The Apache people have been lumped together under the name "Apache" by outsiders. In reality, they are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, which include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Salinero, Plains and Western Apache. Distant cousins of the Apache are the Navajo, with which they share the Southern Athabaskan languages. Historically, they have defined themselves by geographical areas, clan and kinship ties with neighboring groups. Following this pattern, Apache Souts were usually grouped in operational units by band.