
Bolivia Geography
Bolivia Geography: A summary of information about Bolivia Geography, from government research data as well as independent research and other sources.
Bolivia: Geography
Location
Central South America, southwest of Brazil
Geographic coordinates
17 00 S, 65 00 W
Map references
South America
Area
total: 1,098,580 sq km land: 1,084,390 sq km water: 14,190 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Land boundaries
total: 6,743 km border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,400 km, Chile 861 km, Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Climate
varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid
Terrain
rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m
Natural resources
tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower
Land use
arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 24% forests and woodland: 53% other: 21% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land
1,750 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards
cold, thin air of high plateau is obstacle to efficient fuel combustion, as well as to physical activity by those unaccustomed to it from birth; flooding in the northeast (March-April)
Environment - current issues
the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the international demand for tropical timber are contributing to deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification; loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used for drinking and irrigation
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
Geography - note
landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru