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Andes
- AndesAges ago geologic forces pushed the bed of the Pacific Ocean against landmasses in both North and South America. The rocks between the rising Pacific bed and the old lands were squeezed and forced into a towering mountain system called the Cordilleras, from a Spanish term meaning “little ropes.” The South American Cordilleras are called the Andes, from an Indian word of uncertain origin.
Andes Communities
- BoliviaThe South American republic of Bolivia has great natural wealth, though its location, nestled within two ranges of the Andes, prevents easy access to its riches. Mountains and tropical forests make transportation difficult, and because it is landlocked—meaning that it does not border an ocean—Bolivia has no seacoast for ships. The mountains hold rich deposits of minerals, but they must be mined at altitudes of 13,000 to 15,000 feet (4,000 to 4,550 meters) where physical labor is extremely difficult. Mahogany, rubber, cinchona, and other valuable trees are abundant, but they grow in highly inaccessible tropical rain forests. Area 424,164 square miles (1,098,581 square kilometers). Population (2014 est.) 10,303,000.
- BoliviaBolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and countercoups. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. In December 2005, Bolivians elected Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's traditional political class and empower the nation's poor, indigenous majority. In December 2009, President MORALES easily won reelection, and his party took control of the legislative branch of the government, which will allow him to continue his process of change. In October 2011, the country held its first judicial elections to select judges for the four highest courts.
- EcuadorThe Republic of Ecuador lies along the equator, for which it is named, on the northwestern coast of South America. On a map of the continent, Ecuador seems quite small in comparison to other countries such as Brazil and Colombia. However, Ecuador is larger than the United Kingdom. It is bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west, Colombia on the north, and Peru on the east and south. Its national territory includes the Galápagos Islands, located 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) west of the mainland. Area 98,985 square miles (256,370 square kilometers). Population (2014 est.) 15,792,000.
- EcuadorWhat is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 30 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period was marred by political instability. Protests in Quito contributed to the mid-term ouster of three of Ecuador's last four democratically elected presidents. In late 2008, voters approved a new constitution, Ecuador's 20th since gaining independence. General elections were held in February 2013, and voters re-elected President Rafael CORREA.
- PeruThis South American land of arid coasts, high Andes Mountains, and Amazon rainforest is more than three times the size of the U.S. state of California and is equal to Spain, France, and the United Kingdom combined. Peru is the third largest country in South America after Brazil and Argentina and the fourth in Latin America (which includes Mexico). It is also the fifth most populous Latin American nation. The capital and largest city is Lima. Area 496,225 square miles (1,285,216 square kilometers). Population (2014 est.) 30,148,000.
- PeruAncient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces were defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime, which led to his resignation in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which installed Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique as the new head of government - Peru's first democratically elected president of indigenous ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA Perez who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, oversaw a robust economic rebound. In June 2011, former army officer Ollanta HUMALA Tasso was elected president, defeating Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi, the daughter of Alberto FUJIMORI. Since his election, HUMALA has carried on the sound, market-oriented economic policies of the three preceding administrations.