Turco Municipality is the second municipal section of the Sajama Province in the Oruro Department in Bolivia, and was founded on February 15, 1957.Plan de desarollo municipal Municipio de Turco (Spanish) Its seat is Turco, situated 154 km west of Oruro at an altitude of 3,860 m. The municipality covers an area of 3,973 km², not taking into account the area of Laca Laca Canton.The data of the area of Laca Laca Canton were erroneously added to the Choquecota Municipality during the census of 2001.

It is bordered to the north by the Curahuara de Carangas Municipality and San Pedro de Totora Province, to the south by the Litoral and Sabaya Provinces, to the west by Chile and to the east by the Carangas Province (Qhurqhi (Corque) and Chuqi Quta (Choquecota) Municipalities).

Geography The most important rivers are Sajama, Cosapa, Lauca, K'uwiri and Qullpa Jawira (also named río Turco, Turco River) .

A couple of volcanoes and mountains of the Bolivian Western Mountain Range like Uqi Uqini and the volcanic complex of Kimsa Chata, a group of three mountains named Umurata, Acotango and Capurata in the west of the municipality are making up the natural border of Turco Municipality with Chile. Other mountains are listed below:Bolivian IGM map 1:50,000 Chachacomani Hoja 5838-IV, Cerro Uyarani Hoja 5838-I, Estancia Antin Curahuara 5939-III, Estancia Agua Rica Hoja 5839-II, Estancia Laguna 5839-III, Estancia Marcarani 5939-IV, Estancia Miraflores 5838-II, Nevado Quimsachata Hoja 5738-I

Subdivision The municipality is divided into four cantons and nine ayllus.

Canton Created Inhabitants (2001) Instituto Nacional de Estadistica de Bolivia (INE) (Spanish) Asunción Laca Laca December 21, 1962 342 Chachakumani August 30, 1957 374 Cosapa November 11, 1950 918 Turco July 27, 1951 2,526

Flora and fauna

Part of Cosapa Canton is situated within Sajama National Park.Mireya Muñoz, El Parque Nacional Sajama: Un caso de paisaje cultural en el altiplano de Bolivia p. 194 This park was created to conserve the rare woods of the queñua species Polylepis tarapacana and to protect species of wild flora and fauna like yareta (Azorella compacta), Andean hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus nationi), Darwin's rhea (Pterocnemia pennata), vicuña (Vicugna vicugna), taruca (Hippocamelus antisensis), Andean mountain cat (Felis jacobita) and cougar or puma (Felis concolor), all of them occurring in the municipality, as well as their habitat.

The region has a rich diversity of native plants which are both useful for the inhabitants and the animals. The most important species are:

Common name Scientific name Usability Añawaya Adesmia spinosissima forage for llamas Waylla Stipa obtusa forage for llamas Ichu Stipa ichu forage, handicraft Iru ichu Festuca orthophylla forage, handicraft Qanlli kiska Tetraglochin cristatum forage Chillka Senecio pampae forage, medical plant Yarita, yareta Azorella asorella medical plant, heating material Tara tara Fabiana densa medical plant, heating material Ñaka thula Baccharis incarum medical plant, heating material Supu thula Parastrephya lepidophylla medical plant, heating material Ayrampu Opuntia soehrensii / Tunilla soehrensii medical plant, forage Muña muña Satureja ovata medical plant, forage Itapallu Cajophora horrida medical plant, forage Kinwa, queñua Polylepis tarapacana forage, heating material, ornamental Chachakuma Escallonia resinosa medical plant Llapa, pasto bandera Boutelova simplex forage Yawarilla, cebadilla común Bromus unioloides forage Cebadilla de montaña Agrostis breviculmis forage Chiji blanco Distichlis humilis forage Chiji negro Mulenbergia fastigiata forage Garbancillo Astragalus garbancillo toxic Lampaya Lampaya medicinalis medical plant, forage, heating material Qura Cajophora horrida forage K’achu Anoda triangularis forage

The people Most of the people in the municipality are of Aymara descent known as Carangas. They are mostly bilingual. According to census 2001 the main languages spoken are Spanish (3,544 speakers) and Aymara (3,259 speakers).

Transport

The international transit road from Oruro to Chile crosses Turco Municipality leading to Tambo Quemado situated in the Chachacomani Canton in the north-western part of the municipality In the map below Tambo Quemado erroneously is shown as part of Lagunas Canton in the Curahuara de Carangas Municipality (Sajama Province), but actually belongs to Turco Municipality. at the border between Chile and Bolivia.

Climate

See also Ch'ankha Muqu

References

External links Turco Municipality: population data and map (not showing Asunción Laca Laca Canton)