On this day: September 2003
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On this day: September 2003
Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca is the highest "large" lake in the world. It's an odd designation and is based on "large" meaning that you can sail large vessels in it, but either way: it's at 3812 meters altitude, and impressively large, straddling the borders of Peru and Bolivia.
The lake has various islands, including Huillanopampa (Isla Taquila in Spanish), a community of approx 2000 people running a collectivist economy supplemented by tourist income.
Most famously, the Uros islands - floating islands constructed from reeds. As well as the islands themselves, buildings and small boats are also constructed from reeds.
My understanding is that these islands were constructed initially as protection from the Inca empire. Like Isla Taquile, they're *relatively* self-sufficient, but supplement their income again with tourism.