| Economy - overview: | Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed Latin American countries, reformed its economy after suffering a disastrous economic crisis in the early 1980s. The reforms spurred real GDP growth, which averaged 4 percent in the 1990s, and poverty rates fell. Economic growth, however, lagged again beginning in 1999 because of a global slowdown and homegrown factors such as political turmoil, civil unrest, and soaring fiscal deficits, all of which hurt investor confidence. In 2003, violent protests against the pro-foreign investment economic policies of President SANCHEZ DE LOZADA led to his resignation and the cancellation of plans to export Bolivia's newly discovered natural gas reserves to large northern hemisphere markets. Foreign investment dried up as companies adopted a wait-and-see attitude regarding new President Carlos MESA's willingness to protect investor rights in the face of increased demands by radical groups that the government expropriate foreign-owned assets. Real GDP growth in 2003-05 - helped by increased demand for natural gas in neighboring Brazil - was positive, but still below the levels seen during the 1990s. Bolivia remains dependent on foreign aid from multilateral lenders and foreign governments. |
| GDP - per capita | $2,700 (2005 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate (%) | 3% (2005 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; timber |
| GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 12.6%, industry: 35%, services: 52.4% (2005 est.) |
| Industries | mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing |
| Economic aid - recipient | $681 million (2002) |
| Debt - external | $6.43 billion (2005 est.) |
| Population below poverty line (%) | 64% (2004 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
