Map of Cochabamba
Cochabamba is a first-level division of Bolivia. Its largest mapped city is Cochabamba, with about 1.00 million people in the metropolitan area. The interactive map below is centred on Cochabamba, and the tables list its 6 mapped cities.
- Cities Mapped
- 6
- Largest City
- Cochabamba
- Country
- Bolivia
Interactive Map of Cochabamba
About Cochabamba
Cochabamba (Aymara and Quechua: Quchapampa) is a city and municipality in central Bolivia in a valley in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cochabamba Department and the fourth largest city in Bolivia, with a population of 661,484 according to the 2024 Bolivian census. Its name is from a compound of the Quechua words qucha "lake" and pampa, "open plain." Residents of the city and the surrounding areas are commonly referred to as cochalas or, more formally, cochabambinos.
It is known as the "City of Eternal Spring" or "The Garden City" because of its spring-like temperatures all year round. It is also known as "La Llajta," which means "town" in Quechua. It is the largest urban center between the higher capital of La Paz and Santa Cruz de la Sierra in the tropical plains of the east. It sits south-west of the Tunari mountains, and north of the foothills of the Valle Alto. In antiquity, the area featured numerous lakes, which gave the city its name. Many of these lakes have since disappeared to urban development, but Coña Coña and Alalay lakes are extant examples. It has been a populated settlement since the Pre-Inca period, and is today an important cultural, educational, political, and commercial centre.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Cochabamba (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Cochabamba in Depth
History
The valley of Cochabamba has been inhabited for thousands of years due to its fertile productive soils and mild climate. Archaeological evidence suggests that the initial inhabitants were of indigenous ethnic groups: Tiwanaku, Tupuraya, Mojocoya, Omereque, and Inca inhabited the valley at times before the Spanish arrived.
The name Cochabamba is a Spanish spelling of the Quechua compound noun qucha pampa (literally 'lake plain', phonemically /qutʃa pampa/, phonetically [ˈqɔtʃa ˈpampa]). Under the Inca Empire, the area was conquered by Topa Inca Yupanqui (ruled 1471–1493). His son Huayna Capac turned Cochabamba into a large production enclave or state farm to serve the Incas.
Climate and geography
Cochabamba is known for its "Eternal Spring". Neither experiencing the humid heat of Santa Cruz nor the frigid winds of La Paz, Cochabamba experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk), bordering on a subtropical highland climate (Köppen: Cwb). The characteristic of the climate is an extended dry season that runs from May until October with a wet season that generally begins in November with the principal rains ending in March.
The valley of Cochabamba has been classified as a mesothermal valley. The basin floor has an average elevation of 2600 m but at its lowest point in the east it runs at 2480 m. Surrounding mountains vary in height with the highest elevation in vicinity of valley being Tunari with 5,023 m a.s.l.
Economy
Cochabamba ranks third in economic importance nationwide. Historically, Cochabamba's economy was supported by agriculture. Currently, it has diversified and relies more on oil production and manufacturing. The municipality's economy is primarily centered on the tertiary sector, with activities such as commerce, transportation, storage, and other services, followed by the manufacturing industry. In 2021, the municipal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was estimated to reach approximately 17,535 million bolivianos (equivalent to US$6,710 million in purchasing power parity terms), with a GDP per capita of 20,844 bolivianos (US$7,977 PPP). According to these figures, the municipality's economy contributes 43.6% of the department's value added and 6% of the national economy.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Cochabamba (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Cochabamba: Key Facts
| Population | 632,013 (2012) |
|---|---|
| Area | 157 km² |
| Head of government | Manfred Reyes Villa |
| Established | 15 August 1571 |
Facts from Wikidata Q183124 (CC0).
History of Cochabamba: Empires and States
The atlas records 4 polities whose mapped territory included part of Cochabamba, from The Inca Empire (Tawantinsuyu) in 1497 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here |
|---|---|
| The Inca Empire (Tawantinsuyu) | 1497–1539 CE |
| The Spanish Empire | 1540–1823 CE |
| Gran Colombia | 1824–1829 CE |
| Bolivia | 1825–2024 CE |
Historical Maps of Cochabamba
Cochabamba on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Cochabamba
Cochabamba, or simply Cocha, is the fourth largest city in central Bolivia, in a valley with the same name, in the Andes mountain range. Its name is from a compound of the Quechua words q'ucha, meaning "lake", and pampa, "open plain". It is known as the "City of Eternal Spring" and "The Garden City" because of its spring-like temperatures all year round. It is also known as La Llajta, which means "town" in Quechua.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Cochabamba (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Cochabamba
6 cities mapped. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cochabamba | 1.00 million | Cochabamba | Admin-1 capital |
| 2 | Quillacollo | 227,052 | Cochabamba | Populated place |
| 3 | Punata | 26,323 | Cochabamba | Populated place |
| 4 | Cliza | 15,816 | Cochabamba | Populated place |
| 5 | Aiquile | 8,224 | Cochabamba | Populated place |
| 6 | Puerto Villarroel | 1,778 | Cochabamba | Populated place |
Cochabamba: Quick Answers
- Where is Cochabamba?
- Cochabamba is a first-level division of Bolivia, in South America. Its mapped cities centre on 17.5016° S, 65.6967° W.
- What is the largest city in Cochabamba?
- Cochabamba is the largest city mapped in Cochabamba, with a metropolitan population of about 1.00 million.
- How many cities are in Cochabamba?
- YearMaps maps 6 cities and towns in Cochabamba, with a combined metropolitan population of about 1.28 million. This counts mapped settlements, not every municipality.