Bolivia
About Bolivia
Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a sovereign country located in South America, specifically within the South America subregion. Its capital and largest urban centre is Sucre, and the country is home to approximately 11.4 million people. In its native languages, the country is known as “Wuliwya”, “Volívia”, “Buliwya”. Aymara, Guaraní, Quechua and Spanish are recognised as official or widely-spoken languages, shaping daily communication, education, government, and media throughout Bolivia. The official currency in circulation is the Bolivian boliviano (Bs.), used for all domestic transactions and price-tagged goods. Bolivia is widely recognised for the Salar de Uyuni salt flats, Lake Titicaca and the city of La Paz. People from Bolivia are referred to as Bolivian.
Geography & climate
Bolivia covers approximately 1.10 million km² of territory, making it a large country by land area. It shares land borders with 5 neighbouring countries — a position that has historically influenced migration patterns, regional politics, and cross-border commerce. Geographically, Bolivia sits in the Southern and Western Hemisphere, at roughly 17.0° S, 65.0° W. Standard civil time follows UTC-04:00 year-round, simplifying scheduling for residents and visitors alike. The prevailing climate of Bolivia can be summarised as: andean highlands & amazon with cold plateau, tropical lowlands. Local weather patterns naturally vary by altitude, latitude, and proximity to oceans or mountain ranges.
People, language & society
With roughly 11.4 million inhabitants, Bolivia is a country of significant population size. Linguistic life is plural here: Aymara, Guaraní, Quechua and Spanish are all in active use, with regional and minority tongues often adding further variety. Locals refer to their homeland as “Wuliwya” or “Volívia”, a name with linguistic and historical roots that long predate modern borders. Citizens are formally known in English as Bolivian, a demonym that appears in passports, official documents, and international reporting. Economically, the Bolivian boliviano (Bs.) is the medium of exchange used by households and businesses, with exchange rates monitored by the country's central monetary authority.
Quick facts at a glance
- 🏙️ CapitalSucre
- 📛 Official namePlurinational State of Bolivia
- 🗣️ Native nameWuliwya · Volívia · Buliwya · Bolivia
- 🧑 DemonymBolivian
- 📍 RegionAndean South America
- 🌐 SubregionSouth America
- 📐 Area1.10 million km²
- 👥 Population11.4 million
- 🌡️ ClimateAndean highlands & Amazon · Cold plateau, tropical lowlands
- 🗺️ Land borders5
- 💬 LanguagesAymara, Guaraní, Quechua, Spanish
- 💰 CurrencyBolivian boliviano (Bs.)
- 📞 Calling code+591
- 🌐 Internet TLD.bo
- 🚗 Drives onright side
- 🕐 Time zoneUTC-04:00
- 🇺🇳 UN memberYes
Practical travel & daily-life info
Visitors planning a trip to Bolivia should familiarise themselves with the capital, Sucre, the local time zone (UTC-04:00), the local currency (Bolivian boliviano). The international dialling prefix is +591, which is required when phoning a Bolivia number from abroad. Vehicles drive on the right side of the road, an important detail for anyone renting a car or crossing a land border by vehicle. The country's top-level internet domain is .bo, used by local businesses, government sites, and many news organisations. The working week traditionally starts on Monday, which affects business hours, banking, and public holidays.
Government & global standing
Bolivia is recognised internationally as a sovereign, independent state. It is a member state of the United Nations, participating in the General Assembly and various specialised UN agencies. On the global stage, Bolivia is generally classified within the South America region and more specifically the South America subregion, alongside neighbouring states with shared geographic, historical, or economic ties. GlobeIQ groups it under "Andean South America" for the purposes of the game's regional hint.
Bordering countries
Bolivia shares land borders with 5 countries. Click any neighbour to read about it:
Did you know?
The world's largest salt flat sprawls across the highlands — so flat that satellites use it for altitude calibration, and it holds half the world's lithium.
Bolivia in the GlobeIQ atlas
Inside the GlobeIQ game, Bolivia appears as a moderately challenging puzzle, suited to players who already know the major continents. When the daily puzzle selects this country, players progressively unlock six hints — silhouette, climate and terrain, number of land borders, region, "known for" tagline, and finally the capital city — before a flag reveal confirms the answer. On its trophy card, Bolivia carries the personality tags “🧂 Mirror Salt Flats” and “🏔️ Andean Heart”, short flavour labels chosen to evoke the country's most recognisable cultural signatures. Adding Bolivia to your personal atlas is one of 195 small wins on the road to a complete world map. Each correctly guessed nation also contributes to your running streak and unlocks milestone celebrations at 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 collected countries.