Geography
Area: 1.1 million sq. km. (425,000 sq. mi.); about the size of Texas
and California combined.
Cities: Capital--La Paz (administrative--pop. 800,385 in
2004); Sucre (constitutional--292,080). Other major cities--Santa
Cruz (1,486,115), Cochabamba (587,220), El Alto (858,716).
Terrain: High plateau (altiplano), temperate and semitropical
valleys, and the tropical lowlands.
Climate: Varies with altitude--from humid and tropical to semiarid
and cold.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Bolivian(s).
Population (2004): 8,973,281 (estimated); (2005) 9,219,149
(projected).
Annual population growth rate: 1.45%.
Religions: Predominantly Roman Catholic; minority Protestant.
Languages: Spanish (official); Quechua, Aymara, Guarani.
Education: Years compulsory--ages 7-14. Literacy--85.5%.
Health (2000): Infant mortality rate--51.77.
Work force (2.9 million): Nonagricultural employment--1.26
million; services, including government--70%; industry and
commerce--30%.
Ethnic groups: 62% indigenous (primarily Aymara, Quechua, Guarani),
38% European and mixed.
Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: August 6, 1825.
Constitution: 1967; revised 1994.
Branches: Executive--president and cabinet. Legislative--bicameral
Congress. Judicial--five levels of jurisdiction, headed by
Supreme Court.
Subdivisions: Nine departments.
Major political parties: Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), Social
Democratic Power (PODEMOS), Nationalist Revolutionary Movement (MNR),
National Unity (UN)
Suffrage: Universal adult, obligatory.
Economy (2005)
GDP: $9.657 billion.
Annual growth rate: 4%.
Per capita income: $940.
Natural resources: Hydrocarbons (natural gas, petroleum); mining
(zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, lead, gold, and iron).
Agriculture (14.5% of GDP): Major products--Soybeans, cotton,
potatoes, corn, sugarcane, rice, wheat, coffee, beef, barley, and
quinine. Arable land--27%.
Industry: Types--Mineral and hydrocarbon extraction,
manufacturing, commerce, textiles, food processing, chemicals,
plastics, mineral smelting, and petroleum refining.
Trade: Exports--$2.7 billion (2005). Major export products--natural
gas, tin, zinc, coffee, silver, tungsten, wood, gold, jewelry,
soybeans, and byproducts. Major export markets--U.S. (15%), Brazil
(33%), Colombia (6%), U.K. (2%), Argentina (9.6%), and Peru (4.7%).
Imports--$2.4 billion. Major products--machinery and
transportation equipment, consumer products, construction and mining
equipment. Major suppliers--U.S. (14.9%), Argentina (16.4%),
Brazil (23%), Chile (6.6%), Peru (6.3%).
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