WR Location Feature: Bolivia

When going on the World Race, it’s important to learn about the
countries you’re potentially traveling to. Having an understanding of
the history and tidbits about the culture helps in relating to the
people you will meet. There are numerous times while on the field, you
will speak with locals who will refer to a particular situation in their
country, whether it be past or present. This some information on Bolivia.

Bolivia is the highest and most isolated of all the Andean nations located in South America. The country is surrounded by Brazil to the north and to the east, Peru and Chile to the west and Paraguay and Argentina to the south. Bolivia is an incredibly beautiful country with many different types of climates and terrain. In the western part of the country, running north to south, rise the majestic and mysterious Andes, the second highest mountain range in the world. Along the eastern slopes of the Andes lie dense forests and lush mountain valleys known as the Yungas. Further eastward, one finds the vast and seemingly endless steaming jungles of the Bolivian Amazon Basin. Finally, to the south, stretches the dry, semi-tropical plains known as the Chaco.

Due to the average elevation in Bolivia, many people refer to the country as the “Tibet of the Americas.” The Andes that run through Bolivia are some of the highest and most remote regions found anywhere in South America. The scenery is absolutely stunning. It is common to see snow covered mountain peaks rising 18-20,000 ft. in many parts of Bolivia. Also found in this region are some spectacular high altitude lakes, the most important of which is Lake Titicaca (elevation 12,500 ft).

For the last few thousand years, this lake has been an important area for many different indigenous cultures culminating with the Inca. Scattered around the lakeshore are important and interesting archaeological sites such as Sillustani and Tihuanaco. Tihuanaco was a particularly important city (or possibly a ceremonial site), and was founded sometime around the 5th century B.C. and flourished until approximately the 12th century A.D. Today, there are still many indigenous people living in and around this lake.

People & Society
Bolivia has a population of about 8 million people. Altiplano is the most densely populated region of the country. The urban areas of the country include La Paz, the administrative capital with a population of about 2 million, Cochabamba with about 800,000, Santa Cruz, an industrial center has a population of about 850, 000 and Sucre is the judicial capital of Bolivia.
 
About 55% of the total population is indigenous, pure Native Americans who come from the Quechua or Aymara ethnic groups. Most others are Mestizos with a small percentage of people from European or African descent. Spanish is the colonial language, but 70 % of Bolivians also speak Aymara, Quechua and other dialects. Outside the big cities, many people don’t speak Spanish at all.
Bolivia is the poorest country in South America and the standard of living is quite low. In spite of its poverty it happily clings to its third world traditions. Bolivians are proud of their heritage and strongly resist cultural change.

Our Work in the Rainforest

Bolivia and What’s New…