Bolivia Trivia Quiz

Answer: 301 years

The area now occupied by modern-day Bolivia has been occupied for over 2500 years. The Aymara formed the Tiwanaku polity civilisation before 1500BC until famine presumably killed off the culture. The Inca Empire expanded and occupied the Bolivian Andes from 1438 to 1527.

The Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, also known as the Conquest of Peru (Spanish: Conquista espanola del Imperio incaico), was one of the most important campaigns in the Spanish colonization of the Americas. It commenced in 1524 and was completed by 1533. The territory of present-day Bolivia was known as Charcas, with a local government in Chuquisaca (modern-day Sucre).

After the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s, Spain became weaker, causing several Spanish South American colonies to rise up and seek independence. In Bolivian territory, there were two separate insurrections in 1809 in Sucre and in La Paz. What followed was 16 years of military campaigns between royalists and patriots. It was freed of Royalist dominion by Marshal Antonio José de Sucre, in support of the campaign of Simon Bolivar. Bolivia was proclaimed as a republic on 6 August 1825.

Answer: Brazil has the longest border with Bolivia

Bolivia is the fifth-largest country in South America after Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Colombia, with an area of 1,098,581 square kilometers (424,164 sq mi). With Paraguay, it is one of the only two landlocked nations within the Western Hemisphere.

Brazil's border with Bolivia is to the north and east (does not include the Amazon River, which does not flow near Bolivia) and, at 3,403 km (2113 mi), is the second-longest in South America after the Argentina/Chile border. Peru is to the east and northeast of Bolivia and is the second-longest of Bolivia's borders (1212 km; 752 mi). Paraguay to the south has the smallest land border with Bolivia at 753km (468 mi). This includes a very small section of the Paraguay River, which is important economically to Bolivia. (See below.) The border with Chile to the east is 942km (585 mi) long and comprises mainly the Andes Mountains and salt flats. Argentina's border with Bolivia is 832 kilometers (517 mi) long and includes Andean plateaus, deep valleys, tropical lowlands, and several rivers (But not the Paraguay River).

Answer: War of the Pacific

When Chile declared independence in 1818 and Bolivia in 1825, neither country was keen to define its borders, though Bolivia claimed the port of Antofagasta so it had a Pacific Ocean port. The Atacama Desert, also in this region, was of no interest to either country until nitrate (needed for the production of fertilizer and high explosives), silver, and copper deposits were discovered in the area. Both countries established competing claims for the territory. The Boundary Treaty of 1866 established the 24th parallel south as the national boundary, but it also entitled both countries to share in tax revenue on mineral exports out of the 'shared' territory between the 23rd and 25th parallels. A second treaty was signed in the same year, allowing Bolivia to collect full tax revenue between the 23rd and 24th parallels, where the Chilean Antofagasta Nitrate & Railway Company was mining, but the treaty gave concessions to Chilean companies by stipulating not to increase tax rates for 25 years.

However, in 1878, Bolivia reneged, claiming financial hardship, and charged a 10-cent per quintal (100 kg - 220 pounds) of exported nitrates. The Chilean mining company refused to pay, causing Bolivia to threaten to seize and sell assets. This caused a war. Peru also entered the war as it had a defence alliance with Bolivia, but after the Battle of Tacna in May 1880, Peru's military collapsed, leaving Bolivia to fight alone. Peru and Chile signed the Treaty of Ancon, which transferred its southern province of Tarapaca to Chile and started a disputed ten-year occupation of Tacna and Arica, which were further south. This left a small amount of Bolivian coastline, including the port of Antofagasta. However, Bolivia capitulated, causing it to sign the Pact of Truce of Valparaíso, placing the entire coastal region under so-called temporary Chilean administration.

In 1904, the Treaty of Peace and Friendship permanently defined the borders, forcing Bolivia to cede all 120,000 sq. kms of its coastal territory to Chile, leaving Bolivia totally landlocked. (Peru lost Tacna and Arica but regained Tarapacá and was never landlocked.) Bolivia was able to negotiate some concessions from Chile for access to now-Chilean ports. These included:
1. "Broadest and freest right of commercial transit in perpetuity through Chilean territory and its Pacific ports."
2. The legal right to establish and run its own independent customs agencies inside Arica and Antofagasta to manage its own import/export duties
3. Granted tax exemptions, "preferential cargo tariffs, and ...long-term storage facilities" for Bolivian goods at Chilean dockside facilities
4. Chile to fund and construct a railway connecting Arica to the Bolivian capital of La Paz.

Answer: Two parallel chains running north-south; one on the western border and another parallel range to its east. Both in western Bolivia

Bolivia is dominated by two main branches of the Andes Mountains. They do not bisect the centre of the country into two halves, but these two ranges are concentrated across western Bolivia.

The Andes split into two ranges north of Bolivia in Peru, forming two massive parallel mountain chains (cordilleras) that run approximately north to south. The Cordillera Occidental (Western Range) runs along Bolivia's western borders with Peru and Chile. It is a highly volcanic region featuring massive peaks like Nevado Sajama, Bolivia's highest mountain at 6,542 m (21,463 ft). Within this range is where the Nazca Plate subducts directly under the South American Plate, creating the Central Volcanic Zone.

The Cordillera Oriental (Eastern Range) is considered the "backbone" of the Bolivian Andes as it is much older than its western counterpart. It sits further inland to the east, separating the high-altitude regions from the lowlands. There are no active or recently active volcanoes in this range. While most of Bolivia's highest mountains and peaks lie in the eastern cordillera (eg Illimani, 6,438 m (21,122 ft); and Illampu, 6,368 m (20,892 ft), these are structural, non-volcanic peaks. They consist mostly of folded, layered sedimentary rock and granite.

Answer: Parana River

Two arms of the Andes sandwich a vast, high-altitude plateau known as the Altiplano (High Plain). It is the second-largest high plateau in the world, behind Tibet. Most of it is in Bolivia, but the very northern part is in Peru, and its southern portion is in Chile and Argentina. Its elevation is around 3800 m or 12,500 feet. The Altiplano is home to major cities like El Alto and Oruro (second and fifth largest, respectively) as well as the western portion of the El Alto - La Paz Metropolitan Area.

Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world and South America's largest, is in the north, crossing into Peru, and the massive salt flat, Salar de Uyuni is in the far south. This is the largest salt flat in the world, with an area of 10600 square kilometres (4,100 mi2). It was formed by seven Late Pleistocene Period lakes, all of which dried up, leaving extensive evaporitic salt deposits 8 meters (22 ft) thick. The salt flat is an area extremely rich in lithium. There is a smaller salt flat to its north. The Antiplano is used for mining, llama herding, and services provided by its cities.

Answer: Tropical flatlands subject to flooding

The eastern regions of Bolivia are lowlands called the Oriente. There are three major types. Towards the north is the Amazon Basin (Llanos de Moxos). This region is flat tropical forest and grassy plains and is subject to seasonal flooding.

The Pantanal is a region encompassing the world's largest tropical wetland area, including the world's largest flooded grasslands. Mainly located within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, it extends into eastern Bolivia and northern Paraguay. It covers an enormous area estimated at between 140,000 and 195,000 km2 (54,000 and 75,000 sq mi). Approximately 80% of the Pantanal floodplains are submerged during the rainy seasons. This creates a massively
biologically diverse collection of aquatic plants, which in turn supports an enormous range of animal species.

Towards the south near the Argentinian border, there are hot, semi-arid plains and scrub that become swamps in the rainy season.

Between the flatter eastern parts of Bolivia and the mountainous west, there is a transitional zone. This consists of two types of terrain: The Yungas are steep, forested, and rain-soaked valleys connecting east and west. There are also some temperate valleys, which are lower mountain basins. These lower valleys have a mild climate and are the country's main agricultural regions.

Answer: Yes; small navy plus river ports

Because Bolivia is landlocked, there are no ocean ports. Bolivia has access to some northern Chilean ports, but this arrangement is less than satisfactory.

Bolivia has three drainage basins. In the Antiplano, or Central Basin (which drains 13% of Bolivia's runoff), all the rivers are endorheic - they do not reach the ocean because they cannot pass through either the western or eastern Andes. They drain into Lake Titicaca, Lake Poopo (until 2015, now dry), and the salt pan in the south.

The Amazon Basin drains 66% of Bolivia. It has many rivers that flow into tributaries of the Amazon and eventually the Amazon itself. However, the distance to the ocean is 3500 to 4000 km (2200 to 2500 mi). The route also contains rapids. As a result, the few river ports on this system are small and only useful for transporting goods in the regional area.

The Rio de la Plata (South) Basin is located in the southern and southeastern parts of the country. It drains almost 20% of the country, and water is discharged through the Paraguay River, which empties into the Paraná River and eventually the Rio de la Plata estuary. Bolivia has a small (38km) section of the Paraguay River within its boundaries, and while it is still a long route to the ocean (2000-2500 km / 1200-1500 mi), the route is navigable for its entire length. There are five river ports either on or connected to the river by canal. In the dry season, the river levels are low, necessitating the use of flat-bottomed boats like barges to be used.

Bolivia has a small navy, which in 2019 numbered approximately 5000 personnel. The navy's flotilla comprises 10 to 12 small motor launches operated mainly on Lake Titicaca and the five major navigable rivers of the poorly populated northeastern region of Bolivia. The navy's riverine patrol duties included removing Brazilian and other foreign gold miners and intercepting narcotic smugglers and contraband.

Answer: Santa Cruz (de la Sierra)

Around 70% of Bolivia's 11.4 million people (2024 Census) live in urban areas, and most of these live in the six most populous cities, with the largest four, El Alto, La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz located on an east-west axis, 950 km (580mi) apart by road.

Santa Cruz de la Sierra ("Holy Cross of the Mountain Range"), more commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the largest city in Bolivia with 1.4 million people (2.5 million - metropolitan area). Located in the eastern Tropical Lowlands of Bolivia on the Pirai River, it was first settled in 1561 and when Bolivia became independent, it was a small outpost town. However, in the 1950s, when agrarian and land reforms were undertaken, the city began to grow exponentially. Because of its low elevation at the foothills of the Andes and its location in the Amazon basin, it is the agricultural centre of Bolivia, where most of its produce and food are grown. Besides agriculture, it also has a large service industry.

La Paz, the administrative capital (officially Nuestra Senora de La Paz (Our Lady of the Peace), is the third-biggest Bolivian city, with 755,732 residents (2024). La Paz is set in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River, a bowl-like depression, part of the Amazon basin, surrounded by high mountains of the Altiplano. At a mean elevation of roughly 3,650 m (11,975 ft) above sea level, La Paz is the highest administrative capital city in the world, although there is a 3,250 to 3,650 meters (10,650 to 11,975 feet) range within the central district alone. The city ranges in elevation from 3,250 to 4,100 meters (10,650 to 13,450 feet) above sea level. A curious aspect of the city is that the lower you go, the more affluent the neighbourhood, as the weather is milder. The southwestern suburbs are the most prestigious areas of the city, as they are lower in altitude than the canyon floor of the central city district. El Alto abuts La Paz. It is located at the top of the canyon next to La Paz and is on the edge of the Antiplano. It is fairly flat (4,000 to 4,150 meters; 13,120 to 13,615 feet) on the plateau rim; the surrounding peaks are around 6,000 meters in height, the tallest being nearby Mount Illimani (6,438 metres; 21,120 ft at its summit). As there is precious little flat land in La Paz, its international airport is located in the flatter El Alto. El Alto started as a dormitory suburb of La Paz, but in 1985 it became a city in its own right. Its population of 955 000 (2024) makes it bigger than La Paz, and together they form a metropolitan area of 2.2 million, the second busiest in Bolivia.

Cochabamba, Bolivia's fourth-largest city, had a 2024 population of 661,000. Situated roughly halfway between La Paz and Santa Cruz, with an elevation of 2,570 m (8,430 ft), it is known as the City of the Eternal Spring because of its mild year-round temperatures; it is a major agricultural region and service centre. It is known for its Roman Catholic religious festivals and its gastronomy.

Sucre is to the south of these four cities and had a population of 297,000 in 2024. It is Bolivia's sixth-largest city. It is situated between the highlands of the Andean plateau and the eastern plains. Its elevation is 2,790 m (9,150 ft), and it has a pleasant, mild-to-warm climate. Sucre is a major centre of national importance as an educational and government centre. As its constitutional capital, it is also the location of the Bolivian Supreme Court.

Answer: Public transport: network of cable cars

Mi Teleferico (My Cable Car), officially known as Teleferico La Paz-El Alto, is an aerial cable car urban transit system serving the La Paz-El Alto metropolitan area. In 2024, the system comprised 28 stations (38 if transfer stations are counted separately per line) along ten lines. This is the longest aerial cable car system in the world. While there are other urban transit cable car systems (eg Medellin, Caracas) that integrate with existing public transit systems, Mi Teleferico is the first system to use cable cars as the backbone of the urban transit network, from which other transport systems radiate.

The cable car system was planned to address a number of issues pertaining to the altitude drop between El Alto and La Paz of over 400 m (1300 ft). Roads that traverse this drop are congested, winding roads that cover large distances to cope with the massive differential in altitudes. Each of the ten lines has three to four stations of between 1 to 2 kilometres apart. However, ten of the stations are transfer hubs where you can move to a different line. Fares are cheap, and frequency is high with little waiting time, even when transferring.

Answer: Silver and tin

Mining has been the backbone of Bolivia's economy for nearly five centuries. Soon after the Incan conquest, the town of Potosi was established to provide the labour for the nearby Cerro Rico (Rich Mountain), which provided the single richest source of silver on Earth, funding the Spanish Empire. At this stage, Bolivia was producing more silver than any other country in the world. This continued for two centuries.

When global silver prices collapsed in the late 19th century, industrialisation in the US and Europe and the United States meant there was a massive demand for tin, which was able to be supplied by Bolivia, which became the world's largest producer of tin. In fact, Bolivian "Tin Barons" had massive influence over the government of Bolivia, effectively using cheap labour to mine tin while failing to provide basic infrastructure such as education and housing for workers. This came to a head in 1952 with the Bolivian National Revolution, which, among massive social and economic reforms, included nationalisation of the tin mining industry.

In 1985, when the global demand for tin dropped sharply, Bolivia relied on its massive natural gas reserves to underpin the economy as it exported over 90% of its production. At the same time, it diversified its mining portfolio and, in the first quarter of the 21st century, is a world leader in zinc, bismuth, antimony and tungsten (as well as tin and silver). Bolivia has become a major gold producer and has one of the biggest lithium reserves in the world.

The image depicts a royal (wealthy) knave with a tin or pewter tankard and a silver spoon to put in his mouth.