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Facts about Bolivia

Bolivia is a country in central South America, with a varied terrain spanning Andes Mountains, the Atacama Desert and Amazon Basin rainforest. At more than 3,500m, its administrative capital, La Paz, sits on the Andes’ Altiplano plateau with snow-capped Mt. Illimani in the background. Nearby is glass-smooth Lake Titicaca, the continent’s largest lake, straddling the border with Peru.

Capital: La Paz, Sucre

Dialing code: +591

Population: 11.35 million

Currency: Boliviano

  • In the Amazon River, dolphins are pink. The reason for the unique coloration of these dolphins has yet to be established, though possible explanations include the presence of blood vessels near the surface of the skin, age of the dolphin, chemical disposition of the water and the temperature of the water.

  • 40% of all animal and plant life on the planet can be found in Bolivia.

  • Bolivia has an annual rainfall of over 5 meters, making it one of the wettest countries on the planet.

  • Bolivia has over 30 official languages. The most prominent indigenous languages include Quechua and Aymara, while Spanish is the most widely-spoken language in the country.

  • Bolivia has (half of) the highest navigable lake in the world. Lake Titicaca, located in the western part of Bolivia and the southeastern part of Peru, sits at 3,810 meters above sea level and is the largest freshwater lake in South America. Titicaca is also one of the deepest lakes in the world with its greatest depth recorded at 280 meters.

  • Nearly 80% of the Bolivian population are Roman Catholics.

  • Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat and one of Bolivia’s most popular tourist destinations. With a measurement of 10,582 km2, Salar de Uyuni contains over 64 million tons of salt making it the largest deposit of salt on the planet. When it rains a thin layer of water is formed on the salt flat creating a reflective surface, thus making it the world’s largest natural mirror.

  • Bolivia is home to two of the highest cities in the world. Potosí, known for its silver mines and economical importance, sits at an altitude of 4,090 m, while El Alto (a fast-growing city adjacent to La Paz) claims the prize for ‘highest administrative city in the world’ at an altitude of 4,150 meters.

  • Bolivia is one of the few places in the world where you can mine Ametrine. Also referred to as Golden Amethyst, Trystine or Bolivianite, the precious stone is formed when citrine and amethyst combine. Ametrine is yellow and purple in color and usually hexagonal in shape. Because of the gem’s natural combination, no two crystals are ever alike.