In a world increasingly connected through the internet, technology, and global mobility, more than 100 of the world's most isolated tribes still choose to avoid all forms of outside contact.
These tribes are scattered across remote regions, from the Amazon rainforest to tiny islands in the Pacific.
These uncontacted groups refuse interaction not only with governments and neighboring tribes but also with explorers and outsiders. Their continued existence serves as a powerful reminder that not all humans have chosen a modern lifestyle. In fact, attempts to interact with them often end in strong rejection—or even violence.
Here are some of the most isolated tribes still surviving on Earth today, holding on in the shadows of modern threats:
1. Sentinelese – India
Often referred to as the most isolated tribe in the world, the Sentinelese live on North Sentinel Island, part of the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal. They fiercely reject any form of contact. Their language remains unknown—even to neighboring tribes with similar roots.
With an estimated population of only 50 to 200 people, they survive by hunting and gathering. They build canoes, fish, catch crabs, and hunt using bows and spears. Since the 1950s, the Indian government has banned all access to the island to protect both the tribe and outsiders.
In 2018, the world was shocked when an American missionary who illegally tried to enter the island was killed shortly after his arrival. This tragic event underscored how determined the Sentinelese are to be left alone—and how clearly they have made that known.
2. Moxihatetema – Brazil & Venezuela
Within the nearly 10-million-hectare Yanomami Indigenous Territory lives the Moxihatetema tribe—a small community of about 100 people. Remarkably, they have even chosen to isolate themselves from their own relatives, the larger Yanomami tribe.
Although aerial photos from 2016 showed signs of healthy development, their continued existence is under threat from illegal gold miners. These operations not only destroy the environment but also bring the risk of deadly violence and diseases—dangers that could prove catastrophic if physical contact were made.
3. Yaifo and Korowai – Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea is believed to still be home to more than 40 uncontacted tribes. Most of them live as hunter-gatherers and intentionally keep their distance from the outside world.
One example is the Yaifo tribe, which gained global attention when British adventurer Benedict Allen visited them in 1988 and returned on another expedition in 2017, during which he was reported missing for several days.
The Yaifo are known for avoiding contact with outsiders. When Allen arrived, he was greeted with dancing and the sight of bows and arrows. He later participated in a six-week-long initiation ceremony that was physically and mentally demanding.
Also in the region are the Korowai people, who were first documented by Western anthropologists in the 1970s. Both tribes now face increasing threats from uncontrolled tourism, mining exploration, and military expansion into their territories.
4. Mashco-Piro – Peru
Deep within Manu National Park in Peru lives the Mashco-Piro tribe—one of the largest uncontacted tribes, with a population estimated between 600 and 800 people. They are known for their hostility toward outsiders, rooted in a traumatic history dating back to the era of rubber exploitation in the Amazon.
In recent years, they’ve been seen near government outposts and have even signaled to passing river travelers. However, this increased visibility raises serious risks of disease transmission.
The Mashco-Piro live near the Yine people, a contacted group that often helps them by, for example, planting extra food in their gardens.
Ironically, the name “Mashco-Piro” is considered derogatory—“mashco” means “savage.” They prefer to be called “Nomole,” which means “brothers.”
5. Ayoreo – Paraguay & Bolivia
The Ayoreo are among the last tribes living in voluntary isolation outside the Amazon Basin. They inhabit the Gran Chaco Forest, one of the fastest-deforesting areas in the world due to cattle ranching and development.
A subgroup called the Ayoreo-Totobiegosode—known as the "people of the wild pigs"—have chosen to remain completely uncontacted. Tragically, in 2004, a group of them was forced to leave the forest after massive land clearing by ranching companies.
Some eventually returned to the forest and resumed their isolated way of life. They continue to hunt, gather honey and fruit, and use medicinal plants for healing.
