ABOUT BOLIVIA
Bolivia is known as the 'Tibet of the Americas', the highest and most remote of the countries in South America. It is a landlocked region with two Andean mountain ranges binding the Altiplano, or High Plain, between them. This plain has an altitude ranging from 9,000ft to 13,000ft (3,000m to 4,000m) and is where the majority of the population live.
The history of the region dates back to the pre-Columbian times, from the ancient Aymará civilization in 1,500 BC who lived on Lake Titicaca, to the Tiahuanaco and the Inca Empire of the Altiplano, until the conquest of the Spanish in 1538.
Reminders of these civilizations are evident in the architecture of the colonial cities, displayed in informative museums that can be visited at the sites of ancient ruins.
Bolivia is one of South America's more intriguing countries, as one with the most indigenous population on the continent, the majority of whom still maintain their firmly established culture and beliefs. This living historical culture is one of the reasons that Bolivia is such an exciting tourist destination. Travelers will encounter shy people in traditional clothing, colorfully dressed and red-cheeked from the mountain air. The landscape is imbued with traditional houses and age-old methods of agriculture, and visitors will find remarkable traditions kept alive in the ancient techniques of weaving, handcraft and food production. The sounds of this cultural legacy echo in the haunting melodies of the panpipes from the high Altiplano or in the lively tunes emanating from the warmer lowlands.
The dramatic geography affords many adventure opportunities: explorers can track wildlife in the Amazonian basin, drive across the surreal landscape of the Salar de Uyuni, take a boat trip on the world's highest navigable lake, Titicaca, scramble through muddy shafts in the silver mines of Potosi, or hike in the magnificent Andes mountains. There is enough diversity to meet many tastes.
The country is a juxtaposition of extraordinary altitudes and spectacular landscapes, fascinating remains of ancient civilizations, a rich indigenous culture and vast colonial treasures.
Twenty centuries of evolution have left their mark in modern and cosmopolitan cities such as Santa Cruz de la Sierra, the country's industrial capital. However, the passage of time has not eroded Bolivia's rich cultural past. For example, the colonial treasures which remain practically intact in the city of Sucre and the numerous chapels, churches and cathedrals throughout the country which pridefully display their Spanish heritage. The history of two cities, Oruro and Potosi, is identified with the search for silver and other minerals. This variety of regional characteristics and customs gave rise, over the centuries, to different lifestyles which are reflected in the carnivals, fiestas and music so typical of Bolivia. A kaleidoscope of visual - and also musical - pleasures awaits the tourist in Bolivia. In her interior one finds a treasure of breathtaking views and varied cultures that are a delight to the senses. The maximum blend, or a mix, of these various lifestyles can be found in La Paz: Bolivia's government center which is nestled in the foothills of majestic Illimani volcano. Museums and restaurants exist side by side with handicraft shops in this city to create a singular cultural identity in this South American country that, definitely, has a lot to offer. the institution of the Inca pantheon as the official state religion.
Lake Titicaca and the pre-Incaic ruins of Tiahuanaco have witnessed almost two millenniums of history and tradition in Bolivia. Since about 600 A.D., the highland indigenous kollas and the Tiahuanaco people lived around the lake. These cultures were fairly well-organized, and in contact with more advanced cultures, like that of the Nascas. And from their fusion came rituals, culture, and the coca leaf, which served to strengthen both the body and soul. The social structure of the Tiahuanaco disintegrated, possibly as a result of environmental disasters. About the 13th century, after a natural resistance on behalf of the first inhabitants, the Inca empire expanded to Bolivian territory. The Incas brought the Quechua language along with their constructions and customs. They were in power when Bolivia was conquered by Ñuflo de Chavez and Andres Manso, who, during their explorations, founded towns in El Chaco and Santa Cruz. After the struggles of the second conquest in these lands, Bolivia's colonial era began. It was closely tied to the development of mines in the Potosi Hills, which had great deposits of silver. Discovered in 1544, the deposits attracted conquistadors. Soon, the mines became an indispensable part of the commercial hub of the Spanish colony. Because of the mines, the Cuzco-Potosi road was colonized in all directions, resulting in the establishment of cities like La Paz, Sucre and Santa Cruz, which were founded before the start of the 1560s. A vibrant economic life ensued, and a cultural and artistic life came about, along with rebellions and conflicts. The life of the indigenous miners was hard and austere, and it was alleviated by the obrajes or missions, of the Jesuit priests, who created communities that were economically and culturally self-sufficient.
Bolivia was the first of the Spanish colonies in America that struggled to win independence from the crown. Twenty-five years were spent trying to achieve it. The independence movement began on May 25, 1809, and led by the patriot Pedro Domingo Murillo. The national hero's struggle, however, was silenced when he was captured and murdered. Independence was finally won in 1824 with the Battle of Ayacucho (Peru), commanded by Marshall Antonio Jose de Sucre. On August 6, 1825, the first formal declaration of independence was made. The first constitution was drafted in 1826, when liberator Simon Bolivar was elected as the first president of the republic. He transferred power to Marshall Sucre, and the city of Charcas, then the capital, was renamed in the new president's honor. Sucre's term was short-lived. Several periods of anarchy and military dictatorships followed. In 1836 Peru and Bolivia united, but the union fell about a decade later. Throughout this period there were four decades of constitutions, presidents and revolutions, until the War of the Pacific with Chile (1879-1883). Bolivia lost its access to the sea as a result. Since then, commercial access to the ocean depends on river, air or rail transportation. After the war, there was relative tranquility; education and agricultural systems were improved. But during the decade of the 1930s, the El Chaco War with Paraguay left a painful loss of lives, money, and goods. Despite the hard blow to the nation’s economy, the era created a new social consciousness that brought better conditions for workers. In the 1950s, universal voting rights, agrarian reform, and the nationalization of tin mines were obtained. Nevertheless, a new era of presidents interspersed by intermittent military juntas was underway during the 60s and 70s. In 1989, President Jaime Paz Zamora took office; he was elected by popular vote and ever since the country has been run in a democratic fashion with free elections.