Bolivia

Bolivia, a republic of South America. Its area is about 350,000 square miles. Population in 1855, 1,447,000, exclusive of about 700,000 Indians. The Roman Catholic Church is recognised as the state church, yet other denominations are tolerated. The convents have the right of receiving novices only on condition that they are at any time at liberty to leave again the monastic life. The chamber of senators exercises the right of superintending the ecclesiastical affairs. At the head of the Church is the archbishop of Charcas, who resides at Chuquisaca, and three bishops, at Santa Cruz de la Sierra, La Paz, and Cochamba. There is a university at Chuquisaca, besides several colleges. A large majority of the entire population are of Indian descent, and still show a strong attachment to the Jesuits, who were expelled from their :missions March 27, 1767. In the eastern plains several tribes still live together in the missions. There were in 1830, among the Chiquitos, ten missions, with 15,316 inhabitants; among the Mojos, thirteen, with .23,951 inhabitants SEE AMERICA.