Achacachi

Achacachi is a small town on the Altiplano of the South American Andean high altitude in Bolivia.

Location in near space

Achacachi ( Aymara: Jach'ak'achi ) is located at an altitude of 3854 m on the Achacachi peninsula on the eastern shore of Lake Titicaca, 96 kilometers north of the provincial capital La Paz The city is capital of the province Omasuyos and the starting point for trekking tours to Lake Titicaca in the Illampú massif or along the Río Keka. After the Spanish conquest, the town was called Villa de Lealtad Cacere, named after the first resident Spanish landowners.

Geography

The climate in the area Achacachi is derived from the altitude on the Altiplano and proximity to large water surface of Lake Titicaca, which mitigates the temperature fluctuations.

The average annual temperature is 11 ° C (see climate chart Achacachi ), the monthly average in the coldest month (July ) with 8 ° C only slightly from the warmest months ( November to March) deviates by 12 ° C. The climate is arid June to August with only sporadic rainfall and humid in the summer months, especially December to March, with monthly rainfall of sometimes more than 100 mm. The annual rainfall is about 600 mm.

History

Achacachi was before the time of the Inca capital of Umasuyus - people on the eastern shore of Lake Titicaca, which successfully won against the subjugation by the Incas to fight back. As a result, the indigenous population of the region continues to speak Aymara and Quechua not.

Upon arrival of the Spanish conquerors there already existed a city called " Jach'a Kach'i " ( in the language of Aymara " jach'a " = large and " k'achi " = Crag ), from which the Spaniards made the name Achacachi. On January 24, 1826, the city administrative center of the province.

Population

The population of the town has risen in the past two decades to double:

Ethnically, the majority of inhabitants Aymara. Mayor of the town is Eugenio Rojas Apaza which at the municipal election in 2004, 30.5 % of the vote to be united, well ahead Francisco Lipe ( 11.9 %) and other competitors. A prominent son of the village is Juan Vargas Aruquipa, who was born on March 8, 1947 in Achacachi and since 20 August 1997 in the Bolivian Episcopal Diocese of Coroico.

Economy

The city lives mainly from agricultural production, which is operated partly due to the prevailing poverty with primitive means. The focus is on sheep farming and the cultivation of potatoes, quinoa and feed grains.

Policy

Due to the ethnic composition of the great poverty in the population and the situated on the Río Keka military barracks there has been mainly since 2000 repeatedly clashes with the central government and the army to road blockades and violent attacks from both sides. Here, in 2003 and 2005, citizens of the city as well as representatives of state power have lost their lives, both in 2000. Cause of the riots were each the privatization plans of the government for water and natural gas.