Economy overview: Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed countries in Latin America, has made some progress in developing a market economy. Issues successfully resolved under President SANCHEZ DE LOZADA j (1993-97) include the signing of a free trade coma with Mexico and the Common Market of the Southern Cone (MERCOSUR), as well as the privatization of air i transport, telephone company, iron ! roads, electric power and oil companies; pany. His successor, Hugo BANCER Suarez, tried to improve the investment climate by introducing ! anti-corruption campaign. Growth in the economy slowed in 1999, in part as a result of ] tight government budgetary policies, which slashed spending on poverty alleviation, and also as a result of the Asian financial crisis. See businesscarriers.com to know more about Bolivia Economics and Business. GDP: at purchasing power parity – I $ 20.9 billion (2000 est.). Real GDP growth rate: 2.5% (2000 est.). | GDP per capita: at purchasing power parity – $ 2,600 (2000 est.). The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 16%; industry: 31%; services: 53% (1999 est.). Proportion of population below the poverty line: 70% (1999 est.). Percentage distribution of family income or consumption: 10% of the poorest families account for: 2.3%; 10% of the wealthiest families account for: 31.7% (1990). Inflation rate at consumer prices: 4.4% (2000 OTs.). Labor force: 2.5 million people Employment structure: no data. Unemployment rate: 11.4% (1997); note – part-time employment is widespread. Budget: revenues: $2.7 billion; expenses: $2.7 billion including capital investments – no data (1998). Economic sectors: mining, metal smelting, oil, food and beverage, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing. Growth in industrial production: 4% (1995 est.). Electricity generation: 3.625 billion kWh (1999) Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 56.61%; hydropower: 41.6%; nuclear fuel: 0%; others: 1.79% (1999). Electricity consumption: 3.377 MPdkWh (1999). Electricity export: 4 million kWh (1999). Electricity import: 10 million kWh (1999). Agricultural products: soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; lumber. Exports: $1.26 billion (free on board, 2000 est.) Exports: soybeans, natural gas, zinc, gold, timber. Export partners: UK 16%, US 12%, Peru 11%, Argentina 10%, Colombia 7% (1998). Imports: $1.89 billion (free on board, 2000 est.) Imports: means of production, raw materials and industrial semi-finished products, chemicals, oil, foodstuffs. Import partners: USA 32%, Japan 24%, Brazil 12%, Argentina 12%, Chile 7%, Peru 4%, Germany 3% (1998). External debt: $6.6 billion (2000) Economic aid recipient: $588 million (1997) Donor economic aid: Currency: Boliviano. Currency code: WWII. Exchange rate: BOB/USD – 6.4071 (January 2001), 6.1835 (2000), 5.8124 (1999), 5.5101 (1998), 5.2543 (1997), 5.0746 (1996). Fiscal year: calendar year.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 327 600 (1996). Mobile cell phones: 116,000 (1997). Phone system: new users face red tape; most of the telephones are installed in La Paz and other cities; domestic: basically a trunk communication system, which is being expanded with the use of digital microwave radio relay transmitters; in some areas, communication is provided using fiber optic cable; expanding the mobile cellular network; international: satellite earth station 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean). Broadcast stations: AM -171, FM -73, shortwave -77 (1999). Radio receivers: 5.25 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 48 (1997). Televisions: 900,000 (1997). Internet country code: bo Internet service providers: 9 (2000). Number of users: 35,000 (2000).
Transport
Transport Railways: total: 3,691 km (one track); narrow gauge: 3,652 km (1,000 m gauge); 39 km (0.760 m gauge; 13 km electrified) (1995). Roads: total: 49,400 km; paved: 2,500 km (including 30 km of highway); unpaved: 46,900 km (1996) Waterways: 10,000 km of commercial shipping lanes. Pipelines: for crude oil: 1,800 km; for oil products: 580 km; for natural gas: 1,495 km. Ports and harbors: none; however, Bolivia enjoys privileges in the ports of Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay. Merchant navy: total: 42 vessels (displacement of 1,000 tons or more) with a total displacement of 141,017 gross register tons / 211,058 long tons of carrying capacity; ships of various types: bulk carriers – 5, cargo ships – 20, chemical tankers – 3, container ships – 1, oil tankers – 10, ferries for the transport of loaded vehicles – 3 (2000 est.). Airports: 1,093 (2000 est.). Airports with paved runways: total: 13; over 3,047 m: 4; from 2438 to 3047 m:3; from 1524 to 2437 m:4; from 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2000 est.). Airports with unpaved runways: total: 1,080; from 2438 to 3047 m:3; from 1,524 to 2,437 m: 65; from 914 to 1,523 m: 212; less than 914 m: 800 (2000 est.).
Armed Forces
Branches of the Armed Forces: Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National Police. Enlistment age: 19 years old. Total Military Manpower: Male 15 to 49: 2,005,660 (2001 est.). Eligible for military service: men aged 15 to 49: 1,306,452 (2001 est.). Number of persons reaching military age each year: men: 90,120 (2001 est.). Military spending in dollar terms: $147M (1999) Military spending as part of GDP: 1.8% (1999).
International Issues
International Issues International Disputes: Demands a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific since the Atacama region was ceded to Chile in 1884; dispute with Chile over the rights to the waters of the Rio Lauca. Illicit drugs: Third (after Peru and Colombia) coca producer in the world, with approximately 14,600 ha (2000), coca production decreased by 33% from 1999 levels; coca derivatives and cocaine are exported to (or through) Colombia, Brazil, Argentina and Chile onwards to the US and other international drug markets; A program to support the cultivation of other crops, designed to reduce the illicit production of coca, has been run by the BANSERA government since 1997.
