Arani Province

Province in Cochabamba Department, Bolivia

17°37′S 66°05′W / 17.617°S 66.083°W / -17.617; -66.083Country

BoliviaDepartmentCochabamba DepartmentMunicipalities2Cantons4FoundationNovember 24, 1914CapitalAraniArea

• Total867 sq mi (2,245 km²)Population

(2001)

• Total24,053 • Density123.1/sq mi (47.54/km²) • Ethnicities

QuechuaTime zoneUTC-4 (BOT)Area codeBO.CB.AR

Arani is a province in Cochabamba Department, Bolivia. Its capital is Arani, situated about 53 km from Cochabamba. Arani is known for its bread and its artisan wickerwork.

Geography

Some of the highest mountains of the province are listed below:^[1]^[2]

Chawpi Urqu
Chullpa Ch'utu
Ikma Mayu
Inka P'iqi
Iskay Wasi
Jatun Llallawa
Jatun Punta Mayuq
Jatun Salla
Juch'uy Llallawa
Kuntur
K'illi K'illi
Llusk'a Llusk'a
Mayu Urqu
Murun Pampa
Ñuñu Urqu
Puka Chanka
Pukara
Phaqcha Urqu
Qucha Quchayuq Urqu
Qullpa Qucha Urqu
Qullu Mayu
Qutu Rumi
Q'illu Q'asa
Salla Punta
Salla Q'asa
Siqina Urqu
T'utura Pampa
Urqu Punta
Wanu Wanu
Waylla Qucha
Yana Qucha

Subdivision

The province is divided into two municipalities which are further subdivided into four cantons.

Section	Municipality	Inhabitants ^[3]	Seat	Inhabitants ^[4]
1st	Arani	11,542	Arani	3,512
2nd	Vacas	12,511	Vacas	650

Arani Municipality consists of three cantons, Arani, Pocoata and Collpaciaco. Vacas Municipality is not further subdivided, so Vacas Canton and Vacas Municipality are identical.

Population

The people in the Arani Province are mainly indigenous citizens of Quechua descent.^[5]

Ethnic group	Arani Municipality	Vacas Municipality
Quechua	87.2	94.4
Aymara	0.4	0.2
Guaraní, Chiquitos, Moxos	0.2	0.0
Not indigenous	12.1	5.4
Other indigenous groups	0.1	0.1

Languages

The languages spoken in the Arani Province are mainly Quechua and Spanish. The following table shows the number of those belonging to the recognized group of speakers.^[5]

Language	Arani Municipality	Vacas Municipality
Quechua	10,347	11,662
Aymara	76	39
Guaraní	5	2
Another native	5	2
Spanish	7,082	4,236
Foreign	49	11
Only native	3,902	7,540
Native and Spanish	6,467	4,131
Only Spanish	615	106

Tourism

Festivals and Fairs:

August 14–15: Saint Isidore the Laborer in Qullpayaku, 2 days
August 24–25: Virgen la Bella in Arani, 2 days
September 20: Farmers' fair in Tacopaya, 1 day
3rd week in November: Bread fair in Arani, 1 day
December 4: Saint Barbara in Vacas

Other tourist attractions include the church of Saint Bartholomew (San Bartolomé) in Arani, built in 1610, which is dedicated to the Virgen la Bella, and the lakes in Vacas Municipality: Parqu Qucha, Asiru Qucha, Junt'utuyu, Pilawit'u, Qullpa Qucha and Yanatama.

Vacas with two of its lakes: Pilawit'u on the left and Qullpa Qucha in the center
San Bartolomé church in Arani which keeps the shrine of the Virgen La Bella
The giant Puya raimondi plants grow on Khurupampa mountain in the Vacas Municipality.
Ismael Montes Teacher Training College in Challwa Mayu

References

^ Bolivian IGM map 1:50,000 Vacas 6441-II
^ "Vacas". INE, Bolivia. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
^ www.ine.gov.bo Archived August 25, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
^ "world-gazetteer.com".^{[dead link]}
^ ^a ^b obd.descentralizacion.gov.bo/municipal/fichas/ (inactive)