Prior to
Spanish colonization, the
Andean region of
Bolivia was a part of the
Inca Empire, while the northern and eastern lowlands were inhabited by independent tribes. Spanish
conquistadors arriving from
Cuzco and
Asunción took control of the region in the 16th century. During most of the Spanish colonial period, Bolivia was known as
Upper Peru and administered by the
Royal Court of Charcas. After the first call for independence in 1809, 16 years of war followed before the establishment of the Republic, named for
Simón Bolívar, on 6 August 1825. Bolivia has since endured periods of political and economic instability, including the loss of various peripheral territories to its neighbors, such as
Acre, parts of the
Gran Chaco and
its coast.