Bolivia

Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simón BOLÍVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825. Much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of coups and countercoups, with the last coup occurring in 1980. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. <br><br>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.

Land

1,083,301 sq km

Total

1,098,581 sq km

Water

15,280 sq km

slightly less than three times the size of Montana

varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

0 km (landlocked)

South America

Highest point

Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

Lowest point

Rio Paraguay 90 m

Mean elevation

1,192 m

17 00 S, 65 00 W

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

2,972 sq km (2017)

Border countries

Argentina 942 km; Brazil 3,403 km; Chile 942 km; Paraguay 753 km; Peru 1,212 km

number of neighbors

5

Total

7,252 km

Agricultural land

35.8% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 5.1% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 30.5% (2023 est.)

arable land

5.13%

Forest

50.6% (2023 est.)

Other

13.5% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

0.23%

Yes

Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Amazon Basin

Fresh water lake(s)

Lago Titicaca (shared with Peru) - 8,030 sq km

Salt water lake(s)

Lago Poopo - 1,340 sq km

Atlantic Ocean drainage

Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Paran&aacute; (2,582,704 sq km)

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/9DfnyfbxNM2g5U9b9

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/252645

South America

none (landlocked)

flooding in the northeast (March to April) <br><br><strong>volcanism:</strong> 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)

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

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

South America

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

UTC-04:00

number of time zones

1

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)

Beer

2.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

0.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

2.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

17.02 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Men married by age 18

5.2% (2016)

Women married by age 15

3.4% (2016)

Women married by age 18

19.7% (2016)

3.4% (2016 est.)

50.2% (2022 est.)

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

adult female

148 per 1,000

adult male

229 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

11 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

9.1 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

54 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

42.9 (2025 est.)

Improved: rural

rural: 81% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 94.1% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 19% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 5.9% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% GDP)

8.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

10.8% national budget (2024 est.)

8 % of GDP

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

<strong>note:</strong> 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

1.04 (2025 est.)

7 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

8.2% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

16.4% of national budget (2022 est.)

0.27%

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

Female

20 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

24.5 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

12 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

22.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

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)

<br>La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

number of languages

4

Female

74 years

Male

71 years

Total population

72.5 years (2024 est.)

Female

93.5% (2023 est.)

Male

97.8% (2023 est.)

Total population

95.6% (2023 est.)

1.936 million LA PAZ (capital), 1.820 million Santa Cruz, 1.400 million Cochabamba (2022); 278,000 Sucre (constitutional capital) (2018)

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

Female

27 years

Male

26.2 years

Total

27 years (2025 est.)

21.1 years (2008 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Adjective

Bolivian

Noun

Bolivian(s)

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

20.2% (2016)

1.28 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Female

6,178,189

Male

6,257,914

Total

12,436,103 (2025 est.)

1.01% (2025 est.)

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.)

Improved: rural

rural: 51.4% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 85.8% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 48.6% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 14.2% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

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

At birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Female

3.2% (2025 est.)

Male

18.9% (2025 est.)

Total

11% (2025 est.)

2.13 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

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

Urban population

71.2% of total population (2023)

measles

67%

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

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

Geographic coordinates

16 30 S, 68 09 W

Name

La Paz (administrative capital); Sucre (constitutional [legislative and judicial] capital)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> at approximately 3,630 m above sea level, La Paz's elevation makes it the highest capital city in the world

Time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship by birth

yes

Citizenship by descent only

yes

Dual citizenship recognized

yes

Residency requirement for naturalization

3 years

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/bo.svg

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

History

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

alternative spellings

BO, Buliwya, Wuliwya, Bolivia, Plurinational State of, Plurinational State of Bolivia, Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia, Buliwya Mamallaqta, Wuliwya Suyu, Tetã Volívia

Conventional long form

Plurinational State of Bolivia

Conventional short form

Bolivia

Etymology

the country is named in honor of Sim&oacute;n BOL&Iacute;VAR, a 19th-century leader in the South American wars for independence

FIFA code

BOL

Former

Upper Peru

Local long form

Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia

local long form (aym)

Wuliwya Suyu

local long form (fra)

Collectivité de Saint-Barthélemy

Local short form

Bolivia

Chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Debra HEVIA (since September 2023)

Email address and website

<br>ConsularLaPazACS@state.gov<br><br>https://bo.usembassy.gov/

Embassy

Avenida Arce 2780, Casilla 425, La Paz

FAX

[591] (2) 216-8111

Mailing address

3220 La Paz Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20512-3220

Note

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

Telephone

[591] (2) 216-8000

Chancery

3014 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charg&eacute; d'Affaires Henry BALDELOMAR CH&Aacute;VEZ (since 11 October 2023)

Consulate(s) general

Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Email address and website

<br>embolivia.wdc@gmail.com<br><br>https://www.boliviawdc.org/en-us/

FAX

[1] (202) 328-3712

Telephone

[1] (202) 483-4410

Cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

Chief of state

President Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (since 8 November 2025)

Election results

<br><em>2025:</em> Rodrigo PAZ Pereira elected president in second round; percent vote in first round - Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (PDC) 32.1%, Jorge<strong> </strong>Fernando QUIROGA<strong> </strong>Ramírez (LIBRE) 26.7%, Samuel DORIA MEDINA Auza (UN) 19.7%, Andrónico RODRÌGUEZ Ledezma<strong> </strong>(AP) 8.5%, Manfred REYES Villa (APB Súmate) 6.8%, Eduardo DEL CASTILLO (MAS) 3.2%, other 3%; percent of vote in second round - Rodrigo PAZ Pereira 55%, Jorge<strong> </strong>Fernando QUIROGA<strong> </strong>Ramírez 45%<em><br><br>2020:</em> 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%<br><br><em>2019:</em> 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%

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

Expected date of next election

2030

Head of government

President Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (since 8 November 2025)

Most recent election date

17 August 2025

Note

<strong>note:</strong> the president is both chief of state and head of government

<strong>description:</strong> three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green, with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> red stands for bravery and the blood of national heroes, yellow for the nation's mineral resources, and green for the land's fertility<br><br><strong>history: </strong>in 2009, a presidential decree made it mandatory for a <em>wiphala -</em>- a square, multi-colored flag representing the country's ethnic groups -- to be used alongside the national flag

note

<strong>note:</strong> similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large, five-pointed black star centered in the yellow band

The flag of Bolivia is composed of three equal horizontal bands of red, yellow and green, with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/bo.svg

presidential republic

6 August 1825 (from Spain)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

Highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo de Justicia (consists of 12 judges<em> </em>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

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

Legislative structure

bicameral

Legislature name

Plurinational Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional)

Chamber name

Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados)

Electoral system

mixed system

Expected date of next election

August 2030

Most recent election date

8/17/2025

Number of seats

130 (all directly elected)

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%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

5 years

Chamber name

Chamber of Senators (Cámara de Senadores)

Electoral system

proportional representation

Expected date of next election

August 2030

Most recent election date

8/17/2025

Number of seats

36 (all directly elected)

Parties elected and seats per party

Christian Democratic Party (PDC) (16); LIBRE (12); Unity (7); Other (1)

Percentage of women in chamber

58.3%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

5 years

red, yellow, green

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 &Ntilde;an/Andean Road System (c)

Total World Heritage Sites

7 (6 cultural, 1 natural)

Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

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

Autonomy for Bolivia – Súmate or APB Súmate<br>Christian Democratic Party or PDC<br>Community Citizen Alliance or ACC<br>Freedom and Democracy or LIBRE<br>Front for Victory or FPV<br>Movement Toward Socialism or MAS<br>National Unity or UN<br>Popular Alliance or AP<br>Revolutionary Left Front or FRI<br>Revolutionary Nationalist Movement or MNR<br>Social Democrat Movement or MDS<br>Third System Movement or MTS<br>We Believe or Creemos

note

<strong>note:</strong> 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)

Monday

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Yes

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

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

On alcohol and tobacco

2.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

On food

29.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Expenditures

$14.75 billion (2019 est.)

Revenues

$11.796 billion (2019 est.)

code

BOB

name

Bolivian boliviano (BOB) [Bs.]

$-1,407,061,487

Current account balance 2021

$1.581 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$939.084 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$1.15 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$15.72 billion

Debt - external 2023

$11.174 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> present value of external debt in current US dollars

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

Currency

bolivianos (BOB) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

6.91 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

6.91 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

6.91 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

6.91 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

6.91 (2024 est.)

$11.76 billion

Exports 2021

$11.594 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$14.465 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$11.905 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$387.03 million

Exports of goods and services

25.5% (2023 est.)

Government consumption

19.3% (2023 est.)

Household consumption

68.5% (2023 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-30.9% (2023 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

17.5% (2023 est.)

Investment in inventories

0.1% (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agriculture

13.5% (2023 est.)

Industry

24.2% (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

51.1% (2023 est.)

$49.668 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$4,421

41.6 (2019)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

42.1 (2023 est.)

Note

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

$53.77 billion

$4,160

18 % of GDP

Highest 10%

31.3% (2023 est.)

Lowest 10%

1.8% (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$14.02 billion

Imports 2021

$10.187 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$13.462 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$12.988 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

1.1% (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

5.1%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

1.7% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

2.6% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

5.1% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

6.859 million (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

6.98 million persons

agriculture

24.71%

industry

19.79%

services

55.49%

37.7% (2022 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

Note

<strong>note:</strong> 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

Public debt 2017

49% of GDP (2017 est.)

$159.85 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$116.927 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$120.531 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$122.2 billion (2024 est.)

-1.12%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3.6% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.1% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

1.4% (2024 est.)

$12,878

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$9,700 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$9,800 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$9,800 (2024 est.)

$1.28 billion

Note

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

Remittances 2021

3.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

3.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

3.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

$1.98 billion

Note

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$3.752 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$1.8 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$1.977 billion (2024 est.)

2.97%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

3.6% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.1% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

3.1% (2024 est.)

Female

5.8% (2024 est.)

Male

4.8% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

5.2% (2024 est.)

Consumption

9,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports

7,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

1 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption

10.863 billion kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

859 kWh

Installed generating capacity

4.375 million kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

1.079 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electrification - rural areas

95.6%

Electrification - total population

99.9% (2022 est.)

Electrification - urban areas

100%

Biomass and waste

3.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels

65% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

24.99%

Hydroelectricity

24.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

0%

renewable

38.26%

Solar

2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Wind

3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

798 kg of oil equivalent

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

29.34 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Consumption

4.025 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Exports

7.816 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Production

12.302 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

302.99 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Crude oil estimated reserves

240.9 million barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

100,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Total petroleum production

58,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

12.8%

per 100 inhabitants

11 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11 (2022 est.)

Total

1.33 million (2022 est.)

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)

.bo

Percent of population

70% (2023 est.)

### ###

+591

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2024 est.)

Total subscriptions

369,000 (2024 est.)

subscriptions per 100

102 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

98 (2024 est.)

Total subscriptions

12.2 million (2024 est.)

passengers carried

5.6 million passengers

registered carrier departures

50,459 departures

201 (2025)

CP

Right

3 (2025)

By type

general cargo 30, oil tanker 2, other 18

Total

50 (2023)

Narrow gauge

3,960 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

Total

3,960 km (2019)

BOL

armored vehicles

tanks

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<br><br>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)

Bolivian Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de Bolivia or FAB): Bolivian Army (Ejercito de Boliviano), Bolivian Navy (Armada Boliviana), Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana)<br><br>Ministry of Government: National Police (Policía Nacional de Bolivia, PNB) (2025)

active duty personnel

71,000

note

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

percent of total labor force

1.21 %

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

the military is equipped with a mix of mostly older Brazilian, Chinese, European, and US armaments (2025)

1 % of GDP

current USD

$655,130,126

Military Expenditures 2020

1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

percent of central government expenditure

3.67 %

percent of GDP

1.37 % of GDP

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

<strong>note:</strong> as of 2024, women comprised about 11% of the Bolivian military's personnel

PowerIndex score

1.8301

USG identification

<br>major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country<br><br>major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

IDPs

12,070 (2024 est.)

Refugees

1,163 (2024 est.)

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/

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

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

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)

Tren de Aragua (TdA)

note

<strong>note:</strong> 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

From coal and metallurgical coke

24,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas

7.881 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

13.647 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

21.552 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

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

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

Agriculture

673.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Energy

122.8 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Other

150.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste

73.1 kt (2019-2021 est.)

24.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

31 % of total land area

9 % of total

574 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

0 % of internal resources

Agricultural

1.92 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial

32 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal

252.91 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal solid waste generated annually

2.219 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

34.4% (2022 est.)