Litoral Department
The Department of Litoral, commonly known as the Bolivian coast, was the description of the extent of the Pacific coast of the Atacama desert included in the territory of Bolivia since its inception in 1825 until 1879.
Background
When Bolivia emerged in 1825 as an independent state, these territories were part of the Bolivian Potosí Department. During the government of Andrés de Santa Cruz, the territories were established as the department of Litoral.
The main towns on the Pacific coast named, were from north to south, Cobija, Mejillones and Antofagasta.
The port of Paposo was taken from the colony as the capital of the coast Atacameño. Chile, once it consolidated its independence, looked to their territories north and executed various acts of sovereignty on the coast of the desert, as part of its territory throughout the coast to the mouth of the river Loa, as it formed the border with Peru, putting more if not for the establishment of Bolivia which was established in the town of Cobija.
Treaties
Subsequently, as the treaty of 1866 established the border between the two States on the parallel 24°, but establishing an area of common interests between 23 and 25 degrees south latitude.
Subsequently signed the treaty of 1874, which establishes the final boundary between the two nations the parallel 24 °, provided that during the period of 25 years shall not impose new taxes to the Chilean people and companies based in the area.
Chile was willing to move down the coast from the desert to allow Bolivia a sovereign outlet to the ocean, under the conditions seen before, eliminating the regime of common interests of the treaty of 1866.
Bolivia and Peru, bound by a secret treaty of defensive alliance since 1873 (one year before the border treaty with Chile), were defeated by Chile in the War of the Pacific which lasted until 1884, losing the Bolivian coast and Peruvian department Tarapacá. This was not the casus belli, but then a valuable source of saltpeter.
Claim
Since then, Bolivia retains the policy of state territorial claim of a sovereign outlet to the Pacific Ocean. As part of this policy, the national coat of arms shows 10 stars, 9 of the current departments, plus the Bolivian coast.
The internal communications of the armed forces carried the slogan in the footnotes: "The sea is our right. To recover it is a must."
Also in Santa Cruz, for choosing beauty contests, as well as Miss Santa Cruz, Miss Litoral.