where did the inca live

The Inca lived in the Andean region of western South America, with their heartland centered in the valley of Cusco in present-day Peru. At their empire’s height, they controlled large swaths of what is now Peru and extended into parts of modern-day Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, spanning coastal deserts, Andean highlands, and adjacent river valleys. Cusco served as the capital and the political and ceremonial center, while strong road networks and terrace farming connected vast territories across diverse environments. The Incas built a sophisticated state relying on centralized administration, labor obligations, and integrated communities, all without wheels or a written language, before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century.