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| One of the most remote places in the world, Bolivia is a great getaway destination for travelers in South America. |
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Bolivia is a country of incredible ecological diversity, with tropical lowlands including large sections of Amazonian rainforest, the windswept Altiplano and the high Andes mountains. Bolivia shares vast Lake Titicaca with Peru, the highest and second largest lake in South America, and also contains the world's largest salt flat - Salar de Uyuni.
Bolivia is a country for adventuresome nature lovers who are interested in South America culture, and who fully understand that they are going to a developing country, who can tolerate high altitudes if bound for the Andes, and some inconveniences and delays.
With around two thirds of the population being of indigenous origin, the authentic culture has not been watered down. Native religions, dialects, clothes, music and medicines all form part of the daily life on the street.
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While the Spanish influence is strong in the colonial architecture, most notably in Sucre, Bolivia has remained close its roots. Many travelers come to Bolivia to experience the many cultural festivals and ceremonies, particularly the ancient rituals of Inti Raymi - the festival of the sun.
Bolivia's other main attractions include trekking the diverse landscapes, Amazon jungle tours, hypnotic Andean music, markets, bird-watching, Lake Titicaca, 17th-century Jesuit missions, the silver mines of Potosi, archaeological ruins, the salt lakes and the flamingos of the Uyuni.
Bolivia has a population of nearly 9 million; around 70% live in the highlands or Altiplano, mostly in La Paz, around Lake Titicaca, and in the cities of Oruro and Potosi. The official capital of Bolivia is La Paz, the highest located capital city in the world. More than one million people live in La Paz. The center of town is at 3,650 meters above sea level, the zone of Aranjues is at 3,300 meters, and El Alto (where the international airport is located) is at 4,082 meters.
The average temperature in winter is 15C (59F) and 22C (72F) in summer. In the summer, rain falls on most afternoons. In winter, days are slightly cooler, but the sky is mostly clear and sunny.
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Map of South America |
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