Map of Bolivia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simón BOLÍVAR, 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 1980. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. In 2005, Bolivians elected Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES as president -- by the widest margin of any leader since 1982 -- after he ran on a promise to change the country's traditional political class and empower the poor and indigenous majority. In 2009 and 2014, MORALES easily won reelection, and his party maintained control of the legislative branch. In 2016, MORALES narrowly lost a referendum to approve a constitutional amendment that would have allowed him to compete in the 2019 presidential election. A subsequent Supreme Court ruling stating that term limits violate human rights provided the justification for MORALES to run despite the referendum, but rising violence, pressure from the military, and widespread allegations of electoral fraud ultimately forced him to flee the country. An interim government, led by President Jeanine AÑEZ Chávez, held new elections in 2020, and Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora was elected president.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 1,098,581 km²
Land: 1,083,301 km²
Water: 15,280 km²
Comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries
Total: 7,252 km
Border countries (5): (5) Argentina 942 km; Brazil 3,403 km; Chile 942 km; Paraguay 753 km; Peru 1,212 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
Highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m
Lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m
Mean elevation: 1,192 m

Natural resources

Land use
Agricultural land: 35.8% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 5.1% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 30.5% (2023 est.)
Forest: 50.6% (2023 est.)
Other: 13.5% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,972 km² (2017)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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)

Geography
Note: landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru


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Population
Total: 12,311,974 (2024 est.)
Male: 6,192,774
Female: 6,119,200
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
Growth rate: 1% (2024 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

Languages: Spanish (official) 68.1%, Quechua (official) 17.2%, Aymara (official) 10.5%, Guarani (official) 0.6%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.1%; note - Spanish and all Indigenous languages are official (2012 est.)
Major-language sample(s): ; La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Roman Catholic 65%, Protestant 19.6% (Evangelical (non-specific) 11.9%, Evangelical Baptist 2.1%, Evangelical Pentecostal 1.8%, Evangelical Methodist 0.7%, Adventist 2.8%, Protestant (non-specific) 0.3%), Believer (not belonging to the church) 0.9%, other 4.8%, atheist 1.7%, agnostic 0.6%, none 6.1%, unspecified 1.3% (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 28.5% (male 1,792,803/female 1,718,081)
15-64 years: 64.5% (male 4,002,587/female 3,937,953)
65 years and over: 7% (2024 est.) (male 397,384/female 463,166)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 55.1 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 44.2 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 10.8 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 9.2 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 26.6 years (2024 est.)
Male: 26.2 years
Female: 27 years

Population growth rate: 1% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 17.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 6.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate

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

Urbanization
Urban population: 71.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.936 million LA PAZ (capital), 1.820 million Santa Cruz, 1.400 million Cochabamba (2022); 278,000 Sucre (constitutional capital) (2018)

Environment

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 146 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 22.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 24.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 20 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 71 years
Female: 74 years

Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source
Urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 19% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 5.9% of population (2022 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 48.6% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 14.2% of population (2022 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 3.4% (2016 est.)

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 3.1% (2024 est.); 3.1% (2023 est.); 3.6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment


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Country name

Government type

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, Pueblo Nuevo de Nuestra Señora de La Paz (New Town of Our Lady of Peace); Sucre is named after Antonio José de SUCRE (1795-1830), 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

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

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: civil law system with influences from Roman, Spanish, canon (religious), French, and ethnic groups' pre-colonial law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (since 8 November 2025)
Head of government: President Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (since 8 November 2025)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
Election/appointment process: 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
Most recent election date: 17 August 2025
2025: Rodrigo PAZ Pereira elected president in second round; percent vote in first round - Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (PDC) 32.1%, Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramírez (LIBRE) 26.7%, Samuel DORIA MEDINA Auza (UN) 19.7%, Andrónico RODRÌGUEZ Ledezma (AP) 8.5%, Manfred REYES Villa (APB Súmate) 6.8%, Eduardo DEL CASTILLO (MAS) 3.2%, other 3%; percent of vote in second round - Rodrigo PAZ Pereira 55%, Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramírez 45%
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%
2019: 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%
Expected date of next election: 2,030
Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Plurinational Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional)
Legislative structure: bicameral

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green, with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'Cancion Patriotica' (Patriotic Song)
Lyrics/music: Jose Ignacio de SANJINES/Leopoldo Benedetto VINCENTI
History: adopted 1852

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 7 (6 cultural, 1 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 1.4% (2024 est.); 3.1% (2023 est.); 3.6% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 1.4% (2024 est.); 3.1% (2023 est.); 3.6% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 68.5% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 19.3% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 17.5% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 25.5% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -30.9% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 13.5% (2023 est.)
Industry: 24.2% (2023 est.)
Services: 51.1% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products

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

Industrial production growth rate: 1.1% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 6.859 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 3.1% (2024 est.); 3.1% (2023 est.); 3.6% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 3.1% (2024 est.); 3.1% (2023 est.); 3.6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $11.796 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $14.75 billion (2019 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $11.905 billion (2023 est.); $14.465 billion (2022 est.); $11.594 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: gold, natural gas, precious metal ore, zinc ore, soybean meal (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $12.988 billion (2023 est.); $13.462 billion (2022 est.); $10.187 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, cars, pesticides, trucks, plastics (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


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Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 4.375 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 10.863 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.079 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 99.9% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 100%
Access electrification - rural areas: 95.6%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 65% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 24.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 3.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 9,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 7,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 1 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 58,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 100,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 240.9 million barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 12.302 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 4.025 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Exports: 7.816 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 302.99 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 21.552 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 24,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 13.647 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 7.881 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 29.34 million Btu/person (2023 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 550,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 12 million (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Users percent of population: 70% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 1.33 million (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2022 est.)


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Military expenditures: 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.); 1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 201 (2025)

Heliports: 3 (2025)

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 3,960 km (2019)
Narrow gauge: 3,960 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 50 (2023)
By type: general cargo 30, oil tanker 2, other 18

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs