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Simeon Mitropolitski is a Canadian analyst, of Bulgarian origin, and a former syndicated columnist with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He is the author of several hundred articles dealing with hot political and economic topics, both national and international.
He was part of the first group of Bulgarian intellectuals and students that began the opposition movement that finally put an end to the communist regime in this country in 1989, and in 1996-1997 participated in international observation teams during the elections in several Balkan countries - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.
In 2002 Simeon and his family moved from Bulgaria to Canada where they live now in Montreal, province of Quebec. Simeon is a Master of Political Science from McGill University and a B.A. of Political Science and History.
Global Real Estate Project
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Bolivia: The Roof of the AmericasEvery continent has its roof, for Asia it's Tibet and for Europe it's Switzerland. In the Americas the landlocked Bolivia is considered to stand above all the other countries in terms of altitude. The capital city, La Paz with a population of 2.4 million, reaches 4,000m (13,000ft). Recently I heard the expression "paradise on earth" applied to Bolivia and was curious enough to search for additional information about the country. The results only partly explained this nickname. The reality, as always, is much more complicated and therefore much more interesting. Two main facts support calling Bolivia a paradise:
So why isn' Bolivia attractive for foreigners, who by local laws have the? The high altitude is first reason the country is not attractive for some people. Retirees, or at least many of them, can't live at a high altitude, it increases the risk of heart problems. Before going to Bolivia even for a short tourist type trip, discuss the trip with your personal physician. Other health risks in Bolivia include some diseases common to many Latin American countries such as cholera, hepatitis, malaria, polio, tetanus, and yellow fever. The next set of reasons for thinking twice before settling down in Bolivia is linked to the political and social unrest that occurs frequently in this country where more than two thirds of the people are poor. The history of independent Bolivia is marked by almost 200 violent coups (more than one per year.) The life there doesn't look exactly like a paradise for all people. We must add the fact that Bolivia is the third largest coca producer in the world, just behind Colombia and Peru. Even if the western tourists aren't particular targets for criminal gangs, the life is far from idyllic. For the tourist and the expatriot some precautionary measures must be taken. Further, the transportation infrastructure in the country is appalling by western standards. Less than 5% of all roads in Bolivia are paved. A 4x4 vehicle is a requirement, a car in which local gangs are particularly interested. Electrical sockets require special attention. In some areas of the country the electricity is 220V as in Europe and in others 110V electricity is the standard as in the United States or Canada. Last, but not least, unlike most of Latin America speaking only Spanish isn't enough for communicating with the local population. More than 50% of the Bolivians speak Quechua and Aymara, two pre-Columbian Indian languages. Some speak Spanish, many do not.
Country profile: --------------------
See also the directory of companies providing real estate services in, and general real estate information of Bolivia.
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