The Bolivian city ofCobija is located about 600 km north of La Paz in the Amazon Basinon the border with Brazil. Cobija lies on the banks of the Rio Acre across from the Brazilian city of Brasiléia. Cobija lies at an elevation of ca. 280 m above sea level and has a tropical and rainy climate. Cobija has approximately 56,000 inhabitants, is the seat of a university and capital of the Bolivian Pando Department. Cobija has two airports and is connected by one road to El Choro in the Beni Department, which is not always passable during the rainy season. When the rain allows it, Cobija is connected to the rest of Bolivia also via road. Cobija is connected to Brazil by two bridges.
History
Cobija was founded in 1906 by Colonel Enrique Cornejo, originally under the name of Bahía and received its current name in 1908 in commemoration of the former Bolivian seaport Cobija on the Pacific, which has been a part of Chile since the War of the Pacific. In the early 1900s, Cobija experienced a boom as an India rubber industry center. When the industry collapsed, a major source of income being lost, Cobija became impoverished and its population fell. Nowadays, Cobija is developing again and its population is increasing. Currently, the region's primary industry is Bolivia nuts, although tourism and commerce are growing. There is a Free economic zone in the city, the largest in Bolivia.
Population
The inhabitants of Cobija has risen very strongly during the past two decades to more than five-fold. Currently the estimated population is as much as 60,000 inhabitants with a population growth of 6 to 8% per year.
Year
Population
Census
1992
10 001
census
2001
20 820
census
2012
55,692
census
Climate
The city of Cobija sits on a sharp curve of the Acre river. Located at an altitude of above sea level and in the north-western jungle region – in Brazilian border – Cobija is considered the rainiest region in Bolivia. It is also a warm spot, with day temperatures above most of the time. Cobija has two seasons: The rain season and the dry season. Usually locals use the hottest hours of the day to stay at home, have lunch and a good siesta. But the most active ones enjoy also outdoor activities. The average annual precipitation averages between depending upon the seasonal flooding intensity. Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, Cobija is not the wettest area in Bolivia, as the average annual precipitation in the Chapare lowlands of Cochabamba can receive more than of rain per year in some areas.
