# Bolivia

> sovereign state in South America

**Wikidata**: [Q750](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q750)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolivia)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/bolivia

## Summary
Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a sovereign state and landlocked country located in South America. It is a republic named after Simón Bolívar, established in 1825. The country is distinct for having two seats of government: Sucre is the constitutional (de jure) capital, while La Paz serves as the de facto administrative capital.

## Key Facts
- **Official Name:** Plurinational State of Bolivia (Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia).
- **Location:** South America; part of Latin America and Hispanic America.
- **Classification:** Sovereign state, republic, landlocked country.
- **Inception:** 1825.
- **Capital:** Sucre (de jure); La Paz (de facto seat of government since 1899).
- **Population:** 12,244,159 (2023 estimate).
- **Area:** 1,098,581.0 square kilometers.
- **Currency:** Boliviano.
- **Official Languages:** Spanish, Aymara, Quechua, Guarani.
- **Head of State/Government:** Luis Arce (term: Nov 8, 2020 – Nov 8, 2025); Rodrigo Paz Pereira (starts Nov 8, 2025).
- **Demonym:** Bolivian.
- **Internet TLD:** .bo.
- **ISO Codes:** BO, BOL, 068.
- **Telephone Code:** +591.
- **Timezone:** UTC−04:00 (America/La_Paz).
- **Highest Point:** Nevado Sajama (6,542 meters).
- **Lowest Point:** Paraguay River (90 meters).

## FAQs
**What is the capital of Bolivia?**
Bolivia has two capital cities. Sucre is the constitutional (de jure) capital, while La Paz is the seat of government (de facto capital), a status it has held since 1899.

**What languages are spoken in Bolivia?**
The official languages are Spanish, Aymara, Quechua, and Guarani. Additionally, the constitution recognizes over 30 indigenous languages, including Chiquitano, Leco, and Machiner.

**Who is the leader of Bolivia?**
The current President and head of government is Luis Arce. His term began on November 8, 2020, and is scheduled to end on November 8, 2025.

**What countries border Bolivia?**
Bolivia is a landlocked country bordered by five nations: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru.

**What is the population of Bolivia?**
The estimated population in 2023 was 12,244,159. The population is predominantly urban (8.65 million) compared to rural (3.56 million) as of 2022.

**What are the key economic indicators?**
Bolivia's nominal GDP in 2022 was approximately $43 billion USD. The country has a Gini coefficient of 43.6 (2020) and a Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.692 (2021).

## Why It Matters
Bolivia is a significant geopolitical entity in South America, recognized for its "Plurinational" status which formally acknowledges its multi-ethnic composition and indigenous heritage. It plays an active role in international diplomacy as a member of the United Nations, WTO, and UNASUR. Geographically, it spans diverse terrains from the Andes mountains—home to Nevado Sajama—to the Amazon basin. Its history since independence in 1825 has been shaped by figures like Simón Bolívar, and it maintains a unique administrative structure with dual capitals and a legislative body known as the Plurinational Legislative Assembly.

## Notable For
- Having two capitals: Sucre (de jure) and La Paz (de facto).
- Being named after Simón Bolívar, a leader of Latin American independence.
- A constitutional recognition of 37 official languages, including indigenous tongues.
- Being a landlocked country with maritime claims.
- The presence of Nevado Sajama, its highest peak at 6,542 meters.
- A "Plurinational" state structure that integrates indigenous governance.
- Significant natural resources, historically tied to its GDP and export profile.

## Body

### Geography and Location
Bolivia is situated in South America, spanning coordinates from its northernmost point at -9.67 latitude to its southernmost at -22.89824 latitude. It covers an area of 1,098,581 square kilometers. The country shares borders with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru. Despite being landlocked, it possesses maritime identification digits (720). The landscape varies dramatically, with the highest point at Nevado Sajama (6,542m) and the lowest at the Paraguay River (90m).

### Demographics and Society
As of 2023, Bolivia has an estimated population of 12,244,159.
- **Demographics:** The male population (2022) was 6,126,364 and female 6,097,747. The urban population dominates at 8,658,337 compared to a rural population of 3,565,773.
- **Health:** Life expectancy at birth was 65 years in 2022. The birth rate is 21.599 (2022) and the death rate is 9.062 (2022). The literacy rate stands at 92% (2015).
- **Social Indicators:** The age of majority is 18. The suicide rate was estimated at 12.2 per 100,000 in 2016.

### Politics and Administration
Bolivia is a parliamentary republic with a complex administrative structure.
- **Government:** The head of state and government is the President, currently Luis Arce. The legislative power resides in the Plurinational Legislative Assembly. The central bank is the Central Bank of Bolivia.
- **Divisions:** The country is divided into 9 departments: Beni, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosí, Santa Cruz, and Tarija.
- **Law:** The marriageable age is 21. Driving occurs on the right.
- **Emergency Numbers:** 911 (general), 110 (police), 119 (fire), 160 (medical).

### International Relations
Bolivia is a member of numerous international organizations:
- **United Nations:** Member since November 14, 1945.
- **World Trade Organization:** Member since September 12, 1995.
- **Regional Bodies:** Member of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), Andean Community, and Rio Group.
- **Other:** Member of Interpol (since 1963), UNESCO (since 1946), and the Organization of American States (since 1948).

### Economy and Indicators
- **GDP:** Nominal GDP was $43.07 billion USD in 2022.
- **Inequality:** The Gini coefficient is 43.6 (2020).
- **Development:** The Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.692 (2021), and the Democracy Index is 4.65 (2021).
- **Currency:** Boliviano (currency code: BOB).
- **Infrastructure:** Mains voltage is 115/230V at 50Hz. Internet top-level domain is .bo.

### Culture and Identity
- **Symbolism:** The national anthem is the "National Anthem of Bolivia." The motto is "La Unión es la Fuerza" (Unity is Strength), with the tourism slogan "Bolivia awaits you."
- **Languages:** Spanish, Aymara, Quechua, and Guarani are the primary official languages. Over 30 other languages (e.g., Araona, Baure, Kallawaya) are recognized and used.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.workwithdata.com/place/bolivia)
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. CiNii Research
4. [Source](https://data.iana.org/time-zones/tzdb-2021e/southamerica)
5. [Interpol](https://www.interpol.int/Member-countries/World)
6. [Source](https://www.interpol.int/Who-we-are/Member-countries/Americas/BOLIVIA)
7. [Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons](https://www.opcw.org/about-opcw/member-states/)
8. [Source](https://www.opcw.org/about-us/member-states/bolivia-plurinational-state)
9. [Source](http://www.unesco.org/eri/cp/ListeMS_Indicators.asp)
10. [Source](http://www.upu.int/en/the-upu/member-countries.html)
11. [Source](https://www.upu.int/en/Universal-Postal-Union/About-UPU/Member-Countries?csid=-1&cid=49)
12. [Source](https://www.itu.int/online/mm/scripts/gensel8)
13. [Source](https://public.wmo.int/en/members/bolivia-plurinational-state-of)
14. [Source](https://www.who.int/choice/demography/by_country/en/)
15. [Source](https://www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco/public/global/pdf/about-us/wco-members/list-of-members-with-membership-date.pdf)
16. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
17. [Source](https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49/)
18. FIPS 10-4
19. MusicBrainz
20. [Human Development Report. 2022](https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/human-development-index#/indicies/HDI)
21. World Bank Open Data
22. [World Bank Open Data](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL)
23. [Source](https://data.who.int/countries/068)
24. [Source](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI)
25. [Source](http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS)
26. [Source](https://www.oas.org/juridico/mla/sp/bol/sp_bol-int-text-const.html)
27. Organization of American States
28. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/CNT-PVM-r%C3%A9sum%C3%A9_2020-01-27.pdf)
29. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
30. Official Names of the United Nations Membership
31. [Source](https://www.skgeodesy.sk/sk/ugkk/geodezia-kartografia/standardizacia-geografickeho-nazvoslovia/nazvy-statov/)
32. The National Terminology Database for Irish
33. [Source](https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2017)
34. [Source](http://chartsbin.com/view/edr)
35. [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD)
36. [Source](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD)
37. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=DEMO_DS)
38. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?queryid=3372)
39. BabelNet
40. [Source](http://boliviatelefonos.com/bolivia/emergencias.htm)
41. [International Numbering Resources Database](http://www.itu.int/net/itu-t/inrdb/e129_important_numbers.aspx)
42. [World Plugs](http://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/list_bylocation.htm)
43. [Source](https://countrycodebase.com/undp/)
44. [Source](https://www.gs1.org/company-prefix)
45. [Source](https://apps.who.int/gho/athena/data/xmart.csv?target=GHO/SDGSUICIDE,SDG_SH_STA_SCIDEN&profile=crosstable&filter=COUNTRY:*;REGION:*;AGEGROUP:-&x-sideaxis=COUNTRY;SEX&x-topaxis=GHO;YEAR)
46. [Source](http://id.agrisemantics.org/gacs/C517)
47. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?queryid=239)
48. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
49. [Bolivia | GTA Wiki | Fandom](https://gta.fandom.com/wiki/Bolivia)
50. [Gazetteer](http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GAZ_00002511)