) general:
Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Charles R. BOWERS
embassy:
Banco Popular del Peru Building, corner of Calle Mercado and Calle
Colon, La Paz
mailing address:
P. O. Box 425, La Paz, or APO AA 34032
telephone:
[591] (2) 350251 or 350120
FAX:
[591] (2) 359875
Flag:
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

Overview:
With its long history of semifeudal social controls, dependence on
volatile prices for its mineral exports, and bouts of hyperinflation,
Bolivia has remained one of the poorest and least developed Latin
American countries. However, Bolivia has experienced generally
improving economic conditions since the PAZ Estenssoro administration
(1985-89) introduced market-oriented policies which reduced inflation
from 11,700% in 1985 to about 20% in 1988. PAZ Estenssoro was followed
as President by Jaime PAZ Zamora (1989-93) who continued the
free-market policies of his predecessor, despite opposition from his
own party and from Bolivia's once powerful labor movement. By
maintaining fiscal discipline, PAZ Zamora helped reduce inflation to
9.3% in 1993, while GDP grew by an annual average of 3.25% during his
tenure. Inaugurated in August 1993, President SANCHEZ DE LOZADA has
vowed to advance government market-oriented economic reforms he helped
launch as PAZ Estenssoro's Planning Minister. A major privatization
bill was passed by the Bolivian legislature in late March 1994.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $15.8 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
2.2% (1993)
National product per capita:
$2,100 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.3% (1993)
Unemployment rate:
5.8% (1993)
Budget:
revenues:
$3.19 billion
expenditures:
$3.19 billion, including capital expenditures of $552.4 million (1994
est.)
Exports:
$752 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
metals 35%, natural gas 26%, other 39% (coffee, soybeans, sugar,
cotton, timber)
partners:
US 16% , Argentina (1992 est.)
Imports:
$1.17 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)
commodities:
food, petroleum, consumer goods, capital goods
partners:
US 23.3% (1992)