Bolivia, the full name of the Republic of Bolivia, covers an area of ​​1098581 square kilometers. A landlocked country located in central South America. The west leads to Chile and Peru, and the south is adjacent to Argentina and Paraguay. It borders Brazil to the east and north. Most of the eastern and northeastern parts are the alluvial plains of the Amazon River, which accounts for about 3/5 of the country's area and is sparsely populated. The central part is a valley area with developed agriculture, and many large cities are concentrated here. To the west is the famous Bolivian Plateau. Above 1000 meters above sea level. It has a temperate climate.

It was part of the Inca Empire in the 13th century. It became a Spanish colony in 1538 and was called Upper Peru. Under the leadership of Simon Bolivar and Sucre, the people of Bolivia achieved independence on August 6, 1825. To commemorate the national hero Simon Bolivar, the Bolivian Republic was named the Bolivar Republic, which was later changed to its current name. From 1835 to 1839, Bolivia and Peru formed a federation. After a border dispute with Chile in 1866, the territory south of 24 degrees south latitude was lost. In 1883, it failed in the "Pacific War" and ceded a large area of ​​saltpeter mining and the coastal province of Antofagasta to Chile and became a landlocked country.

The national flag: It is rectangular with a ratio of length to width of 3:2. From top to bottom, it is composed of three parallel horizontal rectangles of red, yellow, and green. The yellow part has a national emblem pattern in the center. The original meaning is: red symbolizes dedication to the country, yellow represents the future and hope, and green symbolizes the sacred land. Now these three colors represent the main resources of the country: red represents animals, yellow represents minerals, and green represents plants. Generally, the national flag without the national emblem is used.

The population of Bolivia is 9.025 million (2003). The urban population is 6.213 million, accounting for 68.8% of the total population, and the rural population is 2.812 million, accounting for 31.2% of the total population. Among them, Indians accounted for 54%, Indo-European mixed races accounted for 31%, and whites accounted for 15%. The official language is Spanish. The main ethnic languages ​​are Quechua and Aimara. Most residents believe in Catholicism.

Bolivia is rich in mineral resources, mainly tin, antimony, tungsten, silver, zinc, lead, copper, nickel, iron, gold, etc. Tin reserves are 1.15 million tons and iron reserves are approximately 45 billion tons, second only to Brazil in Latin America. Proved reserves of oil are 929 million barrels and natural gas is 52.3 trillion cubic feet. The forest covers an area of ​​500,000 square kilometers, accounting for 48% of the country's land area. Bolivia is a world-renowned exporter of mineral products. Its industry is underdeveloped, and its agricultural and livestock products can meet most of the domestic demand. It is one of the poorest countries in South America. Successive governments have implemented neo-liberal economic policies, stabilized the macro economy, adjusted the economic structure, reduced state intervention, and passed legislation to capitalize (ie, privatize) major state-owned enterprises. Economic reforms have achieved certain results, the national economy has maintained a certain growth, and inflation has been contained.

La Paz: La Paz (La Paz) is the administrative capital and commercial center of Bolivia, the central government and parliament of Bolivia, and the capital of La Paz Province. It is located in a valley outside the Altiprano Plateau, bordering Peru and Chile to the west, plateaus to the southwest, mountains to the southeast, tropical valleys to the east, and rainforest belts on the edge of the Amazon River to the north. The La Paz River flows through the city. The city is surrounded by mountains, and Mount Ilimani towers into the clouds on one side of the city. The entire city is built on a sloping hillside, with a drop of 800 meters. Two completely different landscapes are formed at both ends of the city, namely the remnant snow giant rock and the shade of green trees. At an altitude of 3627 meters, it is the highest capital in the world. The climate is subtropical and mountainous, with an average annual temperature of 14℃. The population is 794,000 (2001), of which 40% are Indians.

La Paz was established by the Spanish in 1548 on the basis of an Inca village. At that time, it was to provide a resting place for the convoy from the Potosi silver mine to Lima, Peru. Spanish means "peace of peace". city". Because it is located in a valley, people choose here to temporarily escape the harsh climate of the plateau. The village is affectionately called "Our Lady of La Paz" to compliment the pleasant climate of the area. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, La Paz developed into a major supply point in the plateau area and a center of numerous mining activities. In 1898, most of Bolivia's government agencies moved from Sucre to La Paz. Since then, La Paz has become the de facto capital, the political and economic center of the country, and the largest city in the country, while Sucre only retained the name of the legal capital.

In addition to government functions, La Paz is also the largest commercial city on the plateau. The industries in the city include food processing, textiles, manufacturing, glass, furniture, and electrical equipment. La Paz is rich in mineral resources and is a world-famous export destination for mineral products. Mainly zinc, gold, silver, tin, antimony, tungsten, copper, iron, oil, natural gas, etc., its reserves and quality are among the best in the world.

La Paz is also a national transportation hub. Major transportation routes such as railways, highways, and aviation are all gathered here. There are railways connecting Chile, Argentina, Brazil and other countries. There is La Paz International Airport at an altitude of 3,819 meters, which is the world's highest commercial airport.

Sucre: Sucre is the legal capital of Bolivia and the seat of the Supreme Court. It is located in the Cachmayo Valley on the eastern foot of the Eastern Cordillera Mountains. It is surrounded by two peaks, one is Skaska and the other is Qunkra. The altitude is 2790 meters. The annual average temperature is 21.8℃. The annual precipitation is 700 mm. The population is 216,000 (2001). Because the main buildings and residential buildings in the city are all white, the city has the reputation of "white city".

The city of Sucre was originally an Indian village named Chuqui Saka. The city was founded in 1538. In 1559, the Spanish colonists established the Supreme Court of Interrogation in the American colonies. In 1624, the Jesuits created the oldest university in the Americas, the University of San Francisco-Harbière. This university is currently the Bolivian National Higher Education Center with more than 10,000 students. The first uprising in South America against Spanish rule broke out here on May 25, 1809, and Bolivia's independence was declared on August 6, 1825. The city of Sucre is named after Sucre, the first president of Bolivia. As an assistant to Bolivar, the liberator of South America, Sucre played a decisive role in the independence of Bolivia. Due to his outstanding merits, Sucre was elected as the first president of Bolivia. In 1839, the city of Sucre became the capital of Bolivia. It became the capital in 1839 and was named after the first President Sucre the following year. It became the legal capital in 1898 (Parliament and government are located in La Paz).