travel/en/about-peru/history

Peru was the cradle of ancient civilizations which began to develop more than ten thousand years ago, on its territory’s cold highland plains.

Caral was the culmination of Peru’s first cultural process, known as the Initial Period, and its main characteristics are the building of mud brick stepped temples, circular plazas and small villages surrounding administrative and ceremonial centers. Major archaeological sites such as Sechin, on the Ancash coast, and the Kotosh Temple of the Crossed Hands, in Huanuco, date from this period.

Thousands of years later, Chavin culture emerged in the north-central Andes, in the present-day region of Ancash.

Around 700 BC, on the central coast, another fascinating culture emerged: Paracas, the first major desert society. The people of Paracas were skilled weavers –their large-scale textiles with intricate designs have been admired throughout the world- and their burial practices are particularly unique.

Following this first phase of development, what we now acknowledge as the first regional empire emerged, around 550 AD. Known as Wari, and a continuation of the Peruvian and Bolivian high plains Tiahuanaco culture, this society dominated a vast territory across much of the area that would later become the Inca empire of Tahuantinsuyo. It was the Wari who first began to lay out the great pre-Hispanic highway network and establish the social and territorial administrative system that would eventually be inherited by the Incas of Cusco.

With the disappearance of Wari, around 1 200 AD, the Late Intermediate period began, in the form of a second wave of regional cultural developments, among which the Chimu are particularly worthy of note, as the builders of Chan Chan, the world’s largest mud brick city.

The Chachapoyas also emerged at this time, the so-called “people of the clouds”, who occupied the luxuriant cloud forests of the Amazonas region, where they built extraordinary cities and mausoleums carved into sheer cliffs.

1

Peru People Groups from The Joshua Project

Peru. Data from The Joshua Project (https://www.joshuaproject.net)

People Reached Language Population Bible Religion Adherents Evangelical
Amarakaire Harakmbet Unreached Amarakaeri

2,100

New Testament Ethnic Religions

0.6

0.5

Amawaka Unreached Amahuaca

400

Portions Completed Ethnic Religions

5.0

0.3

Asheninka Pajonal Unreached Asheninka-Pajonal

15,000

New Testament Ethnic Religions

0.7

0.7

Asheninka South Ucayali Unreached Asheninka-South Ucayali

17,000

New Testament Ethnic Religions

1.6

1.4

Asheninka Ucayali-Yurua Unreached Asheninka-Ucayali-Yurua

8,800

New Testament Ethnic Religions

2.5

0.3

Cujareno Mashco Piro Unreached Mashco Piro

300

Translation Needed Ethnic Religions

2.0

0.0

Iquito Unreached Iquitu

500

Portions Completed Ethnic Religions

1.9

1.8

Japanese Unreached Japanese

157,000

Complete Bible Buddhism

1.5

0.5

Jew Spanish-speaking Unreached Spanish

1,900

Complete Bible Ethnic Religions

0.2

0.1

Matses Unreached Matses

5,300

New Testament Ethnic Religions

5.0

0.2

Nanti Unreached Nanti

300

Portions Completed Ethnic Religions

0.0

0.0

Pisabo Unreached Pisabo

700

Translation Needed Ethnic Religions

0.0

0.0

Yaminahua Chitonajuas Unreached Yaminahua

300

New Testament Ethnic Religions

0.0

0.0

Yaminawa Unreached Yaminahua

900

New Testament Ethnic Religions

2.0

1.7

Yora Unreached Yora

200

Portions Completed Ethnic Religions

1.0

0.0

Achuar Jivaro Minimally Reached Achuar-Shiwiar

400

New Testament Ethnic Religions

15.0

2.0

Aguaruna Minimally Reached Awajun

63,000

Complete Bible Ethnic Religions

7.0

0.1

Amuesha Minimally Reached Yanesha

8,700

New Testament Ethnic Religions

45.0

0.8

Candoshi Minimally Reached Kandozi-Chapra

3,500

Complete Bible Ethnic Religions

6.0

0.2

Capanahua Minimally Reached Capanahua

500

New Testament Ethnic Religions

10.0

0.3

Chayahuita Minimally Reached Shawi

22,000

New Testament Ethnic Religions

40.0

0.4

Ese Ejja Minimally Reached Ese Ejja

1,300

New Testament Ethnic Religions

40.0

0.6

Kambeba Minimally Reached Spanish

600

Complete Bible Ethnic Religions

18.0

1.0

Kaxinawa Cashinahua Minimally Reached Kashinawa

1,600

New Testament Ethnic Religions

10.0

0.2

Kokama Minimally Reached Kukama-Kukamiria

18,000

Portions Completed Ethnic Religions

10.0

0.6

Miranha Minimally Reached Bora

800

New Testament Ethnic Religions

40.0

0.3

Muinane Huitoto Minimally Reached Witoto-Nipode

1,300

Portions Completed Ethnic Religions

45.0

0.8

Quechua Chachapoyas Minimally Reached Quechua-Chachapoyas

8,600

Translation Needed Ethnic Religions

40.0

2.0

Secoya Minimally Reached Paicoca

900

New Testament Ethnic Religions

10.0

0.0

Urarina Minimally Reached Urarina

3,700

New Testament Ethnic Religions

9.0

1.4

Yaminawa Arara Minimally Reached Yaminahua

400

New Testament Ethnic Religions

10.0

1.0

Apurucayali Asheninka Superficially Reached Ajyininka Apurucayali

5,100

New Testament Christianity

60.0

2.0

Arabela Superficially Reached Arabela

400

New Testament Christianity

60.0

0.6

Ashaninka Superficially Reached Ashaninka

41,000

New Testament Christianity

65.0

1.5

Asheninka Perene Superficially Reached Asheninka-Perene

6,900

New Testament Christianity

60.0

2.0

Aymara Central Superficially Reached Aymara-Central

518,000

Complete Bible Christianity

90.0

1.5

Chamicura Superficially Reached Spanish

100

Complete Bible Christianity

90.0

0.5

Deaf Superficially Reached Peruvian Sign Language

167,000

Translation Started Christianity

95.5

Greek Superficially Reached Greek

6,600

Complete Bible Christianity

91.0

0.4

Injerto Asian / Peruvians Superficially Reached Spanish

13,000

Complete Bible Christianity

90.0

2.0

Jaqaru Superficially Reached Jaqaru

2,600

Unspecified Christianity

80.0

0.2

Jebero Superficially Reached Jebero

2,900

Portions Completed Christianity

60.0

1.0

Matsigenka Superficially Reached Matsigenka

23,000

New Testament Christianity

60.0

2.0

Mulatto Superficially Reached Spanish

64,000

Complete Bible Christianity

90.0

2.0

Ocaina Superficially Reached Ocaina

200

Portions Completed Christianity

70.0

1.0

Orejon Superficially Reached Maijuna

300

Portions Completed Christianity

60.0

0.4

Quechua Apurimac Superficially Reached Quechua-Eastern Apurimac

248,000

New Testament Christianity

94.0

0.5

Quechua Arequipa Superficially Reached Quechua-Arequipa-La Union

41,000

Portions Completed Christianity

93.0

0.5

Quechua Cerro de Pasco Superficially Reached Quechua-Santa Ana de Tusi Pasco

14,000

Translation Needed Christianity

90.0

0.3

Quechua Chiquian Ancash Superficially Reached Quechua-Chiquian

13,000

Unspecified Christianity

95.0

1.4

Quechua Corongo Ancash Superficially Reached Quechua-Corongo Ancash

5,100

Portions Completed Christianity

95.0

0.4

Quechua Huaylas Ancash Superficially Reached Quechua-Huaylas Ancash

426,000

Complete Bible Christianity

95.0

1.2

Quechua Jauja Huancayo Superficially Reached Quechua-Jauja Wanca

98,000

Translation Started Christianity

92.0

2.0

Quechua North Junin Superficially Reached Quechua-North Junin

80,000

New Testament Christianity

90.0

0.9

Quechua North Lima Superficially Reached Quechua-Cajatambo North Lima

9,000

Unspecified Christianity

91.0

0.4

Quechua Pachitea Superficially Reached Quechua-Panao

62,000

New Testament Christianity

90.0

2.0

Quechua Pasco-Yanahuanca Superficially Reached Quechua-Chaupihuaranga

48,000

Unspecified Christianity

91.0

0.6

Quechua Puno Superficially Reached Quechua-Puno

621,000

New Testament Christianity

96.0

2.0

Quechua Southern Conchucos Ancash Superficially Reached Quechua-Southern Conchucos

330,000

Complete Bible Christianity

95.0

0.6

Quechua Southern Huancayo Superficially Reached Quechua-Huaylla Wanca

310,000

New Testament Christianity

92.0

0.8

Quechua Southern Pastaza Superficially Reached Quechua-Southern Pastaza

2,000

New Testament Christianity

90.0

1.0

Quechua Yauyos Superficially Reached Quechua-Yauyos

7,900

Unspecified Christianity

91.0

0.8

Quichua Northern Pastaza Superficially Reached Quichua-Northern Pastaza

2,300

New Testament Christianity

99.0

2.0

Russian Superficially Reached Russian

1,700

Complete Bible Christianity

67.0

1.2

Shipibol Superficially Reached Shipibo-Conibo

32,000

New Testament Christianity

65.0

2.0

Spanish Loreto-Ucayali Superficially Reached Spanish-Charapa

3,300

Translation Needed Christianity

95.0

0.5

Ticuna Superficially Reached Ticuna

10,000

Complete Bible Christianity

90.0

1.0

Zambo Mulatto Superficially Reached Spanish

33,000

Complete Bible Christianity

95.0

2.0

Afro-Peruvian Partially Reached Spanish

165,000

Complete Bible Christianity

100.0

7.0

Aguano Partially Reached Spanish

200

Complete Bible Ethnic Religions

45.0

5.0

Asheninka Pichis Partially Reached Asheninka-Pichis

15,000

New Testament Ethnic Religions

9.7

8.7

British Partially Reached English

5,400

Complete Bible Christianity

60.0

8.8

Caquinte Partially Reached Caquinte

400

New Testament Ethnic Religions

5.0

4.0

German Partially Reached German-Standard

6,500

Complete Bible Christianity

64.0

2.1

Han Chinese Cantonese Partially Reached Chinese-Yue

145,000

Complete Bible Non-Religious

8.0

5.7

Huachipaire Partially Reached Huachipaeri

2,100

Portions Completed Ethnic Religions

10.0

7.0

Isconahua Partially Reached Shipibo-Conibo

100

New Testament Ethnic Religions

40.0

4.0

Kakataibo Partially Reached Kakataibo-Kashibo

2,200

New Testament Ethnic Religions

7.0

6.0

Nomatsiguenga Partially Reached Nomatsigenga

9,300

New Testament Christianity

60.0

2.5

Quechua Ambo-Pasco Partially Reached Quechua-Ambo-Pasco

119,000

New Testament Christianity

95.0

2.4

Quechua Ayacucho Partially Reached Quechua-Ayacucho

1,151,000

Complete Bible Christianity

93.0

3.9

Quechua Cajamarca Partially Reached Quechua-Cajamarca

38,000

New Testament Christianity

92.0

4.0

Quechua Chincha Partially Reached Quechua-Chincha

7,700

Unspecified Christianity

94.0

3.0

Quechua Cuzco Partially Reached Quechua-Cusco

2,344,000

Complete Bible Christianity

97.0

3.9

Quechua Huallaga Partially Reached Quechua-Huallaga

58,000

Complete Bible Christianity

95.0

3.0

Quechua Huamalies Partially Reached Quechua-Huamalies-Dos de Mayo Huanuco

93,000

Complete Bible Christianity

95.0

3.0

Quechua Lambayeque Partially Reached Quechua-Lambayeque

26,000

New Testament Christianity

91.0

3.0

Quechua Margos Chaulan Partially Reached Quechua-Margos-Yarowilca-Lauricocha

144,000

Complete Bible Christianity

86.0

3.0

Quechua Northern Conchucos Ancash Partially Reached Quechua-Northern Conchucos Ancash

310,000

Complete Bible Christianity

95.0

4.0

Quechua Pacaroas Partially Reached Quechua-Pacaraos

1,600

Unspecified Christianity

92.0

5.0

Quechua San Martin Partially Reached Quechua-San Martin

57,000

New Testament Christianity

70.0

3.0

Quechua Sihuas Ancash Partially Reached Quechua-Sihuas Ancash

8,100

Portions Completed Christianity

95.0

2.6

Quichua Lowland Napo Partially Reached Quichua-Napo

11,000

New Testament Christianity

99.0

3.0

Romani Calo Partially Reached Calo

9,900

Portions Completed Christianity

70.0

5.0

Sharanahua Partially Reached Sharanahua

600

New Testament Christianity

70.0

10.0

Wampis Partially Reached Wampis

12,000

New Testament Ethnic Religions

7.0

6.0

Witoto Partially Reached Witoto-Murui

100

New Testament Christianity

85.0

3.0

Yagua Partially Reached Yagua

7,700

New Testament Ethnic Religions

15.0

8.0

Yine Partially Reached Yine

5,300

New Testament Ethnic Religions

8.0

7.0

Americans U.S. Significantly Reached English

10,000

Complete Bible Christianity

80.0

28.9

Aymara Southern Significantly Reached Aymara-Southern

250,000

Translation Needed Christianity

98.0

12.0

Chilean Significantly Reached Spanish

99,000

Complete Bible Christianity

87.0

18.0

Kulina Significantly Reached Kulina

500

New Testament Ethnic Religions

12.0

11.0

Peruvian Significantly Reached Spanish

24,580,000

Complete Bible Christianity

96.0

18.4