Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)

Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%

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. A decline in commodity prices that began in late 2008, a lack of foreign investment in the mining and hydrocarbon sectors, a poor infrastructure, and the suspension of trade benefits with the United States will pose challenges for the Bolivian economy in 2010.

Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Bolivian Navy (Armada Boliviana; includes marines), Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB)

To enter and depart Bolivia, you are required to have a US passport valid for at least six months from the date of your proposed entry into Bolivia.
If you are a US citizen seeking to enter Bolivia as a tourist,you must have an entry visa. You can apply for a Bolivian tourist visaby mail or in person at Bolivian consulates in the US, as well as at Bolivian ports of entry, such as at Bolivia’s international airports and at land border crossings. Bolivian tourist visas are valid for five years from the date of issuance and allow the bearer to enter the country three times in a year for a cumulative stay of not more than ninety days. The tourist visa costs $135 US dollars. You can pay the $135 fee in cash, by deposit to the Bolivian Consulate’s bank account, or by money order. If you choose to apply for your visa upon your arrival to Bolivia, you must pay this fee in cash to immigration authorities. In addition to the $135 fee, you must present a visa application form with a 4x4 color photograph, a passport with a validity of not less than 6 months, evidence of a hotel reservation or a letter of invitation in Spanish, proof of economic solvency (credit card, cash, or a current bank statement), and an International Vaccination Certificate for yellow fever.
Visit the Embassy of Bolivia web site for the most current visa information. Bolivian consulates in the United States are located in Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Oklahoma City, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC.
If you are a US citizen whose passport has been lost or stolen in Bolivia, you must obtain a replacement passport and present it, together with reports of the loss or theft from the Tourist Police and Interpol , to a Bolivian government immigration office in order to obtain a replacement visa at a cost of $8O. For more information on replacement passport procedures, please consult the U.S. Embassy’s web site.
The Bolivian government charges an exit tax for air departures from the country. If you have Bolivian citizenship or residency, the Bolivian government requires an additional fee upon departure. While the Bolivian government does not currently require travelers to purchase round-trip air tickets in order to enter the country, some airlines have required travelers to purchase round-trip tickets prior to boarding aircraft bound for Bolivia. Some tourists arriving by land report that immigration officials did not place entry stamps in their passports, causing problems at checkpoints and upon departure.
The US Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Bolivia.

Airports:  1,084,  Airports with paved runways:  16

La Paz - J F Kennedy International Airport (LPB/SLLP)
La Paz Airport, Bolivia, Casilla No 4382, Av Montes No 716, La Paz, BOLIVIA
La Paz Airport, Bolivia, Km 13.5 Carretera Transpeninsular, La Paz, CP 28090, BOLIVIA
Tel: +591 (010)2 281 0022, +591 (010)2 281 0240, (ATC) +591 (010)2 281 0203
Fax: +591 (010)2 281 1465, (ATC) +591 (010)2 281 0203
Email: eduardo.canelas@sabsa.aero or dgacnav@caoba.entelnet.bo
Website: www.sabsa.aero
Cochabamba - Jorge Wilstermann Airport (CBB/SLCB)Cochabamba Airport, Bolivia, Cochabamba, BOLIVIA
Tel: +591 (010)4 459 1730
Fax: +591 (010)4 459 0106

If you visit the Andes Mountains, ascend gradually to allow time for your body to adjust to the high altitude, which can cause insomnia, headaches, nausea, and altitude sickness. In addition, use sunblock rated at least 15 SPF, because the risk of sunburn is greater at high altitudes.

Infant MR total:  50.43 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:  TOTAL 66.19 years  (male 63.53/female 68.97)

Required:  Yellow fever vaccination requirement for travelers to Bolivia:  Required for all travelers >1 year of age. Medical waivers must be translated into Spanish and accompany the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP). Travelers who do not have a valid ICVP will still be allowed to enter Bolivia if they agree to sign an affidavit exempting the Bolivian state from any liability in the event the traveler gets sick with yellow fever within the Bolivian territory. This last option may cause delays at the point of entry. CDC recommendation: For all travelers >9 months of age traveling to areas east of the Andes Mountains (see Map 4-16). Does not include the cities of La Paz or Sucre. Vaccination should be given 10 days before travel and at 10 year intervals if there is on-going risk. Find an authorized U.S. yellow fever vaccination clinic.
Recommended: Hep A & B, Malaria, Yellow Fever, Rabies, Typhoid
Boosters: MMR, DPT

Malaria risk in areas below 2,500 meters (8,202 feet) in the following departments: Beni, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Pando, Santa Cruz, and Tarija. No risk in city of La Paz.

Medical care in large cities is adequate for most purposes but of varying quality. Ambulance services are limited to non-existent. Medical facilities are generally not adequate to handle serious medical conditions. Pharmacies are located throughout Bolivia, and prescription and over the counter medications are widely available.

Dengue, filariasis, leishmaniasis, onchocerciasis, and American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) are other diseases carried by insects that also occur in this region. Epidemics of viral encephalitis and dengue fever occur in some countries in this area. Bartonellosis, or Oroya fever (a sand fly-borne disease), occurs in arid river valleys on the western slopes of the Andes up to 3,000 meters (9,842 feet). Louse-borne typhus, a rickettsial infection is often found in mountain areas of Colombia and Peru. Protecting yourself against insect bites (see below) will help to prevent these diseases.

Country Calling Code:  +591
Internet Country Code:  .bo