Sur Lípez Province

Sur Lípez / Sud Lípez
Province
Laguna Verde and Laguna Blanca as seen from Licancabur, Sud Lípez Province
Laguna Verde and Laguna Blanca as seen from Licancabur, Sud Lípez Province
Flag of Sur Lípez / Sud Lípez
Flag
Coat of arms of Sur Lípez / Sud Lípez
Coat of arms
Location of the Sud Lípez Province within Bolivia
Location of the Sud Lípez Province within Bolivia
Provinces of the Potosí Department
Provinces of the Potosí Department
Coordinates: 22°04′0″S 67°07′0″W / 22.06667°S 67.11667°W / -22.06667; -67.11667
Country Bolivia
DepartmentPotosí Department
CapitalSan Pablo
Area
 • Total
8,631 sq mi (22,355 km2)
Population
 (2024)
 • Total
6,099
 • Density0.71/sq mi (0.27/km2)
 • Ethnicities
Quechua
Time zoneUTC-4 (BOT)

Sur Lípez or Sud Lípez is a province in the Potosí Department in Bolivia. The seat of the province is San Pablo de Lípez.

Location

Sur Lípez is one of sixteen provinces in the Potosí Department. Also, the southwesternmost point of Bolivia is located here, at 22° 49' 41.016" South, 67° 52' 35.004" West, at an elevation of approximately 5,400 m on the northeastern slope of the Licancabur volcano.

It is bordered by the Nor Lípez Province in the north and northwest, Enrique Baldivieso Province in the west, the Republic of Chile in the southwest and south, the Republic of Argentina in the southeast and east, and Sud Chichas Province in the northeast.

The province extends from the northeast to the southwest, at a length of 230 km and an average width of 100 km.

Geography

In its southwestern part, the Quetena Grande Canton lies in the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, the province has a couple of lakes and salt pans, the largest being Laguna Colorada, which is 10 km in diameter at an elevation of 4,278 m. Other lakes, such as Laguna Verde, Laguna Blanca and Laguna Celeste are also well known for their respectively green, white and blue colors. There is a geyser field called "Sol de Mañana" in southwestern Sur Lípez.[1]

The Cordillera de Lípez traverses the province. The highest mountain of the province is Uturunku at 6,008 m (19,711 ft). Other mountains are listed below:[2][3][4]

The tourist circuit La Ruta de las Joyas Altoandinas passes through the spectacular geography of this area.

Division

The province comprises three municipalities are further subdivided into cantons.

Section Municipality Seat
1st San Pablo de Lípez Municipality San Pablo de Lípez
2nd Mojinete Municipality Mojinete
3rd San Antonio de Esmoruco Municipality San Antonio de Esmoruco

Population

The population increased from 4,158 (1992 census) to 4,905 inhabitants (2001 census), an increase of 18%.

99.4% of the population have no access to electricity, and 90% have no sanitary facilities. 69% of the population is employed in agriculture, 4% in mining, 4% in industry, and 23% in general services. 86% of the population are Catholics, 9% are Protestants.

The people are predominantly indigenous citizens of Quechua descent.[5]

Ethnic group San Pablo de Lípez Municipality (%) Mojinete Municipality (%) San Antonio de Esmoruco Municipality (%)
Quechua 81.5 98.3 88.4
Aymara 0.8 1.0 0.5
Guaraní, Chiquitos, Moxos 0.0 0.0 0.0
Not indigenous 17.5 0.37 10.9
Other indigenous groups 0.1 0.0 0.02

Languages

The languages spoken in the province are mainly Spanish and Quechua.

Language San Pablo de Lípez Municipality Mojinete Municipality San Antonio de Esmoruco Municipality
Quechua 1,722 595 1,344
Aymara 24 3 9
Guaraní 0 0 1
Another native 0 0 1
Spanish 2,043 571 1,315
Foreign 9 0 0
Only native 313 95 204
Native and Spanish 1,419 503 1,146
Only Spanish 624 68 169

See also

A view of the Sur Lipez desert

References

  1. ^ Sol de Mañana
  2. ^ "San Pablo de Lípez". INE, Bolivia. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  3. ^ Bolivian IGM map 1:250,000 Volcán Juriques SF-19-11
  4. ^ BIGM map 1:50,000 San Pablo de Lípez 6228-I
  5. ^ obd.descentralizacion.gov.bo

22°04′S 67°07′W / 22.067°S 67.117°W / -22.067; -67.117