August 6: Independence Day in Bolivia
Prayer Idea
Pray for the people and government of Bolivia.
Map by Peter Hermes Furian / Shutterstock.com.
History Note
Indigenous peoples speaking the Aymara language controlled much of what is now Bolivia before the rise of the Inca Empire. The Inca moved significant numbers of Quechua-speaking people into the region, but the Aymara maintained their distinct ethnic identity.
After the Spanish conquered large parts of South America, they put many of the Indigenous people to work in mines. Potosí became a major hub for mining silver and later tin.
People in what is now Bolivia were among the first to rebel against Spanish authority in the 19th century. After a long struggle, in 1825, Antonio José de Sucre led the liberation of an area known as Upper Peru. On August 6, 1825, a group of leaders declared independence. They named the new country Bolivia in honor of Simón Bolívar, another leader in the fight against Spanish domination in South America.
Almost 90% of Bolivians have Indigenous ancestry. Quechua and Aymara are the two most-spoken languages after Spanish. About two-thirds of the people are Roman Catholic, and 20% belong to another Christian denomination.
Of all the national capitals in the world, La Paz, Bolivia, is the one with the highest elevation. Different parts of the city are between 10,000 and 13,000 feet above sea level. La Paz is near Lake Titicaca. Straddling the border between Peru and Ecuador, and located at 12,500 feet in elevation, it is considered the world’s highest navigable lake.
Parade in Sucre, Bolivia, on August 6, 2016. Photo by reisegraf.ch / Shutterstock.com
Learn More
Enjoy drone footage of the diverse landscapes of Bolivia.
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