1998 Edition

Area

total: 1,098,580 sq km land: 1,084,390 sq km water: 14,190 sq km

Area-comparative

slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Climate

varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m highest point: Cerro Illimani 6,882 m

Environment-current issues

the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the international demand for tropical timber are contributing to deforestation; 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

Geographic coordinates

17 00 S, 65 00 W

Geography-note

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

Irrigated land

1,750 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 6,743 km border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,400 km, Chile 861 km, Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km

Land use

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 24% forests and woodland: 53% other: 21% (1993 est.)

Location

Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

cold, thin air of high plateau is obstacle to efficient fuel combustion, as well as to physical activity by those unaccustomed to it from birth; flooding in the northeast (March-April)

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 39% (male 1,559,149; female 1,526,646) 15-64 years: 56% (male 2,139,680; female 2,245,268) 65 years and over: 5% (male 161,431; female 194,178) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

31.43 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

9.89 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

Quechua 30%, Aymara 25%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 25%-30%, white 5%-15%

Infant mortality rate

63.86 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 60.89 years male: 57.98 years female: 63.94 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.1% male: 90.5% female: 76% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Bolivian(s) adjective: Bolivian

Net migration rate

-1.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

7,826,352 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

2% (1998 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.05 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Center Party

Nationalist Revolutionary Movement or MNR [Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA]

Center-Left Parties

Movement of the Revolutionary Left or MIR [Oscar EID]; Christian Democrat or PDC [Benjamin MIGUEL]; New Youth Force [Alfonso SAAVEDRA Bruno]

Center-Right Parties

Nationalist Democratic Action or ADN [Enrique TORO]; New Republican Force or NFR [Manfred REYES VILLA]

Constitution

2 February 1967; revised in August 1994

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia conventional short form: Bolivia local long form: Republica de Bolivia local short form: Bolivia

Data code

BL

Evangelical Party

Bolivian Renovating Alliance or ARBOL [Marcelo FERNANDEZ, Hugo VILLEGAS]

Executive branch

chief of state: President Hugo BANZER Suarez (since 6 August 1997); Vice President Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez (since 6 August 1997); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Hugo BANZER Suarez (since 6 August 1997); Vice President Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez (since 6 August 1997); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from a panel of candidates proposed by the Senate elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 1 June 1997 (next to be held June 2002) election results: Hugo BANZER Suarez elected president; percent of vote-Hugo BANZER Suarez (ADN) 22%; Jaime PAZ Zamora (MIR) 17%, Juan Carlos DURAN (MNR) 18%, Ivo KULJIS (UCS) 16%, Remedios LOZA (CONDEPA) 17%; no candidate received a majority of the popular vote; Hugo BANZER Suarez won a congressional runoff election on 5 August 1997 after forming a "megacoalition" with MIR, UCS, CONDEPA, NFR and PCD

FAX

[1] (202) 328-3712 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donna Jean HRINAK embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, San Jorge, La Paz mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032 telephone: [591] (2) 430251

[591] (2) 433900

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band

Government type

republic

Independence

6 August 1825 (from Spain)

Indigenous Parties

Tupac Katari Revolutionary Liberation Movement or MRTK-L [Victor Hugo CARDENAS Conde]; Nationalist Katarista Movement or MKN [Fernando UNTOJA]; Front of Katarista Unity or FULKA [Genaro FLORES]; Katarismo National Unity or KND [Filepe KITTELSON]

International organization participation

AG, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marcelo PEREZ Monasterios chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410 through 4412

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges appointed for a 10-year term by National Congress Political parties and leaders:

Left Parties

Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Antonio ARANIBAR]; Patriotic Axis of Convergence or EJE-P [Ramiro BARRANECHEA]; April 9 Revolutionary Vanguard or VR-9 [Carlos SERRATE]; Alternative of Democratic Socialism or ASD [Jerjes JUSTINIANO]; Revolutionary Front of the Left or FRI [Oscar ZAMORA]; Bolivian Communist Party or PCB [Marcos DOMIC]; United Left or IU [Marcos DOMIC]; Front of National Salvation or FSN [Manual MORALES Davila]; Socialist Party One or PS-1; Bolivian Socialist Falange or FSB; Socialist Unzaguista Movement or

Legal system

based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies-last held 1 June 1997 (next to be held June 2002) election results: Chamber of Senators-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party - ADN 11, MIR 7, MNR 4, CONDEPA 3, UCS 2; Chamber of Deputies-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-ADN 32, MNR 26, MIR 23, UCS 21, CONDEPA 19, MBL 5, IU 4

National capital

La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat of judiciary)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Populist Parties

Civic Solidarity Union or UCS [Johnny FERNANDEZ]; Conscience of the Fatherland or CONDEPA [Remedios LOZA Alvarado]; Solidarity and Democracy or SYD; Unity and Progress Movement or MUP [Ivo KULJIS]; Popular Patriotic Movement or MPP [Julio MANTILLA]

Suffrage

18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of age, universal and compulsory (single)

Agriculture-products

coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; timber

Budget

revenues: $3.75 billion expenditures: $3.75 billion, including capital expenditures of $556.2 million (1995 est.)

Currency

1 boliviano ($B) = 100 centavos

Debt-external

$4.2 billion (1997)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $588 million (1997)

Economy-overview

With its long history of semifeudal social controls, dependence on volatile prices for its mineral exports, and bouts of hyperinflation, Bolivia has remained one of the poorest and least developed Latin American countries. However, Bolivia has experienced generally improving economic conditions since the PAZ Estenssoro administration (1985-89) introduced market-oriented policies which reduced inflation from 11,700% in 1985 to about 20% in 1988. PAZ Estenssoro was followed as president by Jaime PAZ Zamora (1989-93) who continued the free-market policies of his predecessor, despite opposition from his own party and from Bolivia's once powerful labor movement. By maintaining fiscal discipline, PAZ Zamora helped reduce inflation to 9.3% in 1993, while GDP grew by an annual average of 3.25% during his tenure. President SANCHEZ DE LOZADA (1993-1997) vowed to advance the market-oriented economic reforms he helped launch as PAZ Estenssoro's planning minister. His successes included the signing of a free trade agreement with Mexico and the Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) as well as the privatization of the state airline, phone company, railroad, electric power company, and oil company. Furthermore, SANCHEZ DE LOZADA sponsored legislation creating private social security accounts for all adult Bolivians and capitalized these new accounts with the state's remaining 50% share in the privatized companies. Hugo BANZER Suarez took office in August 1997 and has proclaimed his commitment to the economic reforms of the previous administration.

Electricity-capacity

786,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

370 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

2.9 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

bolivianos ($B) per US$1-5.3724 (January 1998), 5.2543 (1997), 5.0746 (1996), 4.8003 (1995), 4.6205 (1994), 4.2651 (1993)

Exports

total value: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: metals 34%, natural gas 9.4%, soybeans 8.4%, jewelry 11%, wood 6.9% partners: US 22%, UK 9.3%, Colombia 8.7%, Peru 7.4%, Argentina 7.2%

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$23.1 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 17% industry: 26% services: 57% (1995 est.)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$3,000 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

4.4% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $1.7 billion (c.i.f. 1997) commodities: capital goods 48%, chemicals 11%, petroleum 5%, food 5% (1993 est.) partners: US 20%, Japan 13%, Brazil 12, Chile 7.5% (1996)

Industrial production growth rate

4% (1995 est.)

Industries

mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing

Inflation rate-consumer price index

7% (1997)

Labor force

total: 2.5 million by occupation: agriculture NA%, services and utilities NA%, manufacturing, mining and construction NA%

Radio broadcast stations

AM 129, FM 0, shortwave 68

Radios

NA

Telephone system

new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities domestic: microwave radio relay system being expanded international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

144,300 (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

43

Televisions

500,000 (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

10%

Airports

1,153 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 1,142 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 73 914 to 1,523 m: 229 under 914 m: 837 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 52,216 km paved: 2,872 km (including 27 km of expressways) unpaved: 49,344 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,214 GRT/6,390 DWT (1997 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 1,800 km; petroleum products 580 km; natural gas 1,495 km Ports and harbors: none; however, Bolivia has free port privileges in the maritime ports of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Railways

total: 3,691 km (single track) narrow gauge: 3,652 km 1.000-m gauge; 39 km 0.760-m gauge (13 km electrified) (1995)

Waterways

10,000 km of commercially navigable waterways

Military branches

Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Navy (Fuerza Naval Boliviana, includes Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana), National Police Force (Policia Nacional de Bolivia)

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$154 million (1997)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

1.9% (1996)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 1,859,823 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 1,209,537 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

19 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 82,670 (1998 est.)

Current issues

On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the former Yugoslavia's three warring parties signed a peace agreement that brought to a halt over three years of interethnic civil strife in Bosnia and Herzegovina (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Agreement, signed then by Bosnian President IZETBEGOVIC, Croatian President TUDJMAN, and Serbian President MILOSEVIC, divides Bosnia and Herzegovina roughly equally between the Muslim/Croat Federation and the Bosnian Serbs while maintaining Bosnia's currently recognized borders. In 1995-96, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission is to deter renewed hostilities. SFOR will remain in place until June 1998. A High Representative appointed by the UN Security Council is responsible for civilian implementation of the accord, including monitoring implementation, facilitating any difficulties arising in connection with civilian implementation, and coordinating activities of the civilian organizations and agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Bosnian conflict began in the spring of 1992 when the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina held a referendum on independence and the Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia-responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a "greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosnia's Muslims and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement in Washington creating their joint Muslim/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Federation, formed by the Muslims and Croats in March 1994, is one of two entities (the other being the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska) that comprise Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Disputes-international

has wanted a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific Ocean since the Atacama area was lost to Chile in 1884; dispute with Chile over Rio Lauca water rights

Illicit drugs

world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Peru and Colombia) with an estimated 46,900 hectares under cultivation in 1997, a 2.5% decrease in overall cultivation of coca from 1996 levels; Bolivia, however, is the second-largest producer of coca leaf; even so, farmer abandonment and voluntary and forced eradication programs resulted in leaf production dropping from 75,100 metric tons in 1996 to 73,000 tons in 1997, a 3% decrease from 1996; government considers all but 12,000 hectares illicit; intermediate coca products and cocaine exported to or through Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile to the US and other international drug markets; alternative crop program aims to reduce illicit coca cultivation Introduction