Facts about Bolivia
Official languages: Spanish, Quechua, Aymara
Capital: Sucre
Area: 1,098,580 km²
Population: 9.9 million residents
Population density: 9.05 residents per km²
Currency: BOB
Internet TLD: .bo
ISO codes: BO , BOL, 68
The calling code for Bolivia is +591
Flag of Bolivia
The flag of Bolivia, whose official name is the Multinational State of Bolivia, was adopted as early as 1851. It consists of three horizontal stripes in red, yellow and green. In addition, the coat of arms is placed in the center of the national flag, but it was omitted from the national flag. The red stripe symbolizes the blood of revolutionaries spilled during the struggle for freedom and the Bolivian fauna, the yellow the mineral wealth of the country and the green is meant to remind the fertility of the fertile landscape here. Bolivia was originally inhabited by the Aymara tribes and later by the Incas, but was colonized by the Spanish in the 16th century and won independence only in 1825. It was named after Simon Bolívar – the leader of the freedom struggle.
Bolivia, a landlocked country in central South America, is one of the poorest countries on the continent. See Bolivia Location on World Map.
Despite its wealth of natural resources (previously mainly silver and tin), Bolivia is the poorest and least exporting country in Latin America. Two thirds of the population live in poverty, although Bolivia has South America’s second largest gas reserves, 90 percent of which are exported. The natural gas industry was nationalized in 2006. More than half of the population lives 3,500 meters above sea level in the Altiplano, a plateau between two Andean chains.
In recent years, a domestic political division has developed in Bolivia between the west and the east of the country. The formerly prosperous and populous western regions in the highlands, in which the capital Sucre and the seat of government La Paz are also located, have been impoverished after the decline of mining and have been losing population to the eastern departments, which are located wholly or partly in the lowlands, for years due to internal migration. In recent years, the development of oil and gas reserves and modern, partly industrialized agriculture and forestry have resulted in profitable, growing industries and a wealthy bourgeoisie.
Biggest Cities of Bolivia by Population
The largest city in Bolivia is Santa Cruz de la Sierra, located in the eastern part of the country. It is home to around 1.7 million people and is known for its vibrant culture and bustling nightlife. The city has a number of attractions such as the Museum of Art, which houses artwork from all over Latin America, as well as several parks and squares. Additionally there are plenty of shopping opportunities with a number of malls, markets, and shops selling local handicrafts and souvenirs.
The second largest city in Bolivia is La Paz, located in the western part of the country. It is home to around 900,000 people and is known for its unique architecture which blends Spanish colonial elements with traditional Aymara culture. La Paz has an array of cultural attractions such as museums dedicated to both pre-Columbian civilizations and modern art, as well as several churches dating back to colonial times. Additionally there are plenty of shopping opportunities with numerous markets selling everything from local handicrafts to international luxury items. The city also hosts a variety of festivals throughout the year including Carnival in February which features parades, music, food stalls, and more.
# | City | Population | Latitude | Longitude |
1 | Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia | 1,364,500 | -17.7863 | -63.1812 |
2 | Cochabamba, Bolivia | 900,525 | -17.3895 | -66.1568 |
3 | La Paz, Bolivia | 812,910 | -16.5 | -68.15 |
4 | Sucre, Bolivia | 224,949 | -19.0333 | -65.2627 |
5 | Oruro, Bolivia | 208,795 | -17.9833 | -67.15 |
6 | Tarija, Bolivia | 159,380 | -21.5355 | -64.7296 |
7 | Potosi, Bolivia | 141,362 | -19.5836 | -65.7531 |
8 | Sacaba, Bolivia | 107,739 | -17.398 | -66.0383 |
9 | Montero, Bolivia | 88,727 | -17.3387 | -63.2505 |
10 | Quillacollo, Bolivia | 87,420 | -17.3923 | -66.2784 |
11 | Trinidad, Bolivia | 84,370 | -14.8333 | -64.9 |
12 | Yacuiba, Bolivia | 82,914 | -22.0164 | -63.6775 |
13 | Riberalta, Bolivia | 74,125 | -11.0065 | -66.0631 |
14 | Tiquipaya, Bolivia | 54,015 | -17.338 | -66.2158 |
15 | Guayaramerin, Bolivia | 36,119 | -10.8258 | -65.3581 |
16 | Bermejo, Bolivia | 35,522 | -22.7321 | -64.3372 |
17 | Mizque, Bolivia | 30,592 | -17.941 | -65.3402 |
18 | Villazon, Bolivia | 30,364 | -22.0866 | -65.5942 |
19 | Llallagua, Bolivia | 28,180 | -18.4243 | -66.5839 |
20 | Camiri, Bolivia | 28,072 | -20.0385 | -63.5183 |
21 | Cobija, Bolivia | 26,696 | -11.0267 | -68.7692 |
22 | San Borja, Bolivia | 24,721 | -14.8519 | -66.7495 |
23 | San Ignacio de Velasco, Bolivia | 23,680 | -16.3667 | -60.95 |
24 | Tupiza, Bolivia | 22,344 | -21.4435 | -65.7188 |
25 | Warnes, Bolivia | 22,147 | -17.5163 | -63.1678 |
26 | San Borja, Bolivia | 19,751 | -14.8167 | -66.85 |
27 | Ascencion de Guarayos, Bolivia | 18,927 | -15.893 | -63.1885 |
28 | Villamontes, Bolivia | 18,872 | -21.2624 | -63.469 |
29 | Cotoca, Bolivia | 18,458 | -17.8167 | -63.05 |
30 | Villa Yapacani, Bolivia | 18,298 | -17.4 | -63.8333 |
31 | Santiago del Torno, Bolivia | 15,654 | -17.9867 | -63.3812 |
32 | Huanuni, Bolivia | 15,603 | -18.289 | -66.8358 |
33 | Punata, Bolivia | 15,305 | -17.5423 | -65.8347 |
34 | Ascension, Bolivia | 14,540 | -15.7 | -63.0833 |
35 | Mineros, Bolivia | 14,496 | -17.1188 | -63.231 |
36 | Santa Ana de Yacuma, Bolivia | 12,894 | -13.7441 | -65.4269 |
37 | Patacamaya, Bolivia | 12,371 | -17.2358 | -67.9217 |
38 | Colchani, Bolivia | 12,099 | -20.3 | -66.9333 |
39 | Rurrenabaque, Bolivia | 11,860 | -14.4412 | -67.5278 |
40 | Portachuelo, Bolivia | 11,596 | -17.3517 | -63.3928 |
41 | Puerto Quijarro, Bolivia | 10,503 | -17.7833 | -57.7667 |
42 | Uyuni, Bolivia | 10,404 | -20.4597 | -66.825 |
43 | Robore, Bolivia | 9,993 | -18.3347 | -59.7614 |
44 | Pailon, Bolivia | 9,415 | -17.65 | -62.75 |
45 | Cliza, Bolivia | 8,765 | -17.5878 | -65.9325 |
46 | Achacachi, Bolivia | 8,558 | -16.05 | -68.6833 |
47 | Vallegrande, Bolivia | 8,533 | -18.4892 | -64.1061 |
48 | Monteagudo, Bolivia | 8,400 | -19.7999 | -63.9546 |
49 | Aiquile, Bolivia | 8,335 | -18.2041 | -65.1807 |
50 | Tarata, Bolivia | 8,154 | -17.609 | -66.0213 |
51 | Challapata, Bolivia | 8,127 | -18.9021 | -66.7705 |
52 | San Julian, Bolivia | 7,817 | -17.7833 | -62.8667 |
53 | Reyes, Bolivia | 7,487 | -14.2952 | -67.3362 |
54 | Concepcion, Bolivia | 7,011 | -16.4333 | -60.9 |
55 | San Matias, Bolivia | 6,463 | -16.3667 | -58.4 |
56 | La Belgica, Bolivia | 5,612 | -17.55 | -63.2167 |
57 | Santa Rosa del Sara, Bolivia | 5,362 | -17.1092 | -63.5951 |
58 | Capinota, Bolivia | 5,268 | -17.7111 | -66.2608 |
59 | Chimore, Bolivia | 5,258 | -16.9942 | -65.1533 |
60 | San Pedro, Bolivia | 5,113 | -16.2372 | -68.8506 |
Bolivia: Sucre / La Paz
According to Abbreviation Finder, the capital of Bolivia is called Sucre. However, the largest city in the country is Santa Cruz with 1.4 million inhabitants. And La Paz is better known than either of them, but it is not the capital – but at least the seat of government.
Both cities, Sucre and La Paz, are on the Altiplano, but Sucre is far more south than La Paz. In 1899, Sucre was given up as the seat of government because the region was in economic decline. Since then, Bolivia has been ruled from La Paz. Sucre has about 300,000 inhabitants. About 800,000 people live in La Paz. The town of El Alto was built on the neighboring western plateau, where another 850,000 people live.
La Paz is the highest seat of government in the world at an altitude of 3200 to 4100 meters. The higher people live on the slopes, the poorer they are usually. For tourists, altitude is often a problem: they quickly become breathless and can even get altitude sickness.