Bolivia is sandwiched between Peru, Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil and Chile in central South America. It is the fifth-largest country on the continent. Bolivia is experiencing a time of difficulty and uncertainty in economic, political and social areas. Despite the existing conditions, Bolivia has managed to maintain progress in the social area, and the discovery of huge deposits of natural gas at the end of the 1990s gives reason for optimism.
Area: 1.09 million sq km
Population: 8.8 million
Capital: La Paz
People: 30% Quechua Indian, 25% Mestizo, 30% Aymará Indian, approx 15% European (principally Spanish)
Language: Quechua, Aymara, Spanish; Castilian
Religion: 95% Roman Catholic, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist)
Government: Republic
GDP: US$7.8 billion
Major Industries: Agriculture, smelting, petroleum, food & beverages, tobacco, handcrafts, clothing, tin mining, and natural gas
Major Trading Partners: USA, Brazil, and Japan
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