BOLIVIA

INTRODUCTION:

Bolivia is a landlocked country in South America that borders the countries of

Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru. It is located in the rugged Andes
Mountain with highland plateau and lowland plains of the Amazon basin. Bolivia
shares control of Lago Titicaca, the world's highest lake navigable to large vessels,
lying at 12,500 feet above sea level. The government system is a republic; the new
constitution defines Bolivia as a "Social Unitarian State." The chief of state and head
of government is the president. Bolivia has a mixed economic system which includes
a variety of private freedom, combined with centralized economic planning and
government regulation. In addition, Bolivia is a member of the Andean Community
(ANCOM).
National Anthem of Bolivia

Bolivians, a propitious fate

has at long last crowned our vows and longings;
This land is free, free at last.

Its servile state has now finally ceased.

The martial turmoil of yesterday,
and the horrible clamor of war,
are followed today, in harmonious contrast,
by sweet hymns of peace and unity.
Are followed today, in harmonious contrast,
by sweet hymns of peace and unity.

Let us keep the lofty name of our Fatherland

in glorious splendor.
And, on its altars, once more we must swear:
to die before we would live as slaves!
To die before we would live as slaves!
To die before we would live as slaves!

Eternal praise to the brave warriors

whose heroic valor and firmness
conquered the freedom and glories that now
a happy Bolivia justly begins to enjoy!
Let their names, preserved forever in marble and bronze,
transmit their glory to remote future ages.
And in resounding song let them repeat their simple call:
Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!
\And in resounding song let them repeat their simple call:
Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!

Here has Justice erected its Throne

which vile oppression ignores
and, on its glorious stamp let us rejoice

Freedom, freedom, freedom

This innocent and beautiful land,
which owes its name to Bolívar,
is the happy homeland where mankind
enjoys the benefits of bliss and peace.
Is the happy homeland where mankind
enjoys the benefits of bliss and peace?

If a foreigner may, any given day

even attempt to subjugate Bolivia,
let him prepare for a fatal destiny,
which menaces such brave aggressor.
For the sons of the mighty Bolívar
have sworn, thousands upon thousands of times:
to die rather than see the country's
majestic banner humiliated.
To die rather than see the country's
majestic banner humiliated.
Languages
Spanish (official) 60.7%, Quechua (official) 21.2%, Aymara (official) 14.6%, foreign
languages 2.4%, Guarani (official) 0.6%, other native languages 0.4%, none 0.1%
note: Bolivia's 2009 constitution designates Spanish and all indigenous languages as
official; 36 indigenous languages are specified, including some that are extinct (2001
est.)

BOLIVIA ALPHABET

MONEY

PRESIDENT OF BOLIVIA
Education in Bolivia

Contents:

1. Key Country Statistics

2. Structure of the Educational System
3. Major Government and International Actors within the Educational System
4. NGO Projects Supporting the Educational System

Structure of the Educational System

Similar to other education systems, Bolivia’s National Education System is

composed of a formal and a non-formal sector. Formal education is organized in four
cycles: initial or pre-primary, primary, secondary, and higher education.

 The initial cycle is divided in two sub-cycles: the first cycle refers to pre-school
education up to children of 4 years of age, is non-formal and not mandatory. It
refers to childcare institutions as crèches and communitarian care facilities.
The second cycle is for children of 4 to 6 years of age and compulsory by law.
 Primary education in Bolivia is compulsory and starts at the age of 6 and lasts
eight years. It has two cycles: the basic vocational cycle lasting five years,
and advanced vocational cycle lasting three years.
 Secondary education is offered to students of 14 to 18 years of age. Divided
in two sub-cycles, students can either follow the basic technical degree,
preparing apprenticeship for technical work (Bachillerato de técnico básico);
or the general education degree (Bachillerato en Humanidades), preparing
students for the entrance to university according to the subject of choice:
Science, Literature or Biology.
 Higher education in Bolivia allows students having approved the Aptitude
Entrance Exam (Prueba de Suficiencia Académica) to freely enroll at any
state public university and in any subject they wish. In general, there are three
types of higher education in Bolivia: Higher technician (Técnico superior o
avanzado), Undergraduate studies leading to a Bachelor’s degree
(Licenciatura), and Post-graduate studies (Maestría y Doctorado)

Of note, for the period 2010-2014, Bolivia’s Ministry of Education and Cultures (see
below) intended to reflect the adoption of the “Bolivia moves forward” (Bolivia
Avanza) principles on education: broader access to public education in rural Bolivia,
the development of a new regional targeted learning strategies, and the promotion of
a “new revolutionary, productive, communitarian, decolonized” vision of education in
Bolivia.
HISTORY OF BOLIVIA

After the fall of Tiwanaku empire, the many Aymara Lake Titicaca were conquered
by the Inca empire. Prior to the Spanish conquest, the Andean province
of Qullasuyu was a part of the Inca empire, while the northern and eastern lowlands
were inhabited by independent nomadic tribes. Spanish conquistadors, arriving
from Cuzco and Asunción took control of the region in the 16th century. During most
of the Spanish colonial rule, Bolivia was known as Upper Peru and administered by
the Royal Audiencia of Charcas. After the 1st call for independence in 1809, 16
years of war followed before the establishment of the Bolivian Republic, named for
the Liberator Simón Bolívar, on August 6, 1825. Since then Bolivia has endured
regular periods of political and economic instability, including the loss of various
provinces to its neighbors, such as Acre, parts of the Gran Chaco and its Pacific
coast, making it a land-locked country.

GEOGRAPHY OF BOLIVIA
The geography of Bolivia includes the Eastern Andes Mountain Range (also called
the Cordillera Oriental) which bisects Bolivia roughly from north to south. To the east
of that mountain chain are lowland plains of the Amazon Basin, and to the west is
the Altiplano which is a highland plateau where Lake Titicaca is located. Bolivia's
geography has features similar to those of Peru which abuts Bolivia's northwest
border; like Bolivia, Peru is bisected from north to south by the Eastern Andes
Mountains, and these two countries share Lake Titicaca which is the highest
navigable lake on Earth. Unlike Peru, however, Bolivia is one of the
two landlocked countries in South America, the other being Paraguay which is
located along Bolivia's southeast border.
The most prominent feature of the Altiplano is the large lake at its northern end, Lake
Titicaca. At 3,811 m (12,503 ft) above sea level. With a surface area of
9,064 km2 (3,500 sq mi), it is larger than Puerto Rico and is South America's second
largest lake by surface area. Lake Titicaca is also deep, about 370 m (1,214 ft) at its
deepest, with an average depth of 215 m (705 ft); its volume of water is large enough
to maintain a constant temperature of 10 °C (50 °F). The lake actually moderates the
climate for a considerable distance around it, making crops
of maize and wheat possible in sheltered areas.
Lake Titicaca drains southward through the slow-moving, reed-filled Desaguadero
River to Lake Poopó. In contrast to the freshwater Lake Titicaca, Lake Poopó is salty
and shallow, with depths seldom more than 4 m (13 ft).
Colors of Altiplano Boliviano.

In western Bolivia, the Cordillera Occidental is a chain of

dormant volcanoes and solfataras, volcanic vents emitting sulfurous gases. Bolivia's
highest peak, the snowcapped Nevado Sajama 6,542 m (21,463 ft), is located here.
The entire cordillera is of volcanic origin and an extension of the volcanic region
found in southern Peru. Most of the northern part of this range has an elevation of
about 4,000 m (13,123 ft); the southern part is somewhat lower. Rainfall, although
scanty everywhere, is greater in the northern half, where the land is covered
with scrub vegetation. The southern area receives almost no precipitation, and the
landscape consists mostly of barren rocks. All of the Cordillera Occidental region is
sparsely populated, and the south is virtually uninhabited.
The Altiplano, the high plateau between the previous range and the Cordillera
Oriental, comprises four major basins formed by mountainous spurs that jut
eastward from the Cordillera Occidental about halfway to the Cordillera Oriental.
Along the Altiplano's eastern side is a continuous flat area, which has served as
Bolivia's principal north-south transport corridor since colonial times. The entire
Altiplano was originally a deep rift between the cordilleras that gradually filled with
highly porous sedimentary debris washed down from the peaks. This sedimentary
origin explains its gradual slope from north to south; greater rainfall in the north has
washed a larger quantity of debris onto the platform floor.
Rainfall in the Altiplano decreases toward the south, and the scrub vegetation grows
more sparse, eventually giving way to barren rocks and dry red clay. The land
contains several salt flats, the dried remnants of ancient lakes. The largest of these -
and the world's largest salt concentration - is the Uyuni Saltpan, which covers over
9,000 square kilometers. The salt is more than five meters deep in the centre of this
flat. In the dry season, the lake bed can be traversed by heavy trucks. Near the
Argentine border, the floor of the Altiplano rises again, creating hills and volcanoes
that span the gap between the eastern and western cordilleras of the Andes.
The much older Cordillera Oriental enters Bolivia on the north side of Lake Titicaca,
extends southeastward to approximately 17 south latitude, then broadens and
stretches south to the Argentine border. The northernmost part of the Cordillera
Oriental, the Cordillera Real, is an impressive snow-capped series
of granite mountains. Some of these peaks exceed 6,000 m (19,685 ft) and two
- Illimani 6,424 m (21,076 ft), which overlooks the city of La Paz,
and Illampu 6,424 m (21,076 ft) - have large glaciers on their upper slopes. South of
17 south latitude, the range changes character. Called the Cordillera Central here,
the land is actually a large block of the Earth's crust that has been lifted and tilted
eastward. The western edge of this block rises in a series of steep cliffs from the
Altiplano. The backbone of the cordillera is a high, rolling plain, with elevations from
4,200 m (13,780 ft) to 4,400 m (14,436 ft), interspersed with irregularly spaced high
peaks. Too high to be exploited for large-scale commercial grazing, this area takes
its name from the predominant vegetation type, the puna.

BiBLIOGRAPHY

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<http://www.destination360.com/south-america/argentina/andes-mountains/>. I used
this website to get a picture for my home screen.

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<http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35751.htm/>. I used this website to gather general
information about Bolivia.

"Barley." Millers Grain House. 12 February 2012.

<http://www.millersgrainhouse.com/bulk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_4/>.
I used this website to get a picture of barley.

"Bolivia Customs and Culture." Hospitals of Hope. 12 February 2012.

<http://www.hospitalsofhope.org/bolivia/bolivia-customs-and-culture.html/>. I used
this website to gather information about bolivia's customs and culture.

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<http://www.boliviabella.com/government.html/>. I used this website to gather
information about Bolivia's government.
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information about Bolivia's government and history.

"Bolivia - Language, Culture, Customs, and Etiquette." Kwintessential. 9 February

2012. <http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/bolivia.html/>. I
used this website to gather information about Bolivian culture and to get a Fun Fact.

"Bolivia." Moments in Light. 12 February 2012.

<http://www.momentsinlight.com/g2/v/Bolivia/Bolivia-DSC_7003.jpg.html/>. I used
this website to gather information about Bolivia.

"Bolivian Coffee." Red Room. 12 February 2012.

<http://redroom.com/member/julia-stein/blog/costa-rica-days-6-9-the-good-green-
world/>. I used this website to get a picture of a coffee plant.

"Bolivian Rain Forest." Enlightened Images. 12 February 2012.

<http://www.enlightphoto.com/webpages/cstnorth/cstn05-02.html/>. I used this
website to get a picture of a rain forest in Bolivia.

"Corn." Corn Country. 12 February 2012.

<http://cottageintheoaks.com/2011/05/20/grilled-corn-on-the-cob/>. I used this
website to get a picture of corn.

"Cotton and Corruption." Dr.Pinna. 12 February 2012.

<http://drpinna.com/cotton-and-corruption-21440/>. I used this website to get a
picture of a field of cotton.

"CS2 Live." Post Tagged Billboards. 12 February 2012.

<http://cs2live.cs2advertising.com/tag/billboards/>. I used this website to get a
picture of cattle.

"Dr.Mocola on the danger of soy products." Dr.Pinna. 12 February 2012.

<http://drpinna.com/dr-mercola-on-the-danger-of-soy-products-27152/>. I used this
website to get a picture of soy beans.

"El Huerto - Restaurant." 12 February 2012.

<http://www.vivatravelguides.com/south-america/bolivia/central-
highlands/sucre/sucre-restaurants/el-huerto/>. I used this website to get a picture of
Bolivian food.

"Food of Bolivia." Language Crossing. 9 February 2012.

<http://www.languagecrossing.com/Destinations/Bolivia/Food_of_Bolivia/>. I used
this website to gather information about the Bolivian food.

"Forest Lumber." Dreamstime. 12 February 2012.

<http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-image-pine-forest-
image15604366/>. I used this website to get a picture of lumber.

"Fun Facts about Bolivian sports." BoliviaBella. 12 February 2012.

<http://www.boliviabella.com/bolivian-sports.html/>. I used this website to gather
information about the different types of sports people play in Bolivia.

"Gold bars." Easy invesment. 12 February 2012.

<http://www.easygoldinvestment.com/how-to-invest-money-in-gold.html/gold-
bars/>. I used this website to get a picture of gold bars.

"Interesting facts about Bolivia." Want To Know It. 9 February 2012.

<http://wanttoknowit.com/interesting-facts-about-bolivia/>. I used this website to
gather some of my Fun Facts on Bolivia and cultural information.

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<http://atlantipedia.ie/samples/lake-poopo/>. I used this website to get a picture of
Lake Poopo.

"Lake Titicaca." Sacred Sites. 12 February 2012.

<http://www.sacredsites.com/americas/bolivia/lake_titicaca.html/>. I used this
website to get a picture of Lake Titicaca.

"Lead." Metal Matters. 12 February 2012.

<http://library.thinkquest.org/08aug/01930/commonmetals/Lead.html/>. I used this
website to get a picture of a lead cube.

"Mountains and Plains of Bolivia." 2BackPackers. 12 February 2012

<http://2backpackers.com/5080/travel-photos/mountains-plains-bolivia/>. I used this
website to gather images of Bolivia's landscape.

"Music." Bolivia Music. 12 February 2012.

<http.en.dilandau.eu/download_music/boliva/>. I used this website to gather
information about Bolivian music.

"My favorite grain." High on Health. 12 February 2012.

<http://www.highonhealth.org/why-quinoa-is-my-new-favorite-grain/>. I used this
website to get a picture of a grain called quinoa.

"Petroleum." Energy4me. 12 February 2012.

<http://www.energy4me.org/energy-facts/energy-sources/petroleum/>. I used this
website to get a picture of an oil well.

Helgren, M. David; Sager, J. Robert; and Brooks, S. Alison.

People, Places, and Change. Austin, Texas: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2005. I
used this website to gather information about Bolivia's climate, weather, vegetation,
land use, resources, government, history and culture.

"Potato.' One potato at a time. 12 February 2012.

<http://tommyballard.wordpress.com/>. I used this website to get a picture of
potatoes.

"Raining." Fotocommunity. 12 February 2012.

<http://www.fotocommunity.com/pc/pc/display/22379050/>. I used this website to get
a picture of a rain forest in Bolivia.

"Rice." Squidoo. 12 february 2012.

<http://www.squidoo.com/mixedricerecipesutm_source=google&utm_medium=imgre
s&utm_campaign=framebuster/>. I used this web site to get a picture of rice.

"Silver Bars." Buy Silver Bar Tips. 12 February 2012.

<http://www.buysilvertips.com/tips/silver-bars/>. I used this website to get a picture of
silver bars.

"Sugarcane." Paper From Sugarcane. 12 February 2012.

<http://www.canefieldsusa.com/canefields_usa_facts_on_sugarcane_paper.html/>. I
used this website to get a picture of a sugarcane field.

"Textiles." It's Cactus. 12 February 2012.

<http://www.itscactus.com/catalog/Textiles-6-1.html/>. I used this website to get a
picture of a textile.

"The wheat series." Whole life diet. 12 February 2012.

<http://www.wholelifediets.com/2012/01/18/the-wheat-series-part-2/>. I used this
website to get a picture of wheat.

"Wrought Iron." Rural Blacksmith. 12 February 2012.

<http://ruralblacksmith.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html/>. I used this website
to get a picture of iron.
"Zinc." Alibaba. 12 February 2012.
<http://www.alibaba.com/productfree/106603899/Chrome_Sulphur_Bauxite_Zinc_M
anganese_Antimony.html/>. I used this website to get a picture of zinc.

"12 Rare Coke imitations around the world." BjorKa Oddities. 12 February 2012.
<http://www.bjorkaoddities.com/12-Rare-Coke-imitations-around-the-world.htm/>. I
used this website to get a picture of Bolivian beverages.

ANALYSIS
Population
11,051,600
2017 | World Rank: 81

Area
1,083,300

Square Kilometers | World Rank: 26

GDP
$37,508

Bolivia is a landlocked country that borders five South American countries: Chile to
the west, Brazil to the east, Peru to the north and Argentina and Paraguay to the
south. Bolivia's lack of sea access poses a major geographical challenge, as the
country struggles to integrate itself into the global economy. As a result, Bolivia's
major trade partners are its neighbors, Brazil and Argentina.
 ECONOMICS INDICATORS

2016 2017 2018 (e) 2019 (f)

GDP growth (%) 4.3 4.2 4.3 4.0

Inflation (yearly average, %) 3.6 2.8 3.2 4.1

Budget balance (% GDP) -7.2 -7.8 -7.5 -7.0

Current account balance (% GDP) -5.7 -6.3 -5.3 -5.1

Public debt (% GDP) 44.9 49.0 50.6 52.6

(e): Estimate. (f): Forecast.

STRENGTHS

 Substantial mineral resources (gas, oil, zinc, silver, gold, lithium, tin, manganese) and agricultural
resources (quinoa)
 World’s 15th largest exporter of natural gas
 Member of the Andean Community and associate member of Mercosur
 Tourist potential
 Currency pegged to the US dollar
WEAKNESSES

 Economy is under-diversified and dependent on hydrocarbons

 Private sector is underdeveloped; high dependence on public sector
 Landlocked country
 Large informal sector
 Insecurity, drug trafficking, corruption
 Risk of social unrest

RISK ASSESSMENT

Stable, demand-driven growth

Domestic demand will drive growth again in 2019, thanks in particular to maintain high
public spending. Public investment should continue growing under the nation’s broad
investment plan, the Plan Nacional de Desarrollo Económico y Social. Worth
USD 48.6 billion over 2016-2020 (116% of GDP in 2018), the plan was introduced in
2015 as part of a counter-cyclical recovery strategy in response to weaker commodity
prices. Focused on developing infrastructure and state-owned companies in the
energy sector, the programme targets the gas sector, which accounted for 35% of
Bolivia’s exports in 2017, and refining. Meanwhile, to reverse the downturn in

hydrocarbon production due to insufficient private investment in recent years, since

late 2017 the government has signed several memoranda of understanding with
foreign oil companies for hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation, including Repsol,
Shell and Pan American Energy (USD 900 million), Petrobras (USD 700 million),
Kampac Oil (USD 500 million), Milner Capital (USD 2 billion) and Gazprom
(USD 1.2 billion). However, these investments will not translate into an effective
increase in production until 2020 or even 2021. Although President Evo Morales has
stressed that these private investments point to an improving environment, the
business climate remains problematic (Bolivia placed 152nd in the Doing Business
2018 ranking, with a high risk of nationalisation and discrimination of private investors
in favour of state-owned companies) and continues to influence investment

Decisions in the country. Agriculture, which accounts for 27% of jobs, is expected to
remain strong, barring adverse weather conditions. Private consumption is set to slow
as inflation rebounds. At the same time, inflation should remain measured thanks to
the boliviano's peg to the dollar US. The failure to pay end-of-year bonuses in the
public and private sectors (conditional on GDP growth of 4.5%) will limit the increase
in purchasing power. Moreover, despite the strong increase in imports due to
investment projects, external trade should make a positive contribution to growth, with
exports expected to pick up on continued high hydrocarbon prices. Brazil and
Argentina, which receive 98% of Bolivia's gas exports, will remain the main markets
for hydrocarbon sales.
Twin deficits still substantial despite slight improvement
The government deficit should continue to shrink gradually in 2019 on strong energy-
related revenues, but it will remain substantial as the government pursues its
accommodative fiscal policy under its five-year investment plan. President Morales
has also announced the introduction of universal social security in 2019 (0.7% of
GDP). Generally speaking, in an election year, spending on civil servants' salaries and
social programmes (29% and 21% of public spending respectively in 2017) is unlikely
to go down. Public debt will thus continue to grow, while remaining sustainable
(external share equivalent to 24% of GDP in August 2018).
The current account deficit will remain substantial despite a slight improvement. The
balance of goods and, above all, services is in deficit because of the intermediate
goods needed for investment projects. However, strong exports – chiefly of gas, gold
and minerals such as zinc – should help to narrow the trade deficit, which will be
partially offset by remittances from expatriate workers (4% GDP in 2017). Unless FDI
accelerates sharply (2% of GDP in 2017), the government will finance the deficit by
continuing to draw on foreign exchange reserves (nine months of imports in
September 2018, compared with 12 in 2016 and 14 in 2015).
2019 general elections: President vs former President
President Evo Morales of the Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) party, who has been in
power since 2005, will stand for a fourth term in the October 2019 elections. Despite

Being rejected in the February 2016 referendum – 51.3% of people said they were
against unlimited re-election – the two-term limit enshrined in the constitution was
abolished by Bolivia’s constitutional court in November 2017. Mandatory primary
elections for political parties, initially planned for 2024, will now take place in
January 2019. The incumbent’s main opponent may be Carlos Mesa, President
between 2003 and 2005. Because the new law prevents candidates from running
without a party, Mesa is representing Comunidad Ciudadana, a centre-left coalition.
Mr Mesa, who had been accused of unduly expelling a Chilean company during his
term of office, was pardoned by President Morales in exchange for support in the case
brought by Bolivia against Chile over access to the sea, which was rejected by the
International Court of Justice in October 2018. While the election result is uncertain,
polls conducted a year before Bolivians place their votes show Mr Morales and
Mr Mesa, at 29% and 27% respectively, far ahead of the rest of the opposition, which
includes Óscar Ortiz, of the centrist coalition Bolivia dice No.

SOCIO CULTURAL
Marriage. Marriage, a fundamental rite of passage and a marker of adult status,
often is linked to the formation of new households and is expected of all Bolivians.
The typical Andean marriage pattern (customary in the highlands and Oriente but
often frowned on by members of the elite) entails three highly ritualized steps: an
initial period of cohabitation ( juntados ) lasting up to three years in which the
spouses set up a household and begin to bear children, a civil wedding, and a
religious wedding followed by a two- to three-day marriage celebration. Although
there are polygynous marriages in some Oriente ethnic groups, monogamy is the
norm. The most important marriage prescription in the highlands is that of not
marrying someone with an identical first (often paternal) surname and/or within the
third cousin range. Village or hamlet exogamy is often the rule. Postmarital residence
is usually neolocal (the couple sets up its own household independently of the
parents), although this sometimes is preceded, especially in the case of cohabitation,
by a patrilocal phase in which the couple temporarily resides with the groom's
parents. Marriage expands alliances and networks of kin and generates obligations
and reciprocities between the kin group, including godparents and other fictive kin, of
both spouses. Divorce, while legal, is rare in rural communities. Remarriage among
widows and widowers is common and expected.
Women have the primary responsibility for child care. Few deliver their babies in
hospitals, relying instead on the help of midwives. Most rural and low-income women
breastfeed, wrap, and swaddle their babies, sometimes for as long as two years.
Young infants always accompany their mothers during productive activities such as
cooking, gardening, and selling goods at marketplaces

Social interaction is governed by norms emphasizing respect and formality and

marking age, gender, status, and class differences. Shoppers are expected to be
polite and convey deference to shopkeepers by using the adverb "please." The use
of formal Spanish pronouns ( usted but not tu ) is especially important in addressing
elders and older relatives, as are honorific titles for men and women ( don for men
and doña for women). Peasants address members of the urban, Spanish-speaking
elite as "gentlemen." Cultural mores dictate that one stand very close to the person
with whom one is interacting. Gazing and looking directly in the eye are acceptable.
Physical greetings vary greatly. In rural areas, simple, short, firm handshakes are
common; a hug (but short of a full bear hug), followed by a short pat on the back, is
expected between kin and close friends. In rural settings, public touching, caressing,
and kissing among couples are frowned on. Generosity and reciprocity are required
in all social interactions, many of which involve the sharing of food and alcoholic
beverages.

RELIGIOUS

Bolivians are overwhelmingly Catholic (at least formally), and the Catholic Church
has historically wielded enormous influence. However, religious beliefs and practices
constitute a system of "popular religion" that encompasses formal elements of
Catholicism and, increasingly, Protestantism (especially rituals) with only a partial
understanding and acceptance of doctrine, coupled with pre-Hispanic Andean beliefs
and rituals. In popular religion, complementary deities and supernatural beings
coexist. Many people believe in a k'harisiri , a malevolent semihuman being who
usually is identified as the soul of a priest, foreigner, or Spanish-speaking elite
mestizo who, in a pact with the Devil ( supay ), attacks mainly indigenous travelers.
Miners are especially devoted to the uncle ( tío ) deity, who ensures rewarding work
and protects them against accidents and ill fortune. The widespread devotion to the
cult of the Virgin Mary, which intersects with and is nurtured by the equally powerful
devotion to the female Pachamama (earth mother), is a cornerstone of popular
religion. Another distinguishing feature of Andean popular religion is the importance
of rituals through which people maintain social relationships and reciprocal ties with
supernatural deities. Such rituals sometimes entail the sacrifice of Andean camelids
(such as llamas) but more often require constant libations ( ch'allas ) to them in the
context of heavy drinking and ritualized coca chewing.
Political Life
Government. Bolivia is a constitutional republic with an elected president and
national congress. Famous for its political instability, it has enjoyed unprecedented
stability since 1985. There is a centralized political system (the president has always
had the power to appoint the governors [ prefectos ] of the departments), yet recent
(mid-1990s) laws were intended to decentralize state administration and increase
political participation and decision making, especially at the municipal level. The
executive and legislative branches of government are located in La Paz, the de facto
administrative capital and seat of government, while the national judiciary is centered
in Sucre, the legal capital.
Leadership and Political Officials. Formal political power is fragmented among
numerous political parties spanning the ideological spectrum, and coalition
governments have ruled since 1982. The most important political parties in the
1980s and 1990s were the Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario (MNR), Acción
Democrática Nacionalista (AND), Movimiento Bolivia Libre (MBL), Conciencia de
Patria (CONDEPA), Unidad Cívica Solidaridad (UCS), Frente Revolucionario de
Izquierda (FRI), and Movimiento de Izquierda Revolucionaria (MIR). As a result of an
alliance between AND, MIR, CONDEPA, and UCS, the former dictator General Hugo
Bánzer was elected president in June 1997.
Social Problems and Control. Social control is exercised informally at the local
level (neighborhood and village) and within networks of acquaintances and kin, and
recourse to the police and the judiciary is rare. In peasant villages, disputes usually
are settled internally by elected officials who follow customary practices. The drinking
of alcoholic beverages and petty crime are growing in importance, as is the smoking
of cocaine-laced cigarettes. Interpersonal violence is rare, although there is some
domestic violence. Few people have a complete understanding of their constitutional
rights and the complex judicial system. In addition to local and departmental courts,
the government has set up special narcotics tribunals. The judicial branch is being
restructured to streamline bureaucratic procedures.
Military Activity. The military has often intervened directly in politics, and many
presidents have been military officers who achieved power through a coup d'état.
The military has not fought an external war since the Chaco war. Major garrisons are
based near cities and/or areas of major peasant concentrations. As a result of U.S.
pressure, the military has become involved in anti-coca and anti-drug efforts.
 PEOPLE

Aymara and Quechua (2 million), Chiquitano (180,000) and Guaraní (125,000) are
the four largest of Bolivia's nearly 30 indigenous ethnic groups.

People - 11.05 million (2017)

 Alcides Arguedas politician, author

 Jessica Anne Burton Miss Bolivia 2006
(born in England)
 Luzmila Carpio singer
 Victor Paz Estenssoro politician, former president
 General Agustin Gamarra Peruvian general
 Javierdel Granada poet
 Ernesto Che Guevara revolutionary, physician, author, guerrilla leader (born in
Argentina)
I-M
 Oscar Ichazo founder of Arica school
 Jamie Laredo violinist
 Mariano Melgarejo former president
 Alonso de Mendoza founder of La Paz
 Matilde Casazda Mendoza poet , songwriter
 Rene Zavaleta Mercado politician, philosopher
 Ismael Montes political figure
 Evo Morales presidemt
 Gabriel Rene- Moreno author , historian
 Pedro Domingo Murillo patriot
O-Z
 Juan Lechin Oquendo labor union leader
 Simon Patino industrialist
 Arturo Posnansky archoeologist
 Jaime Saenz poet, author
 Gonzalo Sanchez politician, business man, former president
 Jose Ramiro Suarez Soruco researcher
 Hugo Banzer Suarez politician, military general, dictator, former president
 Antonio Jose de Sucre former president
 Franz Tamayo author, politician
 David Toro leader during the Chaco War
 Francis Schwitegebel Torres author, art critic, artist (born in England)
 Jaime Paz Zamora former president
 Adela Zamudio poet, author
 Hernan Siles Zuazo politician
 Jaime de Zudanez politician