Latin American and Caribbean Physical Geography

The Columbia Encyclopedia,... World Encyclopedia Concise Dictionary of World... Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes Further reading

Gran Chaco

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

Gran Chaco or Chaco, c.250,000 sq mi (647,500 sq km), extensive lowland plain, central South America. It is sparsely populated and is divided among Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina. Some of the highest temperatures in the southern continent are reached there. To the north of the Pilcomayo River and to the west of the Paraguay River is the section known as the Chaco Boreal, most of which belongs to Paraguay. This is arid land, dotted with swamps in the rainy season and with stretches of dense forest in which the quebracho tree abounds. Tannin extraction from the quebracho is an important economic activity there; large factories have been built for this purpose. The Chaco Central, in Argentina S of the Pilcomayo River, has much the same aspect. Cotton and quebracho are important there. The plains grow increasingly arid toward the west. The eastern part—the Chaco Austral and the region W of the Paraguay River—is the only habitable section of the Gran Chaco.

The discovery of oil in a narrow strip of the barren section of the Chaco Boreal, at the foot of the Bolivian Andes, precipitated the Chaco War, 1932–35, between Bolivia and Paraguay. This territory of the Gran Chaco had been disputed since 1810. Technically the Gran Chaco was intended to be part of Bolivia since it had been part of the audiencia of Charcas, but Bolivia paid little attention to this wasteland and Paraguayan settlers opened up the region while Paraguayan soldiers pushed back the natives. Thousands of Paraguayan colonists brought wealth to Paraguay by gathering quebracho and raising cattle. An armed conflict between Paraguay and Bolivia resulted as Bolivia sought access to the Paraguay River to ship oil to the sea and Paraguay refused to give up the lands. More than 100,000 lives were lost, and the war was concluded in 1935 only when both sides were exhausted. After three years of mediated negotiation following the end of hostilities, Paraguay and Bolivia signed (1938) a treaty. Three quarters of the disputed Chaco Boreal went to Paraguay; at the same time Bolivia was granted a corridor to the Paraguay River, the privilege of using Puerto Casado, and the right to construct a Bolivian port. A treaty finally demarcating the border between Bolivia and Paraguay was not signed until 2009.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"Gran Chaco." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Gran Chaco." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-GranChac.html

"Gran Chaco." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-GranChac.html

Learn more about citation styles

Gran Chaco

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Copyright

Gran Chaco Lowland plain of central South America, stretching across the borders of Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Arid and largely unpopulated, the region is famous for its quebracho trees, a major source of tannin. The discovery of oil in the Chaco Borea, and Bolivia's subsequent need for a route to the sea, led to the Chaco War (1932–35) between Bolivia and Paraguay. The war killed more than 100,000 soldiers before an agreement gave 75% of Gran Chaco to Paraguay, and allowed Bolivia use of the Paraguay River.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"Gran Chaco." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Gran Chaco." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-GranChaco.html

"Gran Chaco." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-GranChaco.html

Learn more about citation styles

Gran Chaco

Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names | 2005 | | Copyright

Gran Chaco, South America A huge lowland plain meaning ‘Great Hunting Ground’ from the Spanish gran ‘great’ and a Quechua word.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Gran Chaco." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Gran Chaco." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-GranChaco.html

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Gran Chaco." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-GranChaco.html

Learn more about citation styles

Gran Chaco

Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes | 2007 | Copyright

Gran Chaco •tacho, taco, tobacco, wacko •blanco, Franco •churrasco, fiasco, Tabasco •Arco, Gran Chaco, mako •art deco, dekko, echo, Eco, El Greco, gecko, secco •flamenco, Lysenko, Yevtushenko •alfresco, fresco, Ionesco •Draco, shako •Biko, Gromyko, pekoe, picot, Puerto Rico, Tampico •sicko, thicko, tricot, Vico •ginkgo, pinko, stinko •cisco, disco, Disko, Morisco, pisco, San Francisco •zydeco • magnifico • calico • Jellicoe •haricot • Jericho • Mexico • simpatico •politico • portico •psycho, Tycho •Morocco, Rocco, sirocco, socko •bronco •Moscow, roscoe •Rothko •coco, cocoa, loco, moko, Orinoco, poco, rococo •osso buco • Acapulco •Cuzco, Lambrusco •bucko, stucco •bunco, junco, unco •guanaco • Monaco • turaco • Turco

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"Gran Chaco." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Gran Chaco." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-GranChaco.html

"Gran Chaco." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-GranChaco.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Camera trapping Priodontes maximus in the dry forests of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Newspaper article from: Endangered Species Update; 4/1/2004
	The lost tribe of Green Hell; REMOTE FOREST PEOPLE FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES AS... Newspaper article from: The Mirror (London, England); 12/31/2010
	Challenging the Parapeti. (Geographical expedition special).(Peter Hutchison... Magazine article from: Geographical; 11/1/2002