Altiplano

The Altiplano (Spanish for "high plain"), Collao (Quechua and Aymara: Qullaw, meaning "place of the Qulla") or Andean Plateau is a plateau in west-central South America. Located at the latitude of the widest part of the north–south-trending Andes, it is the most extensive high plateau on Earth outside Tibet. The bulk of the Altiplano lies in Bolivia, but its northern parts lie in Peru, its southwestern fringes lie in Chile, and it extends into Argentina. Many towns and several cities are on the plateau, including El Alto and Oruro in Bolivia and Juliaca and Puno in Peru. The northeastern part of the Altiplano is more humid than the southwestern part, which has several salares (salt flats), due to its aridity. At the Bolivia–Peru border lies Lake Titicaca, the largest lake in South America. Farther south, in Bolivia, Lake Poopó existed until recently, but by December 2015, it had completely dried up, and was declared defunct. Whether that lake, which had been the second-largest in Bolivia, can be restored is unclear. The Altiplano was the site of several pre-Columbian cultures, including the Chiripa, Tiawanaku, and the Inca Empire. Spain conquered the region in the 16th century. Today, major economic activities in the Altiplano include mining, llama and vicuña herding, and services (in its cities). The area also attracts some international tourism.

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