About Bolivia

Bolivia is a unique country in South America, with a rich history that includes the Incas, and many other individually recognized native cultures.  Unfortunately, they are also known as one of the poorest countries in South America.  Recently, they have seen some improvement in their economy, but most would attribute this growth to Coca production.  Yes, Bolivia is number 3 in the world for cocaine export.

They do have a tourism draw with some unique features such as the world’s largest salt flats, the “death road,” and various other eco-tourism draws in the jungles of the Andes mountains.  Additionally, they are a producer of crops such as Quinoa, which have recently made inroads into the diets of developed countries, creating new export opportunities.

Spanish is the main language, but other common languages include Aymara and Quechua, and these along with 34 other indigenous languages are all considered official.  

Cochabamba, with a metro population of approximately 1 million, is the primary city we will be working out of.  Situated an an elevation ranging from 8,500 feet up, it is situated in the Andes mountains.  One of the more obvious tourist attractions in Cochabamba is "Cristo de la Concordia" which is arguably the tallest Jesus statue in the world. Located on a hill overlooking the city, it is situated at 9,300 feet above sea level. 

La Paz is the acting capital of the country, and at its highest, sits at over 13,000 feet in elevation.  This varies significantly though, as the city is built into a mountain valley, with buildings occupying spaces from the bottom all the way to the very top, with very little of it being build on level ground.

Officially known as the Plurinational State of Bolivia, there is a wealth of diversity, with unique cultures.  Some of these share similar heritages, while others have very little in common.