, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Marlene FERNANDEZ del Granado

chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410

FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San
Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
V. Manuel ROCHA

embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, San Jorge, La Paz

mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032

telephone: [591] (2) 432254

FAX: [591] (2) 433854

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow,
and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar
to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star
centered in the yellow band

Bolivia Economy

Economy - overview: Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least
developed Latin American countries, has made considerable progress
toward the development of a market-oriented economy. Successes under
President SANCHEZ DE LOZADA (1993-97) included the signing of a free
trade agreement with Mexico and joining the Southern Cone Common
Market (Mercosur), as well as the privatization of the state
airline, telephone company, railroad, electric power company, and
oil company. His successor, Hugo BANZER Suarez has tried to further
improve the country's investment climate with an anticorruption
campaign. Growth slowed in 1999, in part due to tight government
budget policies, which limited needed appropriations for
anti-poverty programs, and the fallout from the Asian financial
crisis. In 2000, major civil disturbances in April, and again in
September and October, held down overall growth to 2.5%.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $20.9 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16%

industry: 31%

services: 53% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%:
2.3%

highest 10%: 31.7% (1990)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.4% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 2.5 million

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services
NA%

Unemployment rate: 11.4% (1997)

note: widespread underemployment

Budget: revenues: $2.7 billion

expenditures: $2.7 billion, including capit