About Bolivia South America
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Republic in central South America, 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. |
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The
constitutional capital of Bolivia is Sucre; La Paz is the largest city and
administrative capital. |
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Santa Cruz:
The city of Santa Cruz is a major
trade center in an area producing cattle, cotton, sugarcane, coffee,
tobacco, rice, fruit, sunflower, sorghum and corn. Oil and gas fields lie
nearby. Local industries include oil refining, sugar and textile milling,
tanning, sawmilling, and the manufacture of alcohol, tobacco products, and
confectionery. |
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Language:
The official languages of Bolivia are
Spanish and two Native South American languages, Quechua and Aymara; of
those the Native American languages are more commonly spoken.
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Religion:
Roman Catholicism is the religion of the great majority of the
population.
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Geography:
The principal physical feature of
Bolivia is the Andes mountain range, which extends generally north to
south across the western part of the country. Stretching east and
northeast from the mountains are the great Amazonian plains (llanos)
containing large grassy tracts and, along the rivers, dense tropical
forests. Much of this region becomes swampland during the wet season
(December through February); large areas, however, lie above the flood
line and are 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. Because of the wide
variations in elevation, plant and animal species of nearly every climatic
zone are found in Bolivia. Wildlife is abundant and includes jaguar,
ocelot, tapir, anteater, capybara and peccary. Bird, reptile, and insect
life is also diverse.
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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. In
the lower-lying regions the climate is warmer. The mean annual
temperatures range from 8° C (47° F) in the highlands to 26° C (79° F) in
the eastern lowlands.
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Population:
The population of Bolivia is roughly
8´000.000 people , giving the country a population density of 18 per sq
mi, the lowest in South America. . Most of the people are native Americans
(55%), and live in the Andes; the remaining inhabitants are a mix between
Native American and European ancestry called "mestizo"(30%) and white
(15%). Since the 1950s, however, the sparsely settled, eastern lowland
plains have gradually become more populous because of significant
discoveries of oil and gas.
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