10 FUN FACTS ABOUT BOLIVIA, THE HEART OF THE ALTIPLANO
Rosario Traducciones continues its tour of Latin America in another edition of #ElEspañolEnElMundo. This month we explore a South American country recognized for its dreamy landscapes and rich cultural diversity
Do you need to communicate with a Latin American audience? Are you exporting or selling your products and services to Spanish-speaking countries? Rosario Traducciones y Servicios SA invites you to join us on a virtual linguistic tour through the different Latin America countries, as we explore their diversity and cultural richness. This month we travel to Bolivia, a land of natural wealth and a long history linked to its Indigenous peoples’ identity.
1) The Largest Wetland in the World
Gran Pantanal is a natural region covering the largest tropical wetland area in the world. It expands over three countries: Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. Located mostly within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, the wetlands cover approximately between 140,000 and 195,000 square kilometers (54,000 and 75,000 square miles), with the Bolivian portion located in the southwestern region of the country.
During the rainy season (December through May), the water level rises up to 3 meters (9.8 feet), flooding 80% of the Pantanal. This phenomenon creates an ecosystem of aquatic flora with unparalleled concentration and diversity.
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2) Dinosaur Land
The paleontological site known as Cal Orcko, located in the quarry of a cement factory, near Sucre, is the most important site with a dinosaur track in the world. High-resolution mapping of the site from 1998 to 2015 revealed a total of 12,092 individual dinosaur tracks, forming 465 trails of at least 15 species of dinosaurs. This archeological discovery has revealed valuable data about the end of the Cretaceous period and the beginning of the Tertiary period, some 66 million years ago. The site records the diversity of dinosaurs better than anywhere else in the world.
3) A City of Great Heights
The city of El Alto located at 4,150 meters above the sea (13,620 feet), is the world's highest large city; about one million people live there. It is the second most populated city in Bolivia and part of the metropolitan area of La Paz, the capital of the country. El Alto's international airport is the highest globally and the Andino Stadium, with a capacity for 48,000 people, is one of the worlds’ highest sports venues.
4) An Extensive Salt Desert
At the heart of the altiplano is the Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt area on the planet, covering 10,000 square kilometers (3,900 sq mi)2 (a surface area similar to Lebanon).
The salt flat contains 10 billion tons of salt and is one of the worlds’ largest lithium reserves. It is so vast that it can be seen from space. Neil Armstrong, who is the first man to walk on the moon, is also one of the first foreigners to visit Salar de Uyuni. It is said that when he was in space, he saw what he called “a giant mirror reflecting light” in South American. It made such an impression on him that he decided to visit the salt flat with his family.
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5) The Highest Lake in the World
Lake Titicaca, located between Bolivia and
Peru, is considered the highest lake in the world, at about 3,810 meters above sea level (12,500 feet).
On Isla del Sol ("Island of the Sun"), the largest island on the lake, there are several archaeological sites, among which is the "Sacred Rock" or Rock of the Origins. According to legend, this is where Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo, the first Incas, children of the Sun and Moon Gods, were born.
6) Landlocked Wounds
Bolivia is one of the two countries in South America with no ties to the sea. But that was not always the case. Bolivia once had a coastline along the Pacific Ocean. It lost territory to Chile during the War of the Pacific (from 1879 to 1883). War broke out when Bolivia imposed a 10 cents tax per quintal of exported nitrate. Chile retaliated by invading, arguing that the tax violated a trade treaty signed in 1874.
Although the dispute about the tax and the treaty seems to be the main trigger for the conflict, the war’s root causes ran deeper. Chile moved its border to the north, taking from Bolivia 120,000 square kilometers (46,332 square miles) of land, including 400 km (249 miles) of coastline along the Pacific Ocean.
Since 2006, the Bolivian government has been asserting its claim to its former territory before the International Court of Justice. However, the ICJ ruled in favor of Chile, stating that the Andean country is not obliged to negotiate sea access with Bolivia.
7) Singani, a Typical Drink
Just as the Japanese have sake, the Scots have whiskey, Mexicans have tequila, and Peruvians have pisco, Bolivia's national drink is singani, a spirit distilled from white Muscat of Alexandria grapes.
Singani originates from the valleys of Tarija, Chuquisaca (Cinti), Potosí, being the main ingredient in many traditional Bolivian cocktails, such as Chuflay, Poncho Negro and Yungueñito.
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8) Second Largest Quinoa Producer
Bolivia is one of the largest producers of quinoa in the world. This ancestral grain has been cultivated there for more than 5,000 years. It was the world's largest producer up until Peru took the lead in recent years.
This grain, exported to more than 90 countries, has many nutritional properties and is often served in salads, as an alternative to rice, sautéed with vegetables and even used to prepare sushi. It can also be enjoyed as a drink in smoothies, desserts or as sprouts.
9) Reciprocity Ritual with the Pachamama
In Bolivia, especially in the Andean western region, people observe the tradition of reciprocity ceremonies with the Pachamama, mimicking the act of watering the earth or other possessions with alcohol. In rural areas, they decorate the ground with flower petals or bury a pot with baked potatoes, coca leaves and alcohol to feed the Pachamama. In urban areas, the challa ceremony usually entails decorating one's property (their homes, business, cars, etc.) with colored streamers and then sprinkling alcohol, golden grains, daisy petals and candies all around it. Challar also means to celebrate the acquisition of some material possessions or success with food and drinks.
10) Pink Dolphins
Bolivia is home to one of the five species of dolphins that are only found in freshwater. The Bolivian river dolphin (Inia boliviensis), also known as "Bufeo Boliviano," is the only dolphin species in Bolivia.
The skin color can range from dark gray, white to pink. A flexible neck, highly mobile pectoral fins, and a short dorsal fin allow them to maneuver in shallow water and through submerged vegetation.
To protect this precious and rare species, Bolivia declared the pink dolphin as "Natural Heritage of Bolivia" in 2012.
