Capital: La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat of judiciary).
Location:
Central South America, southwest of Brazil ( slightly less than three times the size of Montana )
Registration Embassy and Consulate:
U.S. citizens living in or visiting Bolivia are encouraged to register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in La Paz and obtain updated information on travel and security in Bolivia. The Consular Section is open for citizen services, including registration, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. weekdays, excluding U.S. and Bolivian holidays. The U.S. Embassy is located at 2780 Avenida Arce in La Paz; telephone (591) 2-433-812 during business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.), or (591) 2-430-251 for after-hours emergencies; fax (591) 2-433-854; Internet website: http://www.megalink.com/usemblapaz. There are also U.S. Consular Agencies in Santa Cruz and Cochabamba, which are open weekday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, excluding U.S. and Bolivian holidays. The Consular Agency in Santa Cruz is located at Calle Guemes 6, Barrio Equipetrol; telephone (591) 3-363-842 or 3-330-725; fax (591) 3-325-544. The Consular Agency in Cochabamba is located at Avenida Oquendo 654, Torres Sofer, Room 601; telephone (591) 4-256-714; fax (591) 4-257-714.
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 nearly 200 coups and counter-coups. Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in the 1980s, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and drug production. Current goals include attracting foreign investment, strengthening the educational system, continuing the privatization program, and waging an anti-corruption campaign.
Ethnic Groups:
Quechua 30%, Aymara 25%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%, white 15%
Language:
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)
Currency:
BOB
boliviano (BOB)
bolivianos per US dollar - 7.995 (March 2007), 6.4071 (January 2001), 6.1835 (2000), 5.8124 (1999), 5.5101 (1998), 5.2543 (1997), 5.0746 (1996)
Climate:
Varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid
Population:
8,300,463 (July 2001 est.)
Religion:
Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist)
Medical:
Medical care in large cities is adequate for most purposes but of varying quality. Medical facilities, even in La Paz, are not adequate to handle serious medical conditions, such as cardiac problems.
U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas may face extreme difficulties.
HIGH-ALTITUDE HEALTH RISKS: Prior to departing the U.S. for high-altitude locations over 10,000 feet above sea level, such as La Paz, travelers may wish to discuss the trip with their personal physician and request information on specific recommendations concerning medication and lifestyle tips at high altitudes. Although coca-leaf tea is a popular beverage and folk remedy for altitude sickness in Bolivia, possession of these tea bags, which are sold in most Bolivian grocery stores, is illegal in the United States.
The State Department's Office of Medical Services does not allow any official U.S. Government travelers to visit La Paz if they have any of the following:
Sickle cell anemia or sickle cell trait: 30 percent of persons with sickle cell trait are likely to have a crisis at elevations of more than 8,000 feet.
Heart disease: A man 45 years or older, or a woman 55 years or older, who has two of the following risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, cigarette smoking, or elevated cholesterol) should have a stress EKG and a cardiological evaluation before the trip.
Lung disease: Anyone with asthma and on maximum dosage of medication for daily maintenance, or anyone who has been hospitalized for asthma within the last year should not come to La Paz.
All people, even healthy and fit persons, will feel symptoms of hypoxia (lack of oxygen) upon arrival at high altitude. Most people will have increased respiration and increased heart rate. Many people will have headaches, difficulty sleeping, lack of appetite, minor gastric and intestinal upsets, and mood changes. To help prevent these complications:
Consider taking acetazolamide (Diamox) 125 mg twice a day, starting two days before traveling, on the day of the trip, and two to three days after arriving at high altitude. This medication inhibits the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, has a slight diuretic effect, and stimulates respiration. It is available only by prescription in the U.S. Pregnant women and nursing mothers cannot take Diamox. If you have a severe allergy to sulfa, you may not be able to take Diamox.
Avoid alcohol and smoking for at least one week after arrival in La Paz.
Limit physical activity for the first 36 to 48 hours after arrival in La Paz.
For those with diabetes, only the blood glucose meter called One Touch II works properly at altitudes over 6,000 feet. Other models give incorrect readings of blood sugar levels.
Safety:
Violence and civil unrest, primarily associated with anti-narcotics activities in the Chapare region between Santa Cruz and Cochabamba, and the Yungas region northeast of La Paz, periodically create a potential risk for travelers to those regions. Violent confrontations between area residents and government authorities over coca eradication occasionally result in the use of tear gas and stronger force by government authorities to quell disturbances. U.S. citizen visitors to the Chapare or Yungas regions are encouraged to check with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy prior to travel.
Demonstrations by various local groups protesting government or private company policies occur frequently in urban areas, even in otherwise peaceful times. Protesters occasionally use explosive devices and in some cases, the police have used tear gas and force. Strikes and other civic actions can occur at any time and can disrupt transportation on a local or national level.
Traffic Safety:
While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Bolivia is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
Safety of Public Transportation:
poor
Urban Road Conditions/Maintenance:
poor
Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance:
poor
Availability of Roadside Assistance:
poor
Road conditions in Bolivia are extremely hazardous. Although the major population centers of La Paz, Santa Cruz, and Cochabamba are connected by improved highways, less than five percent of all roads in Bolivia are paved. For trips outside the major cities, especially in mountainous areas, a four-wheel-drive vehicle is highly recommended. Travel during the rainy season (November through March) is extremely difficult, as most routes are potholed, and many roads and bridges are washed out. Added dangers are the lack of formal training for most drivers, lack of lights on speeding vehicles at night, and drunk drivers, including commercial bus drivers. Fatal crashes, fender-benders, and car/pedestrian accidents are commonplace.
For additional general information about road safety, including links to foreign government sites, see the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at http://travel.state.gov/road_safety.html.
