Bolivia is a country in South America, known for the Andes Mountains and vast Salar de Uyuni salt flats. It has a population of 12.6 million, making it the 79th largest country in the world. Its capital is Sucre. Bolivia has a developing economy rich in minerals.
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Bolivia is a landlocked country in South America officially known as the Plurinational State of Bolivia. The area was originally part of the Inca Empire before colonization.
Bolivia has a very diverse population with more than three dozen native groups, the largest of which is the Quechuas at 2.5 million, followed by the Aymaras (2 million), the Chiquitano (180,000) and the Guarani (125,000). The full Amerindian population is 55%, with 30% mestizo and 15% white. Indigenous people account for 60% of Bolivia’s population, including the Andean and Aymaras. Many mestizos in Bolivia assume the mestizo identity while also identifying with indigenous cultures.
Christianity is the predominant religion in Bolivia, with Roman Catholics making up 76% of the population, and Protestants make up 17%. Despite these significant figures, most of these people don’t practice regularly. The constitution calls for a separation of church and state, and the people of Bolivia have religious freedom.
The economy of Bolivia is heavily reliant upon the hydrocarbon sector, so much so that the economy lacks diversity. Government presence in the economy has been increasing as of late as the judiciary is so easily politically influenced and nationalization is becoming prevalent. Despite the large amounts of natural gas the country has, there is much social unrest, poverty, and drug activity. The current president Evo Morales is in his third consecutive five-year term and has complete control of all political institutions. Morales eliminated term limits and plans to remain in office indefinitely.
Bolivia became free from Spanish rule in 1825 with Simon Bolivar as their leader. The country originally touched the coastline, but lost some of its territories to Chile, Brazil, and Paraguay in the years following the country’s independence. Peasants and miners overthrew the military regime of a government in 1952, which also introduced the universal right to vote, significant land redistribution, and improved the education system and rights of the indigenous people. Che Guevara led the “peasant uprising” in the late 1960s. The US helped suppress this uprising, and Guevara was killed by those who had once been fighting for him. Hugo Suarez staged a separate military coup a few years later and gained power. Bolivia has experienced pretty much continual civil unrest with power regularly changing hands.