By Robert Vaux
Lake Titicaca is the largest freshwater lake in
South America, standing on the border between Bolivia and Peru. It's fed by melt water from the glaciers on the nearby mountains. It, in turn, feeds five major rivers: Coata, Huancané, Ilave, Ramis, and Suchez. It witnesses a great deal of traffic between the two nations bordering it.
Elevation
Lake Titicaca has an elevation of 12,500 feet, making it one of the highest lakes in the world.
Islands
41 different islands dot Lake Titicaca's surface. Some contain Incan ruins. Most of them have at least some form of permanent human population.
Size
Technically, Lake Maricaibo in Venezuela is larger than Lake Titicaca, but its waters are partially salt. Lake Titicaca is entirely freshwater.
Railroads
Lake Titicaca makes an elegant solution for resolving the differing grades of railway line used between Peru and Bolivia. Rather than trying to make the two grades compatible, they can simply ferry passengers across the lake from one railroad spur to the next.
Navy
Bolivia maintains a small "naval force" on Lake Titicaca, despite good relations with Peru. It serves as a reminder of the days when Boliva (now landlocked) had a proper navy, guarding coast territory which now belongs to Chile.
About the Author:
Robert Vaux has been a professional writer and editor since 1995. He has traveled throughout Europe and North America as well as parts of North Africa. Since 2000 he has been a professional movie critic at Flipside Movie Emporium, the Sci-Fi Movie Page and Mania.com. Vaux has a Master of Arts in English literature from Syracuse University.
