Bolivia is a landlocked nation located in west-central South America. Covering an area of 1,, sq. As observed on the physical map of Bolivia above, the country's western half is covered by the Andes - as three meandering high mountain chains dominate the landscape. The Cordillera Occidental in the west is a long line of mostly bleak, dormant volcanoes; the Cordillera Central stands in the middle, while the eastern Cordillera Oriental is a massive snow-capped series of stunning granite mountains.
The Altiplano a high plateau is sandwiched between the Cordilleras. Once just deep valleys or rifts between the three mountain ranges, over eons of time it filled with sedimentary debris washed down from the surrounding peaks. The eastern slopes of the Cordillera Oriental descend gently into rolling hills; numerous rivers flow eastward here, forming long valleys. The highest point in Bolivia, as marked on the map as a yellow upright triangle is Nevado Sajama at 21,ft 6,m ; while the lowest point is Paraguay River at ft 70m.
Northeast of La Paz, the landscape descends into fertile semi tropical valleys, drained by narrow rivers. The southeast is covered by semi-arid plains that turn swampy during heavy rains. Bolivia's Altiplano contains several salt flats, the dried remnants of ancient lakes; Uyuni Saltpan Salar de Uyuni is the largest one, covering almost sq. Also marked on the map above is Bolivia's most important lake, Lake Titicaca, located in the western part of the country along the border with Peru.
Deep and cold, Lake Titicaca is at meters above sea level, being the highest lake in South America, is the highest commercially navigable body of water in the world. If you are in Bolivia, to purchase one locally, look for a "libreria", which in Spanish means bookstore , not library. Library in Spanish is "biblioteca", if you're interested. In Bolivia they are also usually sold at school supply stores. If you can't locate a bookstore or school supply store ask for directions to the nearest post office "el correo".
You can also purchase ones that show national parks, airports, and major tourist attractions. These typically have lots of pictures and are easy to use. Just ask for a "plano del departamento" for of the department or state you are in or a "guia de las reservas nacionales" national reserves or parks. If you are brave and plan to do any driving in Bolivia, you can request one showing most national highways and some secondary roads.
The Altiplano stretches between the two ranges. It is kilometers miles long and kilometers 87 miles wide. At about 12, feet above sea level, it is nearly miles wide. It was originally a deep rift between the two cordilleras, but over time filled up with sediments that washed down from the peaks. Lake Titicaca, at meters above sea level 12, feet , is located here.
It is the highest navigable body of water in the world, is South America's largest lake and control of it is shared by Peru and Bolivia. It's average depth is meters, and its maximum depth is meters. The land is arid and barren with little vegetation. Several salt flats, the remains of ancient lakes that have since dried, can be found here. Called salt beds or salt pans, the Uyuni Saltpan is the largest, covering square miles. The salt is more than 5 meters deep. Tourists can spend the night in a hotel made completely out of bricks of salt.
The ruins of the great Tiahuanaco Empire are also found here. Oddly, one of the most surprising attractions on the Altiplano is an extensive flock of pink flamingos! The scenery on the Altiplano is considered breathtakingly beautiful worldwide. This geographic area, still at anywhere between and feet above sea level, is famous for its coffees and teas, fruit and flora, and of course, coca.
This is a photo of the "Cristo", a huge statue of Jesus that looks out over the city of Cochabamba from a hill. This is one of Bolivia's tropical geographic zones and this extensive region has a varied topography, resulting in climactic differences as well. Because of this, the lowlands are divided into three separate geographic areas:.
The northern region, extends over the Departments of Pando and Beni and parts of northern Cochabamba, and is covered in dense tropical rainforest. The central region, the northern half of the Department of Santa Cruz is drier with rolling hills, forests and savannahs. The city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia's largest city is located here, as are most of the nation's oil and natural gas reserves. The southeastern region bordering Paraguay is called the "Chaco" geographic region, and is dry throughout most of the year.
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