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| Country Guide > South America > Bolivia |
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General Information
Area 1,098,581 sq km (424,164 sq miles). Population 8,328,700 (official estimate 2000). Population Density 7.6 per sq km. Capital Legal: Sucre. Population: 223,436 (official estimate 2000). Administrative: La Paz. Population: 1,004,440 (official estimate 2000). Geography Bolivia is a landlocked country bordered by Peru to the northwest, Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay to the southeast, Argentina to the south and Chile to the west. There are three main areas: the first is a high plateau known as the ‘Altiplano’, a largely barren region lying approximately 4000m (13,000ft) above sea level. It comprises 10 per cent of the country’s area and contains 70 per cent of the population, nearly one-third of whom are urban dwellers. The second area is a fertile valley situated 1800m (5900ft) to 2700m (8850ft) above sea level. The third area comprises the lowland tropics which stretch down to the frontiers with Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, taking up some 70 per cent of the land area. Rainfall in this region is high, and the climate is hot. Government Republic. Gained independence from Spain in 1825. Head of State and Government: President Carlos Diego Mesa Gisbert (2003). Language The official languages are Spanish, Quechua and Aymar. English is also spoken by a small number of officials and businesspeople in commercial centres. Religion Roman Catholic with a Protestant minority. Time GMT - 4. Electricity 110/220 volts AC in La Paz, 220 volts AC, 50Hz in the rest of the country. Most houses and hotels have two-pin sockets for both electrical currents. Variations from this occur in some places. Communications Telephone IDD is available. Country code: 591. Outgoing international code: 00. Mobile telephone GSM 1900 network. Network operators include Entel SA (website: www.entelmovil.com.bo) and Nuevatel PCS de Bolivia SA (website: www.nuevatel.com). Fax Services available. Internet ISPs include Megalink (website: www.megalink.com). There are Internet cafes in main towns. Telegram Facilities are available from the West Coast of America Telegraph Company; head office at Edificio Electra, Calle Mercado 1150, La Paz. Post Airmail to Europe takes three to four days. A Poste Restante service is available. Press The Bolivian Times is published weekly in English. The main papers published in La Paz are El Diario, Hoy, Presencia, La Razn and ltima Hora. Radio BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online. |
