The Andean states ( es, Estados Andinos) are a group of countries in western

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sou ...

connected by the

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

mountain range. The "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 The Inca Empire (also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire), called ''Tawantinsuyu'' by its subjects, ( Quechua for the "Realm of the Four Parts", "four parts together" ) was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The adm ...

(such as the

Quechua language Quechua (, ; ), usually called ("people's language") in Quechuan languages, is an indigenous language family spoken by the Quechua peoples, primarily living in the Peruvian Andes. Derived from a common ancestral language, it is the most wid ...

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 The Andean Community ( es, Comunidad Andina, CAN) is a free trade area with the objective of creating a customs union comprising the South American countries of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The trade bloc was called the Andean Pa ...

trade group and have a local (as opposed to the Southern Cone) cultural orientation. The Andes extend through the western part of South America in the following seven countriesGeography of Latin America
/ref> (arranged from north to south): * (a part of Caribbean South America, not considered an Andean state in geopolitics) * (also a part of Caribbean South America) * * * * (a part of the

Southern Cone The Southern Cone ( es, Cono Sur, pt, Cone Sul) is a geographical and cultural subregion composed of the southernmost areas of South America, mostly south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Traditionally, it covers Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, bou ...

, generally not considered an Andean state in geopolitics) * (a part of the

, often not considered an Andean state in geopolitics) When grouped as the "Andean states", the emphasis is on the mountainous regions of these countries. Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru are parts of the Andean Community (a trade group), and each contains the

Amazon rainforest The Amazon rainforest, Amazon jungle or ; es, Selva amazónica, , or usually ; french: Forêt amazonienne; nl, Amazoneregenwoud. In English, the names are sometimes capitalized further, as Amazon Rainforest, Amazon Forest, or Amazon Jungle. ...

and Amazonian indigenous people, as well as the Andean Mountains.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Andean States States Regions of South America Regions of the Americas

See also

References