Bolivia

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.TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes

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

land: 1,083,301 sq km

water: 15,280 sq km

comparison ranking: total 29

Area – comparative

slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

total: 7,252 km

border countries (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

lithium, tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Land use

agricultural land: 35.8% (2022 est.)

arable land: 5.1% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 0.2% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 30.5% (2022 est.)

forest: 46.5% (2022 est.)

other: 17.6% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land

2,972 sq km (2017)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s): Lago Titicaca (shared with Peru) – 8,030 sq km

salt water lake(s): Lago Poopo – 1,340 sq km

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Paraná (2,582,704 sq km)

Major aquifers

Amazon Basin

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

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

People and Society

Population

total: 12,311,974 (2024 est.)

male: 6,192,774

female: 6,119,200

comparison rankings: total 80; female 80; male 81

Nationality

noun: Bolivian(s)

adjective: Bolivian

Ethnic groups

Mestizo (mixed White and Indigenous ancestry) 68%, Indigenous 20%, White 5%, Cholo/Chola 2%, African descent 1%, other 1%, unspecified 3%; 44% other Indigenous group, predominantly Quechua or Aymara (2009 est.)

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

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.

Spanish audio sample:

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.)

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)

2024 population pyramid:

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

comparison ranking: total 163

Population growth rate

1% (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 92

Birth rate

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

comparison ranking: 84

Death rate

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

comparison ranking: 130

Net migration rate

-1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 143

Population distribution

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)

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.)

Mother’s mean age at first birth

21.1 years (2008 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Maternal mortality ratio

146 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 51

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

comparison ranking: total 68

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.5 years (2024 est.)

male: 71 years

female: 74 years

comparison ranking: total population 161

Total fertility rate

2.2 children born/woman (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 85

Gross reproduction rate

1.07 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

improved:

urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 81% of population (2022 est.)

total: 94.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved:

urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 19% of population (2022 est.)

total: 5.9% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

8.2% of GDP (2021)

16.4% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

1.28 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Hospital bed density

1.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved:

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 51.4% of population (2022 est.)

total: 85.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 48.6% of population (2022 est.)

total: 14.2% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

20.2% (2016)

comparison ranking: 103

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 2.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 2.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 0.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

comparison ranking: total 115

Tobacco use

total: 11% (2025 est.)

male: 18.9% (2025 est.)

female: 3.2% (2025 est.)

comparison ranking: total 122

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.4% (2016)

comparison ranking: 77

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

57.1% (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 3.4% (2016)

women married by age 18: 19.7% (2016)

men married by age 18: 5.2% (2016)

Education expenditure

8.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

23.1% national budget (2021 est.)

comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 10

Literacy

total population: 94% (2020 est.)

male: 97% (2020 est.)

female: 91% (2020 est.)

Environment

Environmental issues

deforestation from agricultural clearing and international demand for timber; 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

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Climate

varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Land use

Urbanization

urban population: 71.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

21.552 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 24,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 13.647 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 7.881 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total emissions 82

Particulate matter emissions

24.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,219,052 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 268,727 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 12.1% (2015 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 140 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 1.92 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources

574 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

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

former: Upper Peru

etymology: the country is named in honor of Simón BOLÍVAR, a 19th-century leader in the South American wars for independence

Government type

presidential republic

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

Legal system

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

Constitution

history: many previous; latest drafted 6 August 2006 to 9 December 2008, approved by referendum 25 January 2009, effective 7 February 2009

amendment process: proposed through public petition by at least 20% of voters or by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership of the Assembly and approval in a referendum

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state: President Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora (since 8 November 2020)

head of government: President Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora (since 8 November 2020)

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: 18 October 2020

election results:
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: 17 August 2025 (a runoff, if needed, will take place on 19 October 2025)

note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

note: elections were held in successive years in 2019 and 2020 because Juan Evo MORALES resigned from office on 10 November 2019 over alleged election rigging; Jeanine ANEZ Chavez served as interim president until the 8 November 2020 inauguration of Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora, who won the 18 October 2020 presidential election

Legislative branch

legislature name: Plurinational Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional)

legislative structure: bicameral

Legislative branch – lower chamber

chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados)

number of seats: 130 (all directly elected)

electoral system: mixed system

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 10/18/2020

parties elected and seats per party: Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP) (75); Civic Community (C.C) (39); Creemos (16)

percentage of women in chamber: 46.2%

expected date of next election: August 2025

Legislative branch – upper chamber

chamber name: Chamber of Senators (Cámara de Senadores)

number of seats: 36 (all directly elected)

electoral system: proportional representation

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 10/18/2020

parties elected and seats per party: Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP) (21); Civic Community (C.C) (11); Creemos (4)

percentage of women in chamber: 55.6%

expected date of next election: August 2025

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo de Justicia (consists of 12 judges 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

Political parties

Community Citizen Alliance or ACC
Front for Victory or FPV
Movement Toward Socialism or MAS
National Unity or UN
Revolutionary Left Front or FRI
Revolutionary Nationalist Movement or MNR
Social Democrat Movement or MDS
Third System Movement or MTS
We Believe or Creemos

note: We Believe or Creemos [Luis Fernando CAMACHO Vaca] is a coalition comprised of several opposition parties that participated in the 2020 election, which includes the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) and Solidarity Civic Unity (UCS)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Henry BALDELOMAR CHÁVEZ (since 11 October 2023)

chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410

FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://www.boliviawdc.org/en-us/

consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Debra HEVIA (since September 2023)

embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, Casilla 425, La Paz

mailing address: 3220 La Paz Place, Washington DC 20512-3220

telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000

FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://bo.usembassy.gov/

note: in September 2008, the Bolivian Government expelled the US Ambassador to Bolivia, Philip GOLDBERG, and both countries have yet to reinstate their ambassadors

International organization participation

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, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence

6 August 1825 (from Spain)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

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 land’s fertility

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 wiphala –– a square, multi-colored flag representing the country’s ethnic groups — to be used alongside the traditional flag

National symbol(s)

llama, Andean condor; two national flowers, the cantuta and the patuju

National color(s)

red, yellow, green

National anthem(s)

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: City of Potosi (c); El Fuerte de Samaipata (c); Historic Sucre (c); Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos (c); Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (n); Tiahuanacu (c); Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System (c)

Economy

Economic overview

resource-rich economy benefits during commodity booms; has bestowed juridical rights to Mother Earth, impacting extraction industries; increasing Chinese lithium mining trade relations; hard hit by COVID-19; increased fiscal spending amid poverty increases; rampant banking and finance corruption

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$122.2 billion (2024 est.)
$120.531 billion (2023 est.)
$116.927 billion (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 91

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

comparison ranking: 167

Real GDP per capita

$9,800 (2024 est.)
$9,800 (2023 est.)
$9,700 (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 147

GDP (official exchange rate)

$49.668 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.1% (2024 est.)
2.6% (2023 est.)
1.7% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

comparison ranking: 146

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

comparison rankings: services 141; industry 96; agriculture 59

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

Agricultural products

sugarcane, soybeans, maize, potatoes, sorghum, rice, milk, chicken, plantains, beef (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

comparison ranking: 112

Labor force

6.859 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

comparison ranking: 69

Unemployment rate

3.1% (2024 est.)
3.1% (2023 est.)
3.6% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

comparison ranking: 43

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 5.2% (2024 est.)

male: 4.8% (2024 est.)

female: 5.8% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

comparison ranking: total 163

Population below poverty line

37.7% (2022 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income

42.1 (2023 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

comparison ranking: 36

Average household expenditures

on food: 29.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 2.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.8% (2023 est.)

highest 10%: 31.3% (2023 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Remittances

3.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
3.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
3.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Budget

revenues: $11.796 billion (2019 est.)

expenditures: $14.75 billion (2019 est.)

Public debt

49% of GDP (2017 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

comparison ranking: 105

Current account balance

-$1.15 billion (2023 est.)
$939.084 million (2022 est.)
$1.581 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

comparison ranking: 134

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

comparison ranking: 109

Exports – partners

Brazil 15%, India 13%, China 11%, Argentina 11%, UAE 8% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports – commodities

gold, natural gas, precious metal ore, zinc ore, soybean meal (2023)

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

comparison ranking: 111

Imports – partners

China 22%, Brazil 18%, Chile 13%, USA 7%, Peru 5% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports – commodities

refined petroleum, cars, pesticides, trucks, plastics (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.977 billion (2024 est.)
$1.8 billion (2023 est.)
$3.752 billion (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

comparison ranking: 127

Debt – external

$11.174 billion (2023 est.)

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

comparison ranking: 47

Exchange rates

bolivianos (BOB) per US dollar –

Exchange rates:
6.91 (2024 est.)
6.91 (2023 est.)
6.91 (2022 est.)
6.91 (2021 est.)
6.91 (2020 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification – total population: 99.9% (2022 est.)

electrification – urban areas: 100%

electrification – rural areas: 95.6%

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.)

comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 101; consumption 103; installed generating capacity 96

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 65% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind: 3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity: 24.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

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.)

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.)

Energy consumption per capita

29.34 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 117

Communications

Telephones – fixed lines

total subscriptions: 550,000 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 89

Telephones – mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 12 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2021 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 85

Broadcast media

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 (2019)

Internet country code

.bo

Internet users

percent of population: 70% (2023 est.)

Broadband – fixed subscriptions

total: 1.33 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total 72

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

201 (2025)

comparison ranking: 32

Heliports

3 (2025)

comparison ranking: 118

Railways

total: 3,960 km (2019)

narrow gauge: 3,960 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

Merchant marine

total: 50 (2023)

by type: general cargo 30, oil tanker 2, other 18

comparison ranking: total 121

Military and Security

Military and security forces

Bolivian Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de Bolivia or FAB): Bolivian Army (Ejercito de Boliviano), Bolivian Navy (Armada Boliviana), Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana)

Ministry of Government: National Police (Policía Nacional de Bolivia, PNB) (2025)

note: the PNB is part of the reserves for the Armed Forces; the police and military share responsibility for border enforcement

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 service personnel strengths

approximately 30-35,000 active-duty Armed Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military is equipped with a mix of mostly older Brazilian, Chinese, European, and US equipment (2024)

Military service age and obligation

compulsory for all men between the ages of 18 and 22; men can volunteer from the age of 16, women from 18; service is for 12 months; Search and Rescue service can be substituted for citizens who have reached the age of compulsory military service; duration of this service is 24 months (2024)

note 1: foreign nationals 18-22 residing in Bolivia may join the armed forces; joining speeds the process of acquiring Bolivian citizenship by naturalization

note 2: as of 2022, women comprised about 8% of the Bolivian military’s personnel

Military – note

the Bolivian Armed Forces (FAB) are responsible for territorial defense but also have some internal security duties, particularly counternarcotics and border security; the FAB shares responsibility for border enforcement with the National Police (PNB), and it may be called out to assist the PNB with maintaining public order in critical situations

land-locked Bolivia has a naval force for patrolling some 5,000 miles of navigable rivers to combat narcotics trafficking and smuggling, provide disaster relief, and deliver supplies to remote rural areas, as well as for maintaining a presence on Lake Titicaca; the Navy also exists in part to cultivate a maritime tradition and as a reminder of Bolivia’s defeat at the hands of Chile in the War of the Pacific (1879-1883), and its desire to regain access to the Pacific Ocean; every year on 23 March, the Navy participates in parades and government ceremonies commemorating the Día Del Mar (Day of the Sea) holiday that remembers the loss (2025)

Space

Space agency/agencies

Bolivian Space Agency (la Agencia Boliviana Espacial, ABE; established 2010 as a national public company under Ministry of Public Works, Services and Housing) (2025)

Space program overview

has a small space program focused on acquiring and operating satellites; operates a telecommunications satellite and ground stations; has cooperated with China and India and member states of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) (2025)

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s)

Terrorist group(s): Tren de Aragua (TdA)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide