ABSTRACT
The Plurinational State of Bolivia, in South America, is landlocked by its neighbors Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. About one-third of Bolivia’s area is located within the Andean Mountains. Bolivia’s 11.8 million people are distributed around the country, with a high-altitude plain in the west the most densely populated. Other population hubs include the city of Santa Cruz and the capital, La Paz. The Bolivian population is ethnically diverse, with a majority being Mestizo. There are several languages that are considered the official language of Bolivia, including Spanish, Quechua, Aymara, and Guarani. At least 36 other indigenous languages are spoken throughout the country. Almost 80 percent of the population identifies as Roman Catholic, with smaller proportions of evangelicals and Pentecostals, as well as Protestants. Lake Titicaca, the lake with the highest elevation above sea level (12,507 feet), is located there, as is the world’s largest salt flat, which contains 50 percent to 70 percent of the world’s lithium.
