The Lonely Planet Guide to Bolivia
Chavarria - Fiesta Criolla (Bolivie 1718). Gabriel Garrido.
Alvis Florindo.
900 to 1200: Tiahuanaco civilisations.
1555: Charles the Fifth declared Potosi
an imperial city.
1781: Indian revolt.
1825: Creation of the Republic
of Bolivia.
1879 - 1883: Pacific War.
1901: Acre War
with Brazil.
1951: Peasant and Workers' Revolution.
1967: Death
of Ernesto "Che" Guevara.
1989: Election of President Jaime Paz
Zamora.
August 2001: President Hugo Banzer, afflicted with cancer,
resigned. Vice-President Jorge Quiroga, 41, succeeded him for a
year.
August 2002: the liberal Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, 72, was elected
President by Congress.
17 October 2003: Flight of
President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada to the USA following an uprising.
Carlos Mesa (Vice President) took over the Presidency.
06 March
2005: Resignation of President Carlos Mesa
09 March
2005: his resignation was unanimously rejected by the members of
Congress. Carlos Mesa therefore remained President.
December 2005: Evo Morales, the
left-wing Indian leader, was elected President of the country.
1 January: New Year's Day
24 January: La Paz - Alasitas festival
February: Potosi - The Miners' Carnival
2 February: Copacabana, Aiquile, Samaipata: Festival of the Virgin of Candelaria - pilgrimages, masses, folklore festivities
10-11 February: Oruro - Carnival in honour of the Virgin of Socavon
10 February: Culture and tourism festivals - public holiday and art exhibitions across the country
February-March: Oruro, Tarija, Santa Cruz, Vallegrande - Carnaval - dancing, disguises and beauty queens
19 March: San Ignacio - feast of St. Joseph
21 March: Spring feast
March-April: Easter
24 June: Feast of St. Jean - dances and fireworks
29 June: Lac Titicaca - Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul
25 July: La Paz-Laja - Feast of St. James - traditional dances
Beginning of August: La Paz - University Carnival - dance and music performed by students through the streets
1 August: Feast of La Pachamama - celebration of 'mother earth'
5 August: Copacabana - Feast of the Virgin - dances and religious ceremonies
10 August: Tarija - Feast of St. Lorenzo - one of the longest celebrated festivals in southern Bolivia
15 August: Cochabamba-Urkupina - Feast of the Assumption - pilgrims gather to celebrate in large numbers so be aware that there may be delays in the run up to and after the festival
October: Tarja - Festival of flowers
November: All saints
24 December: Bolivian Christmas - as the clock strikes midnight, locals eat "la Piquana", a traditional Bolivian Christmas dish
25 December: Christmas Day