COCHABAMBA

city, central Bolivia. It lies in the densely populated, fertile Cochabamba Basin, at 8,432 feet (2,570 m) above sea level. Founded as Villa de Oropeza in 1574 by the conquistador Sebastin Barba de Padilla, it was elevated to city status in 1786 and renamed Cochabamba, the Hispanicized Quechua name (Khocha Pampa) for the area, meaning a plain full of small lakes. A favourable climate and attractive setting have helped make it Bolivia's third largest city. It is the site of the Major University of San Simn (established in 1826) and has a museum, municipal library, cathedral, and government palace. A large plaza in the centre of the city commemorates the date on which the local patriots took up arms in the War of Independence against Spanish rule. Except for an oil refinery (connected by pipelines with Oruro, Sucre, and Santa Cruz), its industries are varied and small, mainly supplying the local market. The area in which Cochabamba is situated is commonly referred to as the granary of Bolivia. Its climate is milder than that of the Altiplano region to the west and thus permits an extensive agriculture, including grains, potatoes, and coffee in the highlands and sugarcane, cacao, tobacco, and fruit in the lowlands. Cochabamba is accessible by air, rail, and highway from La Paz, the national capital (220 miles north-northwest), and from the highlands and by highway from Sucre, Santa Cruz, and the lowlands. Important satellite towns are Vinto, Quillacollo, Sipesipe, and Sacaba. Pop. (1990 est.) 413,274.