Bolivia

Named for South America's famed independence fighter Sim?n Bol?var, landlocked Bolivia rests in the center of the continent. With its snowy mountain peaks, tropical rain forests, and grasslands, the nation holds vast mineral resources and great natural beauty. The Andes Mountain range dominates the western third of Bolivia, where most of its 10 million people live. More than 60 percent of Bolivia's citizens are Native Americans, who historically have been dominated by the white and mestizo minority. However, with the 2006 election of the country's first indigenous president, Evo Morales, and the passage of a new constitution in 2009, Native Americans have gained greater rights and freedoms. Despite this, Bolivia continues to face many challenges, and remains one of the least-developed and poorest countries in Latin America. There's a lot to discover about Bolivia! Each title in this series contains color photos, maps, a chronology of events related to the country, recipes, list of festivals, ideas for projects and reports, and back matter including: an index, further reading lists for books and internet resources, and a series glossary. Mason Crest's editorial team has placed Key Icons to Look for throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are then used in the prose throughout that chapter, and are emboldened, so that the reader is able to reference back to the definitions- building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Text Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader's comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each book and provide readers with suggestions for projects and reports that encourage deeper research and analysis. A Series Glossary of Key Terms is included in the back matter contains terminology used throughout the series. Words found here broaden the reader's knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field.