According to countryaah, Bolivia is a republic in thecentral western part of South America. Today’s Boliva came into being late. This was mainly due to Spanish colonization in the sixteenth century. However, the various Indian tribes that lived in Bolivia were never subjected to the Spaniards but were tolerated in the area. This remained so until the early nineteenth century. During this period the Bolivian War of Independence rages which eventually led to the Republic of Bolivia. In this period, a coastal strip also belonged to Bolivia, but this piece of land was lost to neighboring Chile during the Saltpeter War. Peru also lost part of its territory. It is striking that despite the fact that the country does not have a coastline, there is still a navy in Bolivia. This branch of the military operates on Lake Titicaca where it guards the border with Peru. During the Choca War with Paraguay, Bolivia again lost part of its territory. During this war many Bolivians lost their lives unnecessarily. In 1952 a great revolution took place in the country. After this revolution, the mines came into the hands of the government and the country was redistributed. This military government lasted until the 1980s. Today, the country is again ruled by a civilian government with free elections. An embarrassing detail is that the well-known freedom fighter Che Guevara was arrested here by the military government in 1967 and later killed. Bolivia has been one of the poorest countries in South America for many years, more than half of all inhabitants of Bolivia live below the poverty line. The main sources of income are agriculture, forestry and mining. Yet this together is not even half of the country’s total exports. The other half is formed by the illegal trade in coca. The government has been trying to put an end to this for years, but also knows that a large part of the population depends on it.
Bolivia is not the first country that comes to mind when you want to visit South America. Yet the country has a lot to offer. The area around the Andes is especially beautiful. With the beautiful salt flats of Salar de Uyuni and Lake Titicaca. But other parts of the country are certainly worth a visit.
Sights
The most famous sights in Bolivia usually have a natural origin. For example, Lake Titicaca and the Salar de Uyuni salt flat are very popular with tourists. This is not surprising when you realize that Lake Titicaca is one of the highest lakes in the world and Salar de Uyuni the largest salt flat in the world. These two are included in most Bolivia tours. In addition, there are several national parks in Bolivia. The Noel Kempff Mercado National Park is definitely the most beautiful of the three, but the Amboró National Park, the Toro Toro National Park and the Madidi National Park are certainly worth a visit. Because a large part of the country consists of a plateau, Bolivia is very popular with mountaineers, for trekking and with mountain bikers. The area is known for its beautiful downhill course. The larger old cities in Bolivia are mainly known for their beautiful colonial architecture, especially the capital Sucre is a good example of this. You will also come across the colonial history of Bolivia in smaller towns and villages. There are also signs of older indigenous cultures such as the Maya, the Incas and the Tiwanaku culture in Bolivia. Especially at the old city of Tiwanaku it is still clearly visible how the people lived here. There are also signs of older indigenous cultures such as the Maya, the Incas and the Tiwanaku culture in Bolivia. Especially at the old city of Tiwanaku it is still clearly visible how the people lived here. There are also signs of older indigenous cultures such as the Maya, the Incas and the Tiwanaku culture in Bolivia. Especially at the old city of Tiwanaku it is still clearly visible how the people lived here.
UNESCO
Since 2000, there are six inscriptions on the UNESCO World Heritage List that are located in Bolivia. First, the city of Potosí was added to the list. This city was founded in the sixteenth century after the discovery of iron ore in the surrounding mountains. The city is at more than four thousand meters altitude and claims to be the highest city in the world. The city is known for its colonial architecture. Later, the Chiquitos’ Jesuit missions were added. This entry consists of mission posts in six different villages. The historic center of the capital Sucre was added to the list in 1991. Later Fuerte de Samaipata credited it. This 40-acre area was used for an important part of Mayan and Inca astronomy. The Noel Kempff Mercado National Park is the only natural inscription in Bolivia. In 200, the last one was added to the list for the time being. This is Tiwanaka, a former city in the mountains of Bolivia not far from Lake Titicaca.
Climate
Because Bolivia, unlike most countries in South America, is not located directly on an ocean, Bolivia has a different climate than most countries in this continent. The west and southwest of Bolivia has a combination of different desert and steppe climates, while the high mountain climate occurs in the higher parts of the country. The temperatures in this part of Bolivia are a lot lower than in the other parts of the country. Temperatures below freezing regularly occur in this part and snow is certainly not unknown. In the eastern part of the plateau of Bolivia there is a mix of different climates. The warm maritime climate, the warm China climate and the temperate steppe climate are the most common climate types here. It is true that the average temperature in all these climates is on the high side. But just too low to be a tropical climate type. The Bolivian lowlands have a mix of different tropical climates. The amount of precipitation per region will determine which tropical climate type applies here. The summer period, which is the opposite of ours, is normally the wettest time of the year. There can be as much rain here in one month as we have in one year. The weather conditions in Bolivia depend very much on which period of the year you visit the country, but also the extreme differences in altitude in the country have a major influence on the climate of Bolivia.
Geography
Bolivia is located in the central-western part of South America and, together with Paraguay, is one of the two countries in this continent that do not border the sea. Bolivia has land borders with Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile and Peru. The border between Bolivia and Peru is partly formed by Lake Titicaca. The Andes Mountains are located in the western part of Bolivia, furthermore the country consists for the most part of the Highlands of Bolivia. This part is also known as Altiplano. The eastern part of Bolivia consists for the most part of lowlands. The Amazon rainforest begins in this part of Bolivia. The highest mountain in Bolivia is the Nevado Sajama with 6542 meters. This mountain is located in the western part of the Andes Mountains not far from the border with Peru. Other high mountains in Bolivia are the Illimani, Illampa and the Parinacota which is partly located in Peru. There are several large lakes in Bolivia. Of these, Lake Titicaca is the best known. This is mainly because Lake Titicaca is the highest commercially navigable lake in the world. There are several islands in the lake, forty of which are inhabited. Other well-known lakes in Bolivia are Lake Poopo, Qullpaqucha and Parququcha. Some major rivers flow through Bolivia. The largest and best known of these are Mamore which flows in the Amazon region, the Pilcomayo in the southern part of Bolivia and the Beni which rises in the Andes Mountains. Many of these rivers eventually merge with the Amazon to flow into the Atlantic Ocean. The largest city in Bolivia is not, as you would expect, the capital Sucre, but the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. This is the only city in Bolivia where more than one million people live. Other major cities in the country are La Paz, Cochabamba, El Alto and Oruro.
Travel advice
The travel advice for Bolivia has been on “be vigilant” for some time now. This is mainly due to the many manifestations and demonstrations that are held in the different cities. Blockades are regularly erected during these protests, which disrupt daily life. As a tourist it is wise to keep an eye on the latest news when traveling through the country so that you can avoid confrontations during these protests. Public transport in Bolivia is known to be very dangerous. Its use is therefore not recommended. During the rainy season, flooding can occur in the lower parts of the country. There is also an increased risk of landslides during this period. Furthermore, you should keep in mind that many of the tourist accommodations are located in remote parts of the country. These are often difficult to reach for emergency services. It can sometimes take days before medical help is on site. In some major cities in Bolivia, so-called express chicken nappings occur. Persons are kidnapped for a short period of time after which they or their traveling companions are forced to withdraw as much money as possible.
Travel documents
All travelers to Bolivia must be in possession of a valid passport that is valid for at least six months on the date of departure from the country. You do not need a visa to visit Bolivia. However, if you want to stay in the country for more than 90 days, you must apply for a visa at the Bolivian embassy in the Netherlands. This applies to all travelers, including children under the age of twelve. In addition, it is wise to take a digital copy of your passport with you in case something happens to your passport.
Info table
| Capital city | Sucre |
| Phone (country code) | 591 |
| Internetdomein | .bo |
| Language(s) (official) | Spaans, Aymara in Quechua |
| Language(s) (colloquial) | Spanish, Aymara, Quechua in 24 speakers |
| Religion(s) | Catholic |
| Time zone(s) | UTC-4 |
| Time difference summer | In Bolivia it is 6 hours earlier than in the Netherlands |
| Time difference winter | In Bolivia it is 5 hours earlier than in the Netherlands |
| Daylight Saving Time Control | nee |
| Currency | Bolivian |
