Bolivia

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 931,918 (2020) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7.98 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

large number of radio and TV stations broadcasting with private media outlets dominating; state-owned and private radio and TV stations generally operating freely, although both pro-government and anti-government groups have attacked media outlets in response to their reporting

Internet country code

.bo

Internet users

total: 5.58 million (2021 est.) percent of population: 55.14% (2020 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: with low national GDP and remote landlocked geography, Bolivia s telecom services are historically expensive and neglected resulting in low penetration; fixed telecom market is provided by non-profit cooperatives focused on improvement of services such as broadband and paid TV services; some operators adopted fixed-wireless technologies and fiber-optic capacity; fixed broadband services migrating from DSL to fiber remain expensive and largely unavailable in many areas; historically relied on satellite services or terrestrial links and inaugurated a new cable running via Peru to the Pacific; operator aims to increase coverage through mobile networks for voice and data access, especially to rural areas; space agency plans to boost satellite-based Internet; in 2020, communications towers in Yapacani were destroyed due to pandemic conspiracy fears; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021) domestic: 6 per 100 fixed-line, mobile-cellular telephone use expanding rapidly and teledensity stands at 101 per 100 persons; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz, Santa Cruz, and other capital cities (2019) international: country code - 591; Bolivia has no direct access to submarine cable networks and must therefore connect to the rest of the world either via satellite or through terrestrial links across neighboring countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 598,082 (2020) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5.12 (2020 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 11,804,343 (2020) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 101.1 (2020 est.)

Agricultural products

sugar cane, soybeans, potatoes, maize, sorghum, rice, milk, plantains, poultry, bananas

Budget

revenues: 15.09 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 18.02 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-7.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating: B (2020) Moody's rating: B2 (2020) Standard & Poors rating: B+ (2020)

Current account balance

-$2.375 billion (2017 est.) -$1.932 billion (2016 est.)

Debt - external

$12.81 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $7.268 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Economic overview

Bolivia is a resource rich country with strong growth attributed to captive markets for natural gas exports – to Brazil and Argentina. However, the country remains one of the least developed countries in Latin America because of state-oriented policies that deter investment. Following an economic crisis during the early 1980s, reforms in the 1990s spurred private investment, stimulated economic growth, and cut poverty rates. The period 2003-05 was characterized by political instability, racial tensions, and violent protests against plans - subsequently abandoned - to export Bolivia's newly discovered natural gas reserves to large Northern Hemisphere markets. In 2005-06, the government passed hydrocarbon laws that imposed significantly higher royalties and required foreign firms then operating under risk-sharing contracts to surrender all production to the state energy company in exchange for a predetermined service fee; the laws engendered much public debate. High commodity prices between 2010 and 2014 sustained rapid growth and large trade surpluses with GDP growing 6.8% in 2013 and 5.4% in 2014. The global decline in oil prices that began in late 2014 exerted downward pressure on the price Bolivia receives for exported gas and resulted in lower GDP growth rates - 4.9% in 2015 and 4.3% in 2016 - and losses in government revenue as well as fiscal and trade deficits. A lack of foreign investment in the key sectors of mining and hydrocarbons, along with conflict among social groups, pose challenges for the Bolivian economy. In 2015, President Evo MORALES expanded efforts to court international investment and boost Bolivia’s energy production capacity. MORALES passed an investment law and promised not to nationalize additional industries in an effort to improve the investment climate. In early 2016, the Government of Bolivia approved the 2016-2020 National Economic and Social Development Plan aimed at maintaining growth of 5% and reducing poverty.

Exchange rates

bolivianos (BOB) per US dollar - 6.91 (2020 est.) 6.91 (2019 est.) 6.91 (2018 est.) 6.91 (2014 est.) 6.91 (2013 est.)

Exports

$7.55 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.) $10.26 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) $10.35 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports - commodities

natural gas, gold, zinc, soybean oil and soy products, tin, silver, lead (2019)

Exports - partners

Argentina 16%, Brazil 15%, United Arab Emirates 12%, India 10%, United States 6%, South Korea 5%, Peru 5%, Colombia 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$40.822 billion (2019 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 67.7% (2017 est.) government consumption: 17% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.3% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 3.8% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 21.7% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -31.3% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 13.8% (2017 est.) industry: 37.8% (2017 est.) services: 48.2% (2017 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

42.2 (2018 est.) 57.9 (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 36.1% (2014 est.)

Imports

$8.27 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.) $11.95 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) $12.44 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports - commodities

cars, refined petroleum, delivery trucks, iron, buses (2019)

Imports - partners

Brazil 22%, Chile 15%, China 13%, Peru 11%, Argentina 8%, United States 7% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate

2.2% (2017 est.)

Industries

mining, smelting, electricity, petroleum, food and beverages, handicrafts, clothing, jewelry

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.8% (2019 est.) 2.2% (2018 est.) 2.8% (2017 est.)

Labor force

5.719 million (2016 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 29.4% industry: 22% services: 48.6% (2015 est.)

Population below poverty line

37.2% (2019 est.)

Public debt

49% of GDP (2017 est.) 44.9% of GDP (2016 est.) note: data cover general government debt and includes debt instruments issued by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$92.59 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.) $100.45 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.) $98.27 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

2.22% (2019 est.) 4.23% (2018 est.) 4.19% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

$7,900 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.) $8,700 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.) $8,700 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$10.26 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $10.08 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

39.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

4% (2017 est.) 4% (2016 est.) note: data are for urban areas; widespread underemployment

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 16.1% male: 15.7% female: 16.6% (2020 est.)

Crude oil - exports

1,274 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

60,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

211.5 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

7.785 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2017 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

76% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

18% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

7% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

2.764 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

8.951 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 93% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 99.3% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 79% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption

3.171 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

15.46 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

18.69 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

295.9 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

83,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

9,686 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

20,620 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

65,960 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 20.24 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 21.61 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 21.01 megatons (2020 est.)

Climate

varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Environment - current issues

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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Land use

agricultural land: 34.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 3.6% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 30.5% (2018 est.) forest: 52.5% (2018 est.) other: 13.2% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Amazon Basin

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

Major lakes (area sq km)

Fresh water lake(s): Lago Titicaca (shared with Peru) - 8,030 sq km Salt water lake(s): Lago Poopo - 1,340 sq km

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Paran (2,582,704 sq km)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues: 0.33% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

574 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 136 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 32 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 1.92 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 70.5% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,219,052 tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 268,727 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 12.1% (2015 est.)

Area

total: 1,098,581 sq km land: 1,083,301 sq km water: 15,280 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Climate

varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m mean elevation: 1,192 m

Geographic coordinates

17 00 S, 65 00 W

Geography - note

note 1: landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru note 2: the southern regions of Peru and the extreme northwestern part of Bolivia are considered to be the place of origin for the common potato, while southeast Bolivia and northwest Argentina seem to be the original development site for peanuts

Irrigated land

3,000 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 7,252 km border countries (5): Argentina 942 km, Brazil 3403 km, Chile 942 km, Paraguay 753 km, Peru 1212 km

Land use

agricultural land: 34.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 3.6% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 30.5% (2018 est.) forest: 52.5% (2018 est.) other: 13.2% (2018 est.)

Location

Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Major aquifers

Amazon Basin

Major lakes (area sq km)

Fresh water lake(s): Lago Titicaca (shared with Peru) - 8,030 sq km Salt water lake(s): Lago Poopo - 1,340 sq km

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Paran (2,582,704 sq km)

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

flooding in the northeast (March to April) volcanism: volcanic activity in Andes Mountains on the border with Chile; historically active volcanoes in this region are Irruputuncu (5,163 m), which last erupted in 1995, and the Olca-Paruma volcanic complex (5,762 m to 5,167 m)

Natural resources

tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Population distribution

a high altitude plain in the west between two cordillera of the Andes, known as the Altiplano, is the focal area for most of the population; a dense settlement pattern is also found in and around the city of Santa Cruz, located on the eastern side of the Andes

Terrain

rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Administrative divisions

9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Beni, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija

Capital

name: La Paz (administrative capital); Sucre (constitutional [legislative and judicial] capital) geographic coordinates: 16 30 S, 68 09 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: La Paz is a shortening of the original name of the city, Nuestra Senora de La Paz ( Our Lady of Peace ); Sucre is named after Antonio Jose de Sucre (1795-1830), military hero in the independence struggle from Spain and the second president of Bolivia note: at approximately 3,630 m above sea level, La Paz's elevation makes it the highest capital city in the world

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years

Constitution

history: many previous; latest drafted 6 August 2006 to 9 December 2008, approved by referendum 25 January 2009, effective 7 February 2009 amendments: proposed through public petition by at least 20% of voters or by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership of the Assembly and approval in a referendum; amended 2013

Country name

conventional long form: Plurinational State of Bolivia conventional short form: Bolivia local long form: Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia local short form: Bolivia etymology: the country is named after Simon BOLIVAR, a 19th-century leader in the South American wars for independence

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Charisse PHILLIPS (since August 2020) embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, La Paz mailing address: 3220 La Paz Place, Washington DC 20512-3220 telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000 FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111 email address and website: ConsularLaPazACS@state.gov https://bo.usembassy.gov/ note: in September 2008, the Bolivian Government expelled the US Ambassador to Bolivia, Philip GOLDBERG, and both countries have yet to reinstate their ambassadors

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Alejandro Roberto BILBAO LA VIEJA RUIZ, First Secretary (since 6 July 2021) chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410 FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712 email address and website: embolivia.wdc@gmail.com consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Maple Grove (MN), Miami, New York, Washington, DC note: in September 2008, the US expelled the Bolivian ambassador to the US in reciprocity for Bolivia expelling the US ambassador to Bolivia; in November 2019, the interim Bolivian Government names Oscar SERRATE Cuellar as its temporary special representative to the US

Executive branch

chief of state: President Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora (since 8 November 2020); Vice President David CHOQUEHUANCA Cespedes (since 8 November 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora (since 8 November 2020); Vice President David CHOQUEHUANCA Cespedes (since 8 November 2020) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot one of 3 ways: candidate wins at least 50% of the vote, or at least 40% of the vote and 10% more than the next highest candidate; otherwise a second round is held and the winner determined by simple majority vote; president and vice president are elected by majority vote to serve a 5-year term; no term limits (changed from two consecutive term limit by Constitutional Court in late 2017); election last held on 18 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2025) election results: 2020: Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora elected president; percent of vote - Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora (MAS) 55.1%; Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (CC) 28.8%; Luis Fernando CAMACHO Vaca (Creemos) 14%; other 2.1% 2018: Juan Evo MORALES Ayma reelected president; percent of vote - Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (MAS) 61%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana (UN) 24.5%; Jorge QUIROGA Ramirez (POC) 9.1%; other 5.4%; note - MORALES resigned from office on 10 November 2019 over alleged election rigging; resignations of all his constitutionally designated successors followed, including the Vice President, President of the Senate, President of the Chamber of Deputies, and First Vice President of the Senate, leaving the Second Vice President of the Senate, Jeanine ANEZ Chavez, the highest-ranking official still in office; her appointment to the presidency was endorsed by Bolivia's Constitutional Court, and she served as interim president until the inauguration of Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora, winner of the 18 October 2020 presidential election

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; red stands for bravery and the blood of national heroes, yellow for the nation's mineral resources, and green for the fertility of the land note: similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; in 2009, a presidential decree made it mandatory for a so-called wiphala - a square, multi-colored flag representing the country's indigenous peoples - to be used alongside the traditional flag

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

6 August 1825 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

CAN, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo de Justicia (consists of 12 judges or ministros organized into civil, penal, social, and administrative chambers); Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal (consists of 7 primary and 7 alternate magistrates); Plurinational Electoral Organ (consists of 7 members and 6 alternates); National Agro-Environment Court (consists of 5 primary and 5 alternate judges; Council of the Judiciary (consists of 3 primary and 3 alternate judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court, Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal, National Agro-Environmental Court, and Council of the Judiciary candidates pre-selected by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly and elected by direct popular vote; judges elected for 6-year terms; Plurinational Electoral Organ judges appointed - 6 by the Legislative Assembly and 1 by the president of the republic; members serve single 6-year terms subordinate courts: National Electoral Court; District Courts (in each of the 9 administrative departments); agro-environmental lower courts

Legal system

civil law system with influences from Roman, Spanish, canon (religious), French, and indigenous law

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Plurinational Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional consists of: Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (36 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; 70 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 53 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote, and 7 (apportioned to non-contiguous, rural areas in 7 of the 9 states) directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators - last held on 18 October 2020 (next to be held in 2025) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 18 October 2020 (next to be held in 2025) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 21, ACC 11, Creemos 4; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 75, ACC 39, Creemos 16

National anthem

name: "Cancion Patriotica" (Patriotic Song) lyrics/music: Jose Ignacio de SANJINES/Leopoldo Benedetto VINCENTI note: adopted 1852

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

National symbol(s)

llama, Andean condor, two national flowers: the cantuta and the patuju; national colors: red, yellow, green

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez] Community Citizen Alliance or ACC [Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert] Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma] National Unity or UN [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana] Social Democrat Movement or MDS [Ruben COSTAS Aguilera] We Believe or Creemos [Luis Fernando CAMACHO Vaca] note: the Democrat Unity Coalition or UD [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana] was a coalition comprised of several of the largest opposition parties participating in the 2014 election, which included the Democrats (MDS), National Unity Front (UN), and Without Fear Movement

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Background

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 coups and countercoups, with the last coup occurring in 1978. 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, indigenous majority. In December 2009 and October 2014, President MORALES easily won reelection. His party maintained control of the legislative branch of the government, which has allowed him to continue his process of change. In February 2016, MORALES narrowly lost a referendum to approve a constitutional amendment that would have allowed him to compete in the 2019 presidential election. However, a 2017 Supreme Court ruling stating that term limits violate human rights provided the justification for MORALES to be chosen by his party to run again in 2019. MORALES attempted to claim victory in the 20 October 2019 election, but widespread allegations of electoral fraud, rising violence, and pressure from the military ultimately forced him to flee the country. An interim government, led by President Jeanine ANEZ Chavez, prepared new elections that took place on 18 October 2020.

Military - note

Bolivia has a small naval force for patrolling some 5,000 miles of navigable rivers to combat narcotics trafficking and smuggling, provide disaster relief, and deliver supplies to remote rural areas, as well as for maintaining a presence on Lake Titicaca; the Navy also exists in part to cultivate a maritime tradition and as a reminder of Bolivia s desire to regain the access to the Pacific Ocean that the country lost to Chile in the War of the Pacific (1879-1884); every year on 23 March, the Navy participates in parades and government ceremonies commemorating the D a Del Mar (Day of the Sea) holiday that remembers the loss

Military and security forces

Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito de Boliviano, EB), Bolivian Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Boliviana, FNB), Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB); Ministry of Government: National Police (Polic a Nacional de Bolivia, PNB; includes paramilitary Anti-Narcotics Special Forces (Fuerza Especial de Lucha Contra el Narcotr fico, FELCN)) and an Anti-Terrorist Group (GAT) (2021) note - the National Police is part of the reserves for the Armed Forces

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies widely; approximately 50,000 active troops (37,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force); note - a considerable portion of the Navy personnel are marines and naval police; approximately 40,000 National Police (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Bolivian Armed Forces are equipped with a mix of mostly older Brazilian, Chinese, European, and US equipment; since 2010, China and France are the leading suppliers of military hardware to Bolivia (2020)

Military expenditures

1.3% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2019) 1.5% of GDP (2018) 1.5% of GDP (2017) 1.6% of GDP (2016)

Military service age and obligation

compulsory for all men between the ages of 18 and 22; men can volunteer from the age of 16, women from 18; service is for one year; Search and Rescue service can be substituted for citizens who have reached the age of compulsory military service; duration of this service is 2 years (2019)

Age structure

0-14 years: 30.34% (male 1,799,925/female 1,731,565) 15-24 years: 19.21% (male 1,133,120/female 1,103,063) 25-54 years: 38.68% (male 2,212,096/female 2,289,888) 55-64 years: 6.06% (male 323,210/female 382,139) 65 years and over: 5.71% (male 291,368/female 373,535) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

20.36 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.4% (2016)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

66.5% (2016)

Current Health Expenditure

6.3% (2018)

Death rate

6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Bolivia ranks at or near the bottom among Latin American countries in several areas of health and development, including poverty, education, fertility, malnutrition, mortality, and life expectancy. On the positive side, more children are being vaccinated and more pregnant women are getting prenatal care and having skilled health practitioners attend their births. Bolivia’s income inequality is the highest in Latin America and one of the highest in the world. Public education is of poor quality, and educational opportunities are among the most unevenly distributed in Latin America, with girls and indigenous and rural children less likely to be literate or to complete primary school. The lack of access to education and family planning services helps to sustain Bolivia’s high fertility rate—approximately three children per woman. Bolivia’s lack of clean water and basic sanitation, especially in rural areas, contributes to health problems. Between 7% and 16% of Bolivia’s population lives abroad (estimates vary in part because of illegal migration). Emigrants primarily seek jobs and better wages in Argentina (the principal destination), the US, and Spain. In recent years, more restrictive immigration policies in Europe and the US have increased the flow of Bolivian emigrants to neighboring countries. Fewer Bolivians migrated to Brazil in 2015 and 2016 because of its recession; increasing numbers have been going to Chile, mainly to work as miners.

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 60.5 youth dependency ratio: 48.5 elderly dependency ratio: 12 potential support ratio: 8.3 (2020 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 78.1% of population total: 92.8% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 21.9% of population total: 7.1% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

7.3% of GDP (2014)

Ethnic groups

Mestizo (mixed White and Amerindian ancestry) 68%, Indigenous 20%, White 5%, Cholo/Chola 2%, African descent 1%, other 1%, unspecified 3%; 44% of respondents indicated feeling part of some indigenous group, predominantly Quechua or Aymara (2009 est.) note: results among surveys vary based on the wording of the ethnicity question and the available response choices; the 2001 national census did not provide "Mestizo" as a response choice, resulting in a much higher proportion of respondents identifying themselves as belonging to one of the available indigenous ethnicity choices; the use of "Mestizo" and "Cholo" varies among response choices in surveys, with surveys using the terms interchangeably, providing one or the other as a response choice, or providing the two as separate response choices

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

<200 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

17,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

total: 39.27 deaths/1,000 live births male: 43.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 34.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official) 60.7%, Quechua (official) 21.2%, Aymara (official) 14.6%, Guarani (official) 0.6%, other native languages 0.4%, foreign languages 2.4%, none 0.1%; note - Bolivia's 2009 constitution designates Spanish and all indigenous languages as official; 36 indigenous languages are specified, including a few that are extinct (2001 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de informaci n b sica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.7 years male: 67.87 years female: 73.67 years (2021 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 96.5% female: 88.6% (2015)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

Major urban areas - population

278,000 Sucre (constitutional capital) (2018); 1.882 million LA PAZ (capital), 1.749 million Santa Cruz, 1.337 million Cochabamba (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

155 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

total: 25.3 years male: 24.5 years female: 26 years (2020 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.2 years (2008 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

noun: Bolivian(s) adjective: Bolivian

Net migration rate

-0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.2% (2016)

Physicians density

1.59 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Population

11,758,869 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

a high altitude plain in the west between two cordillera of the Andes, known as the Altiplano, is the focal area for most of the population; a dense settlement pattern is also found in and around the city of Santa Cruz, located on the eastern side of the Andes

Population growth rate

1.39% (2021 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 14.5%, Adventist 2.5%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.2%, agnostic 0.3%, atheist 0.8%, other 3.5%, none 6.6%, unspecified 0.6% (2018 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 94.1% of population rural: 42.2% of population total: 78% of population unimproved: urban: 5.9% of population rural: 57.8% of population total: 22% of population (2017 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.85 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.45 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 16.1% male: 15.7% female: 16.6% (2020 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 70.5% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Disputes - international

Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, but Chile offers instead unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile for Bolivian products; contraband smuggling, human trafficking, and illegal narcotic trafficking are problems in the porous areas of its border regions with all of its neighbors (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru)

Illicit drugs

third-largest source country of cocaine and a major transit for Peruvian cocaine; in 2020 coca cultivation totaled 39,400 hectares (ha); illicit drug consumption is low in Bolivia; most cocaine is exported to other Latin American countries, such as Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, for domestic consumption, or for onward transit to West Africa and Europe, not the United States

Airports

total: 855 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 21 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 834 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 47 914 to 1,523 m: 151 under 914 m: 631 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

CP

Merchant marine

total: 45 by type: general cargo 29, oil tanker 2, other 14 (2021)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 7 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 39 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 4,122,113 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 13.73 million mt-km (2018)

Pipelines

5457 km gas, 51 km liquid petroleum gas, 2511 km oil, 1627 km refined products (2013)

Ports and terminals

river port(s): Puerto Aguirre (Paraguay/Parana) note: Bolivia has free port privileges in maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Railways

total: 3,960 km (2019) narrow gauge: 3,960 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)

Roadways

total: 90,568 km (2017) paved: 9,792 km (2017) unpaved: 80,776 km (2017)

Waterways

10,000 km (commercially navigable almost exclusively in the northern and eastern parts of the country) (2012)