Bolivia: country facts, travel advice and health

01Free

The 30-second card

CapitalLa Paz · SucreSource: Wikidata · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

LanguageQuechua, Spanish, Guarani, AymaraSource: Wikidata · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

CurrencyBolivian Boliviano · Bs · BOBSource: Unicode CLDR · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗

TimeUTC−4Source: IANA Time Zone Database · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗

PlugsA · C, 115 / 230 VSource: Wikidata · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

DrivingOn the rightSource: Wikidata · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

Emergency · tap to call

110Police 118Ambulance 119Fire 800-14-0081Tourist police

Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

Visa · United States passport

No visa neededSource: U.S. Department of State · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

Visa · United Kingdom passport

No visa needed · up to 90 daysSource: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

TippingService is included in the bill, so an extra tip is not needed.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

SIM and eSIM

Local SIMs are cheap; register at the carrier's office with a passport copy and your phone.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

Apps locals use

Offline maps and trail data built on OpenStreetMap.Offline maps and hiking routes based on OpenStreetMap.Book bus and train tickets online in advance.

Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

Cards or cash

Mostly cashMostly cards

Step 1 of 5: Cash rules: most places take cash only, so always carry enough.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

Money in Bolivia

Bolivian Boliviano · Bs · BOB

Change cash dollars or euros at exchange offices, not banks, which use the worse official rate.

ATMs pay the official rate, about 30% less than changing cash dollars or euros.

Small shops and vendors struggle to change notes above Bs. 50, so carry smaller bills.

Buying a bus ticket at the station an hour before departure is often 30-40% cheaper than booking days ahead.

Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

Collect Bolivian Boliviano in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpen

Public holidays in the next 12 months

Fri, 25 Dec 2026 · Christmas Day Navidad

Fri, 1 Jan 2027 · New Year's Day Año Nuevo

Tue, 2 Feb 2027 · Feast of the Virgin of Candelaria Fiesta de la Virgen de Candelaria

Mon, 8 Feb 2027 · Carnival Feriado por Carnaval

Tue, 9 Feb 2027 · Carnival Feriado por Carnaval

Fri, 26 Mar 2027 · Good Friday Viernes Santo

Sat, 1 May 2027 · Labour Day Dia del trabajo

Thu, 27 May 2027 · Corpus Christi

Mon, 21 Jun 2027 · Andean New Year Año Nuevo Andino

Mon, 2 Aug 2027 · Agrarian Reform Day Día de la Revolución Agraria

Fri, 6 Aug 2027 · Independence Day Dia de la Patria

Tue, 2 Nov 2027 · All Saints' Day Todos Santos

Source: Nager.Date · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗

02Free

Safety today

Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover Bolivia say, side by side, checked daily.

German Foreign Office says

No travel warning

Calm ●

Caution

Serious

Don’t go

Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page

U.S. Department of State says

Exercise increased caution

Calm

Caution ●

Serious

Don’t go

Level 2 of 4

Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 17 Aug 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page

UK Foreign Office says

Advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country

Some regions differ, see the official page.

Source: GOV.UK
Updated 22 Sept 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page

Scams to know

Fake police officers

Never get into an unmarked police car; real police need a prosecutor's written order.

Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

Helpers at taxi stands and bus stations

Refuse unasked-for help at stations and watch your bags; thieves work in teams.

Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

Taxi robberies

Call a radio taxi, check for the windscreen sticker, and skip cabs with passengers.

Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

Express kidnapping

Go with others, tell someone where you are at night, take a direct Copacabana–La Paz bus.

Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.

03Free

Health

Routine shots plus hepatitis A and B; yellow fever for the east. Malaria in some areas; altitude sickness.

Vaccinations

Be up to date on routine shots; hepatitis A and B are advised for unvaccinated travellers, and yellow fever for the eastern lowlands.

Malaria

In some regions

Altitude

Altitude sickness is a risk in high places such as La Paz and the Uyuni salt flats.

Talk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.

Source: CDC
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page

Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.

04Travel layer

In the app: the travel layer

The travel layer

Read a country like someone who’s been there.

What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use

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Must-see · 1La Paz

Seat of government, gateway to Titicaca and the Death Road

Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

Strange & surprising · #1

Lake Titicaca, shared with Peru, is the world's highest navigable lake, at 3,821 m.

Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

National anthem: National Anthem of Bolivia. The lyrics, translated, and the story are in the app. Source: Wikidata · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗

7 World Heritage sites in Bolivia, each with a photo and its story, in the app. Source: UNESCO World Heritage List

05Free

Deep facts

Economy
GDP	≈ $64.8 billionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Per person	≈ $5,148Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Top exports	gold, natural gas, precious metal ore, zinc ore, soybean meal (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗

Population
Population	12.6 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Median age	27 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Life expectancy	72.5 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Religions	Roman Catholic 65%, Protestant 19.6% (Evangelical (non-specific) 11.9%, Evangelical Baptist 2.1%, Evangelical Pentecostal 1.8%, Evangelical Methodist 0.7%, Adventist 2.8%, Protestant (non-specific) 0.3%), Believer (not belonging to the church) 0.9%, other 4.8%, atheist 1.7%, agnostic 0.6%, none 6.1%, unspecified 1.3% (2023 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2023 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗

Geography
Area	1,098,581 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Climate	varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiaridSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Terrain	rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon BasinSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗

Government
Type of government	presidential republicSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Calling code	+591Source: libphonenumber · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗

About the data

Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.

From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.

CDC · 24 Oct 2026 ↗GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Nager.Date · 23 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗U.S. Department of State · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗

Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).