Bolivia
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [1]
a republic of South America. Its area is about 350,000 square miles. Population in 1855, 1,447,000, exclusive of about 700,000 Indians. The Roman Catholic Church is recognised as the state church, yet other denominations are tolerated. The convents have the right of receiving novices only on condition that they are at any time at liberty to leave again the monastic life. The chamber of senators exercises the right of superintending the ecclesiastical affairs. At the head of the Church is the archbishop of Charcas, who resides at Chuquisaca, and three bishops, at Santa Cruz de la Sierra, La Paz, and Cochamba. There is a university at Chuquisaca, besides several colleges. A large majority of the entire population are of Indian descent, and still show a strong attachment to the Jesuits, who were expelled from their :missions March 27, 1767. In the eastern plains several tribes still live together in the missions. There were in 1830, among the Chiquitos, ten missions, with 15,316 inhabitants; among the Mojos, thirteen, with .23,951 inhabitants (See America).
The Nuttall Encyclopedia [2]
An inland republic of S. America, occupying lofty tablelands E. of the Andes, and surrounded by Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Chili. The S. is chiefly desert; in the N. are Lake Titicaca and many well-watered valleys. The very varied heights afford all kinds of vegetation, from wheat and maize to tropical fruits. In the lower plains coffee, tobacco, cotton, and cinchona are cultivated. The most important industry is mining: gold, silver, copper, and tin. Trade is hampered by want of navigable rivers, but helped by railways from Chili, Peru, and Argentina. Silver is the chief export; manufactured goods are imported. The country has been independent since 1825; it lost its sea provinces in the war with Chili, 1879-83. The capital is Sucre, but La Pay and Cochabamba are larger towns.
