The democratic republic of Bolivia is a developing nation with an estimated population of 10 million people. Situated in the central zone of South America, Bolivia is a land-locked country that has stood witness to dictatorships and political instability, leading to a weakening economy. Split into nine departments, Bolivia, or Plurinational State of Bolivia as it is officially known, has a geography extending from the peaks of the Andes in the West to the Eastern Lowlands falling within the Amazon Basin.
The surface of the world's 28th largest country spreads from the Central Andes, slipping into the Gran Chaco, up to the Amazon. Puerto Estrella on the Rio Grande in Nuflo de Chavez Province is Bolivia's geographic center. An extensive variety of terrain and climate contribute to the country's geographic location. Bolivia's biodiversity is among the greatest in the world. It also includes in its fold various eco-regions with such ecological sub-units as the Altiplano, tropical rain forests, dry valleys, and the Chiquitania.