ARCHIVE // BO // 2017

Bolivia

2017 Edition — sovereign

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Communications
Broadcast media [time series]
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 (2010)
Internet country code [time series]
.bo
Internet users [time series]
total: 4,354,678 | percent of population: 39.7% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 78
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
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 2016, teledensity stood at 93 per 100 persons | international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2016)
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 867,302 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total: 10,165,308 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 93 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
soybeans, quinoa, Brazil nuts, sugarcane, coffee, corn, rice, potatoes, chia, coca
Budget [time series]
revenues: $14.58 billion | expenditures: $16.81 billion (2016 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]
-6.4% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175
Central bank discount rate [time series]
1.5% (31 December 2016 est.) | 2.5% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121
Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]
7.95% (31 December 2016 est.) | 8.07% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 106
Current account balance [time series]
$-1.928 billion (2016 est.) | $-1.879 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 151
Debt - external [time series]
$11.65 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $9.849 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 106
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]
47 (2016 est.) | 57.9 (1999) | country comparison to the world: 28
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
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 and growth. | 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. 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 2016-20 National Economic and Social Development Plan aimed at maintaining growth of 5% and reducing poverty.
Exchange rates [time series]
bolivianos (BOB) per US dollar - | 6.91 (2016 est.) | 6.91 (2015 est.) | 6.91 (2014 est.) | 6.91 (2013 est.) | 6.94 (2012 est.)
Exports [time series]
$7 billion (2016 est.) | $8.673 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 99
Exports - commodities [time series]
natural gas, silver, zinc, lead, tin, gold, quinoa, soybeans and soy products
Exports - partners [time series]
Brazil 19.3%, US 13.6%, Argentina 11.4%, Colombia 8.8%, China 6.8%, Japan 5.9%, South Korea 5.4%, Peru 4.8%, Belgium 4.6% (2016)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$34.05 billion (2016 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$78.77 billion (2016 est.) | $74.59 billion (2015 est.) | $70.37 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 93
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 69.1% | government consumption: 17.5% | investment in fixed capital: 20.8% | investment in inventories: 0% | exports of goods and services: 24.6% | imports of goods and services: -32% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 13.4% | industry: 38.5% | services: 53.8% (2016 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$7,200 (2016 est.) | $7,000 (2015 est.) | $6,800 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 155
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
4.3% (2016 est.) | 4.9% (2015 est.) | 5.5% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 58
Gross national saving [time series]
15.1% of GDP (2016 est.) | 14.2% of GDP (2015 est.) | 20.8% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 0.9% | highest 10%: 36.1% (2014 est.)
Imports [time series]
$7.888 billion (2016 est.) | $9.004 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 106
Imports - commodities [time series]
machinery, petroleum products, vehicles, iron and steel, plastics
Imports - partners [time series]
China 19.9%, Brazil 17.5%, Argentina 10.5%, US 9.8%, Peru 6.9%, Japan 4.9%, Chile 4.1% (2016)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
4% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 61
Industries [time series]
mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing, jewelry
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
3.6% (2016 est.) | 4.1% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 153
Labor force [time series]
4.992 million (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 29.4% | industry: 22% | services: 48.6% (2015 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]
$12.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $11.11 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $9.833 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72
Population below poverty line [time series]
38.6% | note: based on percent of population living on less than the international standard of $2/day (2011 est.)
Public debt [time series]
44.8% of GDP (2016 est.) | 39.1% of GDP (2015 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 | country comparison to the world: 116
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$10.08 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $13.06 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74
Stock of broad money [time series]
$14.85 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $15.45 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 94
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]
$0 (31 December 2016 est.) | $0 (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]
$1.059 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $1.084 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 118
Stock of domestic credit [time series]
$22.39 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $18.9 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84
Stock of narrow money [time series]
$9.09 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $8.946 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
41.9% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 32
Unemployment rate [time series]
4% (2016 est.) | 7.4% (2015 est.) | note: data are for urban areas; widespread underemployment | country comparison to the world: 95
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]
16 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 90
Crude oil - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 97
Crude oil - imports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101
Crude oil - production [time series]
59,330 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50
Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]
211.5 million bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 57
Electricity - consumption [time series]
7.332 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 107
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109
Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]
71.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 100
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]
21% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86
Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 53
Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]
8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 78
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126
Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]
2.362 million kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 107
Electricity - production [time series]
8.147 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110
Electricity access [time series]
population without electricity: 1,200,000 | electrification - total population: 90% | electrification - urban areas: 99% | electrification - rural areas: 72% (2013)
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
5.366 billion cu m (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 62
Natural gas - exports [time series]
15.73 billion cu m (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 16
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 94
Natural gas - production [time series]
21.1 billion cu m (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 31
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
295.9 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 41
Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]
86,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87
Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]
8,642 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86
Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]
22,340 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113
Refined petroleum products - production [time series]
59,050 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 80
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 1,098,581 sq km | land: 1,083,301 sq km | water: 15,280 sq km | country comparison to the world: 29
Area - comparative [time series]
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Climate [time series]
varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid
Coastline [time series]
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation [time series]
mean elevation: 1,192 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m | highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
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 environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]
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
Geographic coordinates [time series]
17 00 S, 65 00 W
Geography - note [time series]
landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru
Irrigated land [time series]
3,000 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 7,252 km | border countries (5): Argentina 942 km, Brazil 3,403 km, Chile 942 km, Paraguay 753 km, Peru 1,212 km
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 34.3% | arable land 3.6%; permanent crops 0.2%; permanent pasture 30.5% | forest: 52.5% | other: 13.2% (2011 est.)
Location [time series]
Central South America, southwest of Brazil
Map references [time series]
South America
Maritime claims [time series]
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards [time series]
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 [time series]
tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower
Population distribution (Population - distribution) [time series]
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 [time series]
rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Beni, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija
Capital [time series]
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)
Citizenship [time series]
citizenship by birth: yes | citizenship by descent: yes | dual citizenship recognized: yes | residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years
Constitution [time series]
many previous; latest drafted 6 August 2006 - 9 December 2008, approved by referendum 25 January 2009, effective 7 February 2009; amended 2013 (2015)
Country name [time series]
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 [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Peter BRENNAN (since June 2014) | embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, Casilla 425, La Paz | mailing address: 3220 La Paz Place, Dulles, VA, 20189-3220 | telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000 | FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111 | 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 [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Rafael Pablo CANEDO Daroca (since July 2017) | chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 328-4155 | FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712 | consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, 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
Executive branch [time series]
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/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 12 October 2014 (next to be held in 2019); note - a presidential candidate wins an election one of 3 ways | election results: 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%
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
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 [time series]
presidential republic
Independence [time series]
6 August 1825 (from Spain)
International law organization participation [time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation [time series]
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 [time series]
highest court(s): 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 [time series]
civil law system with influences from Roman, Spanish, canon (religious), French, and indigenous law
Legislative branch [time series]
description: bicameral Plurinational Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (36 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; 70 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 53 indirectly elected in single-seat constituencies by 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 and Chamber of Deputies - last held on 12 October 2014 (next to be held in 2019) | election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 25, UD 9, PDC 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 88, UD 32, PDC 10
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
name: "Cancion Patriotica" (Patriotic Song) | lyrics/music: Jose Ignacio de SANJINES/Leopoldo Benedetto VINCENTI | note: adopted 1852
National holiday [time series]
Independence Day, 6 August (1825)
National symbol(s) [time series]
llama, Andean condor; national colors: red, yellow, green
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez] | Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma] | National Unity or UN [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana]
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
Bolivian Workers Central or COB | Central Bolivian Workers' Union or COB | Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Eastern Bolivia or CIDOB | Federation of Neighborhood Councils of El Alto or FEJUVE-El Alto | Landless Movement or MST | National Confederation of Native Rural Indigenous Women of Bolivia or Bartolina Sisa | National Coordination for Change or CONALCAM | National Council of Ayullus and Markas of Quollasuyu or CONAMAQ | Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB [Jacinto HERRARA] | other: Cocalero unions | Interculturales union or CSCIB | various federations of neighborhood councils or FEJUVEs (including the national organization)
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age, universal and compulsory
Introduction
Background [time series]
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. Despite the loss, MORALES has already been chosen by his party to run again in 2019, via a still-undetermined method for him to appear on the ballot.
Military and Security
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito Boliviano, EB), Bolivian Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Boliviana, FNB, includes Marines), Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB) (2017)
Military expenditures [time series]
1.68% of GDP (2016) | 1.74% of GDP (2015) | 1.9% of GDP (2014) | 1.84% of GDP (2013) | 1.85% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 64
Military service age and obligation [time series]
16-49 years of age for 12-month voluntary male and female military service; Bolivian citizenship required; minimum age of combat is 18; 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 (2017)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 31.85% (male 1,807,735/female 1,739,763) | 15-24 years: 19.46% (male 1,098,097/female 1,069,950) | 25-54 years: 37.48% (male 2,041,866/female 2,133,065) | 55-64 years: 5.9% (male 303,409/female 353,598) | 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 260,424/female 330,327) (2017 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
22 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 73
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
3.6% (2012) | country comparison to the world: 95
Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]
60.5% (2008)
Death rate [time series]
6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 147
Demographic profile [time series]
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. | Almost 7% of Bolivia's population lives abroad, primarily to work in Argentina, Brazil, Spain, and the United States. In recent years, more restrictive immigration policies in Europe and the United States have increased the flow of Bolivian emigrants to neighboring Argentina and Brazil.
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 63.7 | youth dependency ratio: 53.1 | elderly dependency ratio: 10.6 | potential support ratio: 9.4 (2015 est.)
Drinking water source [time series]
urban: 96.7% of population | rural: 75.6% of population | total: 90% of population | urban: 3.3% of population | rural: 24.4% of population | total: 10% of population (2015 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
7.3% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 24
Ethnic groups [time series]
mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 68%, indigenous 20%, white 5%, cholo/chola 2%, black 1%, other 1%, unspecified 3% ; 44% of respondents indicated feeling part of some indigenous group, predominantly Quechua or Aymara | 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 (2009 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
0.3% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 82
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
<1000 (2016 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
19,000 (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 78
Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]
6.3% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 99
Hospital bed density [time series]
1.1 beds/1,000 population (2012)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 35.3 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 38.7 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 31.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52
Languages [time series]
Spanish (official) 60.7%, Quechua (official) 21.2%, Aymara (official) 14.6%, foreign languages 2.4%, Guarani (official) 0.6%, other native languages 0.4%, none 0.1% | note: Bolivia's 2009 constitution designates Spanish and all indigenous languages as official; 36 indigenous languages are specified, including some that are extinct (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 69.5 years | male: 66.7 years | female: 72.4 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 161
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 92.5% | male: 96.5% | female: 88.6% (2015 est.)
Major infectious diseases [time series]
degree of risk: very high | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A | vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever | note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)
Major urban areas - population [time series]
Santa Cruz 2.107 million; LA PAZ (capital) 1.816 million; Cochabamba 1.24 million; Sucre (constitutional capital) 372,000 (2015)
Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]
206 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 51
Median age [time series]
total: 24.3 years | male: 23.6 years | female: 25 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 162
Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]
21.2 years | note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2008 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Bolivian(s) | adjective: Bolivian
Net migration rate [time series]
-0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
20.2% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 104
Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]
0.47 physicians/1,000 population (2011)
Population [time series]
11,138,234 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81
Population distribution [time series]
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 [time series]
1.51% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 77
Religions [time series]
Roman Catholic 76.8%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 8.1%, Protestant 7.9%, other 1.7%, none 5.5% (2012 est.)
Sanitation facility access [time series]
urban: 60.8% of population | rural: 27.5% of population | total: 50.3% of population | urban: 39.2% of population | rural: 72.5% of population | total: 49.7% of population (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 14 years | male: 14 years | female: 14 years (2007)
Sex ratio [time series]
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: 0.95 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female | total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
2.63 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 73
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]
total: 6.9% | male: 6.4% | female: 7.6% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 69.3% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 2.11% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
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 [time series]
world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru) with an estimated 36,500 hectares under cultivation in 2015, a 3 percent increase over 2014; third largest producer of cocaine, estimated at 255 metric tons potential pure cocaine in 2015; 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
Trafficking in persons [time series]
current situation: Bolivia is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking domestically and abroad; indigenous children are particularly vulnerable; Bolivia is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking domestically and abroad; rural and poor Bolivians, most of whom are indigenous, and LGBT youth are particularly vulnerable; Bolivians perform forced labor domestically in mining, ranching, agriculture, and domestic service, and a significant number are in forced labor abroad in sweatshops, agriculture, domestic service, and the informal sector; women and girls are sex trafficked within Bolivia and in neighboring countries, such as Argentina, Peru, and Chile; a limited number of women from nearby countries are sex trafficked in Bolivia | tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Bolivia does not comply fully with the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government did not demonstrate overall increasing anti-trafficking efforts, and poor data collection made it difficult to assess the number of investigations, prosecutions, and victim identifications and referrals to care services; authorities did not adequately differentiate between human trafficking and other crimes, such as domestic violence and child abuse; law enforcement failed to implement an early detection protocol for identifying trafficking cases and lacked a formal process for identifying trafficking victims among vulnerable populations; specialized victim services were inadequately funded and virtually non-existent for adult women and male victims (2015)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
855 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 7
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
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 [time series]
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 [time series]
CP (2016)
Merchant marine [time series]
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) | country comparison to the world: 98
National air transport system [time series]
number of registered air carriers: 7 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 39 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,578,959 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 9,456,548 mt-km (2015)
Pipelines [time series]
gas 5,457 km; liquid petroleum gas 51 km; oil 2,511 km; refined products 1,627 km (2013)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
river port(s): Puerto Aguirre (Paraguay/Parana) | note: Bolivia has free port privileges in maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay
Railways [time series]
total: 3,504 km | narrow gauge: 3,504 km 1.000-m gauge (2014) | country comparison to the world: 51
Roadways [time series]
total: 90,568 km | paved: 9,792 km | unpaved: 80,776 km (2017) | country comparison to the world: 61
Waterways [time series]
10,000 km (commercially navigable almost exclusively in the northern and eastern parts of the country) (2012) | country comparison to the world: 13