Bolivia

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 (2010)

Internet country code

.bo

Internet hosts

180,988 (2012) country comparison to the world: 75

Internet users

1.103 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 95

Telephone system

general assessment: Bolivian National Telecommunications Company was privatized in 1995 but re-nationalized in 2007; the primary trunk system is being expanded and employs digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic cable; system operations, reliability, and coverage have steadily improved. domestic: most telephones are concentrated in La Paz, Santa Cruz, and other capital cities; mobile-cellular telephone use expanding rapidly and, in 2011, teledensity reached about 80 per 100 persons international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011)

Telephones - main lines in use

880,600 (2012) country comparison to the world: 80

Telephones - mobile cellular

9.494 million (2012) country comparison to the world: 82

Agriculture - products

quinoa, soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; Brazil nuts; timber

Budget

revenues: $15.16 billion expenditures: $15.13 billion (2013 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.1% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Central bank discount rate

4.5% (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 4% (31 december 2012 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

11.41% (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 10.6% (31 December 2012 est.)

Current account balance

$1.012 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $2.259 billion (2012 est.)

Debt - external

$5.265 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 $4.196 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

47 (2011) country comparison to the world: 29 57.9 (1999)

Economy - overview

Bolivia is a resource rich country with strong growth attributed to captive markets for natural gas exports. However, the country remains one of the least developed countries in Latin America because of state-oriented policies that deter investment and growth. Following a disastrous economic crisis during the early 1980s, reforms spurred private investment, stimulated economic growth, and cut poverty rates in the 1990s. The period 2003-05 was characterized by political instability, racial tensions, and violent protests against plans - subsequently abandoned - to export Bolivia's newly discovered natural gas reserves to large Northern Hemisphere markets. In 2005, the government passed a controversial hydrocarbons law that imposed significantly higher royalties and required foreign firms then operating under risk-sharing contracts to surrender all production to the state energy company in exchange for a predetermined service fee. The global recession slowed growth, but Bolivia recorded the highest growth rate in South America during 2009. High commodity prices since 2010 sustained rapid growth and large trade surpluses. However, a lack of foreign investment in the key sectors of mining and hydrocarbons, along with conflict among social groups pose challenges for the Bolivian economy.

Exchange rates

bolivianos (BOB) per US dollar - 6.91 (2013 est.) 6.94 (2012 est.) 7.0167 (2010 est.) 7.07 (2009) 7.253 (2008)

Exports

$12.16 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 $11.77 billion (2012 est.)

Exports - commodities

natural gas, soybeans and soy products, crude petroleum, zinc ore, tin

Exports - partners

Brazil 41.8%, US 18.4%, Argentina 7.3%, Peru 4.9% (2012)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$30.79 billion (2013 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$59.11 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 $55.35 billion (2012 est.) $52.63 billion (2011 est.) note: data are in 2013 US dollars

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 58.9% government consumption: 13.4% investment in fixed capital: 18% investment in inventories: 0.3% exports of goods and services: 47.8% imports of goods and services: -38.4% (2013 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 9.2% industry: 38.5% services: 52.3% (2013 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$5,500 (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 155 $5,200 (2012 est.) $4,900 (2011 est.) note: data are in 2013 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

6.8% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 5.2% (2012 est.) 5.2% (2011 est.)

Gross national saving

25.7% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 26% of GDP (2012 est.) 24.9% of GDP (2011 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 46% (2012 est.)

Imports

$9.282 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 $8.18 billion (2012 est.)

Imports - commodities

petroleum products, plastics, paper, aircraft and aircraft parts, prepared foods, automobiles, insecticides

Imports - partners

Chile 21.3%, Brazil 20.3%, Argentina 10.9%, US 10.1%, Peru 6.5%, Venezuela 6.2%, China 4.9% (2012)

Industrial production growth rate

5.6% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Industries

mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing, jewelry

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.5% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 4.5% (2012 est.)

Labor force

4.922 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 32% industry: 27.4% services: 40.6% (2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$9.684 billion (31 December 2013) country comparison to the world: 71 $7.689 billion (31 December 2012) $6.089 billion (31 December 2011)

Population below poverty line

45% note: based on percent of population living on less than the international standard of $2/day (2011 est.)

Public debt

36% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 32.6% of GDP (2012 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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$14.43 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $13.93 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of broad money

$20.19 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $17.4 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$0 (31 december 2013) country comparison to the world: 93 $0 (31 December 2012)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$10.56 billion (31 December 2013) country comparison to the world: 85 $8.809 billion (31 December 2012)

Stock of domestic credit

$12.45 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 $10.49 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$8.429 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $7.434 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

48.8% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Unemployment rate

7.4% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 7.5% (2012 est.) note: data are for urban areas; widespread underemployment

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

13.98 million Mt (2011 est.)

Crude oil - exports

60.71 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Crude oil - production

51,200 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Crude oil - proved reserves

209.8 million bbl (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Electricity - consumption

6.944 billion kWh (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Electricity - from fossil fuels

63.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

34.9% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Electricity - from other renewable sources

1.5% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Electricity - installed generating capacity

1.365 million kW (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Electricity - production

7.375 billion kWh (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Natural gas - consumption

9.432 billion cu m (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Natural gas - exports

44.94 billion cu m (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Natural gas - production

54.37 billion cu m (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Natural gas - proved reserves

281.5 billion cu m (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Refined petroleum products - consumption

55,560 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Refined petroleum products - imports

15,560 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Refined petroleum products - production

40,000 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Area

total: 1,098,581 sq km country comparison to the world: 28 land: 1,083,301 sq km water: 15,280 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Climate

varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

Environment - current issues

the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the international demand for tropical timber are contributing to deforestation; 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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 2.64 cu km/yr (25%/14%/61%) per capita: 305.8 cu m/yr (2005)

Geographic coordinates

17 00 S, 65 00 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

1,282 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 7,252 km border countries: Argentina 942 km, Brazil 3,403 km, Chile 942 km, Paraguay 753 km, Peru 1,212 km

Land use

arable land: 3.49% permanent crops: 0.2% other: 96.31% (2011)

Location

Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

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 (elev. 5,163 m), which last erupted in 1995, and Olca-Paruma

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

622.5 cu km (2011)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: La Paz (administrative capital); Sucre (constitutional capital) geographic coordinates: 16 30 S, 68 09 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

many previous; latest drafted 6 August 2006 - 9 December 2008, approved by referendum 25 January 2009, effective 7 February 2009; amended 2013 (2013)

Country name

conventional long form: Plurinational State of Bolivia conventional short form: Bolivia local long form: Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia local short form: Bolivia

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Aruna AMIRTHANAYAGAM (since 28 February 2014) embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, Casilla 425, La Paz mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032 telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000 FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111 note: in September 2008, the Bolivian Government expelled the US Ambassador to Bolivia, and the countries have yet to reinstate ambassadors

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Freddy BERSATTI Tudela chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410 FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New York note: as of September 2008, the US has expelled the Bolivian ambassador to the US

Executive branch

chief of state: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term and are eligible for re-election once; election last held on 6 December 2009 (next to be held in 2014) election results: Juan Evo MORALES Ayma reelected president; percent of vote - Juan Evo MORALES Ayma 64%; Manfred REYES VILLA 26%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana 6%; Rene JOAQUINO 2%; other 2%

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 fertility of the land 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 so-called wiphala - a square, multi-colored flag representing the country's indigenous peoples - to be used alongside the traditional flag

Government type

republic; note - the new constitution defines Bolivia as a "Social Unitarian State"

Independence

6 August 1825 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

CAN, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), 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, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo de Justicia (consists of 12 judges); Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal (consists of 7 primary and 7 alternate magistrates); Plurinational Electoral Organ (consists of 7 members); judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal judges elected by popular vote from list of candidates pre-selected by Plurinational Legislative Assembly for 6-year terms); Plurinational Electoral Organ members - 6 judges elected by the Assembly and 1 appointed by the president; judges and members serve 6-year terms note: the 2009 constitution reformed the procedure for selecting judicial officials for the Supreme Court, Constitutional Tribunal, and the Plurinational Electoral Organ by direct national vote, which occurred in October 2011 subordinate courts: Agro-Environmental Court; Council of the Judiciary; District Courts (in each of the 9 administrative departments)

Legal system

civil law system with influences from Roman, Spanish, canon (religious), French, and indigenous law

Legislative branch

bicameral Plurinational Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (36 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats total; 70 uninominal deputies directly elected from a single district, 7 "special" indigenous deputies directly elected from non-contiguous indigenous districts, and 53 plurinominal deputies elected by proportional representation from party lists; all deputies serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held on 6 December 2009 (next to be held in 2014) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 26, PPB-CN 10; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 89, PPB-CN 36, UN 3, AS 2; note - as of 15 February 2013, the composition of the Chamber of Deputies was: MAS 88, PPB-CN 37, UN 3, AS 2

National anthem

name: "Cancion Patriotica" (Patriotic Song)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

National symbol(s)

llama; Andean condor

Political parties and leaders

Bacada Indigena or BI Bolivia-National Convergence or PPB-CN [Adrian OLIVA] Fearless Movement or MSM [Juan DE GRANADO Cosio] Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma] National Unity or UN [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana] People or Gente [Roman LOAYZA] Social Alliance or AS [Rene JOAQUINO] Social Democratic Movement or MDS [Ruben COSTAS]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Bolivian Workers Central or COB Federation of Neighborhood Councils of El Alto or FEJUVE Landless Movement or MST National Coordinator for Change or CONALCAM Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB other: Cocalero groups; indigenous organizations (including Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Eastern Bolivia or CIDOB and National Council of Ayullus and Markas of Quollasuyu or CONAMAQ); Interculturales union or CSCIB; labor unions (including the Central Bolivian Workers' Union or COB and Cooperative Miners Federation or FENCOMIN)

Suffrage

18 years of age, universal and compulsory

Background

Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and countercoups. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. In December 2005, Bolivians elected Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's traditional political class and empower the nation's poor, indigenous majority. In December 2009, President MORALES easily won reelection, and his party took control of the legislative branch of the government, which will allow him to continue his process of change. In October 2011, the country held its first judicial elections to select judges for the four highest courts.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 2,472,490 females age 16-49: 2,535,768 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,762,260 females age 16-49: 2,013,281 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 108,334 female: 104,945 (2010 est.)

Military branches

Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito Boliviano, EB), Bolivian Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Boliviana, FNB; includes Marines), Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB) (2013)

Military expenditures

1.47% of GDP (2012) country comparison to the world: 66 1.47% of GDP (2011) 1.47% of GDP (2010)

Military service age and obligation

18-49 years of age for 12-month compulsory male and female military service; Bolivian citizenship required; 17 years of age for voluntary service; when annual number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; 15-19 years of age for voluntary premilitary service, provides exemption from further military service (2013)

Age structure

0-14 years: 33.3% (male 1,805,121/female 1,737,794) 15-24 years: 19.8% (male 1,063,823/female 1,037,320) 25-54 years: 36.3% (male 1,878,736/female 1,979,819) 55-64 years: 5.7% (male 280,809/female 322,057) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 232,514/female 293,493) (2014 est.)

Birth rate

23.28 births/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Child labor - children ages 5-14

total number: 553,323 percentage: 26 % note: data represents children ages 5-13 (2008 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

4.5% (2008) country comparison to the world: 95

Contraceptive prevalence rate

60.5% (2008)

Death rate

6.59 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Demographic profile

Bolivia ranks at or near the bottom among Latin American countries in several areas of health and development, including poverty, education, fertility, malnutrition, mortality, and life expectancy. On the positive side, more children are being vaccinated and more pregnant women are getting prenatal care and having skilled health practitioners attend their births. Bolivia's income inequality is the highest in Latin America and one of the highest in the world. Public education is of poor quality, and educational opportunities are among the most unevenly distributed in Latin America, with girls and indigenous and rural children less likely to be literate or to complete primary school. The lack of access to education and family planning services helps to sustain Bolivia's high fertility rate - approximately three children per woman. Bolivia's lack of clean water and basic sanitation, especially in rural areas, contributes to health problems. Almost 7% of Bolivia's population lives abroad, primarily to work in Argentina, Brazil, Spain, and the United States. In recent years, more restrictive immigration policies in Europe and the United States have increased the flow of Bolivian emigrants to neighboring Argentina and Brazil.

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 65.3 % youth dependency ratio: 57 % elderly dependency ratio: 8.2 % potential support ratio: 12.1 (2014 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 96% of population rural: 71.9% of population total: 88.1% of population unimproved: urban: 4% of population rural: 28.1% of population total: 11.9% of population (2012 est.)

Education expenditures

6.9% of GDP (2011) country comparison to the world: 24

Ethnic groups

Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%, Aymara 25%, white 15%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.3% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,300 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

15,900 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Health expenditures

4.9% of GDP (2011) country comparison to the world: 144

Hospital bed density

1.1 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

total: 38.61 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 57 male: 42.23 deaths/1,000 live births female: 34.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official) 60.7%, Quechua (official) 21.2%, Aymara (official) 14.6%, Guarani (official), foreign languages 2.4%, other 1.2% note: Bolivia's 2009 constitution designates Spanish and all indigenous languages as official; 36 indigenous languages are specified, including some that are extinct (2001 census)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 68.55 years country comparison to the world: 159 male: 65.78 years female: 71.45 years (2014 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.2% male: 95.8% female: 86.8% (2009 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever (2013)

Major urban areas - population

Santa Cruz 1.719 million; LA PAZ (capital) 1.715 million; Sucre (constitutional capital) 307,000 (2011)

Maternal mortality rate

190 deaths/100,000 live births (2008) country comparison to the world: 58

Median age

total: 23.4 years male: 22.6 years female: 24.1 years (2014 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.2 note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Bolivian(s) adjective: Bolivian

Net migration rate

-0.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

17.9% (2008) country comparison to the world: 109

Physicians density

1.22 physicians/1,000 population (2001)

Population

10,631,486 (July 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Population growth rate

1.6% (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 57.5% of population rural: 23.7% of population total: 46.4% of population unimproved: urban: 42.5% of population rural: 76.3% of population total: 53.6% of population (2012 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2007)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.8 children born/woman (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 6.2% country comparison to the world: 132 male: 4.8% female: 7.8% (2009)

Urbanization

urban population: 66.8% of total population (2011) rate of urbanization: 2.18% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, but Chile offers instead unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile for Bolivian natural gas; contraband smuggling, human trafficking, and illegal narcotic trafficking are problems in the porous areas of the border with Argentina

Illicit drugs

world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru) with an estimated 30,000 hectares under cultivation in 2011, a decrease of 13 percent over 2010; third largest producer of cocaine, estimated at 265 metric tons potential pure cocaine in 2011, a 29 percent increase over 2010; transit country for Peruvian and Colombian cocaine destined for Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Europe; weak border controls; some money-laundering activity related to narcotics trade; major cocaine consumption (2013)

Airports

855 (2013) country comparison to the world: 7

Airports - with paved runways

total: 21 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 834 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 47 914 to 1,523 m: 151 under 914 m: 631 (2013)

Merchant marine

total: 18 country comparison to the world: 98 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 14, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 5 (Syria 4, UK 1, (2010)

Pipelines

gas 5,457 km; liquid petroleum gas 51 km; oil 2,511 km; refined products 1,627 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

river port(s): Puerto Aguirre (Paraguay/Parana) note: Bolivia has free port privileges in maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Railways

total: 3,652 km country comparison to the world: 48 narrow gauge: 3,652 km 1.000-m gauge (2010)

Roadways

total: 80,488 km country comparison to the world: 59 paved: 11,993 km unpaved: 68,495 km (2010)

Waterways

10,000 km (commercially navigable almost exclusively in the northern and eastern parts of the country) (2012) country comparison to the world: 13