BOLIV'IA, Sp. prom 1)6-16'vsit (in honor of Simon Bolivar). An inland South American re public, situated in the western part of the con tinent, and extending from about latitude 8° S. to 22" 50' S., and from longitude 58° W. to 73° 20' W It is bounded by Brazil on the north andeast, by Paraguay and Argentina on the south, and by Chile and Peru on the west. Its area, excluding the disputed territory of El Chaco Gran (q.v.) and the Littoral Department, held by Chile since the War of R±79-80, is estimated to be about 515,000 square miles.
ToeocnActly. Bolivia is one of the highest regions in America. In a general way it resem bles Colombia, in that its western part. belongs to the region of the Andes (q.v.), while the eastern part is oecupied by extensive plains. or Ilanos. Two parallel (Audits of the Andes traverse the 001111try from northwest to S011t hen st, With tier era] minor ranges branching toward theeast. The eastern chain, or Cordillera Real, contains some of the highest peaks of the two American con tinents: Illampul, or the Nevado de Sonata, and ttn• Mini:mi. both over 21,000 feet high: Todos Santos. 19,500 feet : Chorolque. 18,500 feet and the Cerro de Potosf, 15,500 feet. In the western range the peaks are generally much less lofty, but they include the giant •oleano Sajania, estimated to lie nearly 21,000 feet. in height. Between the two ranges lies the region known as the Bolivian Highlands, or .1/tip/anicie, a plateau with an ele vation of 12.000 to 13,000 feet. it is traversed by a number of small chains, and eonta ins a portion of Lake Titieara (q.v.). which lies at an eleva
tion of 12,500 feet, and is believed to be a rem nant of an inland sea. The mountain chains of Bolivia include many volcanoes, some of which are active at the present time. Cretaceous forma thins are found in the western range, while in the Cordillera Beal Paleozoic rocks seem to predominate; but the geology of the region is only imperfectly known. The portion of the conntry east of the Andes. known as the Mon t a firl , is occupied by an extensive plain. which is traversed by numerous navigable rivers, and cov ered with dense forests. The surface is generally level, and its decline from about :3000 feet near the Andes to about 300 feet at the eastern boun dary is so gradual as to l,o almost impvreopt The chief rivers of the country flow through this section, which belongs to the basins of the Para guay and the Madeira. The former. which forms part of the boundary with Brazil, is reached through the Pilcomayo and the Itermejo, both watering the southern part of the country, while the :Madeira takes in the larger portion of Bo livia through the navigable rivers &mi. ltenez, and Manion, their urnmerons tributaries. Steamboat navigation has been established on some of these waters. lit the region of the Boliv lan Highlands there are only a few insignificant streams, such as the Desagundero, which con nects the lakes of Titieaca and Aull:Tas, the lat ter also connected by a short river with the salt lake of Coipasa.