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