General Facts :

Surface: 1.098.584 km²
Population: 7.612.000 inhabitants
Density of population: 7 inhabitants/km²
Capital: La Paz (1.050.000 inhabitants), Sucre (96.000 inhabitants)
Official language: Spanish, Quechua, Aymara
Official currency: Peso Boliviano
Imported products: food, drinks, cars
Exported products: natural gases
Brut Intern Product: 630 $/inhabitant
State type: Republic

Geographical Characteristics, Vegetation and Fauna :

The country is situated in the South America. There are on its territory the Andes Mountains. 2/3 of the country's surface is covered with plains and low plateaus with altitudes fewer than 500 m and covered with savanna grass and tropical forests. They are crossed by Paraguay River and Amazon's tributaries. The Andes reg ion includes two cordilleras with inactive volcanoes which have heights over 6.000 m: Nevado Sajama Peak 6.780 m, Nevado Illampu Peak 6.550 m. They are separated by a plateau named Altiplano Plateau with heights between 3.300 and 3.850 m which is the main populated area. In Altiplano, a step region with bushes, there is the famous Titicaca (8.430 km²), the navigable lake situated at the altitude 3.812 m. The Fauna is various. You can find monkeys, venomous snakes, parrots, condors, llamas and others.

Population and Cities :

The country has 7.612.000 inhabitants. The birth rate is 46.6‰ and the death rate is 18‰. 51% of the population lives in cities. The most important cities are: Santa Cruz de la Sierra (669.000 inhabitants), Cochabama (413.000 inhabitants), Oruro (208.000 inhabitants) and Potosi (120.000 inhabitants). 42% of the people are Amerindians (Quechua, Aymara and others), 31% are Metis and 15% are white. Almost 80% of the population lives at altitudes between 2.500 m and 4.000 m. The biggest density of population is in the center of the Altiplano region (La Paz - Cochabama). In the lower eastern regions which were almost uninhabited in the past lives now 20% of the population. The important religions are: Catholicism 92% and Protestantism.

State :

The country is a presidential republic according to the Constitution in 1947. The legislative activity is exerted by the President and the National Council and the executive by a cabinet, named and ruled by the President. The political parties are 36 and some of them are: the National Democratic Action, the National Historic-Revolutionary Movement, Country's Conscience, United Left and the Left National Revolutionary Movement.

Economy :

Bolivia has many deposits of minerals. Some of them such as silver were exploited from a long time ago. The country is one of the most important producers of tin, tungsten and stibium. In the last years the production of natural gases increased and became the most important exported product. It brings an annual income of 300 millions $. The processing industry isn't very developed and the country imports most of the products needed. The agriculture is concentrated today in Altiplano but is trying to extend a lot in the Amazonian region. The main cultivated plant is coca, cocaine is produced from this plant, and brings 600 millions $ per year.

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Tags: la paz, spanish, quechua, aymara, peso boliviano, republic

Date Added: 26 November '06

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