Cofan
Location: north-east Amazon
Population: Between 600 and 800
Renowned for their colourful dress and also referred to as the A'I because of their language A'Ingae. Since the time of first Western contact in 1536, the Cofan population, which was approximately 15,000, has been ravaged by disease brought in from the outside world. This century saw one major epidemic, in the early 1920's, of measles, introduced through commerce with rubber traders on the Aguarico and Putumayo rivers. Post epidemic populations did not exceed 400. Introduction of vaccines and modern medicines in the middle 50's by missionaries in Ecuador allowed the population to begin to grow to its present size. Over the past 30 years, the Cofan's land has been exploited by oil explorers and colonisers, leading to a breakdown in their traditional culture and communities. They have now organised themselves to protect what remains of their land and culture by managing their own conservation and ecotourism programmes.

Siona and Secoya
Location: north-east Amazon
Population: 1,000
The Siona and Secoya were originally two different indigenous nationalities that merged together around the beginning of the twentieth century. In recent years they have separated back into two distinct ethnic groups. Oil exploration and colonisation since the 1970s have have made big inroads on their lands. However, in 1993, the Secoya began a landmark legal case against the oil company, Texaco, for alleged environmental abuses of their land. Texaco deny the allegations and the case has yet to be settled.

Quichua
Location: north Amazon
Population: 60,000
The Quichua are the largest of all Ecuador's indigenous peoples and perhaps the ones who have adapted themselves most to Western influences. The origins of the Quichua people are unknown, but it is believed that they are actually an amalgamation of different ethnic groups who shared a common language: Quichua. For the past 100 years, the Quichua have been influenced by missionaries, rubber barons and the military but nevertheless managed to retain their cultural identity and traditional practices. In 1992, the Quichua successfully won the legal title to a large part of their territory.

Huaorani
Location: east Amazon
Population: 1500
See Huaorani

Achuar
Location: south-east Amazon
Population: 3000
Related to the Shuar people, the Achuar share many similar customs, traditions and speak a similar language. Like the Shuar, the Achuar have managed to remain isolated from the influences of the Western world. Although the Achuar people collectively 'own' nearly five million hectares of rainforest, it is the Ecuadorian government that holds the sub-surface mineral rights. In 1998, the Ecuadorian government sold the oil exploration rights to the US-based firm ARCO. Previously, the land of the Achuar had been untouched by roads or pipelines.

Zaparo
Location: south-east Amazon
Population: Approximately 24 Zaparo speakers in 1991.
The Zaparo people are on the verge of extinction due to a variety of reasons such as breakdown of their culture and assimilation and intermarriage into other nationalities such as the Quichua.