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Bolivia - Geography and Environment
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Looking over Bolivia, from mountains to tower blocks. |
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Bolivia is in central South America, landlocked between Chile,
Peru, Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina. The huge expanse of Lake
Titicaca, north-west of the Bolivian capital, La Paz, is the highest
navigable body of water in the world.
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The road from La Paz to Alto Beni high
on the forested mountains |
Almost half of all Bolivians live on the altiplano, a high, cool
plateau that extends between the two spines of the Andean mountain
range. Drought is a major problem here, but the wet season brings
problems too, as heavy rains can quickly flood the hard ground.
Environment
Besides the altiplano, Bolivia has areas of rainforest, tropical
valleys, and fertile sub-tropical plains. There are major deposits
of silver, tin, and zinc. The chief threats to the environment come
from mining, and the unrestricted clearance of forests.
Photos:Julio Etchart and Sean Sprague/Oxfam
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