Collasuyu

Collasuyu was the southern quarter of the Inca Empire (Tawantinsuyu), one of the four suyus that formed the basic administrative framework of the empire. The name comes from the Colla, a group of highland peoples in the southern Andes, whose lands were incorporated into the Inca state as the empire expanded.

At its greatest extent, Collasuyu covered parts of present-day southern Peru, much of Bolivia's highlands and altiplano, and extended into areas of northern Chile and western Argentina. It stretched from around the central valleys near Cusco toward the southernmost frontiers of the empire.

Within Tawantinsuyu, Collasuyu was governed through a hierarchical system that administered provinces and local communities (ayllu) under central authority. Local leaders, or curacas, were responsible for collecting mita labor, tribute, and military service, while provincial governors reported to high officials in Cusco. The Qhapaq Ñan road network connected Collasuyu to the other suyus and facilitated governance, communication, and trade.

Collasuyu was ethnically diverse, incorporating Quechua- and Aymara-speaking groups and other highland communities. The region contributed to the empire's agricultural base—terraced crops, llama and alpaca herding—and participated in the shared religious and ritual life of the Tawantinsuyu, including the veneration of the sun god and the ruler's authority.

After the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, the administrative concept of the four suyus persisted in colonial governance and historical writing, though actual control was reorganized by colonial authorities. Today, Collasuyu is used in historical and archaeological contexts to describe the southern sector of the Inca realm.