Bolivia

republicIndependence 6 August 1825 (from Spain)

Bolivia as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 72 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalLa Paz (seat of government)

Area1,098,580 km2

Populationas each edition published it

6.71 million July 1990 · 12.44m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.31% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 20.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 62.77 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.7 children per woman 1990 · 2.13 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

125 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 22.1 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $670 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 3.8% in 1993

Geography

12 fields

Land useshare of 1,098,580 km2

arable land 3%meadows and pastures 25%forest and woodland 52%other 20%NEGL% permanent crops; includes NEGL% irrigated

Total area

1,098,580km2

land area: 1,084,390 km2Comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries

6,743km total

Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,400 km, Chile 861 km, Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km

Disputes

has wanted a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific Ocean since the Atacama area was lost to Chile in 1884; dispute with Chile over Rio Lauca water rights

Climate

varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Natural resources

tin, natural gas, crude oil, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron ore, lead, gold, timber

Environment

cold, thin air of high plateau is obstacle to efficient fuel combustion;
overgrazing;
soil erosion;
desertification

Note

landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Peru

People

14 fields

Population

6,706,854

(July 1990), growth rate 2.1% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

35Death

Literacy

63%

Ethnic divisions

30% Quechua, 25% Aymara, 25-30% mixed, 5-15% European

Religion

95% Roman Catholic; active Protestant minority, especially Evangelical Methodist

Language

Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara (all official)

Labor force

1,700,000; 50% agriculture, 26% services and utilities, 10% manufacturing, 4% mining, 10% other (1983)

Organized labor

150,000-200,000, concentrated in mining, industry, construction, and transportation; mostly organized under Bolivian Workers' Central (COB) labor federation

Government

Republic

17 fields

Capital

La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat of judiciary)

Administrative divisions

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

Legal system

based on Spanish law and Code Napoleon; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government--President Jaime PAZ Zamora (since 6 August 1989); Vice President Luis OSSIO Sanjines (since 6 August 1989)

Political parties and leaders

Movement of the Revolutionary Left (MIR), Jaime Paz Zamora;
Nationalist Democratic Action (ADN), Hugo Banzer Suarez;
Nationalist Revolutionary Movement (MNR), Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada;
United Left (IU), coalition of leftist parties which includes Free Bolivia Movement (MBL), led by Antonio Aranibar, Patriotic National Convergency Axis (EJE-P) led by Walter Delgadillo, and Bolivian Communist Party (PCB) led by Humberto Ramirez;
Conscience of the Fatherland (CONDEPA), Carlos Palenque Aviles;
Revolutionary Vanguard-9th of April (VR-9), Carlos Serrate Reich

Suffrage

universal and compulsory at age 18 (married) or 21 (single) President--last held 7 May 1989 (next to be held May 1993);
results--Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada (MNR) 23%, Hugo Banzer Suarez (ADN) 22%, Jaime Paz Zamora (MIR) 19%;
no candidate received a majority of the popular vote;
Jaime Paz Zamora (MIR) formed a coalition with Hugo Banzer (ADN);
with ADN support Paz Zamora won the congressional runoff election on 4 August and was inaugurated on 6 August;
Senate--last held 7 May 1989 (next to be held May 1993);
results--percent of vote NA;
seats (27 total) MNR 9, ADN 8, MIR 8, CONDEPA 2;
Chamber of Deputies--last held 7 May 1989 (next to be held May 1993);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats (130 total) MNR 40, ADN 38, MIR 30, IU 10, CONDEPA 9, VR-9 3

FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IATP, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ISO, ITC, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, LAIA, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Jorge CRESPO;
Chancery at 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 483-4410 through 4412;
there are Bolivian Consulates General in Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco;
US--Ambassador Robert GELBARD;
Embassy at Banco Popular del Peru Building, corner of Calles Mercado y Colon, La Paz (mailing address is P. O. Box 425, La Paz, or APO Miami 34032);
telephone [591] (2) 350251 or 350120

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band;
similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band

Economy

17 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

15.5%

(1989)

Unemployment rate

20.7%

(1988)

External debt

$5.7billion

(December 1989)

Exports $634 million (f.o.b., 1989)commodities, where a share is given

metals

45%natural gas

32%

also coffee, soybeans, sugar, cotton, timber, and illicit drugs; partners--US 23%, Argentina

Budget

Revenues

$2,867 millionExpenditures

$2,867 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $663 million (1987)

Overview

The Bolivian economy steadily deteriorated between 1980 and 1985 as La Paz financed growing budget deficits by expanding the money supply and inflation spiraled--peaking at 11,700%. An austere orthodox economic program adopted by newly elected President Paz Estenssoro in 1985, however, succeeded in reducing inflation to between 10% and 20% annually during 1987 and 1989, eventually restarting economic growth.

President Paz Zamora has pledged to retain the economic policies of the previous government in order to keep inflation down and continue the growth begun under his predecessor. Nevertheless, Bolivia continues to be one of the poorest countries in Latin America, and it remains vulnerable to price fluctuations for its limited exports--mainly minerals and natural gas.

Moreover, for many farmers, who constitute half of the country's work force, the main cash crop is coca, which is sold for cocaine processing.

GNP

$4.6 billion, per capita $660; real growth rate 2.8% (1988)

Imports

$786 million (c.i.f., 1989);
commodities--food, petroleum, consumer goods, capital goods;
partners--US 15%

Industrial production

growth rate 8.1% (1987)

Electricity

817,000 kW capacity; 1,728 million kWh produced, 260 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverage, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing; illicit drug industry reportedly produces the largest revenues

Agriculture

accounts for 20% of GDP (including forestry and fisheries);
principal commodities--coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, timber;
self-sufficient in food

Illicit drugs

world's second-largest producer of coca (after Peru) with an estimated 54,000 hectares under cultivation;
government considers all but 12,000 hectares illicit and subject to eradication;
intermediate coca products and cocaine exported to or through Colombia and Brazil to the US and other international drug markets

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $909 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.4 billion;
Communist countries (1970-88), $340 million

Currency

boliviano (plural--bolivianos); 1 boliviano ($B) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

bolivianos ($B) per US$1--2.6917 (1989), 2.3502 (1988), 2.0549 (1987), 1.9220 (1986), 0.4400 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Airports, 636 total, 551 usable

permanent-surface runways

9runways over 3,659 m

1runways 2,440-3,659 m

8runways 1,220-2,439 m

110

Networkskm

Highways

38,836Railroads

3,675

Highways: ; 1,300 km paved, 6,700 km gravel, 30,836 km improved and unimproved earth · Railroads: ; 3,643 km 1.000-meter gauge and 32 km 0.760-meter gauge, all government owned, single track