6 August: Bolivia Independence Day

Bolivia celebrates independence from Spain in 1825 today, on Bolivia's National Day.

1. It has two capital cities and two Flags. The official capital is Sucre, (named after Don Antonio José de Sucre, the great marshal of the Battle of Ayacucho) and the seat of government is in La Paz which at 3,650m (11,975ft) above sea level, is the highest capital city in the world. Even higher is El Alto at 4,150m (13,615ft), which is the highest large city (large city being defined as having a population of more than 100,000) in the world. The largest city in Bolivia is Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
2. The state flag is a horizontal tricolour of red, Yellow and Green, often with the coat of arms in the centre. There is also the Wiphala, commonly used, especially by indigenous peoples, as an alternative flag. It's a square flag divided into 49 squares with colours arranged diagonally with a white diagonal in the middle and the colours of the Rainbow on either side.
3. In La Paz, people are employed to dress up as Zebras and wander the streets helping children cross the road and to educate people about road safety. Important, since just 35 miles (56km) north of the city is the world's most dangerous road, the North Yungas Road, commonly referred to as ‘The Road of Death’. Not for the nervous driver, or passenger, it is a dirt road just 3 metres wide with continuous threats of landslides and a 1,000 metre cliff face. It's only 50 miles (69km) long but between 200 and 300 people are killed on it each year.
4. La Paz was the first city in South America to get an Electricity supply - powered by llama dung. An old superstition in Bolivia is that it is lucky to have a dried llama foetus buried under the foundations of your house.
5. There is also a clock in the main square of the La Paz which runs backwards to remind its citizens to think outside of the box.
6. 70% of the world's supply of Brazil nuts are produced in Bolivia.
7. Bolivia is home to the largest salt flat in the world, Salar de Uyuni, 10,582 square kilometres in size. There is a hotel there built entirely out of Salt, including all the furniture and fittings.
8. Bolivia is home to the largest Butterfly sanctuary in the world (The Guembe Biocenter, 24 hectares) and the largest collection of Dinosaur footprints (about 5,000 of them in Cal Orcko on the outskirts of Sucre).
9. There is a prison in Bolivia where the inmates can buy or rent their accommodation and their families can live in the prison with them. It's like a community in itself and has shops and restaurants run by the prisoners.
10. The Constitution of Bolivia recognises 36 official languages besides Spanish.