2020 Edition

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.

Area

land

1,083,301 sq km

total

1,098,581 sq km

water

15,280 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

highest point

Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

lowest point

Rio Paraguay 90 m

mean elevation

1,192 m

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

2,972 sq km (2017)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

7,252 km

Land use

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.)

forest

50.6% (2023 est.)

other

13.5% (2023 est.)

Location

Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Major aquifers

Amazon Basin

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)

Map references

South America

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)

Natural resources

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

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

Terrain

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

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

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.)

Birth rate

17.02 births/1,000 population (2025 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)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.4% (2016 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

50.2% (2022 est.)

Death rate

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

Dependency ratios

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.)

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.)

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.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.04 (2025 est.)

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.)

Hospital bed density

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

Infant mortality rate

female

20 deaths/1,000 live births

male

24.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

22.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 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.

Life expectancy at birth

female

74 years

male

71 years

total population

72.5 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

93.5% (2023 est.)

male

97.8% (2023 est.)

total population

95.6% (2023 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)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

female

27 years

male

26.2 years

total

27 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.1 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Bolivian

noun

Bolivian(s)

Net migration rate

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

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.2% (2016)

Physician density

1.28 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Population

female

6,178,189

male

6,257,914

total

12,436,103 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

1.01% (2025 est.)

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.)

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.)

Sex ratio

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.)

Tobacco use

female

3.2% (2025 est.)

male

18.9% (2025 est.)

total

11% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.13 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

71.2% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

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)

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

3 years

Constitution

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

Country name

conventional long form

Plurinational State of Bolivia

conventional short form

Bolivia

etymology

the country is named in honor of Simón BOLÍVAR, a 19th-century leader in the South American wars for independence

former

Upper Peru

local long form

Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia

local short form

Bolivia

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

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

email address and website

ConsularLaPazACS@state.gov 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 20512-3220

telephone

[591] (2) 216-8000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3014 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008

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/

FAX

[1] (202) 328-3712

telephone

[1] (202) 483-4410

Executive branch

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%

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

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

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

6 August 1825 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

legislative structure

bicameral

legislature name

Plurinational Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional)

Legislative branch - lower chamber

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

Legislative branch - upper chamber

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

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1852

lyrics/music

Jose Ignacio de SANJINES/Leopoldo Benedetto VINCENTI

title

"Cancion Patriotica" (Patriotic Song)

National color(s)

red, yellow, green

National heritage

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)

total World Heritage Sites

7 (6 cultural, 1 natural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

National symbol(s)

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

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agricultural products

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

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

2.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

29.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$14.75 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$11.796 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance

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.)

Debt - external

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

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.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$11.594 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$14.465 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$11.905 billion (2023 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

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

GDP - composition, by end use

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.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

13.5% (2023 est.)

industry

24.2% (2023 est.)

services

51.1% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$49.668 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

42.1 (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

31.3% (2023 est.)

lowest 10%

1.8% (2023 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$10.187 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$13.462 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$12.988 billion (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

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

Industrial production growth rate

1.1% (2023 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (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.)

Labor force

6.859 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

37.7% (2022 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2017

49% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

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.)

Real GDP growth rate

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.)

Real GDP per capita

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.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

3.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

3.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

3.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

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.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

3.6% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.1% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

3.1% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

5.8% (2024 est.)

male

4.8% (2024 est.)

total

5.2% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

9,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

7,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

1 million metric tons (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.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

95.6%

electrification - total population

99.9% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

100%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

3.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

65% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

24.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

29.34 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

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.)

Petroleum

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.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11 (2022 est.)

total

1.33 million (2022 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

Internet users

percent of population

70% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

369,000 (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

98 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

12.2 million (2024 est.)

Airports

201 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

CP

Heliports

3 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 30, oil tanker 2, other 18

total

50 (2023)

Railways

narrow gauge

3,960 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

total

3,960 km (2019)

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 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 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 armaments (2025)

Military expenditures

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 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)

Illicit drugs

USG identification

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

12,070 (2024 est.)

refugees

1,163 (2024 est.)

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/

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

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)

Terrorist group(s)

Tren de Aragua (TdA)

Carbon dioxide emissions

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.)

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

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

Methane emissions

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.)

Particulate matter emissions

24.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

574 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.92 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

32 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

252.91 million cubic meters (2022 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.)