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51-679: The Special Forces command controls the following units: The Bolivian Army has six military regions (regiones militares—RMs) covering the various Departments of Bolivia : The army is organized into ten territorial divisions, titled Army Divisions (AD), plus a mechanized division, each of which, with the exception of Viacha, occupy a region generally corresponding to the administrative departments, with some overlapping. These and their respective divisional headquarters and constituent units are: Regimental abbreviations RIE/IR/PIR: infantry regiment RC/ACR: cavalry regiment RA: artillery regiment Bat.Ing./CEB: Engineer battalion The 11 divisions control

102-531: A subalpine subtropical highland climate ( Köppen : Cwc ), bordering on a tundra climate ( Köppen : ET ). At this altitude, night-time temperatures range from cold to very cold. Snow flurries can occur in winter, especially at dawn and usually melts before noon. Despite being located only 16 degrees from the equator, this part of the city has average temperatures similar to that of cities such as Bergen , Norway or Tórshavn , Faroe Islands . Temperatures in central La Paz, at 3,600 meters (11,811 feet), and in

153-405: A connecting point between the commercial routes that led from Potosí and Oruro to Lima ; the full name of the city was originally Nuestra Señora de La Paz (meaning Our Lady of Peace ) in commemoration of the restoration of peace following the insurrection of Gonzalo Pizarro and fellow conquistadors against the first viceroy of Peru . The city was later moved to its present location in

204-414: A principal hub for Línea Aérea Amaszonas and Transporte Aéreo Militar . It also serves as a focus city for Boliviana de Aviación , Bolivia's flag-carrier and largest airline. The airport is located in the city of El Alto and is (13 km) south-west of La Paz's city center. At an elevation of 4,061 meters (13,323 feet), it is the highest international airport and fifth highest commercial airport in

255-755: A revolution for independence, marking the beginning of the Spanish American Wars of Independence , which gained the freedom of South American states in 1821. As the seat of the government of Bolivia, La Paz is the site of the Palacio Quemado , the presidential palace. It is also the seat of the Bolivian legislature , the Plurinational Legislative Assembly , and numerous government departments and agencies. The constitutional capital of Bolivia, Sucre , retains

306-753: A study by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), the El Alto system is the least resilient against the impact of climate change among the three systems. The study says that reducing water distribution losses is the most effective short-term strategy to deal with water scarcity . New water sources further to the North in the Cordillera include the Khara Kota and Taypicacha, but they are expensive to develop and their water supply

357-572: A total of six months, a group of Aymara people laid siege to La Paz. Under the leadership of Tupac Katari , they destroyed churches and government property. Thirty years later Indians conducted a two-month siege against La Paz. This incident was the setting for the origin of the legend of the Ekeko . In 1809, the struggle for independence from the Spanish rule brought uprisings against the royalist forces. On 16 July 1809, Pedro Domingo Murillo said that

408-548: Is a beret bearing the national colors of red, yellow, and green. Armoured troops and paratroopers are distinguished by black berets. Special forces wear distinctive camouflage uniforms with green berets. On June 26, 2024, the General of the Bolivian Army, General Juan José Zúñiga lead an attempted coup against the democratically elected President , Luis Arce , who was elected in the 2020 general election with 55.1% of

459-668: Is also the capital of the La Paz Department . The city, in west-central Bolivia 68 km (42 mi) southeast of Lake Titicaca , is set in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River . It is in a bowl-like depression, part of the Amazon basin, surrounded by the high mountains of the Altiplano . Overlooking the city is the triple-peaked Illimani . Its peaks are always snow-covered and can be seen from many parts of

510-492: Is at a much lower altitude and is capable of handling larger aircraft. Additionally, the airport supplies travelers with oxygen for those who suffer from altitude sickness . La Paz Bus Station, originally a bus and train station, was built by the French architect Gustave Eiffel . It is the main gateway for inter-city buses with several daily departures to all the main Bolivian cities, and routes to Chile and Peru . The city

561-402: Is connected by road with the city of Oruro from where there are routes to Sucre, Potosí and the south of the country. Another highway branches off before Oruro to reach Cochabamba and Santa Cruz . Roads to the west go to Copacabana and Tiwanaku , near Lake Titicaca , and continue to Cuzco , Peru via the border town of Desaguadero . There are also roads north to get to Yungas crossing

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612-409: Is home to the largest urban cable car network in the world. The Spanish conquistadors founded the city in 1548 with the name Nuestra Señora de La Paz (meaning Our Lady of Peace ). The name commemorated the restoration of peace following the insurrection of Gonzalo Pizarro and fellow conquistadors four years earlier against Blasco Núñez Vela , the first viceroy of Peru . In 1825, after

663-734: Is in the valleys of the Andes, close to the Eastern split of the Altiplano region. The metropolitan area is near to the Cordillera Real range, which includes such notable mountains as Illimani (guardian of La Paz), Mururata , Huayna Potosi , Chacaltaya , Kunturiri , Llamp'u , Chachakumani , Chearoco , and Ancohuma . La Paz is built in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River (now mostly built over), which runs northwest to southeast. The city's main thoroughfare, which roughly follows

714-537: Is known today as the Plaza Murillo, was chosen as the location for government buildings as well as the Metropolitan Cathedral. Spain controlled La Paz with a firm grip and the Spanish king had the last word in all matters political, but consultation was extended, taking months or longer by sea. Indigenous and other unrest was repeated around the turn of the nineteenth century. In 1781, for

765-551: Is the seat of government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia . With 755,732 residents as of 2024, La Paz is the third-most populous city in Bolivia . Its metropolitan area, which is formed by La Paz, El Alto , Achocalla , Viacha , and Mecapaca makes up the second most populous urban area in Bolivia, with a population of 2.2 million, after Santa Cruz de la Sierra with a population of 2.3 million. It

816-661: The Andes Mountains . Departures to smaller cities and towns within the department use informal stations located in Villa Fátima (departures to Los Yungas, Beni and Pando ), Upper San Pedro (for Apolo ) and near the General Cemetery (for Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, or via Tiwanaku to Desaguadero on the Peruvian border). A system of urban transit aerial cable cars called Mi Teleférico ("My Cable Car")

867-631: The Chacaltaya near El Alto, already disappeared in 2008. The El Alto system receives its water from the Tuni Dam and two water channels. These channels divert water that flows from the Zongo Glacier on the slopes of Huayna Potosi and from Condoriri North of El Alto. The 2.9 km long Zongo glacier retreats at a rate of about 18 meters per year. The Tuni and Condoriri glaciers have lost 39% of their area between 1983 and 2006. According to

918-820: The San Francisco Church , the Metropolitan Cathedral , the Plaza Murillo and Jaén Street. La Paz is also situated at the confluence of archaeological regions of the Tiwanaku and Inca Empire . The city is renowned for its markets, particularly the Witches' Market , and for its nightlife. Its topography offers views of the city and the surrounding mountains of the Cordillera Real from numerous natural viewing points . La Paz

969-470: The Zona Sur (Southern Zone), at 3,250 m (10,663 ft) above sea level are warmer and are classified as subtropical highland climates ( Köppen : Cwb ). Heavy precipitation typically occurs throughout summer, and often causes destructive mudslides . At an altitude of 3,250 meters, in the southern part of the city, the wettest month is January with a monthly average of 114 mm (4.5 in), and

1020-475: The judicial power . The city hosts all the foreign embassies as well as international missions in the country. La Paz is an important political, administrative, economic, and sports center of Bolivia; it generates 24% of the nation's gross domestic product and serves as the headquarters for numerous Bolivian companies and industries. La Paz is also an important cultural center of South America , as it hosts several landmarks dating from colonial times, such as

1071-835: The Bolivian cavalry units) Sub-Machine Guns: FMK-3 , UZI , MAT 49 Assault Rifles: 5,56mm; Galil AR , M16A1 , Steyr AUG A1, SA-80 . 7,62mm; FN FAL , SIG 542 , SIG 510 -4, Type 56 -2 (AK-47), Sniper Rifles: Dragunov SVD , Mauser mod . 86SR, Steyr SSG 69 P1 Anti-materiel Rifles: Steyr HS .50 Machine Guns: M60 , FN MAG 60–20, SIG MG 710-3 , Type 56 LMG Grenade Launchers: Type 87 35mm, MM-1 , M79 , M203 Shotguns: Remington 870 and Remington 11-87 . Army officers, NCOs, and enlisted personnel generally wear gray service uniforms. In tropical areas they wear gray-green service uniforms. Army fatigue uniforms are olive green, and combat uniforms consist of US woodland pattern camouflage and desert pattern camouflage . The standard headgear for enlisted personnel

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1122-677: The Bolivian revolution was igniting a lamp that nobody would be able to turn off. This uprising formally marked the beginning of the liberation of South America from Spain. The first open rebellions against the Spanish Crown took place in La Paz and the city of Sucre simultaneously. This event is known as the Primer Grito Libertario de América and brought about the Bolivian War of Independence . Pedro Domingo Murillo

1173-475: The city of El Alto: The Southern District, one of La Paz's most affluent and commercial neighborhoods, is relatively separated from the rest of the city, including the CBD . The Avenida Costanera and Avenida Kantutani (Costanera and Kantutani Avenues) connect the southern district with the rest of the metropolitan area. El Alto International Airport (IATA code: LPB) is La Paz's national and international airport and

1224-411: The city's colonial buildings, the future of these historic edifices remains uncertain. The economy of La Paz has improved greatly in recent years, mainly as a result of improved political stability. Due to the long period of high inflation and economic struggle faced by Bolivians in the 1980s and early 1990s, a large informal economy developed. Evidence of this is provided by the markets found all around

1275-468: The city, the most notable ones on Jaén Street, which street design has been preserved from the Spanish days and is home of 10 different museums. The home of the Bolivian government is located on Murillo Square and is known as "Palacio Quemado" ( Burnt Palace ) as it has been on fire several times. The palace has been restored many times since, but the name has remained untouched. Popular food from La Paz includes: Automobiles and public transportation are

1326-501: The city. At an elevation of roughly 3,650 m (11,975 ft) above sea level , La Paz is the highest capital city in the world . Due to its altitude, La Paz has an unusual subtropical highland climate , with rainy summers and dry winters. La Paz was founded on 20 October 1548, by the Spanish conquistador Captain Alonso de Mendoza , at the site of the Inca settlement of Laja as

1377-407: The city. While there are stable markets, almost every street in the downtown area and surrounding neighborhoods has at least one vendor on it. La Paz remains the principal center of manufacturing enterprises that produce finished-product goods for the country, with about two-thirds of Bolivia's manufacturing located nearby. Historically, industry in Bolivia has been dominated by mineral processing and

1428-478: The decisive victory of the republicans at Ayacucho over the Spanish army in the course of the Spanish American wars of independence , the city's full name was changed to La Paz de Ayacucho (meaning The Peace of Ayacucho ). The region in which La Paz is located in was known as Chuquiago Marka ( marka means village; Chuqi Yapu means 'gold farm', probably due to the exploitation of gold nuggets in

1479-431: The driest is July with 8 mm (0.3 in). The whole city has rainy summers and dry winters. The city has a relatively dry climate, with rainfall occurring mainly in the slightly warmer months of November to March. Heavy precipitation typically occurs throughout summer, and often causes destructive mudslides . The wettest month is January with a monthly average of 100–140 mm (3.9–5.5 in) of precipitation, and

1530-462: The driest months are June and July with around 5 mm (0.2 in) of precipitation. In the highest part of the city, above 4,000 meters, the two cloudiest months are February and March, in late summer, when sunshine averages around 5 hours per day. The two sunniest months are June and July, in winter, when sunshine averages around 8 hours per day. The city of La Paz has a consistently decreasing volume of colonial buildings, mostly centered around

1581-492: The end of the civil wars in Peru; the city of La Paz was founded on 20 October 1548, by Alonzo de Mendoza, with Juan de Vargas appointed as its first mayor. In 1549, Juan Gutierrez Paniagua was commanded to design an urban plan that would designate sites for public areas, plazas, official buildings, and a cathedral. These were meant to express the ideals and relationships of Spanish colonial society. La Plaza de los Españoles, which

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1632-564: The exception of Deportivo Municipal and Unión Maestranza, all the other teams play the majority of their games in the city stadium, the Estadio Hernando Siles , which also hosts the national football team and international games. Always Ready frequently play at the Estadio Rafael Mendoza which belongs to The Strongest, who rarely use the stadium due to its relatively small capacity. The city hosts some of

1683-543: The first and largest of these systems with its sister city El Alto . All three systems are fed by glaciers and rivers in the Cordillera mountain range. 20-28 % of its water is fed by glaciers, the remainder coming from rainfall and snowmelt. The glaciers recede as a result of climate change, initially increasing water availability during the dry season, but ultimately threatening a substantial decrease in dry season run-off when they completely disappear. A small glacier,

1734-860: The following units: The Army maintains a small fleet of utility aircraft, primarily to support headquarters. 50 HMMWV 24 EE-11 Urutu APC, 24 M3 Half-track 15 Cadillac Gage Commando V-150, 24 MOWAG Roland (locally upgraded; used by the military police) 41 ZFB-05 Mortars: Anti-Air: 16 2x37mm Type 65 , 80 2x20mm Oerlikon K20 , 50 HN-5 MANPAD Surface-to-air missile Anti-Tank: RPG-7 , Type 69-1 , 2,000 66 mm M72A3 LAW , RL-83 Blindicide 90 mm M-20 Super-Bazooka, 90 mm M67 recoilless , 82 mm Type 65/78 recoilless , 105 mm M40A1 recoilless , 40 HJ-8B Red Arrow ATGM Tactical transport vehicles: 30 M988 HMMWV , 40 Kojak (local production) Utility transport vehicles: M151 , CJ-5 , CJ-7 , Jeep Wrangler , BJ 2020VJ , horses (still used by

1785-438: The main means to get into the city. In March 2012, more than 1.5 million vehicles were registered. Heavy traffic is common in the city center and traffic jams occur on peak hours. The La Paz-El Alto Highway is a toll road that connects the city of La Paz with the neighboring city of El Alto . It is the city's main highway. It allows easy access to El Alto International Airport . The highway runs 11,7 km and crosses

1836-479: The most important universities of the country: La Paz is an important cultural center of Bolivia. The city hosts several cathedrals belonging to the colonial times, such as the San Francisco Cathedral and the Metropolitan Cathedral, this last one located on Murillo Square, which is also home of the political and administrative power of the country. Hundreds of different museums can be found across

1887-526: The nine departments, La Paz was originally the most populous, with 2,706,351 inhabitants as of 2012 but the far eastern department of Santa Cruz has since surpassed it by 2020; Santa Cruz also claims the title as the largest, encompassing 370,621 square kilometres (143,098 sq mi). Pando is the least populated, with a population of 110,436. The smallest in area is Tarija , encompassing 37,623 square kilometres (14,526 sq mi). La Paz La Paz , officially Nuestra Señora de La Paz ,

1938-421: The preparation of agricultural products. However, in the urban center of La Paz, small plants carry out a large portion of the industry. Food, tobacco products, clothing, various consumer goods, building materials, and agricultural tools are produced. "The tin quotations from London are watched in La Paz with close interest as an index of the country's prosperity; a third of the national revenue and more than half of

1989-568: The primary subdivisions of Bolivia, and possess certain rights under the Constitution of Bolivia . Each department is represented in the Plurinational Legislative Assembly —a bicameral legislature consisting of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Each department is represented by four Senators, while Deputies are awarded to each department in proportion to their total population. Out of

2040-495: The river, changes names over its length, but the central tree-lined section running through the downtown core is called the Prado. The geography of La Paz (in particular the altitude) is marked by social differences. The more affluent residents live in the lower, central areas of the city southwest of the Prado. Many middle-class residents live in high-rise condos near the center. Lower-income residents live in makeshift brick houses in

2091-539: The shift of the Bolivian economy away from the largely exhausted silver mines of Potosí to the exploitation of tin near Oruro , and resulting shifts in the distribution of economic and political power among various national elites . The segregation of Cholitas (women of Andean indigenous background) continued until the 1980s. They were not allowed to enter certain public places and were banned from cinemas and some restaurants, with more emphasis in Bolivian eastern cities like Santa Cruz De La Sierra . La Paz

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2142-558: The small rivers of the place; spelling differences due to Aymara writing compared to Spanish transliteration) in the Aymara language, leading former President of Bolivia Evo Morales to suggest renaming the city to "Chuquiago Marka" in a speech in 2017. This area had been the site of an Inca city on a major trading route. Although the Spanish conquistadors entered the area in 1535, they did not found La Paz until 1548. Originally it

2193-601: The surrounding hills. The satellite city of El Alto, where the airport is, is spread over a broad area to the west of the canyon, on the Altiplano. An earthquake in July 1994 rated at 8.2 struck 200 miles (322 km) north of La Paz. It could be felt near La Paz and caused damage throughout the villages of the area. In February 2002 the city was subjected to a hail and rainstorm that resulted in flooding causing serious damage and over 50 deaths. At more than 4,000 meters (13,000 ft) above sea level, higher parts of La Paz have

2244-408: The total customs in 1925 were derived from tin; in short, that humble but indispensable metal is the hub around which Bolivia's economic life revolves. The tin deposits of Bolivia, second largest in the world, ... invite development." La Paz is the home of some of the biggest football teams in Bolivia. The city is host to several other teams that play in the first and second divisions such as: With

2295-550: The valley of Chuquiago Marka. La Paz was under Spanish colonial rule as part of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata , before Bolivia gained independence. Since its founding, the city was the site of numerous revolts. In 1781, the indigenous leader and independence activist Túpac Katari laid siege to the city for a total of six months, but was finally defeated. On 16 July 1809, the Bolivian patriot Pedro Domingo Murillo ignited

2346-449: The vicinity of the Plaza Murillo. Due to a lack of funds and the inability of property owners to pay for restorations to colonial buildings, many have been torn down, or are in a dilapidated state. As historic buildings are more expensive to keep, land owners find it less of a burden to construct more modern buildings as opposed to keeping the old ones. Although there has been an increasing number of projects and propositions to restore some of

2397-637: The vote. The army stormed the Presidential Palace in the capital of La Paz . Subsequently, the Generals of the three branches of the military were dismissed, with Juan José Zúñiga , the leader of the coup attempt, being arrested the same day. He was replaced as General of the Army by José Wilson Sánchez . Departments of Bolivia Bolivia is a unitary state consisting of nine departments ( Spanish : departamentos ). Departments are

2448-619: The world. The runway has a length of 4,000 meters (2.5 mi). It is one of Bolivia's three main international gateways, along with Jorge Wilstermann International Airport and Viru Viru International Airport . International carriers serving El Alto International Airport include Avianca and LATAM Airlines , which offer direct flights from La Paz to cities such as Bogotá , Lima , and Santiago . However, most international traffic, including flights to Europe , operated out of Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz de la Sierra which

2499-471: Was hanged at the Plaza de los Españoles several months later, on 29 January 1810. After Bolivia gained independence, La Paz named this plaza after him, to commemorate him always. He is remembered as the voice of revolution across South America. In 1898, La Paz was made the de facto seat of the national government, with Sucre remaining the nominal historical as well as judiciary capital. This change reflected

2550-584: Was opened in 2014. Eight lines are in operation, and three more lines are in the planning stage. The initial three lines were built by the Austrian company Doppelmayr . The first two lines (Red and Yellow) connected La Paz with El Alto . All stations have both a Spanish name and an Aymara name. The water supply of La Paz is threatened by the impact of climate change through the melting of glaciers. The city receives its drinking water from three water systems: El Alto, Achachicala and Pampahasi. La Paz shares

2601-464: Was to be at the site of the Native American settlement, Laja . The town site was moved a few days later to its present location in the valley of Chuquiago, which is more clement. Control over the former Inca lands had been entrusted to Pedro de la Gasca by the Spanish king (and Holy Roman Emperor) Emperor Charles V . Gasca commanded Alonso de Mendoza to found a new city commemorating

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