Bolivia
Americas Β· Capital: Sucre
How it is run: Bolivia is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Bolivia is home to 12.6 million people in South America, where people speak Aymara, GuaranΓ, Quechua.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
12.6 million people
That is 0.2% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
1,098,581 kmΒ²
One of the world's large countries: flying across it takes hours.
ποΈ How crowded
Only about 11 people per square kilometre β lots of wide open space between towns.
π Size in its region
12th most people in Americas
9th largest by land in Americas.
π£οΈ Official languages
Aymara, GuaranΓ, Quechua, Spanish
More than one language is used for official business.
π° Money
Bolivian boliviano (Bs.)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
68.7 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$5,148
A lower-middle-income country: incomes are rising, but many families still farm or work informally.
π’ Living in cities
71.6% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
29.4% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+591
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.bo
π§ People here are called
Bolivian
π·οΈ Name at home
Wuliwya Β· VolΓvia Β· Buliwya
Also written: Buliwya, Wuliwya, Bolivia, Plurinational State of.
π Coast or inland
Landlocked β no coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Latin American and Caribbean Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Bolivia is landlocked β it has no coastline, so anything arriving by sea must cross a neighbour's border first.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Bolivia
French
Bolivie
Arabic
Ψ¨ΩΩΩΩΩΨ§
Chinese
η»ε©η»΄δΊ
Japanese
γγͺγγ’
Russian
ΠΠΎΠ»ΠΈΠ²ΠΈΡ
Portuguese
BolΓvia
German
Bolivien
Put it in perspective π
- United States β the most populated country in Americas β has about 27.2Γ as many people as Bolivia.
- Bolivia covers roughly 10,463 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Bolivia lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 6,291 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Bolivia sits in South America, in the southern and western half of the globe.
π·οΈ Official name
Plurinational State of Bolivia
ποΈ Capital
Sucre
π Region
Americas Β· South America
π€ Country code
BO
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Bolivia π
π§ Where on the map
17.0Β° S, 65.0Β° W
π Half of the world
Southern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC-4 β when it is noon in London it is about 08:00 in Sucre.
- π§π΄ is the flag of Bolivia. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is BO.
- Bolivia lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
- Bolivia is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Bolivia is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Bolivia sits in South America, in the southern and western half of the globe.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Bolivia has 4 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Being landlocked means paying neighbours to move goods to the sea. What deal would you offer a neighbour if you led Bolivia?
- If Bolivia spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Bolivia?
Sucre
Which money do people spend in Bolivia?
Bolivian boliviano (Bs.)
How many countries share a land border with Bolivia?
5 β Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru.
Roughly how many people live in Bolivia?
12.6 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.