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Argentina vs. Bolivia

Demographics

ArgentinaBolivia
Population45,864,941 (July 2021 est.)11,758,869 (July 2021 est.)
Age structure0-14 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.)
0-14 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.)
Median agetotal: 32.4 years

male: 31.1 years

female: 33.6 years (2020 est.)
total: 25.3 years

male: 24.5 years

female: 26 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate0.84% (2021 est.)1.39% (2021 est.)
Birth rate15.8 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)20.36 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate-0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)-0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sex ratioat 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.)
at 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.)
Infant mortality ratetotal: 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.)
total: 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.)
Life expectancy at birthtotal population: 78.07 years

male: 74.97 years

female: 81.36 years (2021 est.)
total population: 70.7 years

male: 67.87 years

female: 73.67 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate2.2 children born/woman (2021 est.)2.45 children born/woman (2021 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate0.4% (2020 est.)0.2% (2020 est.)
Nationalitynoun: Argentine(s)

adjective: Argentine
noun: Bolivian(s)

adjective: Bolivian
Ethnic groupsEuropean (mostly Spanish and Italian descent) and Mestizo (mixed European and Amerindian ancestry) 97.2%, Amerindian 2.4%, African descent 0.4% (2010 est.)Mestizo (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
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS140,000 (2020 est.)17,000 (2020 est.)
ReligionsRoman 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.)Roman 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.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths1,400 (2020 est.)<200 (2020 est.)
LanguagesSpanish (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.
Spanish (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.
Literacydefinition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 98.9%

female: 99.1% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.5%

male: 96.5%

female: 88.6% (2015)
Major infectious diseasesnote: 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 vaccinedegree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
Education expenditures5.5% of GDP (2017)7.3% of GDP (2014)
Urbanizationurban population: 92.2% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 0.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
urban population: 70.5% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Drinking water sourceimproved: 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.)
improved: 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.)
Sanitation facility accessimproved: urban: 98.3% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban: 1.7% of population (2017 est.)
improved: 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.)
Major cities - population15.258 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)278,000 Sucre (constitutional capital) (2018); 1.882 million LA PAZ (capital), 1.749 million Santa Cruz, 1.337 million Cochabamba (2021)
Maternal mortality rate39 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)155 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight1.7% (2018/19)3.4% (2016)
Health expenditures9.6% (2018)6.3% (2018)
Physicians density3.99 physicians/1,000 population (2017)1.59 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Hospital bed density5 beds/1,000 population (2017)1.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate28.3% (2016)20.2% (2016)
Demographic profile

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.

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.

Contraceptive prevalence rate81.3% (2013)

note:  percent of women aged 14-49
66.5% (2016)
Dependency ratiostotal dependency ratio: 56.5

youth dependency ratio: 38.1

elderly dependency ratio: 17.7

potential support ratio: 5.6 (2020 est.)
total dependency ratio: 60.5

youth dependency ratio: 48.5

elderly dependency ratio: 12

potential support ratio: 8.3 (2020 est.)

Source: CIA Factbook