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BOLIVIA
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Department of Santa Cruz
Extension: 370.621
km².
Population: 1.364.389 inhabitants
Departmental Capital: Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Language: Spanish, Guarani, and several tongues.
International Airport: “Viru – Viru”
DESCRIPTION
The Department of Santa Cruz is a department of Bolivia and the
largest in the country, with a surface of 370,621 km2 (33.74% of the
national territory) and 2,433,602 inhabitants (2005). Located in the
eastern area, to the north it borders with the Department of Beni
and the Republic of Brazil, to the south with the Department of
Chuquisaca and the Republic of Paraguay, to the east with the
Republic of Brazil, and to the west with the Departments of
Cochabamba and Chuquisaca. It is the most industrialized region and
the main center of domestic consumption; it has the highest per
capita income of the country, with a high rate of annual growth,
mainly represented by farming and forestry production; it also has
the most important oil and gas exploration areas. Its capital is the
city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra..
CLIMATE
This department’s climate varies according to the geographic area
from temperate to cold in the western region, and temperate to warm
as you go down into the plains. The local climate can be described
as warm with relative humidity.
ECONOMY
Santa Cruz’s industry represents 23% of
the economically active population in Bolivia. The department is
mainly characterized by processing agricultural and forestry products,
where soy beans, sugar cane, cotton, leather, and wood stand out. The
manufacturing sector is also strongly represented, although the
department is eminently agricultural. Santa Cruz cultivates over 45%
of the country’s agricultural production and contributes over 40% of
the national agricultural production, although in some areas such as
fibers, its contribution reaches 97.54%, oleaginous products 95.61%,
tobacco 84.41%, and sugar cane 78.40%. Its main export products are:
soy cake (fat-free flour), soy beans, crude soy bean oil, non-carded
and non-combed cotton, integral soy flour, white refined sugar,
metallic gold, refined soy bean oil, lumber, wooden doors and windows,
cured leather, sunflower cake and oil, and canned hearts of palm,
among other items. We can additionally identify raw materials and
supplies; consumption, intermediate, and capital goods, such as those
having the greatest significance in imports. The main products are:
soy beans, lumber, cotton, rice, sugar cane, corn, wheat, vanilla,
coffee, sunflowers, cacao, crude oil and natural gas. “Mutun” is found
in the southeastern part of the department, from which approximately
100 thousand tons of minerals a year are exported to Paraguay, and
gems such as the bolivianita, ayoreita and amethysts are also exported.
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