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Which major regions were home to pre-Columbian urban civilizations?

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A group of Native American men in colorful traditional regalia with feathered headdresses dance outdoors at a powwow ceremony on a grassy field. — Indigenous peoples of the Americas Performers at a Canadian powwow, c. 2008.

Pre-Columbian urban civilizations in the Americas developed primarily in two major regions: Mesoamerica and the Andean region.12

Mesoamerica

This region, encompassing parts of modern-day Mexico and Central America, was home to several influential urban cultures. Key civilizations included:1
* Olmec: Recognized as an early civilization that established large capital towns and monumental architecture.1
* Maya: Known for significant advancements in hieroglyphic writing, mathematics, and calendar making, with major cities such as Tikal and Copán.13
* Teotihuacán: A major urban center in the Valley of Mexico that exerted widespread influence.1
* Toltec: A civilization centered at Tula.14
* Aztec: The final major Indigenous empire in central Mexico, ruling from their capital, Tenochtitlán.154

The Andean Region

Located in western South America, this area saw the rise of complex societies characterized by large-scale construction and centralized political organization. Notable civilizations included:1
* Chavín: An early culture associated with a shared stylistic "unification".1
* Moche, Nazca, and Tiwanaku: Regional kingdoms and cultures that flourished before the rise of later empires.1
* Inca: An expansive empire that unified the region from its capital in Cuzco, Peru, stretching from modern-day Ecuador to Chile.16