Plaza de armas, Sucre, Bolivia

The charango is a small Andean stringed instrument of the lute family, 66 cm long, traditionally made with the shell of the back of an armadillo. Primarily played in traditional Andean music, and is sometimes used by other Latin American musicians. Many contemporary charangos are now made with different types of wood. It typically has 10 strings in five courses of 2 strings each, but other variations exist.

A charango player is called a charanguista.

The instrument was invented in the early 18th century in the Royal Audiencia of Charcas in what is now the Bolivia.