Ckochas


Ckochas is a town and municipality in Bolivia, located in the Linares Province in the eastern part of the Potosí Department. The municipality has an area of 2,040.2 km2 and a population of 15,812 inhabitants.
Ckochas is one of the youngest municipalities in Bolivia, having separated from the municipality of Puna. It was created by Decree Law 3462 on August 15, 2006.
Within its territory, on the border with the Chuquisaca Department, lies the Fortress of Oronckota, which is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Potosí Department.

Toponymy

Ckochas is a word from the Quechua language meaning "high lands near the mountain range".

Geography

The municipality has an irregular and diverse topography and relief, featuring mountains, mountain ranges, high hills, plains, and deep valleys. The mountain ranges extend from south to north, and the Turuchipa and Mataca valleys are classified as alluvial plains. According to the classification of ecological zones, Ckochas is composed of four: high Andean, Puna, Prepuna, and valleys. It has an annual rainfall of between 300 mm and 500 mm.
It is bordered to the north by the municipality of Betanzos in the Cornelio Saavedra Province, to the east and south by the municipalities of Icla, Tarvita, and San Lucas in the Chuquisaca Department, and to the west by the municipality of Puna.

Demographics

According to the 2024 Bolivian census, the population of the municipality of Ckochas is 14,338 inhabitants.
The municipality's population decreased by approximately one-fifth between 1992 and 2024:
YearInhabitants Source
199217,199Census
200116,886Census
201215,635Census
202414,338Census