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Types of climate in Bolivia |
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Bolivia is an extremely varied country and this variation is expressed in its climate. During the same period of the year, it enjoys a range of climates, most of them not extreme.
The climatic zones are divided into: the plains, which are located almost at sea level in eastern Bolivia, where the average temperature is 25ºC (77ºF); the valleys or temperate zones at heights of between 1 000 and 3 000 meters above sea level in the central part of the country, where the average temperature is 15ºC (50ºF); and the high plateau at an average height of 3 500 masl in western Bolivia, where the temperature averages 10ºC (40ºF) but can be higher during the day.
Maximum altitude:
The peak of Mt. Sajama in western Bolivia soars 6 542 meters.
Minimum altitude:
The Upper Paraguay river basin in eastern Bolivia is 100 meters below sea level.
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| Department |
Type of climate |
| La Paz |
Subtropical high altitude climate fluctuating between 5ºC and 20ºC. The rainy season extends from December to March. During the rest of the year it is generally cold in La Paz and on the high plateau, dry and without appreciable precipitation. The subtropical “Los Yungas” area is hot.
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Santa Cruz
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The climate ranges, according to the geographic zones, from warm to cold in the west and warm to hot as one descends toward the tropical plains. The local climate is hot with relative humidity.
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| Cochabamba |
It is cold in the mountains, temperate in the southern mountain valleys and from warm to hot in the eternal snows of the Andes, cold to temperate at the mountain fringe on the northern flank of the Andes; mild to hot in the northern Yungas (warm valleys), hot in the north and hot in the southeast. In the southeastern area, which enjoys the department’s lowest rainfall, it is dry and hot.
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| Chuquisaca |
The temperature in the valleys to the north, center and southwest is mild, while in the northeast and east, it is hot. |
| Tarija |
In the west, it is mild and cold, in the center, temperate, and in the south and east, hot. |
| Oruro |
This department has a polar climate: cold and dry in the rough high Andean plateaus and cold in the high Bolivian plains. |
| Beni |
This department has a moist tropical climate. |
| Pando |
The entire department is tropical and hot. |
| Potosí |
This department has a cold dry climate that is temperate in the valleys. One of the coldest areas is the Uyuni salt flat, where the temperature regularly drops to 20ºC below zero. |
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Recommended clothing |
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Because of the sharply different altitudes in the country, from the high plains to the Amazon basin, travelers should carry both hot- and cold-weather clothing with them, irrespective of the season of their visit.
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-Waterproof windbreaker.
-Waterproof trousers.
-Bathing suit.
-Sun glasses.
-Sunscreen with a high UV protection factor.
-Comfortable footwear.
-Thin socks.
-Warm socks.
-Camera
To sum up, we suggest that you bring with you at least one change of clothing for a warm climate and another for cold weather.
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