Bolivia is named after Simon Bolivar, who led the country to independence in 1825. Throughout the country’s colonial history, Bolivia was known as 'Upper Peru'. The country's name therefore instigates great national pride, but such pride is marred by past turmoil – a past that has been dogged by the succession of caudillos (military dictators) who tried, with mixed success, to integrate the country’s three disparate regions – the central region, the eastern Andes and the Altiplano – into a national entity in the early years of independence.
Bolivia is beautiful and striking. There are currently 10 national parks and eight protected areas in Bolivia, as well as many other areas being re-evaluated for park or protected area status. Although it once held claim to the Atacama coastal strip (lost in the 1928 Wars against Paraguay), Bolivia is now landlocked but never feels claustrophobic, blessed with breathtaking lakes and lofty mountains. It is difficult to know what is more stunning: the Bolivian's gentle struggle to survive amidst a legacy of poverty and unrest, or the struggle of the Altiplano to ascend ever higher. Standing as tall as the mountains, the pride that the Bolivians have for their homeland is always evident – and always justified.
