II.

Land and Resources

The principal physical feature of Bolivia is the Andes mountain range, which extends generally north to south across the western part of the country. The Andes form two ranges in Bolivia, the western range (Cordillera Occidental), which runs along the Chilean border, and the eastern range (Cordillera Oriental), the main range, which crosses the west central part of Bolivia. The Cordillera Oriental contains some of the highest Andean peaks, notably Ancohuma (6,388 m/20,958 ft), Illampu (6,360 m/20,867 ft), and Illimani (6,462 m/21,201 ft).

Bolivia is bounded on the north and east by Brazil, on the southeast by Paraguay, on the south by Argentina, and on the west by Chile and Peru. Bolivia and Paraguay are the only South American countries without direct access to the sea. The maximum length of Bolivia from north to south is about 1,530 km (about 950 mi); its maximum breadth is about 1,450 km (about 900 mi). It has an area of 1,098,581 sq km (424,164 sq mi), which makes it about the size of the states of Texas and California combined. Among South American countries Bolivia ranks fifth in area (after Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Colombia).

A.

Natural Regions

Bolivia is divided into three distinct regions. The Altiplano, or plateau region, and the Cordilleras of the Andes cover the western third of the country. The Yungas, a series of densely forested and well-watered valleys, embrace the eastern mountain slopes and dip down to the eastern plains. The plains, or the Amazon-Chaco lowlands, spread over the eastern part of Bolivia.

The Altiplano lies between the Cordillera Occidental and the Cordillera Oriental at an elevation between 3,620 m and 4,270 m (11,900 ft and 14,000 ft) above sea level. It is about 800 km (about 500 mi) long and about 130 km (about 80 mi) wide. The bulk of Bolivia’s people and industries are found in the northern part of the Altiplano. So is Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. Bolivia shares this lake with Peru. The southern part of the Altiplano is arid.

The region known as the Yungas descends steeply to the plains, falling 4,350 m (14,250 ft) in only 80 km (50 mi). Precipitous slopes, isolated valleys and basins, and mile-deep canyons characterize the Yungas. However, there is also fertile soil in the Yungas, and bananas, coffee, and citrus fruits are grown here.

Stretching east and northeast from the mountains are the great Amazonian plains (“llanos” in Spanish). The region contains large grassy tracts and, along the tributaries of the Amazon, dense tropical forests. Much of it becomes swampland during the wet season (December through February). However, large areas lie above the flood line and provide rich grazing lands. In the southeast, separated from the Amazonian plains by the Chiquitos highlands (about 1,070 m/about 3,500 ft), are the dry, semitropical plains of the Chaco (see Gran Chaco).

B.

Rivers

In the northern and northeastern valleys and plains, the drainage system consists of the Beni River and its main tributary, the Madre de Diós River; the Guaporé River, which forms part of the boundary with Brazil; and the Mamoré River. These rivers flow north to join the Amazon River. The Pilcomayo River, the chief river of southeastern Bolivia, flows through the Chaco to feed the Paraguay River, eventually draining into the Río de la Plata, a large estuary that empties into the Atlantic Ocean between Argentina and Uruguay. The Desaguadero River, outlet for Lake Titicaca, feeds Lake Poopó to the southeast.

C.

Climate

Although situated entirely within the tropics, Bolivia has, as a result of its varied elevation, a wide range of climate. In the higher regions the climate is cold and dry. The Altiplano and the high ranges of the Andes have unbelievably clear skies and intense sunshine, with afternoon thundershowers during summer (from December to March). In the lower-lying regions the climate is warmer. Humid, tropical conditions prevail in the northern plains. The southern plains are cooler and dryer. The mean annual temperatures range from 8°C (47°F) in the Altiplano to 26°C (79°F) in the eastern lowlands.

D.

Natural Resources

The Andes Mountains are rich in mineral resources. These resources include tin, lead, silver, copper, antimony, zinc, sulfur, bismuth, gold, tungsten, and lithium. Bolivia has nearly half of the world’s known reserves of lithium, which is used in lithium-ion batteries to power hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as electronic devices. Salt, petroleum, and natural gas are also found in Bolivia. Bolivia has the second largest reserves of natural gas in Latin America. Only Venezuela has larger reserves. The soil of certain regions, notably the valleys of the Yungas east of Santa Cruz, is extremely fertile.

E.

Plants and Animals

Because of the wide variations in elevation, plant and animal species of nearly every climatic zone are found in Bolivia. A coarse grass, called ichu, grows on the largely barren high plateau in the west. Para rubber trees, more than 2,000 species of hardwood trees, and vanilla, sarsaparilla, and saffron plants are common in the tropical forests of the east.

The llama, found chiefly on the Altiplano, is an efficient beast of burden. Alpacas and vicuñas also inhabit the plateau. Jaguars, capybaras, peccaries, tapirs, and other animals are common in the Yungas. Birds are found in great variety in the forests. Fish are abundant in Lake Titicaca and the rivers, among them bass, trout, and deadly piranhas. Monkeys, pumas, armadillos, and a variety of reptiles, birds, and insects are found predominantly in the tropical Amazon Basin.