TITICACA, the highest lake in the world

 

 This impressive freshwater body of water is not only the largest navigable lake in South America but also the highest navigable lake in the world, located at 3,812 meters above sea level. In addition to its famous postcards with its floating islands and colorful boats that recall time immemorial, this great lake is extremely important to Peruvian culture for its historical, cultural and ecological character.

 Lake TITICACA is located in the Andes of South America between the borders of Peru and Bolivia on a large high plateau playing a very important role by creating a unique ecosystem while cushioning the temperature of the area, this lake is one of the oldest in the world with currently less than 20 in the world, it was also the epicenter of the first and oldest Andean civilizations such as: PUKARA, LUCANAS, TIAWANACO and of course according to legends it was the place from where the Incas emerged who after looking for a suitable place to found their capital arrived in Cusco where they located their capital.

 

 Lake Titicaca has a total area of ​​8,500 square kilometers of which 56% corresponds to Peru and 44% to Bolivia with a maximum depth of 280 meters, the lake is made up of 2 bodies of water that are connected through the Strait of TIQUINA, on the origin of its name it is said that it comes from the Aymara and means STONE PUMA, this lake has a tectonic origin that was formed in the Tertiary era due to the sinking of a part of the Andean plateau, it is believed that millions of years ago it was much larger, becoming connected to the other great altiplano lake, Lake POOPO and is currently a residual lake.

The average annual temperature in the lake is 10° C and would be lower if it were not for the lake, which absorbs solar radiation during the day, making the temperature less cold at night. It is known that 5% of Titicaca's water goes through the Desaguadero River and empties into Lake Poopo. Among its tributaries, the most important is the Ramis River, which is 240 km long. Other tributaries are the Ilave, Coata, Huancane, and Suches.

   

 Among the most famous beaches on Lake Titicaca are Copachica, Chifrón, etc., and on the Bolivian side, Copacabana. Among the most important islands is Amantani Island in Peru, which is also the largest island on the Peruvian side, covering 9.28 square kilometers. Other important islands are Taquile and Esteves. 

 On the Bolivian side, the most important and largest is Isla del Sol, which, at 14.3 square kilometers, is the largest island in Lake Titicaca. Other notable islands are Isla de la Luna, Soto, and Suriqui. But without a doubt, the most important and picturesque are the famous Uros Floating Islands. This is an ancient indigenous community that has inhabited this lake since time immemorial. This mysterious and ancient ethnic group builds its artificial islands using piles of Totora reeds, a type of reed, a typical aquatic plant of this lake.

The fauna that inhabits the lake are mainly: the Andean cat, ducks and various migratory birds and among the fish the SUCHE, trout, pejerey and the popular CARACHI also in the lake lives a unique species of amphibian called THE GIANT FROG OF TITICACA this rare species is unique in its kind has large dimensions (it weighs almost 400 grams) and because in the waters of Lake Titicaca there is little oxygen it breathes through the skin, as for its flora 12 varieties of aquatic plants have been detected where the TOTORA stands out mostly there are also the Yana llacho, the duckweed and the Purima.

  

Legend has it that the primitive Uros were powerful beings who could not drown, and that when they began to mix with humans, they lost their powers. Over time, they would also lose their traditions, their language, and their identity. Today, the Uros are skilled fishermen and talented artisans. They make their own traditional totora reed boats, which they use to transport themselves from island to island. Their population is estimated at around 2,000 inhabitants distributed across countless floating islands and islets, with tourism being another important source of income for this unique population.