Exploring Bolivia's Location And The League Of Angels

Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in west-central South America. It is the fifth-largest country in South America, extending from the Central Andes through part of the Gran Chaco, Pantanal, and as far as the Amazon. Bolivia is bordered by Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay to the southeast, Argentina to the south, Chile to the southwest, and Peru to the west. The country is named after Simón Bolívar, a Venezuelan leader in the Spanish American wars of independence. Bolivia is the highest and most isolated country in South America and has the largest proportion of indigenous people, who make up around two-thirds of the population.

Bolivia is landlocked

Bolivia is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the largest landlocked country in the Southern Hemisphere and the seventh largest landlocked country in the world. Bolivia ceded its entire 250-mile coastline to Chile more than a century ago, during the War of the Pacific (1879-1883). Bolivia still claims a corridor to the Pacific Ocean.

Bolivia has a diverse geography, with Amazonian plains and lowlands, mountains, valleys, and high plateau areas. It is part of the Andes and the largest swamp in the world, which it shares with Brazil. Bolivia is bordered by Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay to the southeast, Argentina to the south, Chile to the southwest, and Peru to the west.

Bolivia has a population of approximately 12 million people and is known for its multiethnic composition, including Amerindians, Mestizos, Europeans, Asians, Africans, Arabs, and Jews. Spanish is the official language, but 36 indigenous languages also have official status, including Guaraní, Aymara, and Quechua.

The country has a varied climate, ranging from tropical in the eastern lowlands to polar in the western Andes. Bolivia is vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change, with 20% of the world's tropical glaciers located within its territory.

Despite being landlocked, Bolivia maintains a navy, known as the Bolivian Naval Force. The country's main economic resources include agriculture, forestry, fishing, and mining. Bolivia is rich in natural resources, with significant reserves of natural gas, silver, lithium, copper, and tin.

Bolivia's capital is Sucre, while La Paz is the seat of government and the administrative capital. Santa Cruz de la Sierra is the largest city and principal industrial centre.

It is the highest country in South America

Bolivia is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the fifth-largest country in South America and the 27th largest in the world. Bolivia is also the largest landlocked country in the Southern Hemisphere and the seventh-largest globally.

Bolivia is a country of varying geography, with a diverse range of terrain and climates. It is part of the Andes of South America and has high plateau areas with cold climates, snow-capped mountains, and hills. The Andean region in the southwest of the country spans 28% of the national territory, with an altitude above 3,000m. The Sub-Andean region in the centre and south makes up 13% of the territory, and the Llanos region in the northeast comprises 59%. Bolivia's elevation ranges from 90m to 6,542m above sea level, making it the highest country in South America.

The country's highest peak is the Nevado Sajama volcano, which stands at 6,542m. Bolivia also has the world's highest commercially navigable lake, Lake Titicaca, which it shares with Peru. Additionally, Bolivia is home to Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat, and the world's highest flat salt pan, located at 3,656m.

La Paz, Bolivia's administrative capital, is the highest capital city in the world at 3,650m.

It has the largest proportion of indigenous people

Bolivia has the largest proportion of indigenous people in the Americas, with around 40% of the population identifying as indigenous. There are 36 recognised indigenous peoples in Bolivia, with the largest groups being the Aymara and Quechua. The Aymara community grew to urban proportions between AD 600 and AD 800, becoming an important regional power in the southern Andes. The Quechua, Aymara and other indigenous groups make up the majority of the population in the Andes, with the Chiquitano, Guaraní and Moxeño peoples in the majority in the lowlands.

The country's population is multiethnic, including Amerindians, Mestizos, Europeans, Asians, Africans, Arabs, Jews and other mixtures. Spanish is the official and predominant language, although 36 indigenous languages also have official status, including Guaraní, Aymara, and Quechua.

Bolivia's indigenous peoples have historically faced marginalisation and a lack of representation. However, the late 20th century saw a surge of political and social mobilisation in indigenous communities. The 1952 Bolivian National Revolution gave indigenous peoples citizenship, but they continued to have little political representation. In the 1960s and 1970s, social movements such as the Katarista movement began to include indigenous concerns and pursue an indigenous political identity.

In 1991, the Bolivian government signed the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, a major international convention protecting indigenous rights. In 1993, the Law of Constitutional Reform recognised indigenous rights, and President Sánchez de Lozada passed further reforms to acknowledge indigenous rights in Bolivian culture and society.

In 2005, Evo Morales became the country's first indigenous president. Morales attempted to establish a plurinational and postcolonial state to expand the collective rights of the indigenous community. The 2009 constitution recognised the presence of the different communities in Bolivia and gave indigenous peoples the right of self-governance and autonomy over their ancestral territories. Bolivia became the first plurinational state in South America.

Despite these advances, many indigenous communities continue to face challenges, particularly in relation to land rights and the extractive industries.

It has the second-largest natural gas reserves in South America

Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the fifth-largest country in South America and the 27th largest in the world. Bolivia has the second-largest natural gas reserves in South America, estimated at 10.7 trillion cubic feet (as of 2017). Natural gas is one of the country's main energy sources and export products, with most of the reserves located in the eastern region. The major pipelines transport gas to Argentina and Brazil.

Bolivia's natural gas sector has experienced a tumultuous history. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, vast natural gas fields were discovered, aiding the country's economic recovery. However, finding markets for this resource was challenging due to infrastructure deficiencies and conflicts over state control of natural resources. The commodity focus on natural gas, which replaced tin and silver, has been a recurring pattern in Bolivia's economic history.

The privatisation of the natural gas sector in 1994 was met with popular protests during the 2005 Bolivian gas conflict, leading to its re-nationalisation in 2006 by President Evo Morales. This decision was influenced by past experiences with the nationalisation of the tin industry in 1952 and the hydrocarbon industry in 1937 and 1969. Despite concerns from foreign investors, Morales' administration renegotiated contracts with companies like the state-owned Brazilian company, Petrobrás, ultimately reaching agreements without further hostilities.

Bolivia's proven natural gas reserves are estimated between 9.9 and 10.6 trillion cubic feet, with the country holding about 0.15% of the world's total reserves. The reserves are primarily located in four of the nine states: Tarija, Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, and Chuquisaca. Tarija accounts for 80% of the reserves, while Santa Cruz holds 15%, and the remaining two states share 5%.

The discovery of natural gas has had a significant impact on Bolivia's economy and political landscape. The revenue generated from natural gas exports has contributed to economic growth, and the industry's nationalisation has led to increased state control over the hydrocarbon and mining sectors. Additionally, the geographic location of the reserves in the prosperous southern part of the continent positions Bolivia as an attractive option for pipeline shipments to neighbouring countries.

It is one of the world's largest producers of coca

Coca has been cultivated in Bolivia since at least the Inca era, and the country is now one of the world's largest producers of the crop. Coca has been grown in the medium-altitude parts of the Bolivian Andes, primarily in the Yungas region, and in the Chapare region of Cochabamba.

In 2009, the UN Office of Drug Control estimated that there were 30,900 hectares of coca plantations in Bolivia, making it the third-largest producer of coca in the world, after Colombia and Peru. However, other sources put the figure higher, with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimating 30,000 hectares, and other analysts suggesting 45,000 hectares.

The coca plant is cultivated by small farmers, and Bolivia's geography has made it an ideal location for the trade. The country is landlocked and has a varied landscape, from the Andean mountain range in the west to the eastern lowlands, situated within the Amazon basin. The varied climate and terrain have allowed coca cultivation to expand substantially, particularly in the 1980s, when the industry boomed.

The production and trade of coca have had a significant impact on Bolivia's economy and political landscape. In 2009, sales of coca leaves amounted to approximately US$265 million, representing 14% of all agricultural sales and 2% of Bolivia's GDP. The industry has provided an alternative source of income and contributed to the stabilisation of democracy in the country. However, it has also led to conflict with US-backed efforts to criminalise and eradicate coca as part of the War on Drugs.

Bolivia's most recent estimates of coca cultivation and cocaine production were 39,700 hectares and 317 metric tons, respectively, in 2021.

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