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Bolivia vs. Argentina

Introduction

BoliviaArgentina
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 coups and countercoups, with the last coup occurring in 1978. 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, indigenous majority. In December 2009 and October 2014, President MORALES easily won reelection. His party maintained control of the legislative branch of the government, which has allowed him to continue his process of change. In February 2016, MORALES narrowly lost a referendum to approve a constitutional amendment that would have allowed him to compete in the 2019 presidential election. However, a 2017 Supreme Court ruling stating that term limits violate human rights provided the justification for MORALES to be chosen by his party to run again in 2019. MORALES attempted to claim victory in the 20 October 2019 election, but widespread allegations of electoral fraud, rising violence, and pressure from the military ultimately forced him to flee the country. An interim government, led by President Jeanine ANEZ Chavez, prepared new elections that took place on 18 October 2020.

In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina. The country's population and culture were heavily shaped by immigrants from throughout Europe, with Italy and Spain providing the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal political unrest and conflict between civilian and military factions.

After World War II, an era of Peronist populism and direct and indirect military interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983 after a failed bid to seize the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) by force, and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the successive resignations of several presidents. The years 2003-15 saw Peronist rule by Nestor and Cristina FERNANDEZ de KIRCHNER, whose policies isolated Argentina and caused economic stagnation. With the election of Mauricio MACRI in November 2015, Argentina began a period of reform and international reintegration.

Geography

BoliviaArgentina
LocationCentral South America, southwest of BrazilSouthern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay
Geographic coordinates17 00 S, 65 00 W34 00 S, 64 00 W
Map referencesSouth AmericaSouth America
Areatotal: 1,098,581 sq km

land: 1,083,301 sq km

water: 15,280 sq km
total: 2,780,400 sq km

land: 2,736,690 sq km

water: 43,710 sq km
Area - comparativeslightly less than three times the size of Montanaslightly less than three-tenths the size of the US
Land boundariestotal: 7,252 km

border countries (5): Argentina 942 km, Brazil 3403 km, Chile 942 km, Paraguay 753 km, Peru 1212 km
total: 11,968 km

border countries (5): Bolivia 942 km, Brazil 1263 km, Chile 6691 km, Paraguay 2531 km, Uruguay 541 km
Coastline0 km (landlocked)4,989 km
Maritime claimsnone (landlocked)territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climatevaries with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiaridmostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest
Terrainrugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basinrich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border
Elevation extremeshighest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m

mean elevation: 1,192 m
highest point: Cerro Aconcagua (located in the northwestern corner of the province of Mendoza; highest point in South America) 6,962 m

lowest point: Laguna del Carbon (located between Puerto San Julian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa Cruz) -105 m

mean elevation: 595 m
Natural resourcestin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropowerfertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium, arable land
Land useagricultural land: 34.3% (2018 est.)

arable land: 3.6% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 30.5% (2018 est.)

forest: 52.5% (2018 est.)

other: 13.2% (2018 est.)
agricultural land: 53.9% (2018 est.)

arable land: 13.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 39.6% (2018 est.)

forest: 10.7% (2018 est.)

other: 35.4% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land3,000 sq km (2012)23,600 sq km (2012)
Natural hazards

flooding in the northeast (March to April)

volcanism: volcanic activity in Andes Mountains on the border with Chile; historically active volcanoes in this region are Irruputuncu (5,163 m), which last erupted in 1995, and the Olca-Paruma volcanic complex (5,762 m to 5,167 m)

San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding in some areas

volcanism: volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains along the Chilean border; Copahue (2,997 m) last erupted in 2000; other historically active volcanoes include Llullaillaco, Maipo, Planchon-Peteroa, San Jose, Tromen, Tupungatito, and Viedma

Environment - current issuesthe 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 irrigationenvironmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation (erosion, salinization), desertification, air pollution, and water pollution
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - notenote 1: landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

note 2: the southern regions of Peru and the extreme northwestern part of Bolivia are considered to be the place of origin for the common potato, while southeast Bolivia and northwest Argentina seem to be the original development site for peanuts
note 1: second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropical climates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua is the Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbon is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere; shares Iguazu Falls, the world's largest waterfalls system, with Brazil

note 2: southeast Bolivia and northwest Argentina seem to be the original development site for peanuts
Total renewable water resources574 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)876.24 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Population distributiona high altitude plain in the west between two cordillera of the Andes, known as the Altiplano, is the focal area for most of the population; a dense settlement pattern is also found in and around the city of Santa Cruz, located on the eastern side of the Andesone-third of the population lives in Buenos Aires; pockets of agglomeration occur throughout the northern and central parts of the country; Patagonia to the south remains sparsely populated

Demographics

BoliviaArgentina
Population11,758,869 (July 2021 est.)45,864,941 (July 2021 est.)
Age structure0-14 years: 30.34% (male 1,799,925/female 1,731,565)

15-24 years: 19.21% (male 1,133,120/female 1,103,063)

25-54 years: 38.68% (male 2,212,096/female 2,289,888)

55-64 years: 6.06% (male 323,210/female 382,139)

65 years and over: 5.71% (male 291,368/female 373,535) (2020 est.)
0-14 years: 24.02% (male 5,629,188/female 5,294,723)

15-24 years: 15.19% (male 3,539,021/female 3,367,321)

25-54 years: 39.6% (male 9,005,758/female 9,002,931)

55-64 years: 9.07% (male 2,000,536/female 2,122,699)

65 years and over: 12.13% (male 2,331,679/female 3,185,262) (2020 est.)
Median agetotal: 25.3 years

male: 24.5 years

female: 26 years (2020 est.)
total: 32.4 years

male: 31.1 years

female: 33.6 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate1.39% (2021 est.)0.84% (2021 est.)
Birth rate20.36 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)15.8 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate-0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)-0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sex ratioat birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.85 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality ratetotal: 39.27 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 43.95 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 34.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
total: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 10.57 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birthtotal population: 70.7 years

male: 67.87 years

female: 73.67 years (2021 est.)
total population: 78.07 years

male: 74.97 years

female: 81.36 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate2.45 children born/woman (2021 est.)2.2 children born/woman (2021 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate0.2% (2020 est.)0.4% (2020 est.)
Nationalitynoun: Bolivian(s)

adjective: Bolivian
noun: Argentine(s)

adjective: Argentine
Ethnic groupsMestizo (mixed White and Amerindian ancestry) 68%, Indigenous 20%, White 5%, Cholo/Chola 2%, African descent 1%, other 1%, unspecified 3%; 44% of respondents indicated feeling part of some indigenous group, predominantly Quechua or Aymara (2009 est.)

note: results among surveys vary based on the wording of the ethnicity question and the available response choices; the 2001 national census did not provide "Mestizo" as a response choice, resulting in a much higher proportion of respondents identifying themselves as belonging to one of the available indigenous ethnicity choices; the use of "Mestizo" and "Cholo" varies among response choices in surveys, with surveys using the terms interchangeably, providing one or the other as a response choice, or providing the two as separate response choices
European (mostly Spanish and Italian descent) and Mestizo (mixed European and Amerindian ancestry) 97.2%, Amerindian 2.4%, African descent 0.4% (2010 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS17,000 (2020 est.)140,000 (2020 est.)
ReligionsRoman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 14.5%, Adventist 2.5%, Mormon 1.2%, agnostic 0.3%, atheist 0.8%, other 3.5%, none 6.6%, unspecified 0.6% (2018 est.)Roman Catholic 62.9%, Evangelical 15.3% (Pentecostal 13%, other Evangelical 2.3%), Jehovah's Witness and Mormon 1.4%, other 1.2%, agnostic 3.2%, atheist 6%, none 9.7%, unspecified 0.3% (2019 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths<200 (2020 est.)1,400 (2020 est.)
LanguagesSpanish (official) 60.7%, Quechua (official) 21.2%, Aymara (official) 14.6%, Guarani (official) 0.6%, other native languages 0.4%, foreign languages 2.4%, none 0.1%; note - Bolivia's 2009 constitution designates Spanish and all indigenous languages as official; 36 indigenous languages are specified, including a few that are extinct (2001 est.)

major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Spanish (official), Italian, English, German, French, indigenous (Mapudungun, Quechua)

major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Literacydefinition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.5%

male: 96.5%

female: 88.6% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 98.9%

female: 99.1% (2018)
Major infectious diseasesdegree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Argentina; as of 19 July 2021, Argentina has reported a total of 4,756,378 cases of COVID-19 or 10,523.94 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 224.69 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 19 July 2021, 48.74% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Education expenditures7.3% of GDP (2014)5.5% of GDP (2017)
Urbanizationurban population: 70.5% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
urban population: 92.2% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 0.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Drinking water sourceimproved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 78.1% of population

total: 92.8% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 21.9% of population

total: 7.1% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 99% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 99.1% of population

unimproved: urban: 1% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0.9% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility accessimproved: urban: 94.1% of population

rural: 42.2% of population

total: 78% of population

unimproved: urban: 5.9% of population

rural: 57.8% of population

total: 22% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 98.3% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban: 1.7% of population (2017 est.)
Major cities - population278,000 Sucre (constitutional capital) (2018); 1.882 million LA PAZ (capital), 1.749 million Santa Cruz, 1.337 million Cochabamba (2021)15.258 million BUENOS AIRES (capital), 1.585 million Cordoba, 1.554 million Rosario, 1.191 million Mendoza, 1 million San Miguel de Tucuman, 894,000 La Plata (2021)
Maternal mortality rate155 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)39 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight3.4% (2016)1.7% (2018/19)
Health expenditures6.3% (2018)9.6% (2018)
Physicians density1.59 physicians/1,000 population (2016)3.99 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
Hospital bed density1.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)5 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate20.2% (2016)28.3% (2016)
Demographic profile

Bolivia ranks at or near the bottom among Latin American countries in several areas of health and development, including poverty, education, fertility, malnutrition, mortality, and life expectancy. On the positive side, more children are being vaccinated and more pregnant women are getting prenatal care and having skilled health practitioners attend their births.

Bolivia's income inequality is the highest in Latin America and one of the highest in the world. Public education is of poor quality, and educational opportunities are among the most unevenly distributed in Latin America, with girls and indigenous and rural children less likely to be literate or to complete primary school. The lack of access to education and family planning services helps to sustain Bolivia's high fertility rate-approximately three children per woman. Bolivia's lack of clean water and basic sanitation, especially in rural areas, contributes to health problems.

Between 7% and 16% of Bolivia's population lives abroad (estimates vary in part because of illegal migration). Emigrants primarily seek jobs and better wages in Argentina (the principal destination), the US, and Spain. In recent years, more restrictive immigration policies in Europe and the US have increased the flow of Bolivian emigrants to neighboring countries. Fewer Bolivians migrated to Brazil in 2015 and 2016 because of its recession; increasing numbers have been going to Chile, mainly to work as miners.

Argentina's population continues to grow but at a slower rate because of its steadily declining birth rate. Argentina's fertility decline began earlier than in the rest of Latin America, occurring most rapidly between the early 20th century and the 1950s, and then becoming more gradual. Life expectancy has been improving, most notably among the young and the poor. While the population under age 15 is shrinking, the youth cohort - ages 15-24 - is the largest in Argentina's history and will continue to bolster the working-age population. If this large working-age population is well-educated and gainfully employed, Argentina is likely to experience an economic boost and possibly higher per capita savings and investment. Although literacy and primary school enrollment are nearly universal, grade repetition is problematic and secondary school completion is low. Both of these issues vary widely by region and socioeconomic group.

Argentina has been primarily a country of immigration for most of its history, welcoming European immigrants (often providing needed low-skilled labor) after its independence in the 19th century and attracting especially large numbers from Spain and Italy. More than 7 million European immigrants are estimated to have arrived in Argentina between 1880 and 1930, when it adopted a more restrictive immigration policy. European immigration also began to wane in the 1930s because of the global depression. The inflow rebounded temporarily following WWII and resumed its decline in the 1950s when Argentina's military dictators tightened immigration rules and European economies rebounded. Regional migration increased, however, supplying low-skilled workers escaping economic and political instability in their home countries. As of 2015, immigrants made up almost 5% of Argentina's population, the largest share in South America. Migration from neighboring countries accounted for approximately 80% of Argentina's immigrant population in 2015.

The first waves of highly skilled Argentine emigrant workers headed mainly to the United States and Spain in the 1960s and 1970s, driven by economic decline and repressive military dictatorships. The 2008 European economic crisis drove the return migration of some Argentinean and other Latin American nationals, as well as the immigration of Europeans to South America, where Argentina was a key recipient. In 2015, Argentina received the highest number of legal migrants in Latin America and the Caribbean. The majority of its migrant inflow came from Paraguay and Bolivia.

Contraceptive prevalence rate66.5% (2016)81.3% (2013)

note:  percent of women aged 14-49
Dependency ratiostotal dependency ratio: 60.5

youth dependency ratio: 48.5

elderly dependency ratio: 12

potential support ratio: 8.3 (2020 est.)
total dependency ratio: 56.5

youth dependency ratio: 38.1

elderly dependency ratio: 17.7

potential support ratio: 5.6 (2020 est.)

Government

BoliviaArgentina
Country nameconventional long form: Plurinational State of Bolivia

conventional short form: Bolivia

local long form: Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia

local short form: Bolivia

etymology: the country is named after Simon BOLIVAR, a 19th-century leader in the South American wars for independence
conventional long form: Argentine Republic

conventional short form: Argentina

local long form: Republica Argentina

local short form: Argentina

etymology: originally the area was referred to as Tierra Argentina, i.e., "Land beside the Silvery River" or "silvery land," which referred to the massive estuary in the east of the country, the Rio de la Plata (River of Silver); over time the name shortened to simply Argentina or "silvery"
Government typepresidential republicpresidential republic
Capitalname: La Paz (administrative capital); Sucre (constitutional [legislative and judicial] capital)

geographic coordinates: 16 30 S, 68 09 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: La Paz is a shortening of the original name of the city, Nuestra Senora de La Paz (Our Lady of Peace); Sucre is named after Antonio Jose de Sucre (1795-1830), military hero in the independence struggle from Spain and the second president of Bolivia

note:
at approximately 3,630 m above sea level, La Paz's elevation makes it the highest capital city in the world
name: Buenos Aires

geographic coordinates: 34 36 S, 58 22 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the name translates as "fair winds" in Spanish and derives from the original designation of the settlement that would become the present-day city, "Santa Maria del Buen Aire" (Saint Mary of the Fair Winds)
Administrative divisions9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Beni, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 autonomous city*; Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires*, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur (Tierra del Fuego - Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands), Tucuman

note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica
Independence6 August 1825 (from Spain)9 July 1816 (from Spain)
National holidayIndependence Day, 6 August (1825)Revolution Day (May Revolution Day), 25 May (1810)
Constitutionhistory: many previous; latest drafted 6 August 2006 to 9 December 2008, approved by referendum 25 January 2009, effective 7 February 2009

amendments: proposed through public petition by at least 20% of voters or by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership of the Assembly and approval in a referendum; amended 2013
history: several previous; latest effective 11 May 1853

amendments: a declaration of proposed amendments requires two-thirds majority vote by both houses of the National Congress followed by approval by an ad hoc, multi-member constitutional convention; amended several times, last significant amendment in 1994
Legal systemcivil law system with influences from Roman, Spanish, canon (religious), French, and indigenous lawcivil law system based on West European legal systems; note - in mid-2015, Argentina adopted a new civil code, replacing the old one in force since 1871
Suffrage18 years of age; universal and compulsory18-70 years of age; universal and compulsory; 16-17 years of age - optional for national elections
Executive branchchief of state: President Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora (since 8 November 2020); Vice President David CHOQUEHUANCA Cespedes (since 8 November 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora (since 8 November 2020); Vice President David CHOQUEHUANCA Cespedes (since 8 November 2020)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot one of 3 ways: candidate wins at least 50% of the vote, or at least 40% of the vote and 10% more than the next highest candidate; otherwise a second round is held and the winner determined by simple majority vote; president and vice president are elected by majority vote to serve a 5-year term; no term limits (changed from two consecutive term limit by Constitutional Court in late 2017); election last held on 18 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2025)

election results:
2020: Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora elected president; percent of vote - Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora (MAS) 55.1%; Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (CC) 28.8%; Luis Fernando CAMACHO Vaca (Creemos) 14%; other 2.1%

2018: Juan Evo MORALES Ayma reelected president; percent of vote - Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (MAS) 61%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana (UN) 24.5%; Jorge QUIROGA Ramirez (POC) 9.1%; other 5.4%; note - MORALES resigned from office on 10 November 2019 over alleged election rigging; resignations of all his constitutionally designated successors followed, including the Vice President, President of the Senate, President of the Chamber of Deputies, and First Vice President of the Senate, leaving the Second Vice President of the Senate, Jeanine ANEZ Chavez, the highest-ranking official still in office; her appointment to the presidency was endorsed by Bolivia's Constitutional Court, and she served as interim president until the inauguration of Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora, winner of the 18 October 2020 presidential election
chief of state: President Alberto Angel FERNANDEZ (since 10 December 2019); Vice President Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER (since 10 December 2019); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government (2019)

head of government: President Alberto Angel FERNANDEZ (since 10 December 2019); Vice President Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER (since 10 December 2019) (2018)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president (2017)

elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by qualified majority vote (to win, a candidate must receive at least 45% of votes or 40% of votes and a 10-point lead over the second place candidate; if neither occurs, a second round is held ); the president serves a 4-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023)

election results:
2019: Alberto Angel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of vote - Alberto Angel FERNANDEZ (TODOS) 48.1%, Mauricio MACRI (PRO) 40.4%, Roberto LAVAGNA (independent) 6.2%, other 5.3%

2015: Mauricio MACRI elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Daniel SCIOLI (PJ) 37.1%, Mauricio MACRI (PRO) 34.2%, Sergio MASSA (FR/PJ) 21.4%, other 7.3%; percent of vote in second round - Mauricio MACRI (PRO) 51.4%, Daniel SCIOLI (PJ) 48.6%
Legislative branchdescription: bicameral Plurinational Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional consists of:
Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (36 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; 70 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 53 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote, and 7 (apportioned to non-contiguous, rural areas in 7 of the 9 states) directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections:
Chamber of Senators - last held on 18 October 2020 (next to be held in 2025)
Chamber of Deputies - last held on 18 October 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

election results:
Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 21, ACC 11, Creemos 4;
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 75, ACC 39, Creemos 16
description: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of:
Senate (72 seats; members directly elected on a provincial basis with 2 seats awarded to the party with the most votes and 1 seat to the party with the second highest number of votes; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years)
Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method; members serve 4-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 2 years)

elections:
Senate - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held on 24 October 2021)
Chamber of Deputies - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held on 24 October 2021)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or party - TODOS 13, Cambiemos 8, FCS 2, JSRN 1;
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or party - TODOS 64, Cambiemos 56, CF 3, FCS 3, JSRN 1, other 3
Judicial branchhighest courts: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo de Justicia (consists of 12 judges or ministros organized into civil, penal, social, and administrative chambers); Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal (consists of 7 primary and 7 alternate magistrates); Plurinational Electoral Organ (consists of 7 members and 6 alternates); National Agro-Environment Court (consists of 5 primary and 5 alternate judges; Council of the Judiciary (consists of 3 primary and 3 alternate judges)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court, Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal, National Agro-Environmental Court, and Council of the Judiciary candidates pre-selected by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly and elected by direct popular vote; judges elected for 6-year terms; Plurinational Electoral Organ judges appointed - 6 by the Legislative Assembly and 1 by the president of the republic; members serve single 6-year terms

subordinate courts: National Electoral Court; District Courts (in each of the 9 administrative departments); agro-environmental lower courts
highest courts: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (consists of the court president, vice president, and 5 justices)

judge selection and term of office: justices nominated by the president and approved by the Senate; justices can serve until mandatory retirement at age 75; extensions beyond 75 require renomination by the president and approval by the Senate

subordinate courts: federal level appellate, district, and territorial courts; provincial level supreme, appellate, and first instance courts
Political parties and leadersChristian Democratic Party or PDC [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez]
Community Citizen Alliance or ACC [Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert]
Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma]
National Unity or UN [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana]
Social Democrat Movement or MDS [Ruben COSTAS Aguilera]
We Believe or Creemos [Luis Fernando CAMACHO Vaca]

note: the Democrat Unity Coalition or UD [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana] was a coalition comprised of several of the largest opposition parties participating in the 2014 election, which included the Democrats (MDS), National Unity Front (UN), and Without Fear Movement
Argentina Federal [coalition led by Pablo KOSINER]
Cambiemos [Mauricio MACRI] (coalition of CC-ARI, PRO, and UCR)
Citizen's Unity or UC [Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER]
Civic Coalition ARI or CC-ARI [Elisa CARRIO, Maximiliano FERRARO]
Civic Front for Santiago or FCS [Gerardo ZAMORA]
Everyone's Front (Frente de Todos) or TODOS [Alberto Angel FERNANDEZ]
Federal Consensus or CF [Roberto LAVAGNA, Juan Manuel URTUBEY]
Front for the Renewal of Concord or FRC
Front for Victory or FpV [coalition led by Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER and Agustin ROSSI]
Generation for a National Encounter or GEN [Monica PERALTA]
Justicialist Party or PJ [Miguel Angel PICHETTO]
Radical Civic Union or UCR [Alfredo CORNEJO]
Renewal Front (Frente Renovador) or FR [Sergio MASSA]
Republican Proposal or PRO [Mauricio MACRI, Humberto SCHIAVONI]
Socialist Party or PS [Antonio BONFATTI]
Socialist Workers' Party or PTS [Jose MONTES]
Together We Are Rio Negro or JSRN [Alberto Edgardo WERETILNECK]
We Do For Cordoba (Hacemos Por Cordoba) or HC [Juan SCHIARETTI]
Workers' Party or PO [Jorge ALTAMIRA]
Worker's Socialist Movement or MST [Alejandro BODDART; Vilma RIPOLL]
numerous provincial parties
International organization participationCAN, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTOAfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the USchief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Alejandro Roberto BILBAO LA VIEJA RUIZ, First Secretary (since 6 July 2021)

chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410

FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712

email address and website:
embolivia.wdc@gmail.com

consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Maple Grove (MN), Miami, New York, Washington, DC

note: in September 2008, the US expelled the Bolivian ambassador to the US in reciprocity for Bolivia expelling the US ambassador to Bolivia; in November 2019, the interim Bolivian Government names Oscar SERRATE Cuellar as its temporary special representative to the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Jorge Martin Arturo ARGUELLO (since 6 February 2020)

chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400

FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171

email address and website:
eeeuu@mrecic.gov.ar

https://eeeuu.cancilleria.gob.ar/en

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the USchief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Charisse PHILLIPS (since August 2020)

embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, La Paz

mailing address: 3220 La Paz Place, Washington DC  20512-3220

telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000

FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111

email address and website:
ConsularLaPazACS@state.gov

https://bo.usembassy.gov/

note: in September 2008, the Bolivian Government expelled the US Ambassador to Bolivia, Philip GOLDBERG, and both countries have yet to reinstate their ambassadors
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires MaryKay CARLSON (since 20 January 2021)

embassy:
Avenida Colombia 4300, (C1425GMN) Buenos Aires

mailing address: 3130 Buenos Aires Place, Washington DC  20521-3130

telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533

FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240

email address and website:
buenosaires-acs@state.gov

https://ar.usembassy.gov/
Flag descriptionthree equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; red stands for bravery and the blood of national heroes, yellow for the nation's mineral resources, and green for the fertility of the land

note: similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; in 2009, a presidential decree made it mandatory for a so-called wiphala - a square, multi-colored flag representing the country's indigenous peoples - to be used alongside the traditional flag
three equal horizontal bands of sky blue (top), white, and sky blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face (delineated in brown) known as the Sun of May; the colors represent the clear skies and snow of the Andes; the sun symbol commemorates the appearance of the sun through cloudy skies on 25 May 1810 during the first mass demonstration in favor of independence; the sun features are those of Inti, the Inca god of the sun
National anthemname: "Cancion Patriotica" (Patriotic Song)

lyrics/music: Jose Ignacio de SANJINES/Leopoldo Benedetto VINCENTI

note: adopted 1852
name: "Himno Nacional Argentino" (Argentine National Anthem)

lyrics/music: Vicente LOPEZ y PLANES/Jose Blas PARERA

note: adopted 1813; Vicente LOPEZ was inspired to write the anthem after watching a play about the 1810 May Revolution against Spain
International law organization participationhas not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdictionhas not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
National symbol(s)llama, Andean condor, two national flowers: the cantuta and the patuju; national colors: red, yellow, greenSun of May (a sun-with-face symbol); national colors: sky blue, white
Citizenshipcitizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years
citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years

Economy

BoliviaArgentina
Economy - overview

Bolivia is a resource rich country with strong growth attributed to captive markets for natural gas exports - to Brazil and Argentina. However, the country remains one of the least developed countries in Latin America because of state-oriented policies that deter investment.

Following an economic crisis during the early 1980s, reforms in the 1990s spurred private investment, stimulated economic growth, and cut poverty rates. 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 2005-06, the government passed hydrocarbon laws that imposed significantly higher royalties and required foreign firms then operating under risk-sharing contracts to surrender all production to the state energy company in exchange for a predetermined service fee; the laws engendered much public debate. High commodity prices between 2010 and 2014 sustained rapid growth and large trade surpluses with GDP growing 6.8% in 2013 and 5.4% in 2014. The global decline in oil prices that began in late 2014 exerted downward pressure on the price Bolivia receives for exported gas and resulted in lower GDP growth rates - 4.9% in 2015 and 4.3% in 2016 - and losses in government revenue as well as fiscal and trade deficits.

A lack of foreign investment in the key sectors of mining and hydrocarbons, along with conflict among social groups, pose challenges for the Bolivian economy. In 2015, President Evo MORALES expanded efforts to court international investment and boost Bolivia's energy production capacity. MORALES passed an investment law and promised not to nationalize additional industries in an effort to improve the investment climate. In early 2016, the Government of Bolivia approved the 2016-2020 National Economic and Social Development Plan aimed at maintaining growth of 5% and reducing poverty.

Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Although one of the world's wealthiest countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the 20th century from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal and current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt, and capital flight.

Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER succeeded her husband as president in late 2007, and in 2008 the rapid economic growth of previous years slowed sharply as government policies held back exports and the world economy fell into recession. In 2010 the economy rebounded strongly, but slowed in late 2011 even as the government continued to rely on expansionary fiscal and monetary policies, which kept inflation in the double digits.

In order to deal with these problems, the government expanded state intervention in the economy: it nationalized the oil company YPF from Spain's Repsol, expanded measures to restrict imports, and further tightened currency controls in an effort to bolster foreign reserves and stem capital flight. Between 2011 and 2013, Central Bank foreign reserves dropped $21.3 billion from a high of $52.7 billion. In July 2014, Argentina and China agreed on an $11 billion currency swap; the Argentine Central Bank has received the equivalent of $3.2 billion in Chinese yuan, which it counts as international reserves.

With the election of President Mauricio MACRI in November 2015, Argentina began a historic political and economic transformation, as his administration took steps to liberalize the Argentine economy, lifting capital controls, floating the peso, removing export controls on some commodities, cutting some energy subsidies, and reforming the country's official statistics. Argentina negotiated debt payments with holdout bond creditors, continued working with the IMF to shore up its finances, and returned to international capital markets in April 2016.

In 2017, Argentina's economy emerged from recession with GDP growth of nearly 3.0%. The government passed important pension, tax, and fiscal reforms. And after years of international isolation, Argentina took on several international leadership roles, including hosting the World Economic Forum on Latin America and the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference, and is set to assume the presidency of the G-20 in 2018.

GDP (purchasing power parity)$100.445 billion (2019 est.)

$98.267 billion (2018 est.)

$94.285 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
$991.523 billion (2019 est.)

$1,012,668,000,000 (2018 est.)

$1,039,330,000,000 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP - real growth rate2.22% (2019 est.)

4.23% (2018 est.)

4.19% (2017 est.)
-2.03% (2019 est.)

-2.53% (2018 est.)

2.83% (2017 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)$8,724 (2019 est.)

$8,656 (2018 est.)

$8,424 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
$22,064 (2019 est.)

$22,759 (2018 est.)

$23,597 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP - composition by sectoragriculture: 13.8% (2017 est.)

industry: 37.8% (2017 est.)

services: 48.2% (2017 est.)
agriculture: 10.8% (2017 est.)

industry: 28.1% (2017 est.)

services: 61.1% (2017 est.)
Population below poverty line37.2% (2019 est.)35.5% (2019 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage sharelowest 10%: 0.9%

highest 10%: 36.1% (2014 est.)
lowest 10%: 1.8%

highest 10%: 31% (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)1.8% (2019 est.)

2.2% (2018 est.)

2.8% (2017 est.)
25.7% (2017 est.)

26.5% (2016 est.)

note: data are derived from private estimates
Labor force5.719 million (2016 est.)18 million (2017 est.)

note: urban areas only
Labor force - by occupationagriculture: 29.4%

industry: 22%

services: 48.6% (2015 est.)
agriculture: 5.3%

industry: 28.6%

services: 66.1% (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate4% (2017 est.)

4% (2016 est.)

note: data are for urban areas; widespread underemployment
9.84% (2019 est.)

9.18% (2018 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index42.2 (2018 est.)

57.9 (1999)
41.4 (2018 est.)

45.8 (2009)
Budgetrevenues: 15.09 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 18.02 billion (2017 est.)
revenues: 120.6 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 158.6 billion (2017 est.)
Industriesmining, smelting, electricity, petroleum, food and beverages, handicrafts, clothing, jewelryfood processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel
Industrial production growth rate2.2% (2017 est.)2.7% (2017 est.)

note: based on private sector estimates
Agriculture - productssugar cane, soybeans, potatoes, maize, sorghum, rice, milk, plantains, poultry, bananasmaize, soybeans, wheat, sugar cane, milk, barley, sunflower seed, beef, grapes, potatoes
Exports$9.632 billion (2019 est.)

$9.81 billion (2018 est.)

$9.326 billion (2017 est.)
$82.985 billion (2019 est.)

$76.14 billion (2018 est.)

$75.766 billion (2017 est.)
Exports - commoditiesnatural gas, gold, zinc, soybean oil and soy products, tin, silver, lead (2019)soybean products, corn, delivery trucks, wheat, frozen meat, gold (2019)
Exports - partnersArgentina 16%, Brazil 15%, United Arab Emirates 12%, India 10%, United States 6%, South Korea 5%, Peru 5%, Colombia 5% (2019)Brazil 16%, China 11%, United States 7%, Chile 5% (2019)
Imports$10.142 billion (2019 est.)

$9.99 billion (2018 est.)

$9.8 billion (2017 est.)
$72.162 billion (2019 est.)

$89.088 billion (2018 est.)

$93.308 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - commoditiescars, refined petroleum, delivery trucks, iron, buses (2019)cars, refined petroleum, vehicle parts, natural gas, soybeans (2019)
Imports - partnersBrazil 22%, Chile 15%, China 13%, Peru 11%, Argentina 8%, United States 7% (2017)Brazil 21%, China 18%, US 14%, Germany 6% (2019)
Debt - external$12.81 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$7.268 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$278.524 billion (2019 est.)

$261.949 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange ratesbolivianos (BOB) per US dollar -

6.91 (2020 est.)

6.91 (2019 est.)

6.91 (2018 est.)

6.91 (2014 est.)

6.91 (2013 est.)
Argentine pesos (ARS) per US dollar -

82.034 (2020 est.)

59.96559 (2019 est.)

37.23499 (2018 est.)

9.23 (2014 est.)

8.08 (2013 est.)
Fiscal yearcalendar yearcalendar year
Public debt49% of GDP (2017 est.)

44.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and includes debt instruments issued by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities
57.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

55% of GDP (2016 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold$10.26 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$10.08 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$55.33 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$38.43 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Current Account Balance-$2.375 billion (2017 est.)

-$1.932 billion (2016 est.)
-$3.997 billion (2019 est.)

-$27.049 billion (2018 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)$40.822 billion (2019 est.)$447.467 billion (2019 est.)
Credit ratingsFitch rating: B (2020)

Moody's rating: B2 (2020)

Standard & Poors rating: B+ (2020)
Fitch rating: CCC (2020)

Moody's rating: Ca (2020)

Standard & Poors rating: CCC+ (2020)
Ease of Doing Business Index scoresOverall score: 51.7 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 69.4 (2020)

Trading score: 71.6 (2020)

Enforcement score: 55.6 (2020)
Overall score: 59 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 80.4 (2020)

Trading score: 67.1 (2020)

Enforcement score: 57.5 (2020)
Taxes and other revenues39.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)18.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)-7.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)-6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24total: 8.8%

male: 8.2%

female: 9.7% (2019 est.)
total: 25.9%

male: 23.9%

female: 28.8% (2019 est.)
GDP - composition, by end usehousehold consumption: 67.7% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 17% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 21.3% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 3.8% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 21.7% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -31.3% (2017 est.)
household consumption: 65.9% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 18.2% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 14.8% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 3.7% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 11.2% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -13.8% (2017 est.)
Gross national saving14.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

16.1% of GDP (2018 est.)

16.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
15.8% of GDP (2019 est.)

14.4% of GDP (2018 est.)

13.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

Energy

BoliviaArgentina
Electricity - production8.951 billion kWh (2016 est.)131.9 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption7.785 billion kWh (2016 est.)121 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports0 kWh (2017 est.)55 million kWh (2015 est.)
Electricity - imports0 kWh (2016 est.)9.851 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Oil - production60,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)489,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Oil - imports0 bbl/day (2015 est.)16,740 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Oil - exports1,274 bbl/day (2015 est.)36,630 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Oil - proved reserves211.5 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)2.162 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves295.9 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)336.6 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - production18.69 billion cu m (2017 est.)40.92 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption3.171 billion cu m (2017 est.)49.04 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports15.46 billion cu m (2017 est.)76.45 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports0 cu m (2017 est.)9.826 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity2.764 million kW (2016 est.)38.35 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels76% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)69% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants18% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)24% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)4% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources7% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production65,960 bbl/day (2015 est.)669,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption83,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)806,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports9,686 bbl/day (2015 est.)58,360 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports20,620 bbl/day (2015 est.)121,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Electricity accesselectrification - total population: 93% (2019)

electrification - urban areas: 99.3% (2019)

electrification - rural areas: 79% (2019)
electrification - total population: 99% (2020)

electrification - urban areas: 99% (2020)

electrification - rural areas: 85% (2020)

Telecommunications

BoliviaArgentina
Telephones - main lines in usetotal subscriptions: 652,272

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5.71 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 7,757,243

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17.2 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellulartotal subscriptions: 11,688,830

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 102.25 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 56,352,947

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 124.98 (2019 est.)
Internet country code.bo.ar
Internet userstotal: 4,955,569

percent of population: 43.83% (July 2018 est.)
total: 33,203,320

percent of population: 74.29% (July 2018 est.)
Telecommunication systemsgeneral assessment:

with low national GDP and remote landlocked geography, Bolivia's telecom services are historically expensive and neglected resulting in low penetration; fixed telecom market is provided by non-profit cooperatives focused on improvement of services such as broadband and paid TV services; some operators adopted fixed-wireless technologies and fiber-optic capacity; fixed broadband services migrating from DSL to fiber remain expensive and largely unavailable in many areas; historically relied on satellite services or terrestrial links and inaugurated a new cable running via Peru to the Pacific; operator aims to increase coverage through mobile networks for voice and data access, especially to rural areas; space agency plans to boost satellite-based Internet; in 2020, communications towers in Yapacani were destroyed due to pandemic conspiracy fears; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021)

(2020)

domestic: 6 per 100 fixed-line, mobile-cellular telephone use expanding rapidly and teledensity stands at 101 per 100 persons; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz, Santa Cruz, and other capital cities (2019)

international: country code - 591; Bolivia has no direct access to submarine cable networks and must therefore connect to the rest of the world either via satellite or through terrestrial links across neighboring countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

general assessment: Argentina has one of the most vigorous mobile markets in Latin America; with additional operators in the market, mobile penetration fell in 2020 as incentives for multiple-SIM card ownership eased; LTE with tests of 5G; government plan to boost fixed broadband coverage nationally and declared TV, cable, and mobile services were essential public services; submarine system linking Sao Paolo and Rio De Janeiro with Buenos Aires is operational; national operator increased investment in Uruguay; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021) (2020)

domestic: 17 per 100 fixed-line, 131 per 100 mobile-cellular; microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network (2019)

international: country code - 54; landing points for the UNISUR, Bicentenario, Atlantis-2, SAm-1, and SAC, Tannat, Malbec and ARBR submarine cable systems that provide links to Europe, Africa, South and Central America, and US; satellite earth stations - 112 (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadband - fixed subscriptionstotal: 746,872

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6.53 (2019 est.)
total: 8,793,181

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19.5 (2019 est.)
Broadcast medialarge number of radio and TV stations broadcasting with private media outlets dominating; state-owned and private radio and TV stations generally operating freely, although both pro-government and anti-government groups have attacked media outlets in response to their reportinggovernment owns a TV station and radio network; more than 2 dozen TV stations and hundreds of privately owned radio stations; high rate of cable TV subscription usage

Transportation

BoliviaArgentina
Railwaystotal: 3,960 km (2019)

narrow gauge: 3,960 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
total: 36,917 km (2014)

standard gauge: 2,745.1 km 1.435-m gauge (41.1 km electrified) (2014)

narrow gauge: 7,523.3 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)

broad gauge: 26,391 km 1.676-m gauge (149 km electrified) (2014)

258 km 0.750-m gauge
Roadwaystotal: 90,568 km (2017)

paved: 9,792 km (2017)

unpaved: 80,776 km (2017)
total: 281,290 km (2017)

paved: 117,616 km (2017)

unpaved: 163,674 km (2017)
Waterways10,000 km (commercially navigable almost exclusively in the northern and eastern parts of the country) (2012)11,000 km (2012)
Pipelines5457 km gas, 51 km liquid petroleum gas, 2511 km oil, 1627 km refined products (2013)29930 km gas, 41 km liquid petroleum gas, 6248 km oil, 3631 km refined products (2013)
Ports and terminalsriver port(s): Puerto Aguirre (Paraguay/Parana)

note: Bolivia has free port privileges in maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay
major seaport(s): Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, La Plata, Punta Colorada, Ushuaia

container port(s) (TEUs): Buenos Aires (1,485,328) (2019)

LNG terminal(s) (import): Bahia Blanca

river port(s): Arroyo Seco, Rosario, San Lorenzo-San Martin (Parana)
Merchant marinetotal: 42

by type: general cargo 27, oil tanker 1, other 14 (2020)
total: 199

by type: container ship 1, general cargo 8, oil tanker 32, other 158 (2020)
Airportstotal: 855 (2013)total: 916 (2020)
Airports - with paved runwaystotal: 21 (2017)

over 3,047 m: 5 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 (2017)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2017)
total: 161 (2017)

over 3,047 m: 4 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 (2017)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 65 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m: 53 (2017)

under 914 m: 10 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runwaystotal: 834 (2013)

over 3,047 m: 1 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 47 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 151 (2013)

under 914 m: 631 (2013)
total: 977 (2013)

over 3,047 m: 1 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 43 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 484 (2013)

under 914 m: 448 (2013)
National air transport systemnumber of registered air carriers: 7 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 39

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 4,122,113 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 13.73 million mt-km (2018)
number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 107

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 18,081,937 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 311.57 million mt-km (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefixCPLV

Military

BoliviaArgentina
Military branchesBolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito de Boliviano, EB), Bolivian Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Boliviana, FNB, includes Marines), Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB); Ministry of Interior: National Police (Policía Nacional de Bolivia, PNB; includes Anti-Narcotics Special Forces (Fuerza Especial de Lucha Contra el Narcotráfico, FELCN) and other paramilitary units (2021)Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic (Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina): Argentine Army (Ejercito Argentino), Navy of the Argentine Republic (Armada Republica; includes naval aviation and naval infantry), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina, FAA); Ministry of Security: Gendarmería Nacional Argentina (National Gendarmerie), Prefectura Naval (Coast Guard) (2021)
Military service age and obligationcompulsory for all men between the ages of 18 and 22; men can volunteer from the age of 16, women from 18; service is for one year; Search and Rescue service can be substituted for citizens who have reached the age of compulsory military service; duration of this service is 2 years (2019)18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription suspended in 1995; Argentinians can still be drafted in times of crisis, national emergency, or war, or if the Defense Ministry is unable to fill all vacancies to keep the military functional (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP1.4% of GDP (2019)

1.5% of GDP (2018)

1.5% of GDP (2017)

1.6% of GDP (2016)

1.6% of GDP (2015)
0.7% of GDP (2019)

0.7% of GDP (2018)

0.9% of GDP (2017)

0.8% of GDP (2016)

0.9% of GDP (2015)
Military and security service personnel strengthsinformation varies; approximately 40,000 active troops (27,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force); note - a considerable portion of the Navy personnel are marines and naval police (2021)information varies; approximately 83,000 active duty personnel (50,000 Army; 18,000 Navy (includes about 3,000 marines); 15,000 Air Force); est. 20,000 Gendarmerie (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitionsthe Bolivian Armed Forces are equipped with a mix of mostly older Brazilian, Chinese, European, and US equipment; since 2010, China and France are the leading suppliers of military hardware to Bolivia (2020)the inventory of Argentina's armed forces is a mix of domestically-produced and mostly older imported weapons, largely from Europe and the US; since 2010, France and the US are the leading suppliers of equipment; Argentina has an indigenous defense industry that can produce air, land, and sea systems (2020)

Transnational Issues

BoliviaArgentina
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 products; contraband smuggling, human trafficking, and illegal narcotic trafficking are problems in the porous areas of its border regions with all of its neighbors (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru)

Argentina continues to assert its claims to the UK-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia, and the South Sandwich Islands in its constitution, forcibly occupying the Falklands in 1982, but in 1995 agreed to no longer seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks; territorial claim in Antarctica partially overlaps UK and Chilean claims; uncontested dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera/Brasiliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; in 2010, the ICJ ruled in favor of Uruguay's operation of two paper mills on the Uruguay River, which forms the border with Argentina; the two countries formed a joint pollution monitoring regime; the joint boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in 2001 has yet to map and demarcate the delimited boundary in the inhospitable Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur); contraband smuggling, human trafficking, and illegal narcotic trafficking are problems in the porous areas of the border with Bolivia

Illicit drugsworld's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru) with an estimated 37,500 hectares under cultivation in 2016, a 3 percent increase over 2015; third largest producer of cocaine, estimated at 275 metric tons potential pure cocaine in 2016; transit country for Peruvian and Colombian cocaine destined for Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Europe; weak border controls; some money-laundering activity related to narcotics trade; major cocaine consumptiona transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe, heroin headed for the US, and ephedrine and pseudoephedrine headed for Mexico; some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; law enforcement corruption; a source for precursor chemicals; increasing domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers, especially cocaine base and synthetic drugs

Environment

BoliviaArgentina
Air pollutantsparticulate matter emissions: 20.24 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 21.61 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 21.01 megatons (2020 est.)
particulate matter emissions: 11.83 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 201.35 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 120.66 megatons (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawalmunicipal: 136 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 32 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 1.92 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
municipal: 5.85 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 4 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 27.93 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Revenue from forest resourcesforest revenues: 0.33% of GDP (2018 est.)forest revenues: 0.09% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coalcoal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recyclingmunicipal solid waste generated annually: 2,219,052 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 268,727 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 12.1% (2015 est.)
municipal solid waste generated annually: 17,910,550 tons (2014 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,074,633 tons (2010 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 6% (2010 est.)

Source: CIA Factbook