Bolivia is a country in central South America, with a varied terrain spanning Andes Mountains, the Atacama Desert and Amazon Basin rainforest. At more than 3,500m, its administrative capital, La Paz, sits on the Andes’ Altiplano plateau with snow-capped Mt. Illimani in the background. Nearby is glass-smooth Lake Titicaca, the continent’s largest lake, straddling the border with Peru.
Languages: The official language of Bolivia is Spanish, which is spoken by the majority of the population. Spanish is used in government, education, and the media, and it is the language of instruction in schools. In addition to Spanish, there are also a number of indigenous languages spoken in Bolivia, including Quechua, Aymara, and Guarani, among others. These languages are spoken by the various indigenous groups that make up the population of Bolivia, and they are often used in regional and local government, as well as in the media. Finally, English is also spoken by some people in Bolivia, particularly in business and tourism.
Ethnic Groups: Quechua 30%, Aymará 25%, Cholos (25%-30%), of wholly European background (15%-20%)
Belief Systems:Roman Catholicism (official) 78%, Protestant 19%, no religion 2.5%, 0.5% other
Demographics:
Population: 10.6 million people (World Rank: 83rd) (2014 estimate)
Population Density: 25.3 people/mi^2 (People per Square Mile) (World Rank: 222nd) (2014 estimate)
Population Growth: 1.58 %/yr (World Rank: 81st) (2013 estimate)
Life Expectancy: 67.3 years (World Rank: 171st) (2013 estimate)
Median Age: 21.7 years (World Rank: 137th) (2010 estimate)
Sites for More Information:
Map of Bolivia
Worldatlas.com
Country Profile for Bolivia
United Nations
Bolivia - Country Profile
U.S. Library of Congress
Bolivia - General Information
Encyclopedia.com
Bolivia
Wikipedia.org
Culture and Tourism:
Tourism Bolivia
All about Bolivia as a tourism destination
La Paz
Bolivia's capital city
Salar de Uyuni
The World's largest salt flat
List of Festivals in Bolivia
Annual cultural festivals celebrating Bolivia's history
Spanish Language Resources:
Learn Spanish
Free online resource for learning Spanish
Government Related:
Bolivian Embassy
in Washington D.C.
Bolivian Government Websites
by Gunnar Anzinger
