Cobija
| Cobija | |
|---|---|
| Capital city of the Pando Department, Bolivia. | |
 | |
  Cobija | |
| Coordinates: 11°02′S 68°44′W / 11.033°S 68.733°W | |
| Country |
 Bolivia |
| Department |
 Pando Department |
| Province | Nicolás Suárez |
| Founded | 1906 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Ana Lucia Reis Melena |
| Area | |
| • Total | 401 km2 (155 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 280 m (919 ft) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Total | 55,692 |
| • Density | 140/km2 (360/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-4 |
| Area code(s) | +591 842 |
| Website | Official website |
The Bolivian city of Cobija is located about 600 km (373 mi.) north of La Paz in the Amazon Basin on the border with Brazil. Cobija lies on banks of the Rio Acre across from the Brazilian city Brasiléia. Cobija lies at an elevation of ca. 280 m (920 ft.) above sea level and has a tropical and rainy climate.
Cobija has approximately 56,000 inhabitants, is the seat of a university and capital of the Bolivian Pando Department. Cobija has two airports and is connected by one road to El Choro in the Beni Department, which is not always passable during the rainy season. When the rain allows it, Cobija is connected to the rest of Bolivia also via road. Cobija is connected to Brazil by two bridges.
History
Cobija was founded in 1906 by Colonel Enrique Cornejo, originally under the name of Bahía and received its current name in 1908 in commemoration of the former Bolivian seaport Cobija on the Pacific, which has been a part of Chile since the War of the Pacific. In the early 1900s, Cobija experienced a boom as an India rubber industry center. When the industry collapsed, a major source of income being lost, Cobija became impoverished and its population fell. Nowadays, Cobija is developing again and its population is increasing. Currently, the region's primary industry is Brazil nuts, although tourism and commerce are growing.
Climate
The city of Cobija sits on a sharp curve of the Acre river. Located at an altitude of 280 meters above sea level and in the northwestern jungle region – in Brazilian border – Cobija is considered the rainiest region in Bolivia. It is also a warm spot (exception made for a couple of weeks a year, when a fresh wind from the south blows), with day temperatures above 26 degrees Celsius (80 Fahrenheit) most of the time. Cobija has two seasons: The rain season (when is possible to enjoy powerful rainfalls and the vegetation is at its best) and the dry season (when roads are good and excursions deep into the Jungle are made possible, to "lago Bay" for instance). Usually locals use the hottest hours of the day to stay at home, have lunch and a good siesta. But the most active ones enjoy also outdoor activities. The average annual precipitation averages between 1,500mm to 2,000+mm depending upon the seasonal flooding intensity. Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, Cobija is not the wettest area in Bolivia, as the average annual precipitation in the Chapare lowlands of Cochabamba can receive more than 5,500mm of rain per year in some areas.
Transportation
Cobija is served by major Bolivian airlines at Captain Aníbal Arab Airport.
Coordinates: 11°02′S 68°44′W / 11.033°S 68.733°W