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