| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
South America |
| Geographical Location |
17° 00' South Latitude
65° 00' West Longitude |
| Surface Area |
1,098,580 sq km |
| Climate |
Varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid |
| Natural Resources |
Tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower |
|
| Political Information |
 |
|
| Country Name |
Republic of Bolivia |
| Capital City |
La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat of judiciary) |
| Government Type |
Republic |
| Administrative Divisions |
9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Beni, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija |
| Independence Day |
6 August 1825 (from Spain) |
|
| Demographical Information |
|
|
| Population |
8,857,870 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Bolivian |
| Ethnic Groups |
Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%, Aymara 25%, white 15% |
| Religion |
Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5% |
| Languages |
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official) |
| Population Growth Rate |
1.49% (2005 est.) |
|
| Economical Information |
|
|
| Currency |
Boliviano (BOB) |
| Industries |
Mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing |
| Labor Force |
3.8 million (2004 est.) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
Agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
| Agriculture Products |
Soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; timber |
| Export Commodities |
Natural gas, soybeans and soy products, crude petroleum, zinc ore, tin |
| Export Partners |
Brazil 33.9%, US 12.7%, Colombia 11.8%, Venezuela 11.6%, Peru 5.1%, Japan 4.2% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Petroleum products, plastics, paper, aircraft and aircraft parts, prepared foods, automobiles, insecticides, soybeans |
| Import Partners |
Brazil 25.3%, Argentina 17%, US 13.1%, Chile 9.2%, Peru 7.2% (2004) |
|
| Transportation |
|
|
| Railways |
3,519 km |
| Highways |
60,282 km |
| Pipelines |
Gas 4,860 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,457 km; refined products 1,589 km; unknown (oil/water) 247 km (2004) |
| Airports |
1,065 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Puerto Aguirre (on the Paraguay/Parana waterway, at the Bolivia/Brazil border); also, Bolivia has free port privileges in maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay |
|
| Communication |
|
|
| Phone Code |
+591 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.bo |
|
| Other |
|
|
| Short History |
Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of
a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups. Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced difficult
problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. Current goals include attracting foreign investment, strengthening the
educational system, resolving disputes with coca growers over Bolivia's counterdrug efforts, and waging an anticorruption campaign. |
|
| www.kfrawy.com |
