Bolivia: A Geographic Portrait
by: James Chartwell
South America's primary mountain range, the Andes, attains one of its
widest points in Bolivia. Here the Andes are divided into two subranges,
Cordillera Oriental and Cordillera Occidental. Peaks in these areas
are in excess of 20,000 feet. Between these subranges lies the Altiplano
which contains the highest navigable lake on earth. Lake Titicaca, which
also lies in Peru, is 12,507 feet above sea level.
Also in the Altiplano is one of Bolivia's capitals, La Paz. At 11,700
feet it is one of the highest cities in the world. This region is home
to one of the centers of Inca civilization and pre--Inca cultures.
Lake Titicaca is what helps make the Altiplano livable. This body of
water is large enough to temper the coldness in its vicinity. Grains
have been raised for centuries on the surrounding arable land up to
the amazing elevation of 12,800 feet. The area supports a major group
of subsistence farmers to this day.
Bolivia has had a troubled history. Aside from numerous internal struggles,
the country first lost its access to the Pacific Ocean in a conflict
with Chile. It then lost its northern territory of Acre to Brazil in
a dispute involving the rubber industry in the Amazon Basin. On top
of all that, Bolivia was forced to give up 55,000 square miles of southeastern
Gran Chaco territory to Paraguay. Bolivia has reactivated its claim
to restore the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, to secure sovereign
maritime access for Bolivian natural gas.
Modern Bolivia is the product of European domination, however that
influence has not affected some of the Amerindian population clusters.
But these indigenous Bolivians still lost their land as did their Peruvian
and Ecuadorian counterparts. However, what made the richer Europeans
in Bolivia wealthy was not land but minerals.
The city of Potosi in the Cordillera Oriental became well--known for
the huge silver deposits in its surroundings. Zinc, copper, and other
ores were found there. Bolivia's tin deposits provided a large portion
of the country's export income throughout most of the twentieth century.
But in the 1980's, tin reserves declined and that along with weak world
prices reached the point where Bolivia's antiquated mining methods forced
the industry to all but shut down.
Oil and gas are now accounting for an increasing portion of foreign
revenues. Bolivia exports much of it gas to Argentina and Brazil. In
return, Brazil is commtted to assisting the development of the corridor
between Santa Cruz and Corumba, Brazil, in the southeastern lowlands.
It is here that commercial agriculture--especially soybeans--is on the
rise.
Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but
leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social
unrest, and drug production. Current goals include attracting foreign
investment, strengthening the educational system, resolving disputes
with coca growers over Bolivia's counterdrug efforts, and waging an
anticorruption campaign. The country does have its problems, but it
also has its optimism.
About The Author - James Chartwell has developed Maps-GPS-Info.com
which provides practical information on GPS and maps that everyone can
use. The website includes product reviews and a maps/GPS glossary. Visit
http://www.maps-gps-info.com/gp.html.
info@maps-gps-info.com
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