Bolivia's Geography

Bolivia is one of the two landlocked countries in Latin America. It is also the fifth largest country in Latin America. Most of Bolivia’s population is housed at a very high altitude. Can you imagine living at a very high altitude? The Cordillera Occidental stands at its highest, 21,000 feet high. The Cordillera Occidental is home to many active volcanoes. The Altiplano is a very large plateau with an altitude of 13,000 feet. It is also 500 miles long and 40-60 miles wide. Between the border of Peru and Bolivia lies a lake. This lake is called Lake Titicaca. Flamingos gather around this lake for some months. The lake is 12,500 feet above sea level. It covers 3,200 square miles. Its widest point in the river spans over 50 miles. Bolivia’s most recognizable animal is the alpaca. The alpaca is native to the Andes. Alpacas are the largest animals in the Altiplano. The birds that fly in Bolivia can fly up to between 10,000 and 16,000 feet. Lake Poopó is another lake at the bottom left of Bolivia. Bolivia is the size of California and Texas combined. Bolivia’s mountainous western region is one of the highest inhabited areas in the world. Bolivia is a very mountainous country in Latin America.