Before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, the country was inhabited by Indians for several millennia. According to historians, the Indian population decreased from almost 5-9 million in the 1520s to approximately 600.000. in 1620, mainly due to infectious diseases brought there by Europeans. Currently, Indians constitute 45% of Peru's population, mestizos - 37%, white inhabitants - 15%, 1.6% are Afro-Peruvians, and the rest are Asians (Chinese and Japanese).
