Síntesis Geográfica de Bolivia

• Geographic Synthesis of Bolivia

Location, Shape, Area and Boundaries

• Bolivia is landlocked and located in the center of South America
• Bolivia is landlocked since the Pacific War
• Due to its location, Bolivia is a tropical country, but the Andes modify the human and physical structure, making Bolivia fundamentally Andean
• The shape of the country has varied over time since its emergence
• Bolivia's current shape is like a semi-cone, with its base in the south, and its greatest width is in the southern part
• Bolivia is one of the medium-sized countries on the continent, with an area of 1,098,581 km²
• Bolivia borders 5 countries: Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile and Peru

Relief

• Bolivia is known as the country of the Altiplano
• The Altiplano occupies 1/4 of the country's surface
• Key elements of Bolivian relief:

The Western Mountain Range

• Extends for 620 km
• Originates in the Vilcanota or Apolobamba knot, near the border between Peru, Bolivia and Chile, forming the edge of the Andean Altiplano
• Highest point is in the 18° South Latitude massif
• Peaks include Sajama and Parinacota
• Contains minerals such as lead, zinc, and sulfur, the latter being of economic importance

The Eastern Mountain Range of the Andes

• A continuation of the sub-Peruvian mountain range, entering Bolivia through the Vilcanota knot
• Forms a 360 km arc that changes direction
• Highly mineralized batholith gives it great economic importance
• Orogenetic system folded with granitic nucleus, cut in some sectors, and divided into several sections:

Apolobamba Mountain Range

• Formed mainly by slates and quartzites
• Has a white granite nucleus
• Extends from Peru to Bolivia, around 50 km
• Glaciation characterizes it, with main peaks being Chaupi Orko, El Paloma - Minunca, Cololo, and Huilla Kollo
• Terminates in the headwaters of the Camata River

Muñecas Mountain Range

• Extends 50 km
• Located south, 15 km from the Apolobamba mountain range
• Low mountain range without snow
• Notable mineralization
• Highest peak is Ayan Tun, ends near the Conzata River

Royal Mountain Range

• 150 km long, with large snowfalls and significant glaciation
• Extends from the Conzata River to the arch of the La Paz River
• Main peaks are Illampu, Cabacha comani, Huayna Potosi and Illimani

Tres Cruces Mountain Range

• 100 km long and a nucleus with the Caracoles batholith, rich in minerals
• Main peaks are Elevado Gigante and Jachacunolla

Santa Vera Cruz Mountain Range

• Considered by some geographers as a section of the previous one
• Cuenca stands out, with Cunocollo peak and Wolfram mines

Cochabamba Mountain Range

• Formed by various chains such as Pongo arc, Copapata, Mazo Cruz, Tunari and Totora
• Extends for about 200 km
• Lacks perpetual snow
• Highest peak is Tunari, ending on the volcano hill north of Pongo

Central Mountain Ranges

• Formed by successive cordons with a general N-S direction, oriented to the southwest
• Region is of great economic importance due to its mineral wealth, one of the most mineralized districts in the world

La Puna or The Altiplano

• Uneven plateau, fragmented by mountain ranges that create separate basins
• Composed of peneplains and plateaus with isolated hills
• Height decreases from north to south

Titicaca Basin

• Shared by Bolivia and Peru, surrounded by various mountain ranges such as Apolobamba, Muñecas, Tres Cruces, Real and Western mountain ranges
• Lake Titicaca, successor to the ancient Lake Ballivian, with an area of 8330 km² and divided into two parts
• Several rivers such as Azangaro and Suches feed the lake, which flows into the Uru Uru and Poopo through the Desaguadero River
• Basin is the most productive agricultural area of the Altiplano due to its climate and favorable soils

Desaguadero Basin

• Bounded on the north by the Serrania to Jesús de Machaca and the Western mountain range, and to the south by the Turaquiri massif
• The Desaguadero River, 325 km long, runs through it centrally, along with other important rivers such as the Mauri
• Cattle and mining region

Oruro Basin

• The most extensive of the Altiplano, limited by several mountain ranges and occupied by three lakes: Poopó, Uru Uru and Coipasa
• Lake Poopó is drying up and has reduced its surface area in 40 years
• Lake Coipasa occupies the north of the salt flat of the same name
• Dryness increases towards the south, limiting agriculture to the northern area of the basin

Uyuni Basin

• Bounded by several mountain ranges and occupies salt flats such as Empexa and Ascolan
• The Salar de Uyuni, the largest in South America with 9000 km², is rich in sodium chloride, borax and lithium
• The area is sparsely populated and mainly mining-oriented
• The Altiplano presents an advanced erosion pattern, with fractures that generate the thermal springs in the region

The Prepuna (Valleys)

• Characterized by stepped plateaus between 3,500 and 2,500 meters, eroded by rivers of the Amazon and Plata systems
• The Prepuna does not have significant mineral deposits, but is known for its basins and fluvial valleys
• The Cochabamba Basin, formed by tectonic faults, is fertile and drained by the Rocha and Caine rivers
• In Chuquisaca, the capital, Sucre, is located on a plateau surrounded by valleys, the most important being those of the South, Valles de Cinti y Camargo
• In Tarija, the tectonic basins are full of eroded soils, creating sterile "badlands" formations, with basins filled with sandstone and marls

Yungas

• A region north of the Eastern Mountain Range of the Andes, characterized by a warm, humid climate and lush vegetation
• Extends from the border with Peru to Santa Cruz, covering various areas of La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz
• The Yungas are divided into three parts: High Yunga, Middle Yunga and Low Yunga, vegetation varies according to altitude
• The region is agricultural

The Sub-Andean Front

• A series of mountain ranges located between the Andes and the eastern plains
• Extends from the border with Peru to northwestern Argentina
• Primary direction of E-O in the north and N-S in the south, with a width of 50-100 km
• Region is of great economic importance for its oil deposits, especially in the southern region, which are exploited over a length of about 250 km and are currently being prospected in the north

Warm and Humid Plains

• The warm and humid plains of Beni-Mamoré cover more than 50% of Bolivia, mainly in areas close to large rivers
• Formed by unconsolidated sediments from the Tertiary and Quaternary eras, with a gentle slope from south to north
• In these plains, outcrops of the Brazilian shield form island hills and rapids in the rivers
• The region, with large rivers, is sparsely populated and its main activity is livestock and harvesting, although it is affected by rain

Mountain Ranges and Chiquitanas Trenches

• The crystalline block of the Brazilian shield emerges over the plains between 18° and 19°, with fractures that originated at the beginning of the Tertiary due to the emergence of the Andes
• The Chiquitano Bajo is a tectonic trench 500 km long, bounded by the San José, Santiago and Chochis mountain ranges, with Cerro Partón as the highest point
• The trench runs from Laguna Concepción to Puerto Suarez and is crossed by the Tucavaca River

Dry and Warm Plains Landscape

• The Chaco, in the northernmost part of Bolivia, is an almost flat region with a slight slope towards the east
• Characterized by the lack of rivers, only the Pilcomayo River crosses it
• Isolated hills are in the plain, such as Cerro San Miguel, the highest at 700 meters
• The soil is sandy and poorly suited for cultivation, although the western edge, with the wetlands of Abapó - Izozog, has agricultural potential
• The area is very sparsely populated

Depression of Alto Paraguay (Pantanal)

• Landscape varies, from swampy areas and lagoons in the north, to elevations such as the hills of Urucum in the south
• Climate is diverse, with low rainfall in the southwest, which generates saline soils and steppe and desert vegetation
• Further north, rainfall is much higher
• Climate varies in Bolivia, with tropical, temperate, steppe and snowy areas
• Border zone, the austral winds produce "surazos"

Climate

• Climate in Bolivia is influenced by latitude and altitude
• In the east, the climate is tropical, while in the Altiplano it is temperate and dry
• Big difference between temperatures in the Altiplano is due to direct solar irradiation
• Rainfall occurs between November and March
• Santa Cruz is the area of collision between air masses, causing the "surazos"
• Bolivia has tropical, temperate, steppe and snow climates according to Köppen

Tropical Climate Zone

• No winter, temperatures above 18°C all year
• Divided into two subzones: Af, with rain all year (Bolivian Amazon, Pando, Beni and north of La Paz) and Aw, with rain in summer (Beni, Santa Cruz and sub-Andean regions of Chuquisaca and Tarija)

Temperate Climate Zone

• Temperatures between 18°C and -3°C in the coldest month
• Covers the north and center of the Altiplano and the prepuna, with rain in summer (Cw)

Steppe Climate Zone (BS)

• Dryness prevails, temperature is variable
• In Bolivia this climate can be found in the southwest corner of the Altiplano and in the central region of the boreal Chaco

Snowy Climate Zone

• Occupied by the snowy peaks of the Andes mountain range

Hydrography

• In Bolivia there are two large zones: endorheic, in the plain of Altiplano and the river Parapetí and exorheic in the basins of Amazonas and del Plata

Endorheic Zone

• Divided into two sectors: the north, with lakes like Titicaca, Uru Uru and Poopó, and the south, with salt flats
• The north covers 52,180 km² and is drained by rivers such as Suchez and Caracollo
• The South, with a basin of 84,760 km², drained by rivers such as Turco, Quetenay and Lanca

Exorheic Zone

• Includes the two large hydrographic basins of Bolivia: The Amazon and La Plata

Amazon Basin

• Includes various hydrographic systems: Mamoré, Beni, Iténez, Madre de Dios, Abuná, Yata and Orthon
• The Mamore is the main one, in the second is the Beni and finally the Iténez or Guaporé
• The rivers experiment great increase in flow between December and May due to rain and thaw, causing floods that cover up to 120000 km²

Cuenca del Plata

• Includes the hydrographic systems of Paraguay, Pilcomayo, and Bermejo
• The main is Paraguay (108 550 km²) and rivers such as Fortunay Tucavaca
• The Pilcomayo has a catchment area of 94,880 km²
• Secondly El Bermejo covers 12310 km² with tributaries like the river Tarija
• These systems also include some lagoons such as Rogaguay and Cáceres
• Are key for the country for hydroelectric potential and communications in the Bolivian east

Flora

• Depending on climatic conditions of humidity and soil, it is grouped into eight Provinces

Amazon Rainforest

• Covers 300,000 km² in Bolivia, covering the department of Pando and the north of Beni, extending south to Chapare and Yupacani, and along the Iténez, with a great diversity of flora, including varieties of timber trees, palm classes and resinous trees
• It is in danger because of indiscriminate logging

Benianas Meadows

• Have impermeable soils that impede the development of tall forests
• Noted for their variety of grasses, grasses, palms, trees such as tajibo, tuquesis, and crops such as cocoa and banana

Yungas

• Vegetation varies depending on altitude: in the High Yunga, kehuing forests predominate, in the Middle Yunga there are ferns and orchids, and in the True Yunga there are palms and native plants such as coca, quinoa, banana, yucca and cocoa

Eastern Savannahs

• Divided into three zones: a) high forest with palm trees and timber trees, b) savannahs with acacia trees, and c) swampy areas with giant bamboos such as tacuara

Chaco Park

• Has xerophytic vegetation, with cacti such as the carahuata, - trees such as cupesiy quebracho, palm trees and shrubs such as mistol and tusca

Valluna Steppe

• Has xerophytic vegetation due to its moderate humidity, with trees such as molley algarrobo, cartilaginous plants such as the candlestick cactus and alien nutrients plants such as marz, potato, tomato, aji, tuna and clutumbo

Sub-Andean Front

• Has differentiated vegetation depending on the altitude, with five floors: subtropical laurel forests, myrtaceae, walnut and pine, atiso, and kehuiña
• Among the timber trees, cuchi, carapai, tajibo, cedar and algarrobo stand out

Altiplano

• Has scarce tree vegetation, highlighting kishuara, kehuiña and kantuta, and shrubs such as thola
• Candlestick cactus, ichu, totora stand out. The Pupa, quinoa and oca

Fauna

• Bolivia's natural fauna can be classified into four different regions

Andean District

• Home to camelids such as guanaco, vicuña, llama and alpaca
• The former are in danger of extinction due to indiscriminate hunting
• Predators such as viscachas and chinchillas also inhabit, almost extinct
• In addition, the Andean deer and ostriches such as the suri are almost extinct, those that survive are the condor, flamingos and Picaflor

Sub-Andean District

• Has a dense human population, so natural fauna is scarce, but we do have the zorro colorao,the jucumari (spectacled bear), the anta, the scrub cat (osocollo)

Tropical District

• Has suffered a drastic loss of fauna in recent decades
• The scurries that were once millions, have decreased to only four species
• Felines, such as jaguar, puma, scrub cat and ocelot, are also in danger of extinction
• Other mammals present include the anteater, sloth, badger, tater, porcupine, and various types of monkeys and deer
• Presence of reptiles, such as the sicuri, a giant snake that can measure up to 10 meters

Chaco District

• Animals such as the giant armadillo (tatu), small deer (urina), the sloth and the mountain cancho (peccary) and ostriches (ñandúes) stand out
• As for the ichthyological fauna of Bolivia, Lake Titicaca is home to exclusive species such as umantos, bogas, kelunchus, ispis, black caraches and suches, along with introduced fish such as trout and silverside
• The rivers of the La Plata and Amazon systems have a great variety of fish, such as the ray, Palometa, dorado and eel, being exclusive to the La Plata system the surubi and to the Amazon the paai and tucunaré