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