YUNGAS

humid, subtropical region in western Bolivia. It occupies the eastern slopes of the Andean Cordillera Real and extends northeast and north of the cities of La Paz and Cochabamba. This rainy forested belt of rugged terrain (deep valleys and gorges separated by sharp ridges) has its counterparts in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Settlers have been attracted to the area by gold, coca, coffee, cacao, and a great variety of other crops, and government efforts to improve transportation and colonize the region continue. Chulamani, the largest town, is a popular health resort; Coroico is another important centre. Yungas is an Aymara word meaning Warm Lands.