[buh-liv-ee-uh, boh-; Sp. baw-lee-vyah] 
| 1. | a republic in W South America. 7,669,868; 404,388 sq. mi. (1,047,370 sq. km). Capitals: La Paz and Sucre. |
| 2. | (often lowercase ) a twill fabric made of cut pile with lines either in the warp direction or on the bias. |
Bo·liv·i·a (bə-lĭv'ē-ə, bō-)  (click for larger image in new window) A landlocked country of western South America. Once a part of the Incan Empire, the area was conquered by Spain in the 16th century. The country was named after Simón Bolívar, who helped win its independence from Spain in 1825. Sucre is the legal capital and the seat of the judiciary. La Paz is the administrative center. Santa Cruz is the largest city. Population: 9,120,000. Bo·liv'i·an adj. & n. |