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People group profile · PG050146

The Atacama of Argentina

The Atacama of Argentina, numbering about 15,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an altiplano people of Argentina's Antofagasta borderlands also known as Likan-Antai or Kunza speakers, whose ancestors developed advanced irrigation and terracing before conquest by the Inca and later the Spanish.

They are an indigenous people in the South American Indigenous people cluster of the Latin American and Caribbean Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Catholicism, and they primarily speak Spanish.

Pray for the AtacamaPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Atacama people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite: Atacama

Fast facts

Country
Argentina
Population
15,000
Affinity group
American Peoples
People cluster
South American Indigenous
Primary language
Spanish (spa)
Primary religion
Folk Catholicism
Strategic Progress Index
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
2% or Greater but Less than 5%
GSEC
2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
Lostness priority
Minimally Reached People Group
Region
South America, Americas

Where they live

Gospel status

The Atacama are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 2% evangelical.

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

Next steps for the Atacama

  • Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
  • Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
  • Send out laborers from this people to the nations

Primary religion

Folk Catholicism · Christianity

55% adherents

Primary language

Spanish · Indo-European family

100% speak Spanish

Gospel resources in Spanish

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs 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 Atacama

  1. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  2. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  3. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  4. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.

Download a prayer guide

Atacameno in other countries

The same people (ROP3 105433) is reported in 1 other country.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
KunzaChile36,500No Longer Unreached

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