3 GeoFroggy

Country Name

Conventional long form: Plurinational State of Bolivia

Conventional short form: Bolivia

Local long form: Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia

Local short form: Bolivia

Etymology: the country is named after Simon BOLIVAR, a 19th-century leader in the South American wars for independence

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

Many previous; latest drafted 6 August 2006 - 9 December 2008, approved by referendum 25 January 2009, effective 7 February 2009; amended 2013 (2015)

Legal System

civil law system with influences from Roman, Spanish, canon (religious), French, and indigenous law

International Law Organization Participation

Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Citizenship by birth: yes

Citizenship by descent: yes

Dual citizenship recognized: yes

Residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years

Suffrage

18 years of age, universal and compulsory

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:

Election results: 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%

Legislative Branch

Description: bicameral Plurinational Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (36 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; 70 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 53 indirectly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote, and 7 - apportioned to non-contiguous, rural areas in 7 of the 9 states - directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

Elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held on 12 October 2014 (next to be held in 2019)

Election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 25, UD 9, PDC 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 88, UD 32, PDC 10

Judicial Branch

Highest court(s): Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo de Justicia (consists of 12 judges or ministros 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

Political Parties and Leaders

National Unity or UN [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana]

Political Pressure Groups and Leaders

Various federations of neighborhood councils or FEJUVEs (including the national organization)

Flag Description

Three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; red stands for bravery and the blood of national heroes, yellow for the nation's mineral resources, and green for the fertility of the land

National Symbols

Llama, Andean condor; national colors: red, yellow, green

National Anthem

Lyrics:

Note: adopted 1852

: undefined

Year

Government Type

  • Presidential republic

Capital

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

Diplomatic Representation in the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Rafael Pablo CANEDO Daroca (since July 2017)
  • Chancery
    3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  • Telephone
    [1] (202) 328-4155
  • FAX
    [1] (202) 328-3712
  • Consulate(s) General
    Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Washington, DC
  • Note
    in September 2008, the US expelled the Bolivian ambassador to the US in reciprocity for Bolivia expelling the US ambassador to Bolivia

Diplomatic Representation from the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Peter BRENNAN (since June 2014)
  • Embassy
    Avenida Arce 2780, Casilla 425, La Paz
  • Mailing Address
    3220 La Paz Place, Dulles, VA, 20189-3220
  • Telephone
    [591] (2) 216-8000
  • FAX
    [591] (2) 216-8111
  • Note
    in September 2008, the Bolivian Government expelled the US Ambassador to Bolivia, Philip GOLDBERG, and both countries have yet to reinstate their ambassadors

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
  • UNMIL
  • UNMISS
  • UNOCI
  • UNWTO
  • UPU
  • WCO
  • WFTU (NGOs)
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WTO