Bolivia Population: 10,461,053
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| 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 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, indigenous 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. In December 2009, President MORALES easily won reelection, and his party took control of the legislative branch of the government, which will allow him to continue his process of change. In October 2011, the country held its first judicial elections to appoint judges to the four highest courts. |
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| Geography | |
| Landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru | |
| Location: | Central South America, southwest of Brazil |
| Geographic coordinates: | 17 00 S, 65 00 W |
| Area: | total: 1,098,581 sq km land: 1,083,301 sq km water: 15,280 sq km Size comparison: 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 |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m |
| Natural resources: | tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower |
| Land use: | arable land: 2.78% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 97.03% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 1,500 sq km (2003) |
| 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 (elev. 5,163 m), which last erupted in 1995 and Olca-Paruma |
| Current Environment 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 |
| International Environment 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 |
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| People | |
| Population: | 10,461,053 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 33.8% (male 1,800,381/female 1,733,366) 15-24 years: 19.9% (male 1,053,952/female 1,028,169) 25-54 years: 35.9% (male 1,825,535/female 1,928,945) 55-64 years: 5.6% (male 272,980/female 311,312) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 223,933/female 282,480) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 22.8 years male: 22.1 years female: 23.5 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.664% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 24.24 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 6.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 40.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 44.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 37.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 67.9 years male: 65.16 years female: 70.77 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.87 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.2% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 12,000 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 1,000 (2009 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) 60.7%, Quechua (official) 21.2%, Aymara (official) 14.6%, foreign languages 2.4%, other 1.2% (2001 census) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.7% male: 93.1% female: 80.7% (2001 census) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Plurinational State of Bolivia conventional short form: Bolivia local long form: Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia local short form: Bolivia |
| Government type: | republic; note - the new constitution defines Bolivia as a "Social Unitarian State" |
| 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: | 7 February 2009 |
| Legal system: | civil law system with influences from Roman, Spanish, canon (religious), French, and indigenous law |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age, universal and compulsory |
| 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 (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term and are eligible for re-election once; election last held on 6 December 2009 (next to be held in 2014) election results: Juan Evo MORALES Ayma reelected president; percent of vote - Juan Evo MORALES Ayma 64%; Manfred REYES VILLA 26%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana 6%; Rene JOAQUINO 2%; other 2% |
| Legislative branch: | bicameral Plurinational Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (36 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 total; 70 uninominal deputies directly elected from a single district, 7 "special" indigenous deputies directly elected from non-contiguous indigenous districts, and 53 plurinominal deputies elected by proportional representation from party lists; all deputies serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held on 6 December 2009 (next to be held in 2014) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 26, PPB-CN 10; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 89, PPB-CN 36, UN 3, AS 2; note - as of 15 February 2013, the current composition of the Chamber of Deputies is: MAS 88, PPB-CN 37, UN 3, AS 2 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo de Justicia (judges elected by popular vote from list of candidates pre-selected by Assembly for six-year terms); Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal (seven primary or titulares and seven alternate or suplente magistrates elected by popular vote from list of candidates pre-selected by Assembly for six-year terms; to rule on constitutional issues (at least two candidates must be indigenous)); Agro-Environmental Court (judges elected by popular vote from list of candidates pre-selected by Assembly for six-year terms; to run on agro-environmental issues); Council of the Judiciary (five judges elected by popular vote from list of candidates pre-selected by Assembly for six-year terms; to rule on ethical and administrative issues in the judiciary); Plurinational Electoral Organ (seven members elected by the Assembly and the president-one member must be of indigenous origin-to six-year terms); provincial and local courts (to try minor cases); District Courts (one in each department) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Bacada Indigena or BI; Bolivia-National Convergence or PPB-CN [Adrian OLIVA]; Fearless Movement or MSM [Juan DE GRANADO Cosio]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma]; National Unity or UN [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana]; People or Gente [Roman LOAYZA]; Social Alliance or AS [Rene JOAQUINO] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Bolivian Workers Central or COB; Federation of Neighborhood Councils of El Alto or FEJUVE; Landless Movement or MST; National Coordinator for Change or CONALCAM; Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB other: Cocalero groups; indigenous organizations (including Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Eastern Bolivia or CIDOB and National Council of Ayullus and Markas of Quollasuyu or CONAMAQ); Interculturales union or CSCIB; labor unions (including the Central Bolivian Workers' Union or COB and Cooperative Miners Federation or FENCOMIN) |
| International organization participation: | CAN, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), 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, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Freddy BERSATTI Tudela chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410 FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New York note: as of September 2008, the US has expelled the Bolivian ambassador to the US |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Larry MEMMOTT embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, Casilla 425, La Paz mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032 telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000 FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111 note: in September 2008, the Bolivian Government expelled the US Ambassador to Bolivia, and the countries have yet to reinstate ambassadors |
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| Economy | |
| Bolivia is one of the poorest and least developed countries in Latin America. Following a disastrous economic crisis during the early 1980s, reforms spurred private investment, stimulated economic growth, and cut poverty rates in the 1990s. 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, the government passed a controversial hydrocarbons law 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 global recession slowed growth, but Bolivia recorded the highest growth rate in South America during 2009. During 2010-12 high world commodity prices sustained rapid growth and large trade surpluses. However, a lack of foreign investment in the key sectors of mining and hydrocarbons, along with growing conflict among social groups pose challenges for the Bolivian economy. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $54.36 billion (2012 est.) $51.79 billion (2011 est.) $49.23 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $27.12 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 5.2% (2012 est.) 5.2% (2011 est.) 4.1% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $5,000 (2012 est.) $4,900 (2011 est.) $4,700 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 9.6% industry: 38.3% services: 52.1% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 4.718 million (2012 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 32% industry: 20% services: 48% (2010 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 5.5% (2012 est.) 5.7% (2011 est.) note: data are for urban areas; widespread underemployment |
| Population below poverty line: | 49.6% note: based on percent of population living on less than the international standard of $2/day (2010 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 45.4% (2007) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 53 (2010) 57.9 (1999) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (2012 est.) 6.9% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 21% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $12.6 billion expenditures: $12.2 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 32.7% of GDP (2012 est.) 35.4% of GDP (2011 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 |
| Agriculture - products: | soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; Brazil nuts; timber |
| Industries: | mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing, jewelry |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 4.8% (2012 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 6.94 billion kWh (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 6.301 billion kWh (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 48.97 billion cu m (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 8.59 billion cu m (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 40.28 billion cu m (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 281.5 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | $271.8 million (2012 est.) $537.2 million (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $11.77 billion (2012 est.) $9.18 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | natural gas, soybeans and soy products, crude petroleum, zinc ore, tin |
| Exports - partners: | Brazil 41.8%, US 12.2%, South Korea 6.4%, Peru 5.7%, Argentina 5.2%, Japan 4.7% (2011) |
| Imports: | $8.18 billion (2012 est.) $761 million (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | petroleum products, plastics, paper, aircraft and aircraft parts, prepared foods, automobiles, insecticides |
| Imports - partners: | Chile 23.5%, Brazil 23%, Argentina 10.3%, US 10.1%, Peru 6.9%, China 5.8% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $13.69 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $12.02 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $4.2 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $3.49 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $8.81 billion (31 December 2012) $7.75 billion (31 December 2011) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $8 million (31 December 2011) $21 million (31 December 2010) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $7.69 billion (31 December 2012) $6.089 billion (31 December 2011) $3.915 billion (31 December 2010) |
| Exchange rates: | bolivianos (BOB) per US dollar - 6.96 (2012 est.) 6.9875 (2011 est.) 7.0167 (2010 est.) 7.07 (2009) 7.253 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 879,000 (2011) country comparison to the world: 83 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 8.355 million (2011) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: Bolivian National Telecommunications Company was privatized in 1995 but re-nationalized in 2007; the primary trunk system is being expanded and employs digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic cable; system operations, reliability, and coverage have steadily improved. domestic: most telephones are concentrated in La Paz, Santa Cruz, and other capital cities; mobile-cellular telephone use expanding rapidly and, in 2011, teledensity reached about 80 per 100 persons international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .bo |
| Internet hosts: | 180,988 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 1.103 million (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 865 (2012) country comparison to the world: 7 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 21 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 844 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 51 914 to 1,523 m: 157 under 914 m: 631 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | gas 5,330 km; liquid petroleum gas 51 km; oil 2,510 km; refined products 1,627 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 3,652 km narrow gauge: 3,652 km 1.000-m gauge (2010) |
| Roadways: | total: 80,488 km paved: 11,993 km unpaved: 68,495 km (2010) |
| Waterways: | 10,000 km (commercially navigable almost exclusively in the northern and eastern parts of the country) (2012) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 18 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 14, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 5 (Syria 4, UK 1, (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | 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 |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito Boliviano, EB), Bolivian Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Boliviana, FNB; includes Marines), Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB) (2011) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18-49 years of age for 12-month compulsory male and female military service; when annual number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; 15-19 years of age for voluntary premilitary service, provides exemption from further military service (2011) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 2,472,490 females age 16-49: 2,535,768 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,762,260 females age 16-49: 2,013,281 (2010 est.) |
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