Bolivia
Some figures reconciled across multiple sources via Civica's methodology (v0.2 BETA). Methodology →
Bolivia⌘K
Overview
- Background
- 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
Area
- Land
- 1,083,301 sq km
- Water
- 15,280 sq km
- Total
- 1,098,581 sq km
- 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
Land Use
- Other
- 13.5% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 50.6% (2023 est.)
- 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.)
- Location
- Central South America, southwest of Brazil
- Coastline
- 0 km (landlocked)
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Rio Paraguay 90 m
- Highest point
- Nevado Sajama 6,542 m
- Mean elevation
- 1,192 m
- Irrigated land
- 2,972 sq km (2017)
- Major aquifers
- Amazon Basin
- Map references
- South America
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 7,252 km
- Border countries
- Argentina 942 km; Brazil 3,403 km; Chile 942 km; Paraguay 753 km; Peru 1,212 km
- 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) - Geography note
- landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru
- Natural resources
- lithium, tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower
- Area comparative
- slightly less than three times the size of Montana
- Geographic coordinates
- 17 00 S, 65 00 W
- 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
Major Lakes (Area Sq Km)
- Salt water lake(s)
- Lago Poopo - 1,340 sq km
- Fresh water lake(s)
- Lago Titicaca (shared with Peru) - 8,030 sq km
Major Watersheds (Area Sq Km)
- Atlantic ocean drainage
- Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Paraná (2,582,704 sq km)
People & Society
Literacy
- Male
- 97.8% (2023 est.)
- Female
- 93.5% (2023 est.)
- Total population
- 95.6% (2023 est.)
Languages
- 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.
- 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.)
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
- Total population
- 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.86 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 17.02 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 5.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 26.2 years
- Total
- 27 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 27 years
Population
- Male
- 6,257,914
- Total
- 12,436,103 (2025 est.)
- Female
- 6,178,189
Nationality
- Noun
- Bolivian(s)
- Adjective
- Bolivian
Tobacco Use
- Male
- 18.9% (2025 est.)
- Total
- 11% (2025 est.)
- Female
- 3.2% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 71.2% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 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)
- 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.)
Child Marriage
- Men married BY age 18
- 5.2% (2016)
- Women married BY age 15
- 3.4% (2016)
- Women married BY age 18
- 19.7% (2016)
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 54 (2025 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 42.9 (2025 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 9.1 (2025 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 11 (2025 est.)
- Physician density
- 1.28 physicians/1,000 population (2021)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 8.2% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 16.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- -0.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Hospital bed density
- 1.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 2.13 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- 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
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 8.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 10.8% national budget (2024 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 24.5 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 22.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 20 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- 1.01% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 1.04 (2025 est.)
- 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
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 71 years
- Female
- 74 years
- Total population
- 72.5 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 146 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- 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.)
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita
- Beer
- 2.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Wine
- 0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Total
- 2.98 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.)
- 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)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 20.2% (2016)
- Mother's mean age at first birth
- 21.1 years (2008 est.)
- Currently married women (ages 15 49)
- 50.2% (2022 est.)
- Children under the age of 5 years underweight
- 3.4% (2016 est.)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- 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
Capital
- Name
- La Paz (administrative capital); Sucre (constitutional [legislative and judicial] capital)
- Note
- note: at approximately 3,630 m above sea level, La Paz's elevation makes it the highest capital city in the world
- 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
- Time difference
- UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Geographic coordinates
- 16 30 S, 68 09 W
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
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
- Former
- Upper Peru
- Etymology
- the country is named in honor of Simón BOLÍVAR, a 19th-century leader in the South American wars for independence
- Local long form
- Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia
- Local short form
- Bolivia
- Conventional long form
- Plurinational State of Bolivia
- Conventional short form
- Bolivia
- Independence
- 6 August 1825 (from Spain)
- Legal system
- civil law system with influences from Roman, Spanish, canon (religious), French, and ethnic groups' pre-colonial law
- Government type
- presidential republic
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)
- Subordinate courts
- National Electoral Court; District Courts (in each of the 9 administrative departments); agro-environmental lower courts
- 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
Executive Branch
- Note
- note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
- Cabinet
- Cabinet appointed by the president
- Chief of state
- President Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (since 8 November 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 Ramírez (LIBRE) 26.7%, Samuel DORIA MEDINA Auza (UN) 19.7%, Andrónico RODRÌGUEZ Ledezma (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 Fernando QUIROGA Ramírez 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%- Head of government
- President Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (since 8 November 2025)
- Most recent election date
- 17 August 2025
- 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
- National holiday
- Independence Day, 6 August (1825)
- 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 Ñan/Andean Road System (c)
- Political parties
- Autonomy for Bolivia – Súmate or APB Súmate
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
Legislative Branch
- Legislature name
- Plurinational Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional)
- Legislative structure
- bicameral
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "Cancion Patriotica" (Patriotic Song)
- History
- adopted 1852
- Lyrics/music
- Jose Ignacio de SANJINES/Leopoldo Benedetto VINCENTI
- National symbol(s)
- llama, Andean condor; two national flowers, the cantuta and the patuju
- Administrative divisions
- 9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Beni, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija
Legislative Branch Lower Chamber
- Chamber name
- Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados)
- Term in office
- 5 years
- Number of seats
- 130 (all directly elected)
- Electoral system
- mixed system
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Most recent election date
- 8/17/2025
- Expected date of next election
- August 2030
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 50.8%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- Christian Democratic Party (PDC) (49); LIBRE (39); Unity (26); Popular Alliance (8); Other (8)
Legislative Branch Upper Chamber
- Chamber name
- Chamber of Senators (Cámara de Senadores)
- Term in office
- 5 years
- Number of seats
- 36 (all directly elected)
- Electoral system
- proportional representation
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Most recent election date
- 8/17/2025
- Expected date of next election
- August 2030
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 58.3%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- Christian Democratic Party (PDC) (16); LIBRE (12); Unity (7); Other (1)
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 328-3712
- Chancery
- 3014 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 483-4410
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Henry BALDELOMAR CHÁVEZ (since 11 October 2023)
- Consulate(s) general
- Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
- Email address and website
embolivia.wdc@gmail.com
https://www.boliviawdc.org/en-us/
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Fax
- [591] (2) 216-8111
- Note
- note: in September 2008, the Bolivian Government expelled the US Ambassador to Bolivia, Philip GOLDBERG, and both countries have yet to reinstate their ambassadors
- Embassy
- Avenida Arce 2780, Casilla 425, La Paz
- Telephone
- [591] (2) 216-8000
- Mailing address
- 3220 La Paz Place, Washington DC 20512-3220
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Debra HEVIA (since September 2023)
- Email address and website
ConsularLaPazACS@state.gov
https://bo.usembassy.gov/
- International organisations
- 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
- International law organization participation
- has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Legislature
BOLIVIA · LOWER HOUSE
Chamber of Deputies
130 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
130
Majority line
66
Largest party
Christian Democratic Party (PDC)
Parties
7
All political parties
Upper house
BOLIVIA · UPPER HOUSE
Chamber of Senators
36 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
36
Majority line
19
Largest party
Christian Democratic Party (PDC)
Parties
4
All political parties
Leaders
Current
Rodrigo Paz Pereira
- Head of State
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Revenues
- $11.796 billion (2019 est.)
- Expenditures
- $14.75 billion (2019 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $11.8B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2021
- $11.594 billion (2021 est.)
- Exports 2022
- $14.465 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $11.905 billion (2023 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $14.0B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2021
- $10.187 billion (2021 est.)
- Imports 2022
- $13.462 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $12.988 billion (2023 est.)
- Industries
- mining, smelting, electricity, petroleum, food and beverages, handicrafts, clothing, jewelry
- Labor force
- 6.859 million (2024 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 102.7%
- Note
- 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
- Public debt 2017
- 49% of GDP (2017 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: 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.)
Exchange Rates
- 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.)
Debt External
- Note
- note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
- Debt external 2023
- $11.174 billion (2023 est.)
- 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
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 4.5%
- Note
- note: % 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.)
- Exports partners
- Brazil 15%, India 13%, China 11%, Argentina 11%, UAE 8% (2023)
- Imports partners
- China 22%, Brazil 18%, Chile 13%, USA 7%, Peru 5% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $12,692
- Note
- note: 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.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- -3.3%
- Note
- note: 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.)
- Agricultural products
- sugarcane, soybeans, maize, potatoes, sorghum, rice, milk, chicken, plantains, beef (2023)
- Exports commodities
- gold, natural gas, precious metal ore, zinc ore, soybean meal (2023)
- Imports commodities
- refined petroleum, cars, pesticides, trucks, plastics (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $1.0B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- 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.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $49.668 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY End Use
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
- Household consumption
- 68.5% (2023 est.)
- Government consumption
- 19.3% (2023 est.)
- Investment in inventories
- 0.1% (2023 est.)
- Investment in fixed capital
- 17.5% (2023 est.)
- Exports of goods and services
- 25.5% (2023 est.)
- Imports of goods and services
- -30.9% (2023 est.)
- Population below poverty line
- 37.7% (2022 est.)
Average Household Expenditures
- On food
- 29.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- On alcohol and tobacco
- 2.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 20.7%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- 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.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- 1.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $161.8B
- Note
- note: 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.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 4.8% (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 5.2% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 5.8% (2024 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
- Note
- note: 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.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 24.2% (2023 est.)
- Services
- 51.1% (2023 est.)
- Agriculture
- 13.5% (2023 est.)
Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share
- Note
- note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
- Lowest 10%
- 1.8% (2023 est.)
- Highest 10%
- 31.3% (2023 est.)
Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income
- Note
- note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
- Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2023
- 42.1 (2023 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Imports
- 7,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 9,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 1 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- Total petroleum production
- 58,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- Crude oil estimated reserves
- 240.9 million barrels (2021 est.)
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 100,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
- Consumption
- 10.863 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 4.375 million kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 1.079 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural Gas
- Exports
- 7.816 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Production
- 12.302 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 4.025 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 302.99 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Electricity Access
- Electrification rural areas
- 95.6%
- Electrification urban areas
- 100%
- Electrification total population
- 99.9% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 29.34 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Wind
- 3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Solar
- 2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 65% 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.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 70% (2023 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
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.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 1.33 million (2022 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 11 (2022 est.)
Transport
- Airports
- 201 (2025)
Railways
- Total
- 3,960 km (2019)
- Narrow gauge
- 3,960 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge
- Heliports
- 3 (2025)
Merchant Marine
- Total
- 50 (2023)
- BY type
- general cargo 30, oil tanker 2, other 18
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- CP
Environment
- Climate
- varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid
Land Use
- Other
- 13.5% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 50.6% (2023 est.)
- 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.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 71.2% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Methane Emissions
- Other
- 150.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- Waste
- 73.1 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- Energy
- 122.8 kt (2022-2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 673.4 kt (2019-2021 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.)
- 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
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.)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 21.552 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From consumed natural gas
- 7.881 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.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 24.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 574 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
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
Military & Security
- 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)
Military Expenditures
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 1.4%
- 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.)
- 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) - 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)
- Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the military is equipped with a mix of mostly older Brazilian, Chinese, European, and US armaments (2025)
- Military and security service personnel strengths
- approximately 30-35,000 active-duty Armed Forces (2025)
Terrorism
- Terrorist group(s)
- Tren de Aragua (TdA)
Space
- 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)
- Key space program milestones
- 2013 - first communications satellite (Túpac 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
Transnational Issues
Illicit Drugs
- Usg identification
major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country
major precursor-chemical producer (2025)
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/
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
- Idps
- 12,070 (2024 est.)
- Refugees
- 1,163 (2024 est.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index37.0 / 100as of 2024-Q4122 / 1902024-Q4
Civica Pulse−3.3as of 2026-05-06—2026-05-06
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.31as of 2024-Q496 / 1702024-Q4
Freedom House StatusNot Free (67/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (50/100)as of 2024—2024
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Bolivia — vintage 2026-Q1: Bolivia factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/bolivia
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata