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People group profile · PG016227

The Katio of Colombia

The Katio of Colombia, numbering about 38,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an Emberá subgroup of northwestern Colombia whose communities inhabit the forested regions of Córdoba, Antioquia, and Chocó and maintain a distinct Katío identity within the broader Emberá cultural and linguistic tradition.

They are an indigenous people in the South American Indigenous people cluster of the Latin American and Caribbean Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Emberá-Catío.

Pray for the KatioPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Katio people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Embera, Katio

Fast facts

Country
Colombia
Population
38,500
Affinity group
American Peoples
People cluster
South American Indigenous
Primary language
Emberá-Catío (cto)
Primary religion
Ethnoreligion
Strategic Progress Index ?
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Expanding Unreached People Group
Region
South America, Americas
Location
Antioquia, Chocó, and Córdoba departments: Murri, San Jorge, San Pedro, and upper Sinu rivers

Where they live

Gospel status

The Katio are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Katio

  • Continue prayer and fasting for this group
  • Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
  • Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Primary religion

Ethnoreligion

55% adherents

Primary language

Emberá-Catío · Chocoan family

100% speak Emberá-Catío

Gospel resources in Emberá-Catío

  • Bible available, published 2014
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Katio

  1. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  2. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  3. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  4. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.

Download a prayer guide

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