Bolivia

South America
La Paz

Population

12.44M

Area

1,098,581 km²

GDP

$49.67B

GDP Per Capita

$9,800

Quick FAQs

Region

South America

Capital

La Paz

ISO 3166

bo

Government Type

presidential republic

Language

Spanish (official) 68.1%, Quechua (official) 17.2%, Learn more

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About Bolivia

Bolivia is a landlocked country located in South America, bordered by Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, and Peru, covering an area of approximately 1.1 million square kilometers. As of 2025, Bolivia has a population of over 12 million, with Spanish and numerous indigenous languages including Quechua and Aymara as official languages. The country features dramatic geographical diversity including the Andes Mountains, Altiplano plateau, and Amazon Basin rainforest. Sucre serves as the constitutional capital while La Paz functions as the administrative capital.

Bolivia’s economy is rich in natural resources, with significant reserves of natural gas, zinc, silver, and lithium, positioning it as a key player in the global energy transition. The country also maintains a strong agricultural sector producing soybeans, quinoa, and coca leaves. Despite its resource wealth, Bolivia faces challenges including income inequality, political instability, and infrastructure limitations. The country continues to develop its lithium extraction capabilities while preserving its rich indigenous cultural heritage.

Geography & Environment

Geographic Location

Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Geographic Coordinate

17 00 S, 65 00 W

Geographic Area

1,098,581 km²

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

Natural Hazards

N/A

Natural Resources

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

Geography Note

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

People & Society

Ave. Life Expentancy at Birth

68.7 years

Urbanization

71.20%

Population Growth Rate

1.01% (2025 est.)

Literacy Rate

N/A

Health Expendeture

9.6% of GDP (2021)

Education Expenditure

N/A

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.)

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.)

Government

Country Name

conventional long form

Plurinational State of Bolivia

conventional short form

Bolivia

local long form

Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia

local short form

Bolivia

former

Upper Peru

etymology

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

Economy

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

GDP Per Capita

$9,800

Unemployment Rate

11.0% (2025 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

37.7% (2022 est.)

Industries

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

Agricultural Products

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

Location

Organizations Making an Impact in Bolivia

Discover the passionate teams and non-profits currently driving progress in this space
Find Nonprofits
2 nonprofit found (2 total)

David C Cook Ministries

Colorado Springs, CO, Bolivia
IEN
Causes:
  • Human Services

Bright Hope

South Barrington, IL, Bolivia
IEN
Causes:
  • Human Services
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