List of contemporary ethnic groups of South America

The following is a list of contemporary ethnic groups of South America. There has been constant debate over the classification of ethnic groups. Membership of an ethnic group tends to be associated with shared ancestry, history, homeland, language or dialect and cultural heritage; where the term "culture" specifically includes aspects such as religion, mythology and ritual, cuisine, dressing (clothing) style and other factors.

By the nature of the concept, ethnic groups tend to be divided into subgroups, may themselves be or not be identified as independent ethnic groups depending on the source consulted.

South America here is considered to be approximately delimited from Africa by the South Atlantic Ocean; from North America by the Darién Gap and the portion of the Caribbean Sea south of Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Nueva Esparta, Providencia, San Andrés, Trinidad, and Tobago; and from Oceania by the East Pacific Rise connecting the Pacific and Nazca Plates as well as by its intersection with the Chile Ridge at the Juan Fernández Microplate.