Even though he was forced out of Congress in 2002, he became a very popular person in Bolivia, and won the country's presidential election in 2005. As president, he focused on economic changes that moved the country toward a more socialist economy, instead of a capitalist one. He also worked with other leaders in South America like Rafael Correa and Nestor Kirchner. Morales has been a popular president, and has been reelected in 2009 and 2014. During this time he has criticized both George W. Bush and Barack Obama and has had arguments with the United States.
In 2016, Morales wanted to pass a Constitutional amendment that would allow him to run for another term in 2019. Many people in Bolivia saw this as a power grab, and the amendment lost the election.
On 20 October 2019 Morales won 47.1% of the vote in the first round of the 2019 Bolivian general election. The results were immediately challenged and led to widespread protests. On 9 November 2019 the Organization of American States published a preliminary report that there were "clear manipulations". The police joined the protests against Morales and on 10 November the military forced him to resign.
Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca (, "Titiqaqa Lake") is a large, deep lake in the Andes mountains. The eastern part is in Bolivia and the western part of it is in Peru. It is the largest lake in South America.
Lake Titicaca is at above sea level. It is often called the "highest navigable lake" in the world. It means that it is the highest lake that boats use for trade. There are many other lakes in the world that are higher. The lake has 41 islands. Some of the islands are home to many people.
Lake Titicaca is home to more than 530 species of water animals.
Several threatened species such as the huge Titicaca water frog and the Titicaca grebe, a bird which cannot fly, only live in or near the lake.
Since 2000, the water level of Lake Titicaca has gone down. This is because of shorter rainy seasons and the melting of glaciers. The Global Nature Fund (GNF) says that the natural life in and around Lake Titicaca is under threat from water pollution and the introduction of new species by humans.
The "Floating Islands" are small islands made by the Uros (or Uru) people. They use layers of cut totora, a thick reed that grows in Lake Titicaca. The Uros make the islands by continuously bending over the reeds that grow in the lake.
Legend says that the Uru people came from the Amazon river area, and moved to Lake Titicaca. The local people did not allow them to have their own land. They then built the reed islands, which could be moved into deep water or to different parts of the lake for safety.
The islands are a golden colour. Many are about big. The largest are about half the size of a football field. Each island has a few houses. The people living together on an island are usually all related. Some of the islands have watchtowers and other buildings, also made out of reeds.
, about 1,200 Uros lived on 60 islands. They are mostly in the west corner of the lake near Puno, a large port town in Peru. The islands have become one of Peru's tourist attractions. This means that the Uros can earn money by bringing visitors to the islands by motorboat and selling crafts.
Amantani is another small island on Lake Titicaca. The people living here speak the Quechua language. About 4,000 people live in 10 communities on the nearly circular island. It has two mountain peaks, called Pachatata (Father Earth) and Pachamama (Mother Earth). Both peaks have ancient ruins on the top. The hillsides planted with wheat, potatoes, and vegetables. Most of the small fields are worked by hand. Long stone fences divide the fields, and cattle and sheep also graze on the hillsides.
Taquile is a hilly island located east of Puno. About 2,200 people live here. It is narrow and long and was used as a prison during the Spanish Colony and into the 20th century. In 1970, it became property of the Taquile people, who have inhabited the island since then. There are pre-Inca ruins on the highest part of the island.
Taquile is famous for its weaving and knitting. "Taquile and Its Textile Art" were honoured by UNESCO with the label "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity".
Isla del Sol (Spanish for "island of the sun") is one of the largest islands of the lake. It is a rocky, hilly island. There are no cars or paved roads on the island. About 800 families live here.
There are over 180 ruins on the island. Most of these are from the Inca period around the 15th century AD. Among the ruins on the island are the Sacred Rock, a labyrinth-like building called Chicana, Kasa Pata, and Pilco Kaima. The island is also mentioned in Inca mythology.
Isla de la Luna (Spanish for “island of the moon”) lies east of the bigger Isla del Sol. Legends say that this is where Viracocha told the moon to rise.
Archaeological excavations show that the Tiwanaku peoples (around 650–1000 AD) built a large temple on the Island of the Moon. The buildings on the island today were built by the Inca on top of the earlier Tiwanaku ones.
Suriki lies in the Bolivian part of Lake Titicaca. Suriki is the last place where they still make reed boats.
Howland Island
Howland Island is a small island in the north Pacific Ocean, just north of the Equator. It is owned by the United States.
Howland island is a very hot and sunny island with wind blowing almost all the time. It only rains every once in a while.
Howland Island is located at 0 48 N, 176 38 W.
2005 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the time from June 1 to November 30, 2005 when hurricanes officially formed in the Atlantic Ocean. Storms sometimes form before and after these dates but most storms form during the season. Tropical Storm Zeta formed on December 30 and dissipated on January 6, which is after the November 30 end of the season. It was the most active Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history.
2005 broke many records set. There were 28 storms that were tropical storms which was broken by 2020 and 15 that became hurricanes. For the first time ever storms were named by the Greek alphabet as the normal name list had been used up. The storm which caused the most damage was Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans, USA, and killed over 1000 people. The strongest storm of the season was not Katrina, it was Hurricane Wilma. Wilma was the strongest hurricane ever in the Atlantic Ocean, reaching a record low pressure of 882 mbar.
Arlene, the first storm of the season, formed near Honduras on June 8 and moved north. It came close to western Cuba on June 10 before entering the Gulf of Mexico. Arlene strengthened just below hurricane strength before making landfall on western Florida. The storm quickly weakened while moving inland, and later became an extratropical remnant on June 13.
Tropical Storm Bret was a weak tropical storm that formed as Tropical Depression Two in the western Gulf of Mexico, then quickly became Tropical Storm Bret. The storm made landfall in Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico the next morning. It dissipated on June 30. The storm cause 2 deaths and $9 million in damage.
Hurricane Cindy was a tropical cyclone that reached minimal hurricane strength for a very short time in the Gulf of Mexico during July and made landfall in Louisiana. It was the third named storm and first hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Hurricane Cindy left 3 deaths and $320 million in damage.
Hurricane Dennis was very powerful hurricane that reached a peak of 150 mph. Hurricane Dennis moved mostly northwestward in its track. It made landfall in Grenada, and almost made landfall in Jamaica, and also made landfall in Cuba, and Florida (United States).