Introduction

 

-2 capital cities Constitutional Capital: Sucre Administrative Capital: La Paz -Republic Government -Population: 8,043,500 -Flag: Red stripe: indicative of the bravery of the soldiers Yellow stripe: Rich mineral resources Green stripe: Fertility of the soil -Major sports are soccer and paleta -30 ethnic groups -Each ethnic group has their own distinct culture -Many styles adopted from other countries -Tiahuanaco Created during the time of Inca time Vital part of civilization A very tall structure Various mysteries exist regarding this creation -Bolivia receives 8 meters of rain per year -One of the top exporters of coffee and cocoa in the world

Biodiversity

Bolivia is part of the like-minded mega diverse. Bolivia has an enormous variety of organisms and ecosystems. Bolivia has a variable altitude, ranging from 90 to 6,542 meters above sea level, allowing for a vast biological diversity. The territory of Bolivia comprises of 4 types of biomes, 32 ecological regions, and 199 ecosystems. Within this geography are there several natural parks and reserves such as the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, the Tunan National Park, the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Park, and the Kaa-Lya del Gran Chaco National Park, and Integrated Management Natural Area, among others. Bolivia boasts over 200,000 species of seeds, including over 1,200 species of fern, 1,500 species of marchant tiophyta and moss, and at least 800 species of fungus. In addition there are more than 3,000 species of medicinal plants.

Climate

The climate of Bolivia changes drastically from one eco region to the other, from tropics in the eastern Llanos to polar climate in the western Andes. The summers are warm, humid in the east and dry in the west, with rains that often modify temperature, humidity, winds, atmospheric pressure and evaporation, giving place to different climates. When climatological phenomenon known as El Nino take place, it provokes great alteration in the weather. Winters are very cold in the West, and snows around the mountain range, while in the western regions, windy days are more usual. The autumn is dry in the non-tropical regions.

History

Bolivia had been occupied for over 2,000 years when the Aymara arrived in the region. The Aymara was a civilization situated at Tiwanaku in Western Bolivia. The capital city of Tiwanaku dates from as early as 1500 BC when it was a small agriculturally based village. The community grew to urban proportions between AD 600 and AD 800, becoming a regional power in the Southern Andes. According to early estimates the city covered approximately 5-6 square kilometers at its maximum extent and had between 15,000- 30,000 inhabitants. Around AD 400, Tiwanaku went from being a locally dominant force to a predatory state. Tiwanaku expanded its reaches into the Yungas and brought its culture and way of life to many cultures into Peru, Bolivia, and Chile.

Culture

Bolivia is considered the place of origin for such species of pepper, chili, the peanut, the common bean, the yucca, and several species of palm. Bolivia also naturally produces over 4,000 kinds of potatoes. The main cuisine in Bolivia is corn, beans, and potatoes. Bolivians also eat a variety of food originating from America, such as rice, wheat, and meat, and beef, pork, and chicken. Clothing of Bolivian women of indigenous descent includes the pollera (pleated-skirt), the 19th century European bowler hat, and the silky shawl known as a manta. The pollera is a symbol of pride in Bolivia, originally a skirt the Spanish forced the indigenous women to wear. Now it is a status symbol. The dress is more popular with the younger generation. The most popular sport in Bolivia is football, otherwise known as soccer. The most popular instruments in Bolivia are the Sicu, tarka, pinkillo, skin drums, copper bells, wood, guitar, flute, zampona, matraca, mandolin, charango, and quena. The popular dances in Bolivia are the morenada, kullawada, diablada, chutas, waka waka, doctorcitos, suri sicuri, tinku, pujllay, tobas, llamerada, cambitas, and in the Lowlands the macheteros, taquirari, and chovena.

References -Bolivia Basic Facts. (2009). American History and World History. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.historycentral.com/nationbynation/Bolivia/ -Bolivia Information. (2008). Macalester College: Private Liberal Arts College. Retrieved October 20, 2013 from http://www.macalester.edu/courses/geog61/amartin/bolivia.html