Bolivian Geography

The Plurinational State of Bolivia is divided into 3 regions which are:

• La Andean Region in the southwest (Altiplano) — This area is more than 3000 m. n. m., located between the two large Andean branches and covers 8% of the national territory.

• La Region in the center-south (Valle) — Intermediate region between the highland and the eastern plains covering 13 % of the territory, and includes the valleys and the yungas.

• La Llanos Region in the northeast — It is located north of the Eastern or Royal mountain range, extending from the foot of the Andes to the Paraguay River. It is a land of plains and low plateaus, covered by extensive forests rich in flora and fauna. It covers 59 % of the national surface.

Map of the regions of Bolivia delimited in tourist terms Andina/Atiplano: La Paz, Oruro, Potosí Sub-andina: Cochabamba, Chuquisaca, Tarija Tropical plains: Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando

The department of Potosí is located in the Andean region (Altiplano) and borders Chile and Argentina. It is also located in the southern hemisphere of the planet and west of the Greenwich Meridian, therefore it has southern latitude and western longitude. Bolivia is considered the center of South America, with the geographic center of the country being in the area of Puerto Estrella on the Rio Grande in the Department of Santa Cruz, in the Ñuflo de Chávez province. Bolivia is made up of an area of 1,098,581 km². The extreme points of Bolivia are:

• South latitude: 1480 km

Minimum: 9°40'07 Manoa in the Department of Pando, in the confluence of the Madera and Abuná rivers.

Maximum: 22°54'12 Cerro Guayaques, in the Department of Potosí.

• Western length: 1295 km

Minimum: 57°25'05 Good End in the Department of Santa Cruz.

Maximum: 69°38'23 Cerro Mauripalca in the Department of La Paz.

Bolivian relief

physiological map of Bolivia

Bolivia is located in the center of South America between 57°26' and 69°38' in western length and 31' and 22°53' south latitude, covering more than 13 geographic degrees and occupying its territory a total extension of 1,098,581 km². It is located between the Andes Mountains, La Cuenca del Plata and the Amazon Basin between a maximum altitude of 6542 m s. no. m. in Nevado Sajama and a minimum altitude of 90 m s. no. m. near the Paraguay River.

Physiography

View of the Yungas from Coroico

The country is divided into four geographic regions:

The Andean Region covers 28% of the territory and is home to approximately 39.71% of the Bolivian population (2008), occupying an area of 307,602, 68 km², and is comprised of the Altiplano or Meseta del Collao and the Andes Mountains. It has a cold and dry climate almost all year round. In this region are the highest peaks in the country, such as: Sajama, Illimani, Illampu, among others. The Andean Altiplano is a mostly flat plateau that extends between the two branches into which the Andes Mountains are divided in Bolivian territory and has an average height of approximately 3800 m s. no. m. In the Altiplano is the second most populated municipality in Bolivia: El Alto, which is part of the metropolitan area of the city of La Paz, seat of government of the State. Other important urban centers located in this region are: Oruro and Potosí. The Andean region occupies part of the departments of La Paz, Potosí, Department of Oruro and a part of Cochabamba.

The Sub-Andean Region covers 13% of the territory occupying an area of 142,815.53 km² and is comprised of the Valleys and the Yungas with an average height of about 2000 m s. no. m., is characterized by lush vegetation and closed valleys.

The Los Llanos Orientales Region covers 60% of the territory, occupying an area of 648,162.79 km²; It is comprised of the La Plata and Gran Chaco subregions, with an average height of less than 1000 m s. no. m. The region extends from the Department of Pando through the north of La Paz, Beni, Santa Cruz, and through the Chaco in Chuquisaca and Tarija. This region is characterized by being at an altitude of less than 1000 m s. no. m. It has a horizontal relief with slight irregularities, and constitutes an alluvial terrain, a deposit of sedimentary material from the rivers in the area, with some parts being the bottoms of ancient lakes or seas. It is completely covered by wooded and jungle areas of the Amazon type.

The Amazon Region is one of the largest continuous forest ecosystems in the world. The region is home to numerous ecosystems and native cultures. The Bolivian Amazon is considered one of the most pristine and well-preserved areas in South America. It constitutes 40% of the national territory, includes the departments of Pando, Beni and the north of the departments of La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz.

Hydrography

Bolivia, from the hydrographic point of view, has three large hydrographic basins, called the Amazon, Plata and Cerrada or Altiplano. These basins, in turn, are made up of 10 sub-basins, 270 main rivers, 184 lakes and lagoons, about 260 small and medium-sized wetlands, and 6 salt flats. Bolivia shares with Peru Lake Titicaca, which is the highest navigable lake in the world, with 8,380 km². Several rivers flow from this tectonic lake, the most important being the Desaguadero River, which later flows into Lake Poopó. Lake Titicaca formed, together with the Arapa lagoon in Peru, and Lake Poopó, the ancient great highland lake Ballivián.

Orography

Bolivia is crossed from north to south by the Andes Mountains, which is divided into three main orographic systems, in addition to mountain ranges of the Brazilian Shield, as well as isolated mountain ranges such as the Chiquitano Massif.

The Western Cordillera

Nevado Sajama belongs to the Western Cordillera and is the highest in the country

Its singular characteristic is the volcanism of its peaks, and it acts as a natural border with Chile. This system begins in the north, with the Jucuri knot and ends in the south at the Licancabur volcano on the southern border with Chilean territory. The climate is cold and unsuitable for plant or animal life. Its main wealth is found in its soil, which contains large amounts of metallic minerals such as gold, silver, copper, etc. This section is in turn divided into three parts:

• Northernin which are the highest peaks of Bolivia, such as the snowy Sajama, the highest in the country with 6542 m. n. m. covered with perpetual snow, and the Pomerape hills and the Parinacota called Payachatas; the latter is a volcano quenched with a snow cone that reminds Japan's Fujiyama.

• Central, which is located between the Salares of Uyuni and Coipasa, and whose biggest summit is the Ollagüe volcano on the border with Chile.

• South, characterized by being volcanic and having recurrent storms of sand and fog, has the largest active volcano in the world: the Licancabur with a height of 5.920 m. n. m.of which only up to 5,400 m. n. m. belong to Bolivia, on the northeast side of the volcano; at the most south-west point of the country, located in the 22nd 49' 41.016" parallel of South and Meridian latitude 67° 52' 35.004" of West longitude, where the border line with Chile passes. In it are the Colorada and Verde lagoons famous for the striking colors of their waters.

The Central Mountain Range

Its main characteristics are that it divides the three hydrological basins of the country, its important mineral wealth and also because it has the second highest peaks in Bolivia. This section begins in the north at the snowy Chaupi Orco and the three palomanis to the south to the Zapaleri hill, triple border with Chile and Argentina. It is divided into three subsections:

• Northern or Royal, in which are the nevados of Chaupi Orco and the three Palomanis; it also has the most significant mountain chain in Bolivia, which is located in the La Paz mountain rangenear the homonymous city and is formed among others by the snowy Illimani, the Illampu, the Ancohuma, the Mururata and the Huayna Potosí all with more than 6000m. n. m. This section is very famous because in it is the highest weather observatory in the world, in the snowfall of Chacaltaya as well as containing the highest ski slope on the planet.

• Centralin which are the Sumac Orcko or Cerro Rico, as well as the Andacava hills and the railway station Paso de Condor one of the highest in the world at a height of 4788 msnm.

• South, which is characterized by its high mineralization, since there are the largest deposits of tin. Its biggest summit is Cerro Zapaleri on the border with Chile and Argentina.

The Eastern Cordillera

It is made up of parallel chains that unfold from north to south, and which often go into wooded and humid regions, rich in agricultural and livestock products. It is divided into three subsections:

Northern, characterized by being a continuity of mountain ranges such as Eslabón, San Buenaventura, Muchane, Pilón, etc. Among its most important peaks are the Astalaya and Colorado hills.

Central, distinguished by being formed entirely by the Cochabamba mountain range. Crossing the department of Cochabamba, it forms the Yungas in the Chapare. Its main peaks are the Tunari with approximately 5,200 masl and the San Benito with 4,298 masl.

It extends towards the department of Santa Cruz, forming isolated mountain ranges such as Mataracu, San Rafael, Las Juntas and Los Volcanes, the latter in the Amboró National Park.

Meridional, which begins in the north of the Chuquisaca department with the Presto chain and ends in the Caiza and Capirenda mountain ranges in the province of Gran Chaco in the department of Tarija. It does not have peaks of special importance.

Chiquitano Massif

Divided throughout the north of the country in isolated, low-elevation hills and mountains, formed in the Precambrian period, a fold that borders the Chiquitano Shield. Its main components are:

• Northnear the border with Brazil in the Beni Department, the San Simón and Caparuch or Huanchaca serranies in the Noel Kempff Market National Park of the Department of Santa Cruz.

• In the south, are the serranias of San Lorenzo, San José, Sunsas, Santiago, Tapia and La Calen the department of Santa Cruz. The highest peak in the area is the Chochís with 1290 msnm. In this massif there is also a center of economic interest such as the Mutún hill with almost 800 msnm, one of the largest iron ore deposits in the world, shortly before the border with Brazil.

Geology

The mountain ranges and serranías in Bolivia are made up of solid and compact rocks of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic origin. On the other hand, the plains, the highlands and other minor basins largely present deposits of loose materials such as clay, sand and gravel.

Seismicity in Bolivia

Seismicity in Bolivia is related to the subduction process that the Nazca plate experiences as it advances towards the South American continent. The seismic foci that are found below the altiplano are between 70 and 300 km deep (intermediate depth earthquakes), very deep seismic foci originate at the end of the plate that sinks more than 300 km deep, below the south of the department of Santa Cruz and the north of Argentina.

An unusual case occurred on the occasion of the great deep earthquake some 300 km north of La Paz, at 8:00 p.m. on June 8, 1994, when due to the great magnitude of the earthquake it was felt in In the case of the entire national territory, the focus of this earthquake was at a depth of 636 km, which reached intensity V in the Cabré epicentral zone, and was felt even in Canada and in the antipodes. The novelty of the epicenter is that it occurred in a place where you had no idea that there had never been another.