About Bolivia
Bolivia—officially The Plurinational State of Bolivia—is located in central South America and has a population of roughly 11 million. This landlocked country shares its borders with Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. The administrative capital, where the executive and legislative branches of government function, is located in La Paz; however, the constitutional capital is considered to be Sucre.
More than 80% of the population of Bolivia speaks Spanish as a first or second language, followed by Quechua, Aymara, and other indigenous languages. In fact, Bolivia’s 2009 constitution recognizes a total of 37 languages as official. This diversity in language is telling of Bolivian ethnicity itself as approximately 60% of citizens are indigenous.
Mining is the major industry within Bolivia. The country currently has the second largest natural gas reserves in South America and is also a major producer of petroleum gas. Bolivia holds one of the largest reserve of lithium in the world (an essential product in batteries for cellphones, laptops, and electric cars) although it is not actively being extracted.
More than 80% of the population of Bolivia speaks Spanish as a first or second language, followed by Quechua, Aymara, and other indigenous languages. In fact, Bolivia’s 2009 constitution recognizes a total of 37 languages as official. This diversity in language is telling of Bolivian ethnicity itself as approximately 60% of citizens are indigenous.
Mining is the major industry within Bolivia. The country currently has the second largest natural gas reserves in South America and is also a major producer of petroleum gas. Bolivia holds one of the largest reserve of lithium in the world (an essential product in batteries for cellphones, laptops, and electric cars) although it is not actively being extracted.
Bolivia is a unitary presidential republic with its power divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. Luis Arce is the current president of Bolivia, first elected in 2020. He was preceded by interim president Jeanine Áñez (2019) and Evo Morales who served from 2006 to 2019 with the same Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party as Arce.
CBM first began working in Bolivia in 1898. Early impacts in Bolivia include influence on the passing of a bill for religious freedom in 1905, promoting a model for land reform and the end of serfdom, defense of indigenous peoples’ rights, and the establishment of schools, churches, medical clinics as well as theological seminaries. CBM was among the first NGOs to handover properties and leadership positions to the national church in Bolivia. This proved to be an innovative practice that later opened the doors for CBM to establish other significant partnerships and shape the framework for its present engagement.
CBM first began working in Bolivia in 1898. Early impacts in Bolivia include influence on the passing of a bill for religious freedom in 1905, promoting a model for land reform and the end of serfdom, defense of indigenous peoples’ rights, and the establishment of schools, churches, medical clinics as well as theological seminaries. CBM was among the first NGOs to handover properties and leadership positions to the national church in Bolivia. This proved to be an innovative practice that later opened the doors for CBM to establish other significant partnerships and shape the framework for its present engagement.
