Chiquitos Province is one of the fifteen provinces of the

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

n Santa Cruz Department, situated in the center of the department. Its capital is

San José de Chiquitos San José de Chiquitos or simply San José is the capital of Chiquitos Province in the Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia. It is known as part of the ''Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos'', which is declared in 1990 a World Heritage Site, as a former ...

. The province was created on January 23, 1826, during the presidency of

marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used for elevated o ...

Antonio José de Sucre Antonio José de Sucre y Alcalá (; 3 February 1795 – 4 June 1830), known as the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" ( en, "Grand Marshal of Ayacucho"), was a Venezuelan independence leader who served as the president of Peru and as the second p ...

. It forms the so-called " Gran Chiquitania" together with José Miguel de Velasco Province,

Ñuflo de Chávez Province Ñuflo de Chávez is one of the fifteen provinces of the Bolivian Santa Cruz Department and is situated in the northern central parts of the department. The name of the province honors the conquistador Ñuflo de Chaves (1518–1556) who founded th ...

Ángel Sandoval Province Ángel Sandoval Province is one of the fifteen provinces of the Bolivian Santa Cruz Department and is situated in the department's eastern parts. Location ''Ángel Sandoval Province'' is located between 16° 16' and 18° 00' South and between ...

, and

Germán Busch Province Germán Busch is a province in the Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia. Most of the surface is covered by the Pantanal, the largest wetland area in the world. History The province was founded on 30 November 1984 by rearranging the provinces of Ánge ...

Location

Chiquitos Province is located between 17° 00' and 18° 37' South and between 58° 54' and 62° 45'

West West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...

. It extends over 500 km from West to East, and up to 220 km from North to South. The province is situated in the Bolivian lowlands and borders

in the northwest, Andrés Ibáñez Province in the west, Cordillera Province in the south,

in the southeast,

in the east, and José Miguel de Velasco Province in the north.

Division

Chiquitos Province comprises three

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

which are further subdivided into cantons.

Population

The population of Chiquitos Province has increased by circa 15% over the recent five years, from 59,754 inhabitants (2001

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

) to 68,445 inhabitants (2005 est.).Instituto Nacional de Estadística
A substantial part of the population consists of German speaking Mennonites from Russia.

Environment

Increased agricultural use of the land has led to deforestation in the area.

Places of interest

Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area (''Parque Nacional y Area Natural de Manejo Integrado Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco)'' is the biggest national park in Bolivia and one of the largest in South America. It is a p ...

Tucavaca Valley Municipal Reserve Tucavaca Valley Municipal Reserve (''Reserva Municipal Valle de Tucavaca'') is a protected area in Bolivia situated in the Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia), Santa Cruz Department, Chiquitos Province, Roboré Municipality. The reserve is located at ...

Gallery

File:San José de Chiquitos.jpg,

mission church File:Iglesia de Santiago de Chiquitos.jpg,

Santiago de Chiquitos Santiago de Chiquitos is a small town in Roboré Municipality in Chiquitos Province, Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia. The mission of Santiago de Chiquitos is one of the Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos. The town is located 467 km east of the city ...

mission church File:Reserva Natural Valle de Tucavaca.jpg,

References

External links

General map of provincePopulation data (Spanish)
{{coord, 18, 00, S, 60, 00, W, type:adm2nd_region:BO, display=title Provinces of Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia)