 |
|
Geography and Climate
|
|
Bolivia is situated ten to twenty degrees south of the equator, and seasonal weather changes are marked more by the amount of rainfall than by extremes in temperature. Most of the altiplano experiences frosts between June and August. The highlands are cool and dry year round, while the tropical lowlands are hot and humid. Because of the geography and size of Bolivia, each department has distinct sociological and cultural characteristics.
One unique feature of Andean countries is that elevations range from the frigid, treeless plains - known as the altiplano (12,000 - 13,000 feet high with mountain peaks reaching nearly 21,500 feet) through temperate and fertile valleys, to tropical jungle lowlands a few hundred feet above sea level. As the only landlocked Andean country, most of Bolivia's river systems flow northward to the Amazon.
|
|
|
Economy and Government
|
|
Once the primary producer of precious metals for Spain, Bolivia is best known for its mineral wealth. Today, the country's economy is based primarily on agriculture, petroleum and natural gas, and a growing tourism sector.
The government has instituted efforts to curb inflation and privatize formerly nationalized business. However, with inadequate transportation routes for products to reach trading partners and an unstable political environment, Bolivia has been unable to attract significant foreign investment and remains one of the least developed countries in South America.
Seventy percent of Bolivia's rural population lives in poverty. Rural areas suffer from one of the highest child mortality rates in Latin America, along with an average life expectancy that is among the lowest in the hemisphere. Bolivia's large agriculture-based economic sector lacks modern technology. Many years of poor land use practices have severely damaged the environment and created severe problems associated with rural migration and rapid urban growth.
|
|
|
Culture
|
|
Culturally, the most distinctive characteristic of Bolivia is its indigenous people which comprise about 65 percent of the country's population. The Quechua and Aymara indigenous groups live primarily in the altiplano (high plains) and valleys. In the tropical lowlands, the Guarani people are the predominant indigenous population. Much of Bolivia's rich cultural heritage derives from the dialects, music, artisan handicrafts and value systems of its indigenous peoples.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
