Bolivia

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 1.33 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2022 est.)

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.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 369,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 12.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 98 (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

sugarcane, soybeans, maize, potatoes, sorghum, rice, milk, chicken, plantains, beef (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on food: 29.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

revenues: $11.796 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $14.75 billion (2019 est.)

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

Debt - external

$11.174 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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

Exchange rates

bolivianos (BOB) per US dollar - 6.91 (2024 est.) 6.91 (2023 est.) 6.91 (2022 est.) 6.91 (2021 est.) 6.91 (2020 est.)

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

Exports - commodities

gold, natural gas, precious metal ore, zinc ore, soybean meal (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Brazil 15%, India 13%, China 11%, Argentina 11%, UAE 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$49.668 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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

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

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

42.1 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

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

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

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, pesticides, trucks, plastics (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 22%, Brazil 18%, Chile 13%, USA 7%, Peru 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

1.1% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.1% (2024 est.) 2.6% (2023 est.) 1.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

6.859 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

37.7% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

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

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

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

Real GDP per capita

$9,800 (2024 est.) $9,800 (2023 est.) $9,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

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

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

Unemployment rate

3.1% (2024 est.) 3.1% (2023 est.) 3.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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

Coal

consumption: 9,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 7,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 1 million metric tons (2023 est.)

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.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 99.9% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 95.6%

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.)

Energy consumption per capita

29.34 million Btu/person (2023 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.)

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.)

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.)

Climate

varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

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

Land use

agricultural land: 35.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 30.5% (2023 est.) forest: 50.6% (2023 est.) other: 13.5% (2023 est.)

Methane emissions

energy: 122.8 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 673.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 73.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 150.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

24.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

574 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 252.91 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 32 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.92 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 71.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.219 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 34.4% (2022 est.)

Area

total : 1,098,581 sq km 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

highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m mean elevation: 1,192 m

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

2,972 sq km (2017)

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

Land use

agricultural land: 35.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 30.5% (2023 est.) forest: 50.6% (2023 est.) other: 13.5% (2023 est.)

Location

Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Major aquifers

Amazon Basin

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), Paran (2,582,704 sq km)

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 (5,163 m), which last erupted in 1995, and the Olca-Paruma volcanic complex (5,762 m to 5,167 m)

Natural resources

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

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

Terrain

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

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 [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 Se ora de La Paz (New Town of Our Lady of Peace ); Sucre is named after Antonio Jos 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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years

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

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 Sim n BOL VAR, a 19th-century leader in the South American wars for independence

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg 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: ConsularLaPazACS@state.gov 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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg d'Affaires Henry BALDELOMAR CH VEZ (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: embolivia.wdc@gmail.com https://www.boliviawdc.org/en-us/ consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (since 8 November 2025) head of government: President Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (since 8 November 2025) 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: 17 August 2025 election results: 2025: Rodrigo PAZ Pereira elected president in second round; percent vote in first round - Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (PDC) 32.1%, Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ram rez (LIBRE) 26.7%, Samuel DORIA MEDINA Auza (UN) 19.7%, Andr nico RODR GUEZ Ledezma (AP) 8.5%, Manfred REYES Villa (APB S mate) 6.8%, Eduardo DEL CASTILLO (MAS) 3.2%, other 3%; percent of vote in second round - Rodrigo PAZ Pereira 55%, Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ram rez 45% 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: 2030 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Flag

description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green, with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band meaning: red stands for bravery and the blood of national heroes, yellow for the nation's mineral resources, and green for the land's fertility history: 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 national flag note: similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large, five-pointed black star centered in the yellow band

Government type

presidential republic

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), 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

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

Legal system

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

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: 8/17/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Christian Democratic Party (PDC) (49); LIBRE (39); Unity (26); Popular Alliance (8); Other (8) percentage of women in chamber: 50.8% expected date of next election: August 2030

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: 8/17/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Christian Democratic Party (PDC) (16); LIBRE (12); Unity (7); Other (1) percentage of women in chamber: 58.3% expected date of next election: August 2030

National anthem(s)

title: "Cancion Patriotica" (Patriotic Song) lyrics/music: Jose Ignacio de SANJINES/Leopoldo Benedetto VINCENTI history: adopted 1852

National color(s)

red, yellow, green

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 an/Andean Road System (c)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties

Autonomy for Bolivia S mate or APB S mate Christian Democratic Party or PDC Community Citizen Alliance or ACC Freedom and Democracy or LIBRE Front for Victory or FPV Movement Toward Socialism or MAS National Unity or UN Popular Alliance or AP 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)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Background

Bolivia, named after independence fighter Sim n BOL VAR, 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 A EZ Ch vez, held new elections in 2020, and Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora was elected president.

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 D a Del Mar (Day of the Sea) holiday that remembers the loss (2025)

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 (Polic a 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 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 armaments (2025)

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 service age and obligation

voluntary service for men and women 18-22 years of age; selective 12-month compulsory service for men, 18-22 (24 months of search and rescue service can be substituted for military service) (2025) note: as of 2024, women comprised about 11% of the Bolivian military's personnel

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)

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.)

Birth rate

17.02 births/1,000 population (2025 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)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.4% (2016 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

50.2% (2022 est.)

Death rate

5.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 54 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 42.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 9.1 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 81% of population (2022 est.) total: 94.1% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 19% of population (2022 est.) total: 5.9% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

8.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.8% national budget (2024 est.)

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

Gross reproduction rate

1.04 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

8.2% of GDP (2021) 16.4% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

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

Infant mortality rate

total: 22.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 24.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20 deaths/1,000 live births

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 informaci n b sica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.5 years (2024 est.) male: 71 years female: 74 years

Literacy

total population: 95.6% (2023 est.) male: 97.8% (2023 est.) female: 93.5% (2023 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)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

total: 27 years (2025 est.) male: 26.2 years female: 27 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.1 years (2008 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

noun: Bolivian(s) adjective: Bolivian

Net migration rate

-0.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.2% (2016)

Physician density

1.28 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Population

total: 12,436,103 (2025 est.) male: 6,257,914 female: 6,178,189

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

Population growth rate

1.01% (2025 est.)

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.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 51.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 85.8% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 48.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 14.2% of population (2022 est.)

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.)

Tobacco use

total: 11% (2025 est.) male: 18.9% (2025 est.) female: 3.2% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.13 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 71.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Key space-program milestones

2013 - first communications satellite (T pac Katari, TKSAT-1) built and launched by China 2016 - began independently operating the TKSAT-1 satellite 2021 - signed protocols for establishment of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency

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 (2025)

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

Illicit drugs

USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 1,163 (2024 est.) IDPs: 12,070 (2024 est.)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List Bolivia did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period and was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/bolivia/

Airports

201 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

CP

Heliports

3 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 50 (2023) by type: general cargo 30, oil tanker 2, other 18

Railways

total: 3,960 km (2019) narrow gauge: 3,960 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge