The Spanish American revolutions of the early 19th century

led to independence for most Spanish-ruled territories in the Western Hemisphere.

The newly independent republics of Latin America

inherited a patrimony that included the Spanish language,

the Catholic Church, liberal constitutions,

and a certain, shall we say, imprecision regarding borders, particularly in inland South America.

This led to conflicts between the former Spanish colonies and Brazil, as well as two major 19th century wars between

Spanish-speaking nations, which set the stage for one final bloody conflict in the 20th century

over the most remote and neglected region on the South American continent, the Chaco Boreal, triggered, you will not be surprised to hear,

by the discovery of oil.

Welcome to the history of the 20th century.

Music Episode Episode 289, The War of Thirst.

In South Central, South America, just east of the Andes, lies a broad lowland plain known as the Grand Chaco.

It is over half a million square kilometers in extent.

The northern part of this plain, the Chaco Boreal, lies in what is our time the border region

between Bolivia and Paraguay. From there, it extends south, deep into

Argentine territory, where it meets up with the Pompas, the Atlantic coastal lowland. The Chaco is naturally dry,

semi-arid on the western and the inside, where cactus and thorny bushes are commonplace.

In the east, where it approaches the Paraguay River and its tributaries, it can get swampy.

It is home to a great number of plant and animal species.

Rainfall is seasonal, and temperatures are extreme. In the summer, they often reach 40 Celsius,

or 100 Fahrenheit, making the chaco one of the hottest places in South America.

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