| Official Name: | Charcas |
| Settlement Type: | Province |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Image Map1: | Bolivia department of potosi.png |
| Mapsize1: | 250px |
| Map Caption1: | Provinces of the Potosí Department |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Charcas within Bolivia |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Bolivia |
| Subdivision Type1: | Department |
| Subdivision Name1: | Potosí Department |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipalities |
| Subdivision Name3: | 2 |
| Subdivision Type4: | Cantons |
| Subdivision Name4: | 12 |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | San Pedro de Buena Vista |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Total Km2: | 3382 |
| Population As Of: | 2001 |
| Population Total: | 38174 |
| Population Density Km2: | 11.3 |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Ethnicities |
| Population Blank1: | Quechua |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Religions |
| Timezone: | BOT |
| Utc Offset: | -4 |
| Coordinates: | -18.2667°N -115°W |
| Area Code: | BO.PO.CR |
Charcas is a province in the northern parts of the Bolivian Potosí Department. Its capital is San Pedro de Buena Vista (955 inhabitants in 2001).[1]
Charcas province is one of sixteen provinces in the Potosí Department. It is located between 17° 57' und 18° 36' South and between 65° 21' und 66° 19' West. It borders Bernardino Bilbao Province in the north, Alonso de Ibáñez Province in the northwest, Rafael Bustillo Province in the southwest, Chayanta Province in the south, and Cochabamba Department in the east.
The province extends over 125 km from East to West and 100 km from north to south.
The province comprises two municipalities which are further subdivided into cantons.
| Section | Municipality | Seat |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | San Pedro de Buena Vista | |
| 2nd | Toro Toro | |
The main language of the province is Quechua, spoken by 98%, while 34% of the population speak Spanish. The population increased from 31,233 inhabitants (1992 census) to 38,174 (2001 census), an increase of 22.3%. Capital of the province is San Pedro (955 inhabitants).
10% of the population have no access to electricity, 10% have no sanitary facilities. 72.0% of the population are employed in agriculture, 0.5% in mining, 12.2% in industry, 15.3% in general services. 99% of the population are Catholics.
The people are predominantly indigenous citizens of Quechua descent and descendants of the Spanish.[2]
| Ethnic group | San Pedro Municipality (%) | Toro Toro Municipality (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Quechua | 86.5 | 94.2 |
| Aymara | 6.0 | 1.5 |
| Guaraní, Chiquitos, Moxos | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 7.5 | 4.2 | |
| Other indigenous groups | 0.0 | 0.0 |