# What is the most isolated tribe/group of people on Earth? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 26, 2007, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-isolated-tribe-group-of-people-on-earth/427783 "2007-11-26T09:33:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2007, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-isolated-tribe-group-of-people-on-earth/427783/1 "2007-11-26T09:33:12Z")
Also, what level of technology do they possess and to what degree do they know of the outside world? How likely is it that there is any place on Earth where there exists a group of people who have had literally _no_ contact with the outside world and know _nothing_ of it? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2007, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-isolated-tribe-group-of-people-on-earth/427783/2 "2007-11-26T10:03:29Z")
Although there may be more isolated tribes, the [Sentinelese](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinelese), inhabitants of [North Sentinel Island](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sentinel) in the Bay of Bengal, must at least get mention for hostility towards attempts at contact: > [@](#): > > The Sentinelese remain skeptical and generally hostile to any approaches from outsiders. In 2006, Sentinelese archers killed two fishermen who were fishing illegally within range of the island, and drove off the helicopter that was sent to retrieve their bodies with a hail of arrows. To this date, their bodies remain unrecovered. The Wikipedia article on [uncontacted peoples](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncontacted_peoples) provides interesting links on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2007, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-isolated-tribe-group-of-people-on-earth/427783/3 "2007-11-26T10:22:05Z")
Damn. I came to mention the Sentinelese. I remember seeing a film made by anthropologists trying to contact the Sentinelese. They were met by arrowshots and had to retreat without making proper contact. ETA: [Youtube has some footage of the Sentinelese](http://youtube.com/results?search_query=sentinelese&search=Search) ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-isolated-tribe-group-of-people-on-earth/427783/4 "2007-11-27T03:02:32Z")
Wow, the Sentinelese are amazing! So primitive and unexposed. I wonder what they think when they see a helicopter at close range or a jet leaving contrails at 40,000 ft. Also, looking at their island on Google Earth, it’s amazing they’re still so unexposed. They are only 25 miles as-the-crow-flies from the suburbs of Port Blair, a city of 100,000. I find it amusing to think that Earth itself may be a galactic “North Sentinel Island” of sorts… ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-isolated-tribe-group-of-people-on-earth/427783/5 "2007-11-27T04:09:21Z")
[QUOTE=Shamozzle] How likely is it that there is any place on Earth where there exists a group of people who have had literally _no_ contact with the outside world and know _nothing_ of it? [/QUOTE] At this point in time, this is pretty much impossible. Although there may be some groups that are not in direct contact with “outside” society, they are certainly in at least intermittent contact with other people who are. They certainly know something about the outside world, even if indirectly. And they very likely have at least some artifacts from the outside obtained through trade with neighbors.