Bolivia in a nutshell

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República de Bolivia

Sucre (193 000 inhabitants), administrative capital: La Paz (0.8 mln inhabitants)

Republic

Spanish, Quechua, Aymara

1 098 580 km² / 424 160 sq mi. This corresponds to about twice the area of France or 1.5 times the area of the US state of Texas.

Bolivia is located between 9° and 23° southern latitude. The country lacks any marine access to either the Pacific or the Atlantic Ocean.

Nevado Sajama, 6520 m (21 400 ft)

Paraguay

9.1 mln (2006), of which 70% live on the Andean highlands and 30% in the rainforest and plains of the Amazon. In Bolivia, like Peru and Guatemala, the native population forms the majority in population. About 55% are of indigenous origin, mostly Quechua and Aymara. 30% are Mestizo and the rest has European ancestors.

In average only 8.3 inhabitants/km². For comparison: in Switzerland 170 inhabitants share one km², in Denmark 125.

70 years

13.3%

92% Catholics, 8% others

USD 1450 per capita (2007).

Bolivia is the poorest nation in South America. The economy is today dominated by mining of silver and tin. However, natural gas is gradually gaining in importance. Farming in the dry highlands is still done on the basis of subsistancy.