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.
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
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
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
161 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: 53
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.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
66.5% (2016)
Drinking water source
improved:
urban: 99.2% of population
rural: 80.2% of population
total: 93.5% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0.8% of population
rural: 19.8% of population
total: 6.5% of population (2020 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: 97.8% of population
rural: 48.4% of population
total: 83.1% of population
unimproved:
urban: 2.2% of population
rural: 51.6% of population
total: 16.9% of population (2020 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
Environment – current 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
Environment – international 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
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.)
Urbanization
urban population: 71.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 25.23 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 21.61 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 21.01 megatons (2020 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.)
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
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
elections/appointments: 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 (changed from two-consecutive-term limit by Constitutional Court in late 2017); election last held on 18 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2025)
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%
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 colors
red, yellow, green
National anthem
name: “Cancion Patriotica” (Patriotic Song)
lyrics/music: Jose Ignacio de SANJINES/Leopoldo Benedetto VINCENTI
note: 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)
$120.531 billion (2023 est.)
$116.927 billion (2022 est.)
$112.858 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 93
Real GDP growth rate
3.08% (2023 est.)
3.61% (2022 est.)
6.11% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 106
Real GDP per capita
$9,800 (2023 est.)
$9,700 (2022 est.)
$9,500 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 149
GDP (official exchange rate)
$45.135 billion (2023 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: 155
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 144; industry 103; agriculture 61
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: 0.2% (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
1.06% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 130
Labor force
6.859 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 70
Unemployment rate
3.1% (2024 est.)
3% (2023 est.)
3.6% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 50
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 171
Population below poverty line
36.4% (2021 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income
40.9 (2021 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
comparison ranking: 37
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% (2021 est.)
highest 10%: 30.3% (2021 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances
3.21% of GDP (2023 est.)
3.32% of GDP (2022 est.)
3.51% 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: 109
Taxes and other revenues
39.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
comparison ranking: 10
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: 144
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
$87.1 million (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: 188
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.)
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
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
CP
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) (2024)
Space program overview
has a small space program focused on acquiring and operating satellites; operates a telecommunications satellite and two ground stations; has cooperated with China and India and member states of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) (2024)
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
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 16,350 (Venezuela) (2023)
Illicit drugs
the third-largest source country of cocaine and a major transit country for Peruvian cocaine; coca cultivation in 2021 totaled 39,700 hectares (ha); most cocaine is exported to other Latin American countries, especially Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, for domestic consumption, or for onward transit from those countries to West Africa and Europe, not the United States.
