Introduction: Bolivia is a landlocked South American country that has long been one of the poorest and least developed countries in the continent. Although it has achieved some political stability in the past two decades despite considerable political unrest, it has had more than 200 coups and countercoups since it achieved independence in 1825.
Vital statistics: Covering an area of just over 1 million square kilometers (425,000 square miles), its population is an estimated 8.7 million as of July 2004 with an annual population growth rate of 1.56 percent. Indigenous populations make up just over half the population, Quechua 30 percent and Aymara 25 percent. About 15 percent are white (primarily of Spanish heritage), with most of the remainder of mixed ancestry. About 70 percent of the population lives in poverty.
Studying Spanish in Bolivia: Because Bolivia is one of the most isolated countries in South America and expensive to travel to for residents of the United States and Europe, there are few Spanish-language schools, mostly in Sucre and Santa Cruz. Students who register directly with a school (rather than through a U.S. or European agent) can take classes for less than $100 U.S. per week.
Trivia : With an elevation of 3,600 meters (almost 12,000 feet) above sea level, the city of La Paz is the world's highest major metropolitan area. Many visitors, especially those who live at lower elevations, need a day or two to get used to the high elevation. Bolivia has two capitals: La Paz is the de facto capital, since that is where key government offices are located. But the legal capital is Sucre, where the country's judiary is headquartered.
Tourism: Partly because of the high cost of getting to Bolivia, Bolivia hasn't been a major travel destination. Visitors are most often interested in the scenery of the Andes including Lake Titicaca, and the opportunity to experience Bolivia's widespread indigenous culture and rich history. Costs are low, especially for those who don't stay in the international chain hotels or eat in restaurants catering to tourists. Travel is fairly safe, although stret crime and civil unrest can be risks.
History: Like much of Latin America, the area now known as Bolivia had a strong indigenous culture before it was conquered by Spain. The conquest in Bolivia was led by Francisco Pizarro in 1531, and the area's rich mineral wealth was exploited for more than 200 years. Spain was defeated at the battle of Ayacucho in 1824 under the leadership of Simón Bolívar's lieutenant, Antonio José de Sucre. Bolivia has had elected civilian rule since 1982.
Election of Evo Morales: Bolivia followed a Latin American trend in December 2005 by electing a left-wing leader, Juan Evo Morales Ayma, who also is the country's first indigenous president. Although not running on a strictly anti-U.S. platform, Morales has made a major issue of criticizing U.S. policies, particularly those calling for eradication of the coca crop. "La coca no es cocaína (Coca isn't cocaine)," he says, pointing out the extensive economic and cultural interests his nation has in the plant.
Linguistic highlights: Spanish, Quechua (an Incan language, variations of which are also spoken in Peru and Ecuador) and Aymara (a pre-Incan language also spoken in Peru) are all official, and a few other indigenous languages are used. About 60 to 70 percent of the population speaks Spanish, although fewer than half the people use it as a first language. Spanish is the language used most often in official documents and in written media. Differences in Spanish pronunciation exist between the highlands and lowlands. In some regions, the sound of the s (especially at the end of words) is dropped, as is the the d in words such as those ending in -ado. In some areas, the sounds of the f and j are often confused. Numerous indigenous words are used in informal Bolivian Spanish, and the indigenous languages also have adopted considerable Spanish vocabulary.
