Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and countercoups. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. In December 2005, Bolivians elected Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's traditional political class and empower the nation's poor majority. However, since taking office, his controversial strategies have exacerbated racial and economic tensions between the Amerindian populations of the Andean west and the non-indigenous communities of the eastern lowlands.
Location
Central South America, southwest of Brazil
Geographic coordinates
17 00 S, 65 00 W
Map references
South America
Area
total
1,098,580 sq km
land
1,084,390 sq km
water
14,190 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Land boundaries
total
6,940 km
border countries
Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,423 km, Chile 860 km, Paraguay 750 km, Peru 1,075 km
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Climate
varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid
Terrain
rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin
the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the international demand for tropical timber are contributing to deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification; loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used for drinking and irrigation
Environment - international agreements
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified
Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
Geography - note
landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru
Population
9,119,152 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
34.3% (male 1,593,509/female 1,532,155)
15-64 years
61.1% (male 2,730,359/female 2,841,872)
65 years and over
4.6% (male 187,123/female 234,134) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
22.2 years
male
21.5 years
female
22.9 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
1.42% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
22.82 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
7.44 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
-1.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.961 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.799 male(s)/female
total population
0.979 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
50.43 deaths/1,000 live births
male
53.93 deaths/1,000 live births
female
46.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
66.19 years
male
63.53 years
female
68.97 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.76 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
4,900 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
less than 500 (2003 est.)
Nationality
noun
Bolivian(s)
adjective
Bolivian
Ethnic groups
Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%, Aymara 25%, white 15%
Religions
Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%
Languages
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
86.7%
male
93.1%
female
80.7% (2001 census)
Country name
conventional long form
Republic of Bolivia
conventional short form
Bolivia
local long form
Republica de Bolivia
local short form
Bolivia
Government type
republic
Capital
name
La Paz (administrative capital)
geographic coordinates
16 30 S, 68 09 W
time difference
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note
Sucre (constitutional capital)
Administrative divisions
9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Beni, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija
Independence
6 August 1825 (from Spain)
National holiday
Independence Day, 6 August (1825)
Constitution
2 February 1967; revised in August 1994; referendum on new constitution to be held 6 August 2007
Legal system
based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of age, universal and compulsory (single)
Executive branch
chief of state
President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government
President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006)
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the president
elections
president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 18 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results
Juan Evo MORALES Ayma elected president; percent of vote - Juan Evo MORALES Ayma 53.7%; Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez 28.6%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana 7.8%; Michiaki NAGATANI Morishit 6.5%; Felipe QUISPE Huanca 2.2%; Guildo ANGULA Cabrera 0.7%
Legislative branch
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; 70 members are directly elected from their districts and 60 are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PODEMOS 13, MAS 12, UN 1, MNR 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 73, PODEMOS 43, UN 8, MNR 6
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year terms by National Congress); District Courts (one in each department); provincial and local courts (to try minor cases)
Political parties and leaders
Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Franz BARRIOS]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma]; Movement Without Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; National Revolutionary Movement or MNR [Mirta QUEVEDO]; National Unity [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana]; Poder Democratico Nacional or PODEMOS [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez]; Social Alliance [Rene JOAQUINO]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Cocalero groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions; Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB
3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 483-4410
FAX
[1] (202) 328-3712
consulate(s) general
Houston, Miami, New York, Oklahoma City, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador Philip S. GOLDBERG
embassy
Avenida Arce 2780, La Paz
mailing address
P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032
telephone
[591] (2) 216-8000
FAX
[591] (2) 216-8111
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band
Economy - overview
Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed Latin American countries, reformed its economy after suffering a disastrous economic crisis in the early 1980s. The reforms spurred real GDP growth, which averaged 4% in the 1990s, and poverty rates fell. Economic growth, however, lagged again beginning in 1999 because of a global slowdown and homegrown factors such as political turmoil, civil unrest, and soaring fiscal deficits, all of which hurt investor confidence. In 2003, violent protests against the pro-foreign investment economic policies of ex-President SANCHEZ DE LOZADA led to his resignation and the cancellation of plans to export Bolivia's newly discovered natural gas reserves to large northern hemisphere markets. In 2005, the government passed a controversial natural gas law that imposed significantly higher taxes on the oil and gas firms and required production firms to sign new operating contracts, which were completed in October 2006. Bolivian officials are in the process of revamping the defunct state-owned oil company and acquiring majority ownership of five gas production, transportation, refining, and storage companies. The MORALES administration plans to increase state control over other sectors as well, including mining, electricity, telecommunications, transportation, and forestry. Real GDP growth in 2003-06 - helped by increased demand for natural gas in neighboring Brazil - was positive, but still below the levels seen during the 1990s. Bolivia's fiscal position has improved in recent years, and the country had a record 6% fiscal surplus for 2006. In 2005, the G8 announced a $2 billion debt-forgiveness plan over the next few decades. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank forgave a total of approximately $1.8 billion of Bolivian debt in 2006 that has helped reduce fiscal pressures on the government.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$27.87 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$10.33 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
4.5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$3,100 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
12.8%
industry
36.1%
services
51.2% (2006 est.)
Labor force
4.3 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
NA%
industry
NA%
services
NA%
Unemployment rate
7.8% in urban areas; widespread underemployment (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
64% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
1.3%
highest 10%
32% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
60.6 (2002)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.3% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
12.4% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$4.153 billion
expenditures
$3.619 billion; including capital expenditures of $741 million (2006 est.)
Brazil 24.6%, Argentina 18.8%, Chile 12.2%, US 9.2%, Peru 7.3% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$3.303 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$5.916 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$221 million (2005 est.)
Currency (code)
boliviano (BOB)
Currency code
BOB
Exchange rates
bolivianos per US dollar - 8.0159 (2006), 8.0661 (2005), 7.9363 (2004), 7.6592 (2003), 7.17 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
646,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
2.421 million (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities; mobile cellular telephone use expanding rapidly
domestic
primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded
international
country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999)
Radios
5.25 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations
48 (1997)
Televisions
900,000 (1997)
Internet country code
.bo
Internet hosts
20,085 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
9 (2000)
Internet users
480,000 (2005)
Airports
1,084 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
16
over 3,047 m
4
2,438 to 3,047 m
4
1,524 to 2,437 m
5
914 to 1,523 m
3 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
1,068
over 3,047 m
1
2,438 to 3,047 m
3
1,524 to 2,437 m
60
914 to 1,523 m
207
under 914 m
797 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 4,860 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,475 km; refined products 1,589 km; unknown (oil/water) 247 km (2006)
Railways
total
3,519 km
narrow gauge
3,519 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Roadways
total
62,479 km
paved
3,749 km
unpaved
58,730 km (2004)
Waterways
10,000 km (commercially navigable) (2007)
Merchant marine
total
24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 127,297 GRT/198,525 DWT
Puerto Aguirre (inland port on the Paraguay/Parana waterway at the Bolivia/Brazil border); Bolivia has free port privileges in maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay
Military branches
Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Bolivian Navy (Armada Boliviana; includes marines), Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB) (2007)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; when annual number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; one estimate holds that 40% of the armed forces are under the age of 18, with 50% of those under the age of 16; conscript tour of duty - 12 months (2004)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
1,923,234
females age 18-49
2,007,315 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
1,311,414
females age 18-49
1,502,177 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
101,101
females age 18-49
98,671 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.9% (2006)
Disputes - international
Chile rebuffs Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile for Bolivian natural gas and other commodities
Illicit drugs
world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru) with an estimated 26,500 hectares under cultivation in August 2005, an 8% increase from 2004; transit country for Peruvian and Colombian cocaine destined for Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Europe; cultivation steadily increasing despite eradication and alternative crop programs; money-laundering activity related to narcotics trade, especially along the borders with Brazil and Paraguay; major cocaine consumption
