Uncontacted peoples

Uncontacted peoples are groups of Indigenous peoples who live without regular contact with other communities or the wider world community. Some of these groups choose to stay apart from others, while others simply haven’t had much interaction yet. It’s hard to know exactly how many uncontacted peoples there are because they often try to stay hidden, but experts think there are between 100 and 200 different groups, with up to 10,000 people in total.

In 2025, a group called Survival International made a big report about uncontacted peoples all around the world. They found strong signs of 196 groups living in ten countries, mostly in South America, Asia, and the Pacific. The place with the most uncontacted peoples is Brazil, where they found evidence of 124 groups.

We mostly learn about these hidden communities from talks with nearby Indigenous groups and from pictures taken from the air. These peoples have their own ways of living and often protect their homes very carefully.

Definition

Uncontacted peoples are Indigenous groups who live far away from most of the world and choose to stay separate from other communities. They keep their traditional ways of life and do not want regular contact with people outside their own group. These groups include people who have had some contact before but decided to return to a quiet, private life away from others.

International groups, such as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and Survival International, help protect these communities. They remind us to respect these groups' choices to stay separate and live in their own way. These peoples are part of today's world, even though they prefer to stay hidden and undisturbed.

Relations with outsiders

International groups stress the need to protect the lands and health of uncontacted peoples. They warn that contact can bring harmful diseases and unfair treatment. Threats come from companies wanting to use their land for farming, logging, or mining, and from people looking for profit.

Some tribes choose to stay apart because of past harm from outsiders. Governments have set aside protected areas for them, like the Vale do Javari in Brazil. Efforts to protect these groups include controlled trading and medical help, but these tribes still face dangers from people who want to use their land.

By region

India

The Sentinelese people live on North Sentinel Island near South Andaman Island in the Bay of Bengal. They choose to stay away from others, and visitors are not welcomed. Their language is very different from others in the area, showing they have been separate for a long time.

In Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Shompen people live on Great Nicobar Island. They prefer to stay isolated and do not like contact with outsiders.

South America

In Bolivia, there are groups like the Toromona near the Madidi River who live apart from others.

Brazil has many isolated groups, such as the Awá in the Amazon rainforest. These groups face challenges from people who want to use their land.

In Colombia, there are groups like the Nukak people who move around and avoid contact.

Ecuador has isolated groups such as the Tagaeri and Taromenane in Yasuni National Park.

In Paraguay, around 100 Ayoreo people live apart in the forest.

Peru has many isolated groups, including the Nomole in Manú National Park.

In Venezuela, some groups like the Hoti live away from others.

Indonesia

In Java, the Baduy people choose to stay separate from others.

In North Maluku, the O'Hongana Manyawa live deep in the forests of Halmahera Island.

The Polahi live in the forests of Gorontalo in Sulawesi.

In West Papua, there may be several uncontacted tribes, though little is known about them.

Historical

New Guinea

The New Guinea Highlands were first explored by Western visitors in the 1930s. At that time, more than a million people lived in the highland valleys.

Peru

The Matsés first met the outside world permanently in 1969. Before this, they had conflicts with the government of Peru.