The Andean states (Spanish: Estados Andinos) are a group of nations in South America connected by the Andes mountain range. "Andean States" is sometimes used to refer to all seven countries that the Andes runs through, regions with a shared culture primarily spread during the times of the Inca Empire (such as the Quechua language and Andean cuisine), or it can be used in a geopolitical sense to designate countries in the region that are members of the Andean Community trade group and have a local (as opposed to a Southern Cone) cultural orientation.