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[[File:Bolivia Yunga Road.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Yungas Road at San Pedro [[waterfall]]]]
The '''North Yungas Road''' (alternatively known as '''Grove's Road''', '''Coroico Road''', ''{{lang|es|'''Camino de las Yungas'''}}'', ''{{lang|es|'''El Camino de la Muerte'''}}'', '''Road of Death''' or '''Death Road''') is a {{convert|61|km|adj=on}} or {{convert|69|km|adj=on}} road<ref>Length varies, depending on source</ref> leading from [[La Paz, Bolivia|La Paz]] to [[Coroico]], {{convert|56|km}} northeast of La Paz in the [[Yungas]] region of [[Bolivia]]. It is legendary for its extreme danger and in 1995 the [[Inter-American Development Bank]] christened it as the "world's most dangerous road".<ref>[http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/the-most-dangerous-road/ "The Most Dangerous Road?"]</ref><ref>[http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2006/11/most-dangerous-roads-in-world.html "The Most Dangerous Roads in the World "]</ref><ref name="bbc">{{cite news |first=Mark |last=Whitaker |title=The world's most dangerous road |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6136268.stm |work=[[BBC]] |date=2006-11-11 |accessdate=2007-05-10 |format=Podcast}}</ref> One estimate is that 200 to 300 travellers were killed yearly along the road.<ref name="bbc" /> The road includes crosses marking many of the spots where vehicles have fallen.
A '''South Yungas Road''' ('''Chulumani Road''') exists that connects La Paz to [[Chulumani]], {{convert|64|km}} east of La Paz, and is considered to be nearly as dangerous as the North Road.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}
Photographs of [[People's Republic of China|China]]'s [[Guoliang Tunnel]] are often incorrectly identified as showing the Yungas Road.<ref>[http://www.ssqq.com/ARCHIVE/vinlin27a.htm The Guoliang Tunnel in China], often mistaken as a section of the Yungas Road</ref>
==Description==
[[File:Yungas Road Bolivia.JPG|thumb|right|200px|The Yungas Road, as it descends into the [[rainforest]]]]
The road was built in the 1930s during the [[Chaco War]] by [[Paraguay]]an prisoners. It is one of the few routes that connects the [[Amazon rainforest]] region of northern Bolivia, or Yungas, to its capital city. Upon leaving [[La Paz]], the road first ascends to around {{convert|4650|m}} at La Cumbre Pass, before descending to {{convert|1200|m}} at the town of Coroico, transiting quickly from cool [[Altiplano]] terrain to [[rainforest]] as it winds through very steep hillsides and atop cliffs.
Because of the extreme dropoffs of at least 600 meters (1,830 feet), single-lane width – most of the road no wider than {{convert|3.2|m}} and lack of [[guard rail]]s, the road is extremely dangerous. Further still, [[rain]], [[fog]] and [[dust]] can reduce [[visibility]]. In many places the road surface is muddy, and can loosen rocks from the road.<ref name="JBOC">Jack Branswell, "Madness, but a thrill", ''The [[Ottawa Citizen]]'', 2008-03-29</ref>
One of the local road rules specifies that the downhill driver never has the right of way and must move to the outer edge of the road. This forces fast vehicles to stop so that passing can be negotiated safely. Also, vehicles [[Left hand drive|drive on the left]], as opposed to the right like the rest of Bolivia. This gives a left hand drive vehicle's driver a better view over his outside wheel, making passing safer.
On 24 July 1983, a bus veered off the Yungas Road and into a canyon, killing more than 100 passengers in what is said to be Bolivia's worst road accident.
==Attraction==
The danger of the road ironically made it a popular tourist destination starting in the 1990s, drawing some 25,000 [[thrillseeker]]s.<ref name="timesonline">{{cite news |first=Alexi |last=Mostrous |title=British cyclist Tom Austin killed on Bolivian 'Highway of Death' |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3814406.ece |work=[[The Times]] |date=2008-04-25 |accessdate=2008-04-25 | ___location=London}}</ref> [[Mountain biking]] enthusiasts in particular have made it a favourite destination for downhill biking since there is a {{convert|64|km|adj=on}} stretch of continuous downhill riding with only one short uphill section. There are now many tour operators catering to this activity, providing information, guides, transport, and equipment.<ref name="JBOC"/>
Nevertheless, the Yungas Road remains dangerous. At least 18 cyclists died on the ride since 1998.<ref name="bbc-2010">{{cite news |first=Tom |last=Geoghegan |title=Cycling the world's most dangerous road |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8683075.stm |work=[[BBC News Online]] |date=16 May 2010 |accessdate=16 May 2010}}</ref>
It is featured on the BBC show, ''[[Top Gear: Bolivia Special]]'' (Episode 6 of ''Top Gear'' [[Top Gear (series 14)|series 14]]) where they travelled {{convert|1610|km}} from the [[Bolivia]]n [[rainforest]] to the [[Pacific Ocean]].
==Replacement route==
[[File:Coroico.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The new Yungas Road, as seen from [[Coroico]]]]
The Yungas Road was modernized during a 20 year period ending in 2006. The modernization included enlarging the carriageway from one to two lanes, constructing [[asphalt]] pavement, and building a new section between Chusquipata and Yolosa, bypassing to the north one of the most dangerous sections of the old 'Death Road'.
This new route features modern construction ([[bridge]]s, [[drainage]], etc.), multiple lanes, pavement, guardrails, and many other elements that make it considerably safer than the original route. The original North Yungas Road is currently much less used by traffic, although an increasing number of adventure travelers bike it for the thrills.
==See also==
*[[Slaughter alley]] - list of other deadly dangerous roads
==References==
{{Commons category}}
<references />
==External links==
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6136268.stm BBC News - The world's most dangerous road]
*[http://www.gnb.com.bo/guia/Turismo/Eco=turismo-y-turismo-de-aventura.-Operadores/135444/MAYHEM-ADVENTURES.html/ Mayhem Adventures Mountain Biking]
*[http://www.madness-bolivia.com/ Downhill Madness Mountain Biking]
*[http://www.gravitybolivia.com/ Gravity Assisted Mountain Biking]
*[http://www.360degreeslongitude.com/ge/yungas_road.kmz Yungas Road in Google Earth]
*[http://www.liebreich.com/LDC/HTML/Climbing/Mountain_Biking_Bolivia.html Personal account of a tragedy on Yungas Road]
*[http://villageofjoy.com/most-dangerous-roads-yungas-road-bolivias-road-of-death/ Photos and videos of Yungas Road]
*[http://theroadchoseme.com/driving-bolivias-road-of-death Photos and first-person video taken while driving the Yungas Road, Nov. 2010]
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==Kony 2012==
'''''Kony 2012''''' is a film created by [[Invisible Children, Inc.]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.globaltvbc.com/video/trending+now+kony+2012/video.html?v=2206826267#stories/video|title=News Hour – Trending Now: Kony 2012|accessdate=2012-03-07|date=2012-03-06|publisher=[[Global TV]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.ninemsn.com.au/world/8431277/kony-2012-sheds-light-on-uganda-conflict|title=Kony 2012 sheds light on Uganda conflict|date=March 7 20|publisher=Ninemsn|accessdate=2012-03-07|author=Lees, Philippa; Zavan, Martin}}</ref><ref name=JCTSK>{{cite news|url=http://post-journal.com/page/content.detail/id/599038/Jackson-Center-To-Show-KONY-2012.html?nav=5004|title=Jackson Center To Show KONY2012|date=February 14, 2012|publisher=[[The Post-Journal]]|accessdate=2012-03-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17295078|title=Uganda rebel Joseph Kony target of viral campaign video|date=March 8 2012|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> The film's purpose is to promote the charity's 'Stop Kony' movement to make indicted [[Uganda]]n war criminal [[Joseph Kony]] internationally known in order to arrest him in 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://kykernel.com/2012/03/07/a-call-for-justice/|title=A call for justice|date=March 7, 2012|last=Myers|first=Julia|publisher=Kentucky Kernel}}</ref>
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