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Background

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 coups and countercoups, with the last coup occurring in 1978. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. In December 2005, Bolivians elected Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's traditional political class and empower the nation's poor, indigenous majority. In December 2009 and October 2014, President MORALES easily won reelection. His party maintained control of the legislative branch of the government, which has allowed him to continue his process of change. In February 2016, MORALES narrowly lost a referendum to approve a constitutional amendment that would have allowed him to compete in the 2019 presidential election. However, a 2017 Supreme Court ruling stating that term limits violate human rights provided the justification for MORALES to be chosen by his party to run again in 2019. MORALES attempted to claim victory in the 20 October 2019 election, but widespread allegations of electoral fraud, rising violence, and pressure from the military ultimately forced him to flee the country. An interim government, led by President Jeanine ANEZ Chavez, prepared new elections that took place on 18 October 2020.

Location

Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Area Comparative

Tlightly less than three times the size of Montana

Maritime Claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

Varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

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

Natural Hazards

Array

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

Signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Geography Note

Note 1: landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Perunote 2

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Map Reference

South America

Irrigated Land

3,000 sq km

Area 2020

Total

1,098,581 sq km
Land

1,083,301 sq km
Water

15,280 sq km

Coastline

0 km

Geographical Coordinates

17 00 S, 65 00 W

Land use 2020

Agricultural Land
34.3%
Arable Land
3.6%
Forest
52.5%
Other
13.2%

Terrain

Rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano)
Hills
Lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Elevation

Mean Elevation: 1,192 m
Lowest Point: Rio Paraguay 90 m
Highest Point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

Land Boundaries

Total
7,252 km
Argentina
942 km
Brazil
3403 km
Chile
942 km
Paraguay
753 km
Peru
1212 km

Natural Resources

Tin
Natural gas
Petroleum
Zinc
Tungsten
Antimony

Silver
Iron
Lead
Gold
Timber
Hydropower

Bolivia