Bolivia

Basic facts

More information about Bolivia

Svensk version

Lake Titicaca

At lake Titicaca, the highest navigatable lake in the world, I stayed together with an aymarafamily in the village of Kusijatha for almost one week and helpt them with their fieldjobs. An unforgetable experience.

I also had the possibility to visit The Island of Sun, according to the legend, the birthplace of the Inca Empire as well as, the holiest place.

Amazonas 

During one week I made different ”djungleexpeditions” among alligators, kapybaras, araparrots, monkeys and anacondas.

We flew in to Rurrenabaque. A small town located at the Rio Beni, which is a tributary to the Amazon River.

From here we continued with a jeep to the village of Santa Rosa, about 120 kilometers south of "Rurre".

The expedition was carried out along the small Yuacuma River, a paradise for people interested in birds and animals.

I passed ”Salar de Uyuni”, the great saltdesert, on my way to the city of Potosi, which is a wast and barren, but very fascinating part on earth. 

The city of Potosi became the richest on the continent when the spaniards found silver in the mountain Cerro Rico. The mining of silver was of great impotance for the development of Spain, but a big tragedy for the indians and the slaves who were brought here from Africa. More than 7 000 000 (seven milions!) of them died under a period of 200 years.

I finshed my visit to Bolivia with a highaltitude trekk in Parque Nacional de Condoriri y Yungas. We partly followed old paths used by the incas and reached our highest point at 5000 meters above sealevel.

This was my first visit to a south american country and I was surprised to meet only kind and nice people. The continent has a different reputation.

Bolivia, with its different cultures, naturetypes and climatezones is a very interesting, beautiful and fascinating country to visit.

La Paz

The Kalasasaya temple. Tiahuanaco

Aymarawoman.
Lake Titicaca 

View from the Island of Sun

Cayman.
Amazonas

Illimani seen from the Island of sun

Huyana Potosi. Parque Nacional de Condoriri

Miners in the silvermine. Potosi 

 The surroundings of La Paz 

Tachibo tree in blossom.
Amazonas

The carneval in San Buenaventura. Amazonas

Hunting anacondas. Amazonas

Basic facts:

Area, total: 1 098 581 sq km
Population:  9 776 000
Population/sq km: 9 pers.
Coastline: 0 km
Capital/Population:
La Paz (Administr.) / 835 000
Sucre (Formal) / 275 000

Elevation extremes:
Lowest point: 
Rio Paraguay 90 m
Highest point: 
Illimani 6 582 m
Largest rivers:  
Rio Mamomre, Rio Beni
Largest lake: Lake Titicaca

Pop. growth rate: 1.77 %
Infant mortility rate: 45
(deaths / 1 000 live births)
Life expectancy at birth:
Male / Female 64 / 70

Ethnic groups:
Quechua 30 %, Aymara 30 %, Mestizo 30 %, White 10 %
Religions:  
Roman Catholic 95 %, Protestants 5.%
Languages: Spanish, Quechua, Aymara
Literacy; pop. over 15 years:
Male/Female: 93 % / 81 %

GNP/capita: 1 715 USD
Population below poverty line: 34 %
Currency: Boliviano (BOB)
1 BOB = 100 centavos
Tourists (annually): 504 000

Mobiltelphones: 4 830 000
Internetusers: 1 000 000
Railways: 3 504 km
Mainroads: 62 479 km

Source:

CIA World Factbook 2010/03

Map of Bolivia

The flag of  Bolivias was approved in 1888 and has its origin from the independence in 1825. The green field is symbolising the fertility of the country. The yellow field the mineral assets and the red field, the blood of all the brave soldiers who fougth against the spanish army in the battles for independence.

The stars in the crest of the country are representing the nine different departments of Bolivia. The sheaf  is symbolising the agriculture of the country,  the mountain Cerro Rico in the city of Potosi is representing the silver assets. The alpacka is symbolising the fauna of Bolivia and the condor freedom.