The Inca Empire was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America, stretching over 4,800 km from Ecuador to Argentina. The Inca civilization arose in Peru in the early 13th century and was united under an absolute ruler from their capital city of Cuzco. At its height, the Inca Empire had organized rule over 12 million people and hundreds of tribes through a common language and government. The Inca organized a socialist society with mutual benefits and shared harvests, believing that individuals worked for the benefit of all.