Country book · Latin America

Bolivia

The roof of South America

Bolivia sits higher, on average, than any other country in the Americas — from La Paz's canyon-hugging streets to the blinding white expanse of the Uyuni salt flats — and holds one of the continent's largest Indigenous populations.

Myths

What's true, what isn't

Actually true

La Paz really is the world's highest administrative capital
Sitting around 3,650 meters, it leaves visitors breathless just walking uphill.
Indigenous identity is central to national politics
Over 40% of Bolivians identify as Indigenous, and Evo Morales became the country's first Indigenous president in 2006.
The Uyuni salt flat creates a genuine mirror effect
After rain, the world's largest salt flat reflects the sky so perfectly that horizon lines disappear entirely.
Coca leaf use is legal and traditional
Chewing coca leaves to combat altitude sickness and fatigue is a centuries-old, legal Andean practice.

Commonly believed, wrong

"It's the same as Peru"
Bolivia has its own Indigenous majority politics, distinct cuisine and no coastline since losing it to Chile in 1884.
"It's landlocked and has no navy"
Bolivia maintains a navy on Lake Titicaca and its rivers, keeping hope alive for a future sea corridor.
"Cholita fashion is just costume"
The bowler hat and layered skirts are everyday dress for many Aymara and Quechua women, not performance wear.
"It's a small, minor country"
Bolivia is larger than France and Spain combined, spanning Andes, Amazon and Chaco lowlands.

Highlights

The best of Bolivia

Salar de Uyuni

The world's largest salt flat creates surreal mirror reflections after rainfall.

Lake Titicaca

The highest navigable lake in the world, shared with Peru, with Indigenous communities on the Isla del Sol.

La Paz's cable car network

The Mi Teleférico system carries commuters over the canyon city with sweeping Andean views.

The Bolivian Amazon

Madidi National Park protects one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet.

Culture

Cultural riches

Cholita culture

Aymara and Quechua women in bowler hats and pollera skirts have become symbols of Indigenous pride, even as wrestlers.

Carnaval de Oruro

A UNESCO-recognized carnival blending Andean and Catholic traditions with elaborate devil masks.

Coca leaf tradition

Chewed for energy and altitude relief, coca carries deep ritual and social significance in Andean life.

Tiwanaku ruins

Pre-Inca ceremonial site near Lake Titicaca, one of the oldest major civilizations in South America.

Food

What to eat

Salteñas

Juicy baked pastries filled with meat, potato and olives, eaten as a mid-morning snack.

Pique macho

A massive shared plate of fried beef, sausage, potatoes and peppers, born in Cochabamba.

Silpancho

A thin breaded beef cutlet over rice and potatoes, topped with a fried egg — a Cochabamba classic.

Chuño

Freeze-dried potatoes made using an Andean technique dating back over a thousand years.

Api con pastel

A warm purple corn drink served with a sugar-dusted fried pastry, a classic breakfast pairing.

History

Important people in history

Simón Bolívar

1783 — 1830

The country is named after him; his revolutionary campaigns secured Bolivian independence from Spain in 1825.

Antonio José de Sucre

1795 — 1830

First president of Bolivia, oversaw the transition from colonial rule to independent republic.

Evo Morales

b. 1959

First Indigenous president of Bolivia, served from 2006 to 2019, nationalizing key industries and expanding Indigenous rights.

Cities