Bolivia, independent and sovereign country in South America, the official capital and seat of judiciary is Sucre, the seat of government (executive and legislative) is La Paz. This country is, along with Paraguay, one of the two countries in South America without a coastline. It is also the eighth largest in the Americas. It is a multicultural country with many rich archeological and considered one of the most mega-diverse countries in the world. In a history that highlights the Tiwanaku culture developed into what is today the western region and whose advanced knowledge in many areas remained as a legacy for the later Inca Empire.
Location: west-central South America and, to the right bank of Lake Titicaca. It borders Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile and Peru.
Altitude: From 70 m (Rio Paraguay) to 6.542 m (Nevado Sajama).
Independence: From Spain, 06 August 1.825
Population: 10,027,644 (2.008).
Area: 1,098,581 sq km. (Including island territories).
Languages: Spanish, Quechua, Aymara and Guarani.
History:
The state of Bolivia was founded initially as "Republic Bolivar" after the Liberator Simón Bolívar. Then from 03 October 1.825 officially adopted the name Republic of Bolivia, Bolivar was appointed as the first President of the Republic.
Prehistory, Bolivia's territory was inhabited over 12,000 years ago. Here they formed many cultures, mostly in the Andes, with particular emphasis Tiwanaku and Aymara culture, which in turn were attached to the Inca Empire in the thirteenth century
La Cultura Tiwanaku, developed around Lake Titicaca, which was probably founded before AD 300. Later the Inca culture established a vast empire in the fifteenth century, shortly before the Spanish arrived. Time when Bolivia was occupied by several groups of Aymara language (Collas, Pacajes Lupacas, Omasuyos), among which highlighted the Collas, who dominated much of the territory and fought with the Quechua of Cusco for control, but were defeated by the Inca Pachacutec, who seized the entire plateau.
The current Bolivia, for a century was one of the four major regions of the Inca Empire (Tahuantinsuyo) under the name of Collasuyo).
Discovery and Conquest, Diego de Almagro, 1.535 from Cusco in Spanish was the first to reach this region attempting to reach Chile, dying Almagro, Pizarro from Lima sent his brother Gonzalo de Almagro, to colonize the Collasuyo the Inca Empire. Pedro de Anzures 1.538 founded in Chuquisaca (Sucre Current), and in Potosi 1.546, 1.548 and Peace finally Cochabamba 1.574
The Spanish conquest was characterized by mining and agricultural base. Potosi was the largest city in America 1.574 (120,000 inhabitants) became a major mining center for the exploitation of silver mines, and 1.611 was the largest producer of silver in the world.
King Charles I granted to Potosi, the title of imperial villa after its founding and for over 200 years, Upper Peru was the Royal Court of Charcas, one of the most prosperous and populous centers of the Spanish viceroys.
Potosi began its decline in the late eighteenth century to be the mining of silver in stalemate and exhaustion, outdated mining techniques and the diversion of trade to other countries. In 1.776, the Audiencia de Charcas was separated from the Viceroyalty of Peru and incorporated into the viceroyalty of Río de la Plata.
Independence, The uprisings of Chuquisaca and La Paz, were the launching of wars of independence, which culminated in the declaration by Simón Bolívar 06 August 1,825 as the Republic of Bolivar. In 1.826 was granted the first constitution. But from the start as an independent nation, Bolivia was plunged into a state of revolution and civil war, and during the next 50 years. In Bolivia 1.837 rejoined of North Peru and the Republic of South Peru to form a new state: Peru-Bolivian Confederation, which lasted only two years by the opposition and declaration of war by the Confederación Argentina, Chile and an army of Peruvian restaurant, which defines 1.839 dissolution of the confederation at the Battle of Yungay.
Losses of territory in 1.866 and 1874 two treaties were signed with Chile's Atacama Desert, rich in deposits of sodium nitrate and copper, where Chile was granted various duties and mining concessions in the Atacama and Chilean businessmen, in 1.879 Chile occupied the Bolivian port of Antofagasta, initiating the so-called Pacific War in which Peru Bolivia and its ally were defeated by Chile. Bolivia lost its coastline and only possession ceased to be landlocked. The Bolivian coastline covering approximately 158,000 km ² and, in addition to Antofagasta, had ports of Mejillones, Cobija and Tocopilla.
Furthermore Bolivia also said a war with Brazil over the territory of Acre, which ended with the cession of 191,000 km ² in this country in exchange for monetary compensation and a small territorial compensation. Otherwise lost territory for Paraguay in the Chaco.
Boliviamar, Agreement between Peru and Bolivia (Alberto Fujimori of Peru and Jaime Paz Zamora of Bolivia), by which Peru ceded 5 km from coast 1.635 km ² and a period of 99 years since 1992, after all construction and land goes back to Peru. This arrangement Bolivia would use a free zone of the port of Ilo for administration and operation. Boliviamar, is a beach that is part of the tourism development between both countries. Bolivia also uses ports Mollendo Maratani and Peru.
Geography:
Bolivia for its climatic, altitudinal and geographical features a wide biological diversity: from highland area to the Amazon plains through the dry valleys, the Yungas and the hills.
The Andean region is 28% of the territory with an average of 3,000 m between western and eastern mountain ranges (some of the highest summits of America as the Nevado Sajama 6,542 meters and with Illimani 6462 meters). Here lies the Altiplano plateau, where the highest navigable lake in the world: Lake Titicaca to 3,810 m and 8,300 km2 (Bolivia is 3.770 km2 and the rest to Peru). There are also many salt lakes in the Altiplano (Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt deposit in the world) and the smaller Coipasa salar. Also home to lagoons Colorada and Kalina.
The Sub-Andean region, 13% of the land and is located between the highlands and the eastern plains, called the Yungas with an average of 2,500 meters. Agricultural activities and a temperate climate to warm from 15 to 25 ° C.
The Llanos region, 59% of the territory's largest and is located north-east of the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes to the Paraguay River is characterized as a land of plains and plateaux, covered by extensive forests , large lakes and rivers like the Mamore and Beni including lakes and Rogoaguado Rogaguado. Average annual temperature of 22 to 25 ° C.
Climate:
Although found in tropical latitudes, Bolivia has varied climates, from tropical to polar plains in the high ranges of the Andes and variability of weather conditions. The rainy season in the country ranges from November to March. In the northern areas of the lowlands have a tropical humid climate with high temperatures throughout the year (annual average of 30%) with high humidity and high precipitation. In the area of Los Yungas, northeast of La Paz is one of the wettest areas of the country. In Chaco has a semitropical climate, semiarid. The Altiplano, high winds and cold, cold-arid climate (annual average of 17 to 0 º C) from day to night.
Administrative Division:
Bolivia is divided in 09 departments, major metropolitan cities are:
* La Paz (including El Alto) 1.6 million of population.
* Santa Cruz, 1.4 million of population.
* Cochabamba: 0.6 million of population.
* Sucre (Capital) 0.3 million of population.
Economy:
Mining is the backbone of the economy and the oil and gas and agribusiness. Potosi, La Paz and Oruro miners: 4th tin producer in the world, 11th largest producer silver, copper, tungsten, antimony, zinc.
In Santa Cruz and Beni, gold and iron occurs. The production of hydrocarbons in Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Chuquisaca and Tarija. Oil supplies the domestic market while the natural gas exported to Brazil and Argentina.
The crop and livestock production has gained importance in recent decades, corn, wheat, potatoes, barley, quinoa and vegetables. For export produce: rice, soybean (8th largest producer), sorghum, sugar cane, sunflower, snuff, maize, cassava and coffee. Bolivia is the 3rd coca leaf producer in the world.
Tourism,
It focuses primarily on La Paz 46.5% 28.3% Santa Cruz and Cochabamba 8%, accounting for 82.2% of international inbound tourism. While domestic tourism is directed to Santa Cruz, La Paz and Cochabamba. 2.006 for closing the expected arrival in Bolivia for more than 500 thousand foreign visitors. The country's tourism potential is promising, provided they pass the problems of: political unrest and poor terrestrial communications.
Currency: Currency is the Official from Boliviano BOB 1.988 (U.S. $ 1.00 = 7.13/EUR 1.00 = 11.31)
Religion: Catholic (70.00%) and Protestant (15.15%) Other (14.85%)
Tourist Circuits for Visit:
Although Bolivia is known to the world as Highland Country and his name is associated with mountains and desert landscapes, more than half their area belongs to the region of the eastern plains, tropical climate and lush vegetation. The vast territory of the country is endowed with great tourist attractions, both historical and natural.
1 .- Department of La Paz, stands out as the favorite center foreigners who are attracted to a region full of mountains, some as relatively easy to climb Huayna Potosi, near the city of La Paz. The ruins of Tiwanaku, Madidi National Park (rich in biodiversity). Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, legendary birthplace of the Inca Empire.
2 .- Department of Santa Cruz, the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park was declared a Natural Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO. The breathtaking beauty of the landscape and the varied and abundant wildlife and botanical interest.
3.-Department of Potosi, Cerro Rico, in its time the largest in the world, Silver. UNESCO declared World Heritage Sites on this mountain and the city of Potosí, for his contribution to the world, besides being a city with more colonial style buildings, such as the Mint, which went all the silver coins to Europe and the world.
4 .- The Salar de Uyuni, the largest plain salt of the earth, and gaps in colors like Red and Green.
Mountaineering, Bolivia has more peaks of 5.00 m, four mountain ranges to practice this sport: The Real, The Apolobamba, Quimsa Cross, southeast
The western volcanic range near the border with Chile.
The Chacaltaya ski slope is the highest in the world.
Trekking, Bolivia has excellent and numerous roads and some of the time of the Incas. The most popular routes start at the outskirts of La Paz, crossing the Cordillera Real and end up in the subtropical region of Los Yungas, but there are many possibilities in the rest of the country. The most popular and sendores Recommended packages are called Choro, Takesi, Yungas Cruz, Mapiri, Camino de Oro, and Apolobamba Illampu Circuit. |
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