World Factbook
Bolivia
Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green, with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band meaning: red stands for bravery and the blood of national heroes, yellow for the nation's mineral resources, and green for the land's fertility history: in 2009, a presidential decree made it mandatory for a wiphala - - a square, multi-colored flag representing the country's ethnic groups -- to be used alongside the national flag
note: similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large, five-pointed black star centered in the yellow band
Capital
name
La Paz (administrative capital); Sucre (constitutional [legislative and judicial] capital)
note
note: at approximately 3,630 m above sea level, La Paz's elevation makes it the highest capital city in the world
etymology
La Paz is a shortening of the original name of the city, Pueblo Nuevo de Nuestra Señora de La Paz (New Town of Our Lady of Peace); Sucre is named after Antonio José de SUCRE (1795-1830), the second president of Bolivia
time difference
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
16 30 S, 68 09 W
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
yes
citizenship by descent only
yes
dual citizenship recognized
yes
residency requirement for naturalization
3 years
Constitution
history
many previous; latest drafted 6 August 2006 to 9 December 2008, approved by referendum 25 January 2009, effective 7 February 2009
amendment process
proposed through public petition by at least 20% of voters or by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership of the Assembly and approval in a referendum
Country name
former
Upper Peru
etymology
the country is named in honor of Simón BOLÍVAR, a 19th-century leader in the South American wars for independence
local long form
Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia
local short form
Bolivia
conventional long form
Plurinational State of Bolivia
conventional short form
Bolivia
Independence
6 August 1825 (from Spain)
Legal system
civil law system with influences from Roman, Spanish, canon (religious), French, and ethnic groups' pre-colonial law
Government type
presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo de Justicia (consists of 12 judges 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)
subordinate courts
National Electoral Court; District Courts (in each of the 9 administrative departments); agro-environmental lower courts
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
Executive branch
note
note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the president
chief of state
President Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (since 8 November 2025)
election results
2025: Rodrigo PAZ Pereira elected president in second round; percent vote in first round - Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (PDC) 32.1%, Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramírez (LIBRE) 26.7%, Samuel DORIA MEDINA Auza (UN) 19.7%, Andrónico RODRÌGUEZ Ledezma (AP) 8.5%, Manfred REYES Villa (APB Súmate) 6.8%, Eduardo DEL CASTILLO (MAS) 3.2%, other 3%; percent of vote in second round - Rodrigo PAZ Pereira 55%, Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramírez 45% 2020: Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora elected president; percent of vote - Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora (MAS) 55.1%; Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (CC) 28.8%; Luis Fernando CAMACHO Vaca (Creemos) 14%; other 2.1% 2019: 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%
head of government
President Rodrigo PAZ Pereira (since 8 November 2025)
most recent election date
17 August 2025
election/appointment process
president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot one of 3 ways: candidate wins at least 50% of the vote, or at least 40% of the vote and 10% more than the next highest candidate; otherwise, a second round is held and the winner determined by simple majority vote; president and vice president are elected by majority vote to serve a 5-year term; no term limits
expected date of next election
2030
National holiday
Independence Day, 6 August (1825)
National color(s)
red, yellow, green
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
7 (6 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
City of Potosi (c); El Fuerte de Samaipata (c); Historic Sucre (c); Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos (c); Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (n); Tiahuanacu (c); Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System (c)
Political parties
Autonomy for Bolivia – Súmate or APB Súmate Christian Democratic Party or PDC Community Citizen Alliance or ACC Freedom and Democracy or LIBRE Front for Victory or FPV Movement Toward Socialism or MAS National Unity or UN Popular Alliance or AP Revolutionary Left Front or FRI Revolutionary Nationalist Movement or MNR Social Democrat Movement or MDS Third System Movement or MTS We Believe or Creemos
note: We Believe or Creemos [Luis Fernando CAMACHO Vaca] is a coalition comprised of several opposition parties that participated in the 2020 election, which includes the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) and Solidarity Civic Unity (UCS)
Legislative branch
legislature name
Plurinational Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional)
legislative structure
bicameral
National anthem(s)
title
"Cancion Patriotica" (Patriotic Song)
history
adopted 1852
lyrics/music
Jose Ignacio de SANJINES/Leopoldo Benedetto VINCENTI
National symbol(s)
llama, Andean condor; two national flowers, the cantuta and the patuju
Administrative divisions
9 departments ( departamentos , singular - departamento ); Beni, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados)
term in office
5 years
number of seats
130 (all directly elected)
electoral system
mixed system
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
8/17/2025
expected date of next election
August 2030
percentage of women in chamber
50.8%
parties elected and seats per party
Christian Democratic Party (PDC) (49); LIBRE (39); Unity (26); Popular Alliance (8); Other (8)
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
Chamber of Senators (Cámara de Senadores)
term in office
5 years
number of seats
36 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
8/17/2025
expected date of next election
August 2030
percentage of women in chamber
58.3%
parties elected and seats per party
Christian Democratic Party (PDC) (16); LIBRE (12); Unity (7); Other (1)
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 328-3712
chancery
3014 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 483-4410
chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Henry BALDELOMAR CHÁVEZ (since 11 October 2023)
consulate(s) general
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
email address and website
embolivia.wdc@gmail.com https://www.boliviawdc.org/en-us/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[591] (2) 216-8111
note
note: in September 2008, the Bolivian Government expelled the US Ambassador to Bolivia, Philip GOLDBERG, and both countries have yet to reinstate their ambassadors
embassy
Avenida Arce 2780, Casilla 425, La Paz
telephone
[591] (2) 216-8000
mailing address
3220 La Paz Place, Washington DC 20512-3220
chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Debra HEVIA (since September 2023)
email address and website
ConsularLaPazACS@state.gov https://bo.usembassy.gov/
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, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction