The Llanos

The Llano, the final of Bolivia’s three main regions, is a lowland plain consisting of tropical rainforest and the Plains of Moxos with alternating savannahs and cultivated areas. Treeless savannahs are home to swamp grasses and sedges in the low-lying areas and long-stemmed and carpet grasses in the higher areas. While not prominent, some species of trees found scattered throughout open plains include scrub oak and dwarf palm. The Llano is an incredibly wet region with an average annual rainfall total of between 45 inches to 180 inches. Due to poor drainage, much of the Llano is periodically converted to swamp or subject to seasonal flooding. Native wildlife includes numerous breeds of deer and rabbit as well as the anteater, armadillo, tapir, jaguar, and capybara. Despite not being indigenous to the area, cattle farming has long been the cornerstone of the Llano economy. Farther south the Llano merges with La Plata River Basin, creating a Northward extension of the Pampas of Argentina. Overall the Llano is an incredibly intricate and interesting region loaded with unique sites and features.