Table of Content :
General Aspects :
| Population: | 8,547,091 inhabitants (approximately) |
| Population Density: | 7.58 inhabitants per km2 |
| National Currency: | The Boliviano |
| Languages: | The official language is Spanish. Quechua, Aymara and Guarani are spoken in some regions |
| Religion: | Catholic; however, freedom of religion is guaranteed |
| Climate: | Variable, depending on the region. There are three climate zones: tropical lowlands (mean temperature of 25ºC), valleys (mean temperature of 18ºC) and the high plateau (mean temperature of 10ºC) |
| Political Constitution in Force: | Law 1615, February 6th, 1995 |
| Political Regime: | Representative Democracy |
| President of the Republic: | Carlos D. Mesa Gisbert |
| Bolivian Holidays: | January 1 | New Year's Day |
| | February or March | Carnival |
| | April | Holy Friday |
| | May 1 | Labor Day |
| | June | Corpus Christi |
| | August 6 | Independence Day |
| | November 1 | All Saints Day |
| | December 25 | Christmas |
Geographic Profile :
Bolivia is located in the center of South America, between 57º 26' and 69º 38' west longitude, and 9º 38' and 22º 53' south latitude. It borders with Brazil in the north and east, with Paraguay in the southeast, with Argentina in the south, with Chile in the southwest and with Peru in the west.
Is the eighth largest country of the American hemisphere with a total surface of 1,098,581 km2.
Presents three geographic regions:
- Andean Region, which covers 28% of the country's total surface comprising the high plateau surrounded on either side by the Cordillera Occidental and the Cordillera Oriental o Real. The climate of this region is generally cold to mild.
- Sub-Andean Region, which covers 13% of the country's total surface. Region of ravines and valleys of indescribable beauty, characterized by its farming activity. The climate of this region varies from mild to warm.
- Lowlands, which cover 59% of the country's total surface, comprising the Bolivian Amazon with its exuberant vegetation and varied wildlife. This is a region of grassland and jungle crossed by many rivers of different sizes, and a generally warm climate.
Political Profile :
Bolivia is divided in nine departments.
State Structure and Composition
The Political Constitution of the State expressly declares that Bolivia is a free, independent, and sovereign country, multiethnic and pluricultural, constituted as a Unitary Republic and adopting representative democracy as its form of government. The exercise of sovereignty is delegated to the three branches of government: the Legislative, Executive and Judicial. The independence and coordination of these three branches is the basis of government. The country is politically divided in 9 departments and 314 municipalities.
- The Legislative Power resides in National Congress, which has two chambers: the Senate and the Chamber of Representatives. The most important attributions of the legislative body include the power to make, approve, amend, repeal, and execute laws; consider development plans proposed by the Executive; determine public expenditures for each fiscal year, based on the budget submitted to it by the Executive; and, approve all borrowings that compromise the State's revenue.
- The Executive Power resides in the President of the Republic and the Ministers of State. The President and his Vice-president are elected by direct vote for a period of five consecutive years. The functions of the Executive include the power to execute and enforce the laws, issuing the relevant decrees and orders; negotiate and sign treaties with foreign nations to be ratified by Congress; present development plans to the legislative; and, prepare the proposed budget for public expenditures.
According to the Ministries Law and its regulation, the Executive includes:
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of the Presidency
- Ministry of Government
- Ministry of National Defense
- Ministry of Finance
- Ministry of Justice and Human Rights
- Ministry of Economic Development
- Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports
- Ministry of Health and Social Security
- Ministry of Labor and Micro Enterprise
- Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development
- Ministry of Sustainable Development and Planning
- Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment
- Ministry of Housing and Basic Services
- The Judicial Power lies with the National Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court, the higher district courts, first instance and appeals courts and judges, and other courts of law and tribunals established by law. The Judicial Power has economic and administrative autonomy.
New Criminal Action Proceedings
Law 1970 issued on March 25, 1999 went into effect 24 months after its official publication, and applies to all the causes starting from this term expiration.
This law applies the use of hearings in the Bolivian penal procedure.
Constitutional Court
The control of the constitutionality of the country figures among the duties of the Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court is independent and only subordinated to the Constitution, is located in the city of Sucre, is composed of five magistrates appointed by the National Congress for a 10 year period, and its functions are established in the Articles 120 and 121 of the State Political Constitution.
A Reform to the Constitutional Court is foreseen in the near future.
Judicial Council
The Judicial Council is the administrative and disciplinary entity of the Judicial Power. Its functions and attributions are defined in Article 123 of the State Political Constitution.
In the future, a Reform to the Judicial Council is foreseen.
Ombudsman Agency
Among its functions, and in accordance to Article 127 of the State Political Constitution, this instance has to keep watch over the fulfillment of the populations rights and guarantees that bear relation to the administrative activities of the public sector.
The ombudsman is elected by two thirds of members of National Congress for a five year period.
Administrative Decentralization
Within the framework of the Constitution, Law 1654 of June 28, 1995 regulates the Administrative Decentralization Regime of the Executive, at the departmental level. Law 1654 refers to the transfer and delegation of those technical and administrative responsibilities that are not exclusive to the Executive at the national level.
The objectives of Law 1654 are the following:
- To establish the organic structure of the Executive at the departmental level, according to the Administrative Decentralization Regime.
- To determine the economic and financial regime of the departments.
- To improve and strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of government services to the population.
In the departments, the executive power is vested in Prefects and Departmental Councils.
The Municipalities are placed under the responsibility of autonomous municipal governments. The municipal councils are the regulating and controlling bodies. Municipal governments do not establish taxes other than fees for public service or patents, and the Senate must authorize these. The Constitution provides for the jurisdiction and competence activities of the municipalities.
The Popular Participation Law recognizes and promotes the participation of indigenous, rural and urban communities in the judicial, political, and economic life of the country. It also limits the jurisdiction of the municipal government to the province. Finally, the Popular Participation Law provides for the distribution of co participation resources allocated to the departments based on the number of inhabitants.
Administration and Government Controls
Law 1178 (Administration and Government Control Law) was enacted to ensure transparency and efficiency in all civil service activities. A second objective was to set forth the basic precepts for the programming, organization, implementation and control of the collection of resources by the State. For this, Law 1178 establishes the legal aspect of civil service and the accountability of civil servants regarding the use of government resources. The Office of the General Comptroller of the Republic is the body in charge of controlling the management of all public entities. It is therefore also responsible for implementing Law 1178.
Likewise, on October 27, 1999, the Civil Servants Statute (Law 2027) was approved, which objective is to regulate the relationship between the State and the civil servants, guarantee the development of the administrative career, and secure dignity, transparency, effectiveness, and vocation in the service to collectivity, as well as the promotion of its effective and productive performance.
Both legal measures are central instruments, used by the State to offer more transparent and efficient services in favor of all citizen of the country.
