3 GeoFroggy

Country Name

Conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia

Conventional short form: Bolivia

Local long form: Republica de Bolivia

Local short form: Bolivia

Administrative Divisions

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

Independence

6 August 1825 (from Spain)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Constitution

2 February 1967; revised in August 1994; referendum on new constitution to be held 6 August 2007

Legal System

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

International Law Organization Participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

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

Executive Branch

Chief of state: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

Head of government: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006)

Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

Elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 18 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

Election results: Juan Evo MORALES Ayma elected president; percent of vote - Juan Evo MORALES Ayma 53.7%; Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez 28.6%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana 7.8%; Michiaki NAGATANI Morishit 6.5%; Felipe QUISPE Huanca 2.2%; Guildo ANGULA Cabrera 0.7%

Legislative Branch

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; 70 members are directly elected from their districts and 60 are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms)

Elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

Election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PODEMOS 13, MAS 12, UN 1, MNR 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 73, PODEMOS 43, UN 8, MNR 6

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year terms by National Congress); District Courts (one in each department); provincial and local courts (to try minor cases)

Political Parties and Leaders

Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Franz BARRIOS]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma]; Movement Without Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; National Revolutionary Movement or MNR [Mirta QUEVEDO]; National Unity [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana]; Poder Democratico Nacional or PODEMOS [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez]; Social Alliance [Rene JOAQUINO]

Political Pressure Groups and Leaders

Cocalero groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions; Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB

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

National Anthem

Year

Government Type

  • Republic

Capital

  • Name
    La Paz (administrative capital)
  • Geographic Coordinates
    16 30 S, 68 09 W
  • Time Difference
    UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
  • Note
    Sucre (constitutional capital)

Diplomatic Representation in the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Gustavo GUZMAN Saldana
  • Chancery
    3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  • Telephone
    [1] (202) 483-4410
  • FAX
    [1] (202) 328-3712
  • Consulate(s) General
    Houston, Miami, New York, Oklahoma City, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC

Diplomatic Representation from the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Philip S. GOLDBERG
  • Embassy
    Avenida Arce 2780, La Paz
  • Mailing Address
    P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032
  • Telephone
    [591] (2) 216-8000
  • FAX
    [591] (2) 216-8111

International Organization Participation

  • CAN
  • CSN
  • FAO
  • G-77
  • IADB
  • IAEA
  • IBRD
  • ICAO
  • ICCt
  • ICRM
  • IDA
  • IFAD
  • IFC
  • IFRCS
  • ILO
  • IMF
  • IMO
  • Interpol
  • IOC
  • IOM
  • IPU
  • ISO (correspondent)
  • ITSO
  • ITU
  • LAES
  • LAIA
  • Mercosur (associate)
  • MIGA
  • MINUSTAH
  • MONUC
  • NAM
  • OAS
  • OPANAL
  • OPCW
  • PCA
  • RG
  • UN
  • UNCTAD
  • UNESCO
  • UNIDO
  • Union Latina
  • UNMIL
  • UNMIS
  • UNMISET
  • UNOCI
  • UNWTO
  • UPU
  • WCL
  • WCO
  • WFTU
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WTO