Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 51.92 deaths/1,000 live births male: 53.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 50.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.53 years male: 64.75 years female: 66.35 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.48 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 100 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese
Ethnic groups:
Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of severalNepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%
Religions:
Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%
Languages:
Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47% male: 60% female: 34% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 10 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
7% of GDP (2005)
GovernmentBhutan
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan local long form: Druk Gyalkhap local short form: Druk Yul
Government type:
in transition to constitutional monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
Capital:
name: Thimphu geographic coordinates: 27 29 N, 89 36 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
20 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha,Chirang, Daga, Gasa, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro,Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang,Tashi Yangtse, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
Independence:
1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king)
National holiday:
National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17December (1907)
Constitution:
ratified 23 July 2008
Legal system:
based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the throne on 14 December 2006 and his son immediately succeeded him head of government: Prime Minister Jigme THINLEY (since 9 April 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote; election of a new National Assembly occurred in March 2008; the leader of the majority party is nominated as the prime minister
Legislative branch:
new bicameral Parliament consists of the non-partisan National Council (25 seats; 20 members elected by each of the 20 electoral districts (dzongkhags) for four-year terms and 5 members nominated by the King); and the National Assembly (47 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote for five-year terms) elections: National Council elections last held on 31 December 2007 and 29 January 2008 (next to be held by December 2012); National Assembly elections last held on 24 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013) election results: National Council - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - DPT 67%, PDP 33%; seats by party - DPT 45, PDP 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch); note - the draft constitution establishes a Supreme Court, which will serve as chief court of appeal
Political parties and leaders:
Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT[Jigme THINLEY]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Sangay NGEDUP]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
United Front for Democracy (exiled) other: Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community
International organization participation:
ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF,Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, NAM,OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none; note - the Permanent Mission to the UN for Bhutan has consular jurisdiction in the US; address: 763 First Avenue, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 682-2268; FAX [1] (212) 661-0551 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)
Flag description:
divided diagonally from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side
EconomyBhutan
Economy - overview:
The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than 60% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Model education, social, and environment programs are underway with support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic program takes into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. For example, the government, in its cautious expansion of the tourist sector, encourages visits by upscale, environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas such as industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. Hydropower exports to India had a major impact on growth in 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.359 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.308 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
22.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 22.3% industry: 37.9% services: 39.8% (2006)
Labor force:
NA note: major shortage of skilled labor
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 63% industry: 6% services: 31% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
2.5% (2004)
Population below poverty line:
31.7% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $272 million expenditures: $350 million note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures (2005)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Public debt:
81.4% of GDP (2004)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.9% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$381.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$220.3 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$169.9 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs
Industries:
cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
9.3% (1996 est.)
Electricity - production:
4.475 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
528.8 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
3.644 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
11 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1,250 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1,152 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$116 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$350 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices
Exports - partners:
India 58.6%, Hong Kong 30.1%, Bangladesh 7.3% (2007)
Imports:
$320 million c.i.f. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
fuel and lubricants, grain, aircraft, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice
Imports - partners:
India 74.5%, Japan 7.4%, Sweden 3.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$941.2 million; note - substantial aid from India (2006)
Debt - external:
$713.3 million (2006)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
ngultrum (BTN) per US dollar - 41.487 (2007), 45.279 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003) note: the ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee
CommunicationsBhutan
Telephones - main lines in use:
29,900 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
149,400 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: urban towns and district headquarters have telecommunications services domestic: very low teledensity; domestic service is very poor especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003 international: country code - 975; international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2007)
Radios:
37,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2007)
Televisions:
11,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.bt
Internet hosts:
9,046 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Internet users:
40,000 (2007)
TransportationBhutan
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 8,050 km paved: 4,991 km unpaved: 3,059 km (2003)
MilitaryBhutan
Military branches:
Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and Royal Bhutan Police) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 190,104 females age 16-49: 167,289 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 146,063 females age 16-49: 131,193 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 7,847 female: 7,530 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational IssuesBhutan
Disputes - international:
Bhutan cooperates with India to expel Indian Nagaland separatists; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes arising from substantial cartographic discrepancies, the largest of which lie in Bhutan's northwest and along the Chumbi salient
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Bolivia
IntroductionBolivia
Background:
Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and countercoups. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. In December 2005, Bolivians elected Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's traditional political class and empower the nation's poor majority. However, since taking office, his controversial strategies have exacerbated racial and economic tensions between the Amerindian populations of the Andean west and the non-indigenous communities of the eastern lowlands.
GeographyBolivia
Location:
Central South America, southwest of Brazil
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 1,098,580 sq km land: 1,084,390 sq km water: 14,190 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 6,940 km border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,423 km, Chile 860 km, Paraguay 750 km, Peru 1,075 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid
Terrain:
rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m
Natural resources:
tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 2.78% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 97.03% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,320 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
622.5 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.44 cu km/yr (13%/7%/81%) per capita: 157 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
flooding in the northeast (March-April)
Environment - current issues:
the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the international demand for tropical timber are contributing to deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification; loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used for drinking and irrigation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru
PeopleBolivia
Population:
9,247,816 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.5% (male 1,580,887/female 1,519,960) 15-64 years: 61.8% (male 2,800,457/female 2,912,375) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 192,701/female 241,436) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.6 years male: 21.9 years female: 23.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.383% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
22.31 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.35 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 49.09 deaths/1,000 live births male: 52.54 deaths/1,000 live births female: 45.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.53 years male: 63.86 years female: 69.33 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.67 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
4,900 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Bolivian(s) adjective: Bolivian
Ethnic groups:
Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%,Aymara 25%, white 15%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%
Languages:
Spanish 60.7% (official), Quechua 21.2% (official), Aymara 14.6% (official), foreign languages 2.4%, other 1.2% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.7% male: 93.1% female: 80.7% (2001 census)
Education expenditures:
6.4% of GDP (2003)
GovernmentBolivia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia conventional short form: Bolivia local long form: Republica de Bolivia local short form: Bolivia
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: La Paz (administrative capital) geographic coordinates: 16 30 S, 68 09 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Sucre (constitutional capital)
Administrative divisions:
9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Beni, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija
Independence:
6 August 1825 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 August (1825)
Constitution:
2 February 1967; revised in August 1994; possible referendum on new constitution to be held in 2008
Legal system:
based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of age, universal and compulsory (single)
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 18 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: Juan Evo MORALES Ayma elected president; percent of vote - Juan Evo MORALES Ayma 53.7%; Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez 28.6%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana 7.8%; Michiaki NAGATANI Morishit 6.5%; Felipe QUISPE Huanca 2.2%; Guildo ANGULA Cabrera 0.7%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; 70 members are directly elected from their districts and 60 are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PODEMOS 13, MAS 12, UN 1, MNR 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 73, PODEMOS 43, UN 8, MNR 6
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year terms by National Congress); District Courts (one in each department); provincial and local courts (to try minor cases); Constitutional Tribunal (five primary or titulares and five alternate or suplente magistrates appointed by Congress; to rule on constitutional issues); National Electoral Court (six members elected by Congress, Supreme Court, the President, and the political party with the highest vote in the last election for 4-year terms)
Political parties and leaders:
Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Franz BARRIOS]; Movement TowardSocialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma]; Movement Without Fear orMSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; National Revolutionary Movement or MNR[Mirta QUEVEDO]; National Unity [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana]; PoderDemocratico Nacional or PODEMOS [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez];Social Alliance [Rene JOAQUINO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB other: Cocalero groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions
International organization participation:
CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent),ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINURCAT,MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI,UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Erika DUENAS chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410 FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Oklahoma City, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Krishna URS embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, Casilla 425, La Paz mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032 telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000 FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band note: similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band
EconomyBolivia
Economy - overview:
Bolivia is one of the poorest and least developed countries in Latin America. Following a disastrous economic crisis during the early 1980s, reforms spurred private investment, stimulated economic growth, and cut poverty rates in the 1990s. The period 2003-05 was characterized by political instability, racial tensions, and violent protests against plans - subsequently abandoned - to export Bolivia's newly discovered natural gas reserves to large northern hemisphere markets. In 2005, the government passed a controversial hydrocarbons law that imposed significantly higher royalties and required foreign firms then operating under risk-sharing contracts to surrender all production to the state energy company, which was made the sole exporter of natural gas. The law also required that the state energy company regain control over the five companies that were privatized during the 1990s - a process that is still underway. In 2006, higher earnings for mining and hydrocarbons exports pushed the current account surplus to about 12% of GDP and the government's higher tax take produced a fiscal surplus after years of large deficits. Debt relief from the G8 - announced in 2005 - also has significantly reduced Bolivia's public sector debt burden. Private investment as a share of GDP, however, remains among the lowest in Latin America, and inflation reached double-digit levels in 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$39.75 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$13.19 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 14.5% industry: 30.5% services: 55% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
4.377 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 40% industry: 17% services: 43% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7.5% in urban areas; widespread underemployment (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
60% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.3% highest 10%: 47.2% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
59.2 (2006)
Investment (gross fixed):
16.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $5.723 billion expenditures: $5.495 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
46.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.86% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$3.032 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$4.729 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$4.759 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; timber
Industries:
mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing
Industrial production growth rate:
1.1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
5.668 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
5.092 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 44.4% hydro: 54% nuclear: 0% other: 1.5% (2001)
Oil - production:
61,790 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
31,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
18,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - imports:
8,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
465 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
14.7 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
3 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
11.7 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
750.4 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$1.796 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.49 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
natural gas, soybeans and soy products, crude petroleum, zinc ore, tin
Exports - partners:
Brazil 46%, US 9.8%, Japan 7.6%, Argentina 5.8%, South Korea 4.8%,Peru 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$3.249 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, plastics, paper, aircraft and aircraft parts, prepared foods, automobiles, insecticides, soybeans
Imports - partners:
Brazil 29.9%, Argentina 16.2%, Chile 10.5%, US 9.8%, Peru 8.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$582.9 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$5.318 billion (31 October 2007)
Debt - external:
$4.495 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$6.88 billion (31 December 2004)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$2.2 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
boliviano (BOB)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
bolivianos (BOB) per US dollar - 7.8616 (2007), 8.0159 (2006), 8.0661 (2005), 7.9363 (2004), 7.6592 (2003)
CommunicationsBolivia
Telephones - main lines in use:
678,200 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.254 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: privatization begun in 1995; reliability has steadily improved; new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities; mobile-cellular telephone use expanding rapidly; fixed-line teledensity of 7 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of 35 per 100 persons domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999)
Radios:
5.25 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
48 (1997)
Televisions:
900,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.bo
Internet hosts:
68,428 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
9 (2000)
Internet users:
1 million (2007)
TransportationBolivia
Airports:
1,061 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 16 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1,045 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 57 914 to 1,523 m: 183 under 914 m: 800 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 4,860 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,475 km; refined products 1,589 km; unknown (oil/water) 247 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 3,504 km narrow gauge: 3,504 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 62,479 km paved: 3,749 km unpaved: 58,730 km (2004)
Waterways:
10,000 km (commercially navigable) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 23 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 11, carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 7, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 7 (Bahamas 1, China 1, Iran 1, Singapore 1, Syria 2, Taiwan 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Puerto Aguirre (inland port on the Paraguay/Parana waterway at the Bolivia/Brazil border); Bolivia has free port privileges in maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay
MilitaryBolivia
Military branches:
Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito Boliviano), BolivianNavy (Armada Boliviana; includes marines), Bolivian Air Force(Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for 12-month compulsory military service; when annual number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; 15-19 years of age for voluntary premilitary service, provides exemption from further military service (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,295,746 females age 16-49: 2,366,828 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,600,219 females age 16-49: 1,815,514 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 107,051 female: 103,620 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2006)
Transnational IssuesBolivia
Disputes - international:
Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, but Chile offers instead unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile for Bolivian natural gas and other commodities; an accord placed the long-disputed Isla Suárez/Ilha de Guajará-Mirim, a fluvial island on the Río Mamoré, under Bolivian administration in 1958, but sovereignty remains in dispute
Illicit drugs:
world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru) with an estimated 29,500 hectares under cultivation in 2007, a slight increase over 2006; third largest producer of cocaine, estimated at 120 metric tons of potential pure cocaine in 2007; transit country for Peruvian and Colombian cocaine destined for Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Europe; cultivation generally increasing since 2000, despite eradication and alternative crop programs; weak border controls; some money-laundering activity related to narcotics trade, especially along the borders with Brazil and Paraguay; major cocaine consumption (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Bosnia and Herzegovina
IntroductionBosnia and Herzegovina
Background:
Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of sovereignty in October 1991 was followed by a declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Peace Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government comprised of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments were charged with overseeing most government functions. The Office of the High Representative (OHR) was established to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission was to deter renewed hostilities. European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR in December 2004; their mission is to maintain peace and stability throughout the country. EUFOR's mission changed from peacekeeping to civil policing in October 2007, with its presence reduced from nearly 7,000 to 2,500 troops.
GeographyBosnia and Herzegovina
Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 51,209.2 sq km land: 51,197 sq km water: 12.2 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,538 km border countries: Croatia 932 km, Montenegro 249 km, Serbia 357 km
Coastline:
20 km
Maritime claims:
no data available
Climate:
hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast
Terrain:
mountains and valleys
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maglic 2,386 m
Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, forests, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 19.61% permanent crops: 1.89% other: 78.5% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
37.5 cu km (2003)
Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Montenegro, and traditionally has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the east
PeopleBosnia and Herzegovina
Population:
4,590,310 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.7% (male 347,679/female 326,091) 15-64 years: 70.6% (male 1,634,053/female 1,606,341) 65 years and over: 14.7% (male 277,504/female 398,642) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.4 years male: 38.2 years female: 40.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.666% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
8.82 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
6.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.34 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.33 years male: 74.74 years female: 82.19 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.24 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
900 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s) adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian
Ethnic groups:
Bosniak 48%, Serb 37.1%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.6% (2000) note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam
Religions:
Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14%
Languages:
Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.7% male: 99% female: 94.4% (2000 est.)
Education expenditures:
GovernmentBosnia and Herzegovina
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina local long form: none local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Government type:
emerging federal democratic republic
Capital:
name: Sarajevo geographic coordinates: 43 52 N, 18 25 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
2 first-order administrative divisions and 1 internationally supervised district* - Brcko district (Brcko Distrikt)*, the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska; note - Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is an administrative unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the district remains under international supervision
Independence:
1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence completed 1 March 1992; independence declared 3 March 1992)
National holiday:
National Day, 25 November (1943)
Constitution: