| One of only two land-locked countries in | | | | corruption and coups by various factions. |
| South America, Bolivia is a mountainous | | | | This weakness led to disastrous results |
| country. Here is an overview of the country | | | | during the late 1800s when Chile annexed the |
| | | | entire area of coastline held by Bolivia on |
| An Overview of Bolivia | | | | the Pacific Ocean. Bolivia has never |
| | | | recovered the land in question and has |
| The official name of Bolivia is the Republic | | | | suffered economically for it. |
| of Bolivia. Bolivia covers an area of 425,000 | | | | |
| square miles, a surprisingly large country. | | | | The people of Bolivia are known as Bolivians. |
| The capital is La Paz, which has a population | | | | The total population for the country is 8.973 |
| of just over 800,000 people. Santa Cruz is | | | | million as of the last census in 2004. Growth |
| the largest city by population with over 1.4 | | | | rate is a strong 2.7 percent per year, |
| million residents. | | | | meaning an additional 230,000 people may have |
| | | | been added from 2004 to 2005. |
| The terrain of Bolivia is one of high | | | | |
| mountains and plains with some elevations so | | | | The ethnic breakdown of Bolivians is 62 |
| high as to result in altitude sickness. La | | | | percent indigenous and 38 percent European |
| Paz, in fact, is located at an elevation of | | | | and mixed race. The people primarily adhere |
| nearly 12,000 feet above sea level. This | | | | to the Roman Catholic faith, but a small |
| makes the highest capital city in the world. | | | | Protestant group of adherents is present. The |
| The climate varies from arid in the high | | | | official language is Spanish, with Quechua, |
| elevations to tropical in lower locations. | | | | Aymara and Guarani indigenous languages also |
| | | | used. The literacy rate is 85 percent. Life |
| Historically, Bolivia was considered to be | | | | expectancy figures are currently unknown. |
| part of Peru during the reign of the colonial | | | | |
| Spanish. When Spain was weekend through wars | | | | Bolivia is a country that seems to sway |
| with the French, independence was sought by | | | | between chaos and moves towards stability. |
| many of their colonies. In 1809, the country | | | | The future of the country is hard to predict |
| known today as Bolivia declared independence, | | | | as there appears to be no steadying influence |
| naming itself after a general of the same | | | | in the region. |
| name. It took another 16 years to actually | | | | |
| gain autonomy from the Spanish. | | | | Richard Monk is with - a site with facts |
| | | | about everything. Visit us to read more about |
| Independence did not bring peace or stability | | | | Bolivia. |
| to Bolivia. The country was rife with | | | | |