Bolivia Country & Tourist Information

Location
South America.

Area
1,098,581 sq km (424,164 sq miles).

Population
9 million (UN estimate 2005).

Population Density
7.6 per sq km.

Capital
Legal: Sucre.
Population: 250,000 (official estimate 2006). Administrative: La Paz. Population: 830,000 (official estimate 2006).

Government
Republic. Gained independence from Spain in 1825.

Language
The official language is Spanish, but the main native languages are Quechua, Aymará and Guaraní. English can be spoken by a small number of officials and businesspeople in commercial centers.

Religion
Roman Catholic with a Protestant minority.

Time
GMT - 4.

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. European two-pin (circular) plugs or Japanese-style two-pin (perpendicular flat) plugs.

Head of State
President Evo Morales since January 2006.

Telephone
Country code: 591.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with a limited number of international mobile phone companies; travelers are advised to check with their mobile phone service provider. Coverage is average.

Internet
Available in large cities and resorts. There are Internet cafes in main towns.

Media
Media ownership is highly concentrated. Bolivia’s media are dominated by privately-run press and broadcasting outlets. There are serious concerns over Bolivia’s previous treatment of journalists who covered social unrest or were involved in defamation or slander. As a result, self-censorship is usually exercised. Low literacy levels impede upon newspaper readership; radio tends to have precedence.


Post
Airmail to Europe takes three to four days. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-2000, Sat 0830-1800.

Press
The main papers published in La Paz are El Diario (daily) and La Razón (daily). Santa Cruz dailies include El Deber and El Mundo.

Radio
Radio stations dealing with news and talk include Radio Fides (Catholic-based), Radio Metropolitana and Radio Panamericana. Radio Cadena Nacional (RCN) is the major national radio station. Radio Illimani is a popular state-run station.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2007-December 2008 period:

2007
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
19 Feb Carnival.
6 Apr Good Friday.
1 May Labor Day.
7 Jun Corpus Christi.
6 Aug Independence Day.
1 Nov All Saints’ Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
4 Feb Carnival.
21 Mar Good Friday.
1 May Labor Day.
22 May Corpus Christi.
6 Aug Independence Day.
1 Nov All Saints’ Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

Note
There are other additional holidays celebrated in individual provinces and towns. For further details, contact the embassy or the Viceministerio de Turismo.

Contact Information:

Viceministerio de Turismo
Avenida Mariscal Santa Cruz, Edificio Cámara de Comercio, Piso 11, La Paz, Bolivia
Tel: (2) 233 4849 or 235 2479 or 237 5129.
Website: www.turismobolivia.bo

Embassy and Consulate of the Republic of Bolivia in the UK
106 Eaton Square, London SW1W 9AD, UK
Tel: (020) 7235 4248 or 4255.
Website: www.embassyofbolivia.co.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1700 (general enquiries); Mon-Thurs 1000-1400 (consular and visa enquiries).

Embassy of the Republic of Bolivia in the USA
3014 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 483 4410 or 232 4828 (consular section).
Website: www.bolivia-usa.org


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