Bolivia
a republic of South America; bounded on the N. by Peru and Brazil; on the E. by Brazil; on the S. by Paraguay, the Argentine Republic and Chile; and on the W. by Peru and Chile; area, 514,155 square miles; pop. (est.), 2,889,970; capital, formerly Sucre; changed to La Paz in 1900.
Topography. The country is divided into two very marked regions, the high or Andean in the S. W. portion, and the lowlands of the E. and W., which extend into Paraguay and Brazil. The first of these regions is the highest on the American continent, the Plateau of Oruro having an average height of 13,000 feet. This extremely mountainous district was wholly within the area of Bolivia prior to the treaty of 1884. In this region is Lake Titicaca, having an area of more than 3,200 square miles, and a depth of 120 fathoms; and containing several islands, the largest of which was the home of the founder of the Empire of the Incas. The highest elevation of Bolivia to-day is found in the eastern Cordillera range, from which extend a large number of spurs inclosing some of the richest valleys of the country. The Rio Desaguadero, with a course of 160 miles, connects Lake Titicaca with the salt lake and swamps of Aullagas or Paria, and somewhat to the left lies the Laguna de Coiposa, a basin covered in the dry season with a thick crust of salt. The southern and lower table-land is chiefly a desert, where the mountain streams either sink into the sand, or flood, in the rainy season, what are salt pampas throughout the rest of the year. The eastern edge of the eastern Cordillera is a series of terraces descending to the plain of eastern Bolivia, which in the N. belongs to the Amazon basin; and in the S. to the pampas of the Plata.
Climate and Productions. - Bolivia possesses a remarkable range of climate and productions. The regions with an BOLIVIA elevation of over 11,000 feet are called punas, while the puna brava is the region of snow and ice, above 13,500 feet. Here the climate is cold and dry but generally healthful. Vegetation is scanty and cultivation is principally confined to potatoes, barley, and coarse grasses. The cabezeras de valles are the heads of valleys descending to the lowlands, between 9,500 and 11,000 feet; the medio yungas, or deeper valleys, have an altitude ranging from 5,000 to 9,500 feet. The first of these regions has a temperate climate, and produces wheat and maize in large quantities; and in the second, tropical fruits begin to flourish. The yungas, or plains under 5,000 feet, have numerous streams, and in fertility and resources surpass most of the countries in South America. Agriculture is still in a backward condition. Wheat, maize, barley, beans, and potatoes are produced for local consumption; coffee is raised chiefly for export; sugar cane is grown for distillation; and rubber, cinchona, and cocoa are important and increasing products.
Cattle, sheep, and llamas are extensively bred. Bolivia has a very large mineral wealth in silver, copper, tin, lead, zinc, antimony, bismuth, gold, borax, and salt.
Bolivia has about 5,000,000 acres under cultivation. The chief crops are corn, wheat, barley, beans, and potatoes. Rubber is produced in large quantities, over 5,000 tons having been exported in 1915.
Commerce. The total imports in 1917 amounted to 33,480,825 bolivianos, and the exports to 157,748,050 bolivianos.
Education. Primary education is free and nominally compulsory, although the law concerning it is not rigidly observed.
There are 426 elementary schools, with 3,960 teachers and 51,162 pupils. Secondary instruction is furnished by 21 colleges, 5 private lycées, and 5 clerical institutions with 180 teachers and 2,598 students. For higher education there are 19 institutions with 78 professors and 1,291 pupils. Sucre has a university and at La Paz there is a university, a national observatory, and a war college. The educational budget calls for 2,562,- 468 bolivianos (a boliviano = 39 cents in United States money).
Finances. The public debt in 1918 was 67,572,378 bolivianos, of this amount 21,- 662,436 was internal, 39,808,759 external and 6,101,183 floating. The revenue for 1919 was 31,328,767 bolivianos and the expenditure 28,471,853.
Railways. Railway mileage in 1918 was 1,689 kilometers and 571 kilometers more were under construction. An international line planned in 1919 between Cochabamba, Bolivia, and Formosa, Argentina, was to have 311 miles of its BOLIVIA length in Argentina and 528 miles in Bolivia. The line will open up rich forest lands for development and is expected to be of great commercial advantage to both countries.
Government. The constitution (Oct. 28, 1880) vests the executive power in a President, elected by direct popular vote, for a term of four years, and ineligible for re-election at the end of his term of office. The legislative authority rests in a Congress, comprising a Senate of 18 members, elected for six years, and a Chamber of Deputies of 64 members, elected for four years. There are also two Vice-Presidents, and a Ministry divided into the Departments of Foreign Relations and Worship, Finances and Industry, Government and Colonization, Justice and Public Instruction, and War.
The suffrage is possessed by all who read and write. The republic is divided into eight departments and these into provinces and cantons. The Roman Catholic is the recognized religion of the republic, and the exercise of other forms of worship is permitted.
History. It is believed that the oldest civilized empire on the American continent existed in the Titicaca basin, and that it was disrupted about the 8th century, a portion of the people remaining in the highlands of Bolivia till the 14th century, when they were subdued by the Incas of Cuzzo. In 1559 this region was formed into the audiencia of Charcas, or upper Peru, which was governed by judges under the direction of the Viceroy of Peru. Charcas was made a province of Buenos Aires in 1776.
Under long existing discontent the people revolted in 1809, but the effort for freedom was speedily crushed. The country was frequently invaded by patriotic armies from Buenos Aires and Peru during 1811-1821, but all these movements also failed. Under the direction of SIMON BOLIVAR (q. v.), the Spanish troops in Charcas were subdued in 1825.
On Aug. 6 of that year, the people declared their independence and adopted the name of Bolivia in honor of their liberator, and made General Sucre their first President. In 1836 a Federal republic was established comprising the states of North Peru, South Peru, and Bolivia; but this confederation was dissolved by a revolution in 1839. The country was agitated by revolutions and internal dissensions for many years. In 1879 Chile declared war against Bolivia.
Peru came to the aid of the latter and the Chilians defeated their allied opponents. As a result of this war Bolivia mortgaged to Chile the Littoral Depart- BOLOGNA ment, which has an area of 29,910 square miles and contains the important port of Antofagasta, thus losing her entire seacoast, and also gave Chile possession of rich mineral fields. In 1898 a dispute arose with Brazil in relation to the possession of the Acre region. This was settled in 1903 by the cession of about 70,000 square miles to Brazil, in return for money indemnity and small territorial compensations elsewhere. The settlement with Peru resulted in a long-standing dispute. Bolivia made the claim that the cession of the coast territory made in 1884 was provisional only. only. In 1904 a treaty was ratified recognizing the dominion of Chile over the disputed territory, but granting Bolivia free access to the sea with the right of erecting customs houses at designated points.
Bolivia for a time remained neutral during the World War, but on April 13, 1917, the German minister was handed his passport as a result of the sinking of a Bolivian vessel which was sailing in neutral waters.
José Gutierrez Guerra was elected president in 1917 for the term ending 1921. On July 11, 1920, a revolution broke out and Gutierrez was compelled to renounce his office. He was sent out of the country and a provisional government with a Junta was established pending a new election.