Bolivia

Bolivia

Introduction

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.

Geography

Location

Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Geographic coordinates

17 00 S, 65 00 W

Map references

South America

Area

total: 1,098,581 sq km
country comparison to the world: 28 land:1,083,301 sq km
water:15,280 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

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 (2008)

Total renewable water resources

622.5 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 1.44cu km/yr (13%/7%/81%)
per capita:157cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

flooding in the northeast (March-April)
volcanism:Bolivia experiences 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

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, 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

Geography – note

landlocked

shares control of Lago Titicaca, world’s highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

People and Society

Nationality

noun: Bolivian(s)
adjective:Bolivian

Ethnic groups

Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%, Aymara 25%, white 15%

Languages

Spanish (official) 60.7%, Quechua (official) 21.2%, Aymara (official) 14.6%, foreign languages 2.4%, other 1.2% (2001 census)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%

Population

10,118,683 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83

Age structure

0-14 years: 34.6% (male 1,785,453/female 1,719,173)
15-64 years:60.7% (male 3,014,419/female 3,129,942)
65 years and over:4.6% (male 207,792/female 261,904) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 22.5 years
male:21.8 years
female:23.2 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

1.694% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67

Birth rate

24.71 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63

Death rate

6.85 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142

Net migration rate

-0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150

Urbanization

urban population: 67% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:2.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

LA PAZ (capital) 1.642 million

Santa Cruz 1.584 million

Sucre 281,000 (2009)

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.)

Maternal mortality rate

180 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 60

Infant mortality rate

total: 42.16 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 61 male:45.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female:38.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 67.57 years
country comparison to the world: 156 male:64.84 years
female:70.42 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

3 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64

Health expenditures

4.8% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 143

Physicians density

1.22 physicians/1,000 population (2001)
country comparison to the world: 91

Hospital bed density

1.1 beds/1,000 population (2009)
country comparison to the world: 141

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 96% of population
rural: 67% of population
total: 86% of population
unimproved:
urban: 4% of population
rural: 33% of population
total: 14% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 34% of population
rural: 9% of population
total: 25% of population
unimproved:
urban: 66% of population
rural: 91% of population
total: 75% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

12,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92

HIV/AIDS – deaths

fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases:bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever
water contact disease:leptospirosis (2009)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

4.3% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 89

Education expenditures

6.3% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 25

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:86.7%
male:93.1%
female:80.7% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 14 years
male:14 years
female:14 years (2007)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 9.2%
country comparison to the world: 108 male:7.3%
female:11.8% (2002)

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

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration

accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

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

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)

District Courts (one in each department)

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))

Plurinational Electoral Organ (seven members elected by the Assembly and the president

one member must be of indigenous origin to six-year terms)

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)

provincial and local courts (to try minor cases)

Political parties and leaders

Bolivia-National Convergence or PPB-CN [Manfred REYES VILLA]

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 COR

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)

labor unions (including the Central Bolivian Workers’ Union or COB and Cooperative Miners Federation or FENCOMIN)

International organization participation

CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, 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, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, 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, San Francisco
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 John CREAMER
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

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

National symbol(s)

llama

Andean condor

National anthem

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

Economy

Economy – overview

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. After higher prices for mining and hydrocarbons exports produced a fiscal surplus in 2008, the global recession in 2009 slowed growth. Nevertheless, Bolivia recorded the highest growth rate in South America that year. During 2010 an increase in world commodity prices resulted in the biggest trade surplus in history. However, a lack of foreign investment in the key sectors of mining and hydrocarbons and higher food prices pose challenges for the Bolivian economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$47.88 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93 $45.96 billion (2009 est.)
$44.47 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$19.37 billion (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

4.2% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91 3.4% (2009 est.)
6.1% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$4,800 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150 $4,700 (2009 est.)
$4,600 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 12%
industry:38%
services:50% (2010 est.)

Labor force

4.614 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: 40%
industry:17%
services:43% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

7.8% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84 7.9% (2009 est.)
note:data are for urban areas

widespread underemployment

Population below poverty line

30.3%
note:based on percent of population living on less than the international standard of $2/day (2009 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%:45.4% (2007)

Distribution of family income – Gini index

58.2 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 10 57.9 (1999)

Investment (gross fixed)

16.6% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154

Budget

revenues: $8.623 billion
expenditures:$8.239 billion (2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

44.5% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

2% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24

Public debt

38.1% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75 42.5% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83 3.3% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

3% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99 3% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

9.911% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79 12.36% (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$4.511 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94 $3.524 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$13.75 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93 $12.16 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$6.05 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107 $5.695 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$3.388 billion (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 89 $2.792 billion (31 December 2009)
$2.672 billion (31 December 2008)

Agriculture – products

soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes

timber

Industries

mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing

Industrial production growth rate

4% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103

Electricity – production

6.085 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108

Electricity – consumption

5.814 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108

Electricity – exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

0 kWh (2010 est.)

Oil – production

53,740 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61

Oil – consumption

62,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93

Oil – exports

5,621 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103

Oil – imports

17,330 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121

Oil – proved reserves

465 million bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51

Natural gas – production

14.73 billion cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34

Natural gas – consumption

3.01 billion cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73

Natural gas – exports

11.72 billion cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89

Natural gas – proved reserves

750.4 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30

Current account balance

$902.1 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48 $813.2 million (2009 est.)

Exports

$6.179 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104 $4.918 billion (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

natural gas, soybeans and soy products, crude petroleum, zinc ore, tin

Exports – partners

Brazil 43.5%, US 12.3%, Peru 6.8%, Colombia 5.5%, Japan 5.1%, Argentina 4.8% (2010)

Imports

$4.922 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115 $4.144 billion (2009 est.)

Imports – commodities

petroleum products, plastics, paper, aircraft and aircraft parts, prepared foods, automobiles, insecticides, soybeans

Imports – partners

Brazil 27.4%, Argentina 17.3%, US 11.9%, Peru 9.6%, Chile 7.8%, China 4.1% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$9.73 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71 $8.581 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$6.164 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105 $5.812 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment – at home

$7.257 billion (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 84 $6.876 billion (31 December 2009)

Stock of direct foreign investment – abroad

$21 million (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 85 $63.8 million (31 December 2008)

Exchange rates

bolivianos (BOB) per US dollar -
7.04 (2010)
7.07 (2009)
7.253 (2008)
7.8616 (2007)
8.0159 (2006)

Transportation

Airports

881 (2010)
country comparison to the world:8

Airports – with paved runways

total: 16
over 3,047 m:3
2,438 to 3,047 m:4
1,524 to 2,437 m:4
914 to 1,523 m:5 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 865
over 3,047 m:1
2,438 to 3,047 m:4
1,524 to 2,437 m:58
914 to 1,523 m:187
under 914 m:615 (2010)

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
country comparison to the world: 46 narrow gauge:3,652 km 1.000-m gauge (2010)

Roadways

total: 13,602 km (does not include urban roads)
country comparison to the world: 127 paved:4,990 km
unpaved:8,612 km (2004)

Waterways

10,000 km (commercially navigable almost exclusively in the northern and eastern parts of the country) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 13

Merchant marine

total: 22
country comparison to the world: 99 by type:bulk carrier 3, cargo 11, carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned:7 (Bahamas 1, Ecuador 1, Iran 1, Syria 4) (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

Military

Military branches

Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito Boliviano, EB), Bolivian Navy (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.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 108,334
female:104,945 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

1.3% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 115

Transnational Issues

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 natural gas

contraband smuggling, human trafficking, and illegal narcotic trafficking are problems in the porous areas of the border with Argentina

Illicit drugs

world’s third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru) with an estimated 35,000 hectares under cultivation in 2009, an increase of ten percent over 2008

third largest producer of cocaine, estimated at 195 metric tons potential pure cocaine in 2009, a 70 percent increase over 2006

transit country for Peruvian and Colombian cocaine destined for Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Europe

weak border controls

some money-laundering activity related to narcotics trade

major cocaine consumption (2011)