Bolivia is an increasingly popular destination for travellers to South America attracted by its long and varied historical heritage, a strong indigenous culture and a spectacular and diverse natural landscape. It is also a key part of overland and multi-country trips across the continent from Peru to Buenos Aires or Rio on the east coast. Historical sites range from the pre-Hispanic ruins at Tiwanaku to the colonial cities of Sucre and Potosi, the latter famous for the silver mines that provided the Spanish conquerors with much wealth at a huge human cost. Bolivia's natural attractions include the two dominant features of South America - the Amazon rainforest to the east of the country and the mountainous landscapes of the Andean Altiplano to the east, as well as the unique salt flats of the Salar de Uyuni in the south of the country, a dramatic and perspective-defying landscape. Explore in depth highlights of Bolivia.
| Tours | Unesco WHS | Guidebooks |
|---|---|---|
| groups tours with set departures |
World Heritage Sites | country, regions and cities |
| Time zone: | GMT -4 (Bolivia standard time) | Daylight savings: None |
|---|
| Main languages: | Aymara, Quechua, Spanish |
|---|
| Currency: |
bolivianos (BOB) €1 = $b7.00, $1 = $b7.12, £1 = $b9.47 (rates as of Sep 2016) |
|---|
| Internet Domain: | .bo | International Dialling Code: 591 |
|---|
For help planning your trip to Bolivia including visas, vaccinations, currency exchange, flights, accomodation and insurance, see our Bolivia trip planning page.
Further information on Bolivia
Discover more about Bolivia - the country's geogrpahy and natural features, an assessment of its status on freedom and rights and data on the country's population and economy.
Geography & Natural Features
Total area: 1,098,580 sq km (14,190 sq km under water)
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Neighbours (border lengths): Argentina (832km), Brazil (3,423km), Chile (860km), Paraguay (750km), Peru (1,075km)
Climate: Tropical climate, hot and humid, in eastern lowlands. Cold and semi-arid in western highlands and Bolivian Altiplano - dry and sunny between May and November, more cloud and rain in the summer months between December and March.
Highest mountain: Nevado Sajama (6,542m)
Freedom & Rights
Summary status and rankings for Bolivia from classifications of different organisations measuring political and economic freedom, democracy and civil rights. See more details of these rankings.
| Index | Status | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Freedom in the World | Partly Free | - |
 | Democracy Index | Hybrid regime | 83/167 |
 | Economic Freedom | Repressed | 163/179 |
 | Press Freedom | Noticeable problems | 92/179 |
 | ILGA LGBT rights | Broad rights | - |
 | Corruption Perceptions | Medium corruption | 103/174 |
| Overall Ranking: | 83/195 | ||
Other Data & Links
Full name: Republic of Bolivia Status: Independent Country
Population: 10,631,486 (rank: 81/196) Density: 9.6 people/sq km (rank: 181/196)
Ethnic groups: Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%, Aymara 25%, white 15%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%
GDP (PPP): $58.34 billion GDP per capita: $5,500 (rank: 127/195)
Information derived from the CIA World Factbook. Other country profiles: BBC News.