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Titicaca
Titicaca - View of the Lake from the Bolivian shore.
View of the Lake from the Bolivian shore. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America.
Coordinates 15°50′S 69°20′W
Lake type Mountain Lake
Primary inflows 27 rivers
Primary outflows Desaguadero River
Evaporation
Catchment area 58,000 km² (22,400 sq mi)
Basin countries Peru
Bolivia
Max. A lake (from Latin lacus) is a Terrain feature (or Physical feature) a body of Liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the In Hydrology, the inflow of a Body of water is the source of the Water in the body of water In Hydrology, the discharge or outflow of a River is the volume of Water transported by it in a certain amount of time The Desaguadero River in Peru and Bolivia is the only river draining Lake Titicaca. Evaporation is the process by which Molecules in a Liquid state (e A drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, A drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. length 190 km (118 mi)
Max. width 80 km (50 mi)
Surface area 8,372 km² (3,232 sq mi)
Average depth 107 m (351 ft)
Max. depth 284 m (932 ft)
Water volume 893 km³ (214 cu mi)
Shore length1 1,125 km (699 mi)
Surface elevation 3,812 m (12,507 ft)
Islands 42+ islands
See Article
Settlements Puno, Peru
Copacabana, Bolivia
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. Puno is a region in southeastern Peru. It is bordered by Bolivia on the east the Madre de Dios Region on the north the Cusco and Copacabana is the main Bolivian town on Lake Titicaca, from where boats leave for Isla del Sol, the sacred Inca island

Lake Titicaca is a lake located on the border of Bolivia and Peru. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. It sits 3,812 m (12,507 ft) above sea level making it the highest commercially navigable lake in the world. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International [1] By volume of water it is also the largest lake in South America. [2][3]


Contents

Overview

The lake is located at the northern end of the endorheic Altiplano basin high in the Andes on the border of Peru and Bolivia. The Altiplano ( Spanish for high plain) where the Andes are at their widest is the most extensive area of High plateau on earth outside The Andes form the world's longest exposed Mountain range. They lie as a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. The western part of the lake lies within the Puno Region of Peru, and the eastern side is located in the Bolivian La Paz Department. Puno is a region in southeastern Peru. It is bordered by Bolivia on the east the Madre de Dios Region on the north the Cusco and

The lake is composed of two nearly separate sub-basins that are connected by the Strait of Tiquina which is 800 m (2,620 ft) across at the narrowest point. The Strait of Tiquina is the passage that connects the larger and smaller parts of Lake Titicaca in Bolivia. The larger sub-basin, Lago Grande (also called Lago Chucuito) has a mean depth of 135 m (443 ft) and a maximum depth of 284 m (932 ft). The smaller sub-basin, Lago Huiñaimarca (also called Lago Pequeño) has a mean depth of 9 m (30 ft) and a maximum depth of 40 m (131 ft). [4] The overall average depth of the lake is 107 m (351 ft). [5]

Lake Titicaca is fed by rainfall and meltwater from glaciers on the sierras that abut the Altiplano. The Altiplano ( Spanish for high plain) where the Andes are at their widest is the most extensive area of High plateau on earth outside Five major river systems feed into Lake Titicaca[6]—in order of their relative flow volumes these are: Ramis, Coata, Ilave, Huancané, and Suchez. "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there [2] More than 20 other smaller rivers empty into Titicaca, and the lake has 41 islands, some of which are densely populated. "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there

Having only a single season of free circulation, the lake is monomictic[7][8] and water passes through Lago Huiñaimarca and flows out the single outlet at the Rio Desaguadero[9], which then flows south through Bolivia to Lake Poopó. Monomictic lakes are Holomictic lakes that mix from top to bottom during one mixing period each year The Desaguadero River in Peru and Bolivia is the only river draining Lake Titicaca. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Lake Poopó is a large saline lake located in a shallow depression in the Altiplano Mountains in Bolivia at an Altitude of approximately This only accounts for about 10% of the lake's water balance. Note The Water Balance method is also a winding mechanism used in mining In Hydrology, a water balance Equation can be used to describes Evapotranspiration, caused by strong winds and intense sunlight at altitude, balances the remaining 90% of the water input. Evapotranspiration (ET is a term used to describe the sum of Evaporation and Plant Transpiration from the earth's land surface to Atmosphere It is nearly a closed lake. [10] [2][11]

Islands

Uros

Uros people harvesting some totora, an aquatic plant used to make their famous floating islands
Uros people harvesting some totora, an aquatic plant used to make their famous floating islands
Uros artificial islands, in Bolivia
Uros artificial islands, in Bolivia

Titicaca is notable for a population of people who live on the Uros, a group of 42 or so artificial islands made of floating reeds (totora, a reed that abounds in the shallows of the lake). The Uros is the name of a group of pre- Incan people who live on 42 self-fashioned floating man-made islets located in Lake Titicaca off Puno, Totora ( Schoenoplectus californicus ssp tatora) is a Subspecies of the giant bulrush sedge. The Uros is the name of a group of pre- Incan people who live on 42 self-fashioned floating man-made islets located in Lake Titicaca off Puno, The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. The Uros is the name of a group of pre- Incan people who live on 42 self-fashioned floating man-made islets located in Lake Titicaca off Puno, An artificial island is an Island that has been constructed by humans rather than formed by natural means Totora ( Schoenoplectus californicus ssp tatora) is a Subspecies of the giant bulrush sedge. These islands have become a major tourist attraction for Peru, drawing excursions from the lakeside city of Puno. Puno is a city in southeastern Peru, located on the shore of Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake at 3860 m (12421 ft above sea level Their original purpose was defensive, and they could be moved if a threat arose. Many of the islands contain watchtowers largely constructed of reeds.

Amantaní

One of the islands from Lake Titicaca: Amantaní in the distance as seen from Taquile
One of the islands from Lake Titicaca: Amantaní in the distance as seen from Taquile

Amantaní is another small island on Lake Titicaca populated by Quechua speakers. Amantaní is an island on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca. Amantaní is an island on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca. Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. About 800 families live in six villages on the roughly circular 15 square kilometres (6 sq mi) island. There are two mountain peaks, called Pachatata (Father Earth) and Pachamama (Mother Earth), and ancient ruins on the top of both peaks. The hillsides that rise up from the lake are terraced and planted with wheat, potatoes, and vegetables. Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. The potato is a Starchy Tuberous crop Vegetable from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae Most of the small fields are worked by hand. Long stone fences divide the fields, and cattle, sheep, and alpacas graze on the hillsides. The Alpaca ( Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species of South American Camelid.

There are no cars on the island, and no hotels. A few small stores sell basic goods, and there is a health clinic and school. Electricity was produced by a generator and provided limited to a couple of hours each day, but with the rising price of the petroleum, they no longer use the generator. Most families use candles or flash lights powered by batteries or hand-cranks.

Some of the families on Amantaní open their homes to tourists for overnight stays and provide cooked meals, arranged through tour guides. The families who do so are required to have a special room set aside for the tourists and must fit a code by the tour companies that help them. Guests typically take food staples (cooking oil, rice, sugar) as a gift or school supplies for the children on the island. They hold nightly traditional dance shows for the tourists where they offer to dress them up in their traditional clothes and participate.

Taquile

Taquile is a hilly island located 35 kilometres east of Puno. Taquile is an island which sits on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca 45 km offshore from the city of Puno. It's narrow and long, and was used as a prison during the Spanish Colony and well into the beginning of the 20th century. In 1970 it became property of the Taquile people, who inhabit the island since then (current population around 3,000). Taquiles have maintained their traditions and culture pretty much unchanged for centuries, and are renowned in the area for their high-quality, colourful textiles. Pre-Inca ruins are found on the highest part of the island, and agricultural terraces on hillsides. The main town in the island, also called Taquile, counts a textile cooperative shop, some small restaurants, and available rooms in family houses where visitors can stay for the night.

Isla del Sol

Situated on the Bolivian side of the lake with regular boat links to the Bolivian town of Copacabana, Isla del Sol ("Island of the sun") is one of the lake's largest islands. Copacabana is the main Bolivian town on Lake Titicaca, from where boats leave for Isla del Sol, the sacred Inca island Isla del Sol is an island in the southern part of Lake Titicaca.

Map of Lake Titicaca
Map of Lake Titicaca

The chronicler Bernabé Cobo documented two versions of an Inca origin myth that took place on the northern part of this island. Bernabé Cobo (born at Lopera in Spain 1582 died at Lima, Peru, 9 October[[ 657]] was a Spanish Jesuit missionary and writer [12] The first Inca Manco Capac is said to have emerged from a prominent crag in a large sandstone outcrop known as Titikala (the Sacred Rock). This article refers to the first Sapa Inca, Manco Cápac For Manco Cápac II son of Inca Huayna Cápac see Manco Inca Yupanqui. Manco Capac is the son of Inti the Andean deity identified as the sun. According to the Inca mythology, Inti was the Sun god, as well a patron deity of Tahuantinsuyu. In one version of the myth, the ancient people of the province were without light in the sky for many days and grew frightened of the darkness. Finally, the people saw the Sun emerge from the crag and believed it was the Sun's dwelling place. In another version related by Cobo, others believed the crag was dedicated to the Sun because it hid under the crag during a great Flood. Isla del Sol was the first land that appeared after the flood waters began to recede and the Sun emerged from Titikala to illuminate the sky once again. A temple was built at this rock and later expanded by the 10th Inca Tupac Inca Yupanqui. Túpac Inca Yupanqui (aka Topa Inca Tupaq Inka Yupanki (literally “noble Inca accountant” was the tenth Sapa Inca (1471-93 CE of the Inca Empire He built a covenant for mamaconas (chosen women) and a tambo (inn) for visiting pilgrims.

A view of Lake Titicaca taken from the town of Puno
A view of Lake Titicaca taken from the town of Puno

Excavations at the archaeological site of Ch'uxuqullu, located on a small peak above the Bay of Challa, led to the recovery of Archaic Preceramic remains that radiocarbon dated to about 2200 cal BC. An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either Prehistoric or historic or contemporary and Carbon-14, 14C, or radiocarbon, is a Radioactive isotope of Carbon discovered on February 27, 1940, by [13] Eight obsidian flakes were recovered from this context, and Neutron Activation Analysis of three of the flakes revealed that all of them were from the Chivay obsidian source which is located in the Colca Canyon, Department of Arequipa. Obsidian is a naturally occurring Glass formed as an extrusive Igneous rock. Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA is a nuclear process used for determining certain concentrations of elements in a vast amount of materials The Chivay obsidian source (715355° S 156423° W 4972 masl is the geological origin of a chemical group of obsidian that is found throughout the south-central Andean highlands including The presence of Chivay obsidian is clear evidence that inhabitants of the island were participating in a wider network of exchange.

According to one bathymetric model[14], there is no path between the shore edge and the Island of the Sun that does not pass over areas where the lake bottom reaches a depth of 200 m (660 ft) or greater. Bathymetry is the underwater equivalent to Hypsometry. The name comes from Greek βαθυς deep, and μετρον measure. Paleoclimate studies indicate that around 3100 BC the level of Lake Titicaca would have been as much as 85 m (279 ft) lower than modern conditions, but that it had reached near modern levels by about 2000 BC. Paleoclimatology (also Palaeoclimatology) is the study of Climate change taken on the scale of the entire History of Earth. [7][15][16] Thus, at 2200 BC lake levels were probably lower than at present. Data from Ch'uxuqullu could suggest that lake shore cultures were using well-developed watercraft technology during the Archaic period. [13]

Underwater archaeological investigations conducted off the Island of the Sun from 1989-92 led to the discovery of both Inca and Tiahuanaco artifacts. These are now on display at a site museum in Challapampa. [17]. Today the economy of the island is mainly driven by tourism revenues, but subsistence agriculture and fishing are widely practiced.

Suriqui

Suriqui lies in the Bolivian part of lake Titicaca (in the south-eastern part also known as lake Huiñamarca)[18].

Suriqui is thought to be the last place where the art of reed boat construction survives, at least as late as in 1998. Craftsmen from Suriqui helped Thor Heyerdahl in the construction of several of his projects, such as the reed boats Ra II and Tigris, and a balloon gondola[19]. Thor Heyerdahl ( October 6, 1914 Larvik, Norway &ndash April 18, 2002 Colla Micheri, Italy) was a Thor Heyerdahl ( October 6, 1914 Larvik, Norway &ndash April 18, 2002 Colla Micheri, Italy) was a

Name

Copacabana, Bolivia
Copacabana, Bolivia
View from space, May 1985 (north is at right)
View from space, May 1985 (north is at right)

The origin of the name Titicaca is unknown. It has been translated as "Rock Puma", allegedly because of its resemblance to the shape of a puma hunting a rabbit, combining words from the local languages Quechua and Aymara, and as well as translated as "Crag of Lead. The cougar ( Puma concolor) also puma, mountain lion, or panther, depending on region is a Mammal of the Felidae family Rabbits are small Mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. Aymara ( Aymar aru) is an Aymaran language spoken by the Aymara people of the Andes. " Locally, the lake goes by several names. Because the southeast quarter of the lake is separate from the main body (connected only by the Strait of Tiquina), the Bolivians call it Lago Huiñaymarca (Quechua: Wiñay Marka) and the larger part Lago Chucuito. The Strait of Tiquina is the passage that connects the larger and smaller parts of Lake Titicaca in Bolivia. Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. In Peru, these smaller and larger parts are referred to as Lago Pequeño and Lago Grande, respectively.

Transport

A ferry connects the 1435mm gauge railway of Peru at Puno with the 1000mm gauge railway of Bolivia at Guaqui. Puno is a city in southeastern Peru, located on the shore of Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake at 3860 m (12421 ft above sea level Railways total 3691 km (single track narrow gauge 3652 km gauge 39 km gauge (13 km electrified (1995 Guaqui is a railhead and port in Bolivia on Lake Titicaca. A ferry connects with the Peruvian railhead and port on Puno.

Miscellaneous

The Bolivian Naval Force uses the lake to carry out naval exercises, maintaining an active navy despite being landlocked. The Bolivian Naval Force ( Fuerza Naval Boliviana in Spanish) formerly Bolivian Navy ( Armada Boliviana) is a naval force about 5 A landlocked country is commonly defined as one enclosed or nearly enclosed by land

The partly-salt Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela is the only body of water in South America larger than Titicaca, at about 13,000 square kilometres (5,000 sq mi). Lake Maracaibo is a large Brackish Lake in Venezuela at. It is connected to the Gulf of Venezuela by Tablazo Strait (55km on the northern edge Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the

Lake Titicaca was designated a Ramsar site (8,000km2) on 26 August 1998. The Ramsar Convention is an international Treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of Wetlands i Events 1071 - Battle of Manzikert: The Seljuk Turks defeat the Byzantine Army at Manzikert. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar)

References

  1. ^ Drews, Carl (13 September 2005). Events 509 BC - The Temple of Jupiter on Rome 's Capitoline Hill is dedicated on the ides of September Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Highest Lake in the World. Retrieved on 2006-12-02. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire
  2. ^ a b c Grove, M. J. , P. A. Baker, S. L. Cross, C. A. Rigsby and G. O. Seltzer 2003 Application of Strontium Isotopes to Understanding the Hydrology and Paleohydrology of the Altiplano, Bolivia-Peru. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 194:281-297.
  3. ^ Rigsby, C. , P. A. Baker and M. S. Aldenderfer 2003 Fluvial History of the Rio Ilave Valley, Peru, and Its Relationship to Climate and Human History. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 194:165-185.
  4. ^ Dejoux, C. and A. Iltis (editors) 1992 Lake Titicaca: A Synthesis of Limnological Knowledge. 68. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston.
  5. ^ Data Summary: Lago Titicaca (Lake Titicaca). International Lake Environment Committee Foundation - ILEC. Retrieved on 2006-12-02. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire
  6. ^ Roche, M. A. , J. Bourges, J. Cortes and R. Mattos 1992 Climatology and Hydrology of the Lake Titicaca Basin. In Lake Titicaca: A Synthesis of Limnological Knowledge, edited by C. Dejoux and A. Iltis, pp. 63-88. Monographiae Biologicae. vol. 68, H. J. Dumont and M. J. A. Werger, general editor. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston.
  7. ^ a b Cross, S. L. , P. A. Baker, G. O. Seltzer, S. C. Fritz and R. B. Dunbar 2001 Late Quaternary Climate and Hydrology of Tropical South America Inferred from an Isotopic and Chemical Model of Lake Titicaca, Bolivia and Peru. Quaternary Research 56(1):1-9.
  8. ^ Mourguiart, P. , T. Corrége, D. Wirrmann, J. Argollo, M. E. Montenegro, M. Pourchet and P. Carbonel 1998 Holocene Palaeohydrology of Lake Titicaca Estimated from an Ostracod-Based Transfer Function. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 143:51-72.
  9. ^ Baucom, P. C. and C. A. Rigsby 1999 Climate and Lake Level History of the Northern Altiplano, Bolivia, as Recorded in Holocene Sediments of the Rio Desaguadero. Journal of Sedimentary Research 69(3):597-611.
  10. ^ Dejoux, C. and A. Iltis (editors) 1992 Lake Titicaca: A Synthesis of Limnological Knowledge. 68. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston.
  11. ^ Talbi, A. , A. Coudrain, P. Ribstein and B. Pouyaud 1999 Computation of the Rainfall of Lake Titicaca Catchment During the Holocene. Géosciences de Surface 329:197-203.
  12. ^ Cobo, Bernabé 1990[1653] History of the Inca Empire. University of Texas, Austin.
  13. ^ a b Stanish, Charles, Richard L. Burger, Lisa M. Cipolla, Michael D. Glascock and Esteban Quelima 2002 Evidence for Early Long-Distance Obsidian Exchange and Watercraft Use from the Southern Lake Titicaca Basin of Bolivia and Peru. Latin American Antiquity 13(4):444-454.
  14. ^ Ybert, Jean-Pierre 1992 Ancient Lake Environments as Deduced from Pollen Analysis. In Lake Titicaca: A Synthesis of Limnological Knowledge, edited by C. Dejoux and A. Iltis, pp. 49-62. Monographiae Biologicae. vol. 68, H. J. Dumont and M. J. A. Werger, general editor. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston.
  15. ^ Baker, Paul A. , Catherine Rigsby, Geoffrey O Seltzer, Sherlyn C. Fritz, Tim K. Lowenstein, Miklas Bacher, P. and Carlos Veliz 2001 Tropical Climate Changes at Millennial and Orbital Timescales on the Bolivian Altiplano. Nature 409(February 8):698-701.
  16. ^ Baker, Paul A. , Geoffrey O Seltzer, Sherlyn C. Fritz, Robert B. Dunbar, Matthew J. Grove, Pedro M. Tapia, Scott L. Cross, Harold D. Rowe and James P. Broda 2001 The History of South American Tropical Precipitation for the Past 25,000 Years. Science 291:640-643.
  17. ^ Reinhard, Johan "Underwater Archaeological Research in Lake Titicaca, Bolivia" in Ancient America: Contributions to New World Archaeology, 1992. N. Saunders (ed. ), Oxford: Oxbow Books, pp. 117-143
  18. ^ Box, Ben (August 1998). 1999 South American Handbook. Footprint Handbooks, 292. ISBN 0-8442-4886-X.  
  19. ^ Box, Ben (August 1998). 1999 South American Handbook. Footprint Handbooks, 297. ISBN 0-8442-4886-X.  

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