Bolivia

republicIndependence 6 August 1825 (from Spain)

Bolivia as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 74 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

7.32 million July 1992 · 6.71m in 1990

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

4.5 children per woman 1992 · 4.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

82 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 125 in 1990

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

13 fields

Total area

1,098,580km2

Comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries

6,743km

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

Terrain

rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon basin

Natural resources

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

Land use

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

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

7,323,048

(July 1992), growth rate 2.3% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

33Death

Literacy

78%

(male 85%, female 71%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality

noun - Bolivian(s); adjective - Bolivian

Ethnic divisions

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

Religions

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

Languages

Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara (all official)

Labor force

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

18 fields

Capital

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

Administrative divisions

9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, 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 Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores) 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;
Civic Solidarity Union (UCS), Max FERNANDEZ Rojas;
Conscience of the Fatherland (CONDEPA), Carlos PALENQUE Aviles;
Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Jorge AGREDO;
Free Bolivia Movement (MBL), led by Antonio ARANIBAR;
United Left (IU), a coalition of leftist parties that includes Patriotic National Convergency Axis (EJE-P) led by Walter DELGADILLO, and Bolivian Communist Party (PCB) led by Humberto RAMIREZ;
Revolutionary Vanguard - 9th of April (VR-9), Carlos SERRATE Reich

Suffrage

universal and compulsory at age 18 (married) or 21 (single)

Elections

Chamber of Deputies:: last held 7 May 1989 (next to be held May 1993);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
note - legislative and presidential candidates run on a unified slate, so vote percentages are the same as in section on presidential election results;
seats - (130 total) MNR 40, ADN 35, MIR 33, IU 10, CONDEPA 9, PDC 3
Chamber of Senators:: last held 7 May 1989 (next to be held May 1993);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
note - legislative and presidential candidates run on a unified slate, so vote percentages are the same as in section on presidential election results;
seats - (27 total) MNR 9, ADN 7, MIR 8, CONDEPA 2, PDC 1
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 1989

AG, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, 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 Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco

US:: Ambassador Charles R. BOWERS;
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 AA 34032);
telephone [591] (2) 350251 or 350120;
FAX [591] (2) 359875

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%

(1991)

Unemployment rate

(1991 est.)

External debt

$3.3billion

(December 1991)

Budget

Revenues

$900 millionExpenditures

$825 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $300 million (1991 est.)

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 then President Paz Estenssoro in 1985, however, succeeded in reducing inflation to between 10% and 20% annually since 1987, eventually restarting economic growth.

Since August 1989, President Paz Zamora has retained the economic policies of the previous government, keeping inflation down and continuing moderate growth. Nevertheless, Bolivia continues to be one of the poorest countries in Latin America, with widespread poverty and unemployment, and it remains vulnerable to price fluctuations for its limited exports - agricultural products, 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.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $4.6 billion, per capita $630; real growth rate 4% (1991)

Exports

$970 million (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:: metals 45%, natural gas 25%, other 30% (coffee, soybeans, sugar, cotton, timber)
partners:: US 15%, Argentina

Imports

$760 million (c.i.f., 1991)

commodities:: food, petroleum, consumer goods, capital goods
partners:: US 22%

Industrial production

growth rate 6% (1991); accounts for almost 30% of GDP

Electricity

849,000 kW capacity; 1,798 million kWh produced, 251 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for about 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 47,900 hectares under cultivation;
voluntary and forced eradication program unable to prevent production from rising to 78,400 metric tons in 1991 from 74,700 tons in 1989;
government considers all but 12,000 hectares illicit;
intermediate coca products and cocaine exported to or through Colombia and Brazil to the US and other international drug markets

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $990 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2,025 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $340 million

Currency

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

Exchange rates

bolivianos ($B) per US$1 - 3.7534 (January 1992), 3.5806 (1991), 3.1727 (1990), 2.6917 (1989), 2.3502 (1988), 2.0549 (1987)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Airports, 1,105 total, 943 usable

permanent-surface runways

9runways | over 3,659 m

2runways 2,440-3,659 m

7runways 1,220-2,439 m

146

Networkskm

Highways

38,836Railroads

3,684

Highways: ; 1,300 km paved, 6,700 km gravel, 30,836 km improved and unimproved earth · Railroads: , all narrow gauge; 3,652 km 1.000-meter gauge and 32 km 0.760-meter gauge, all government owned, single track