Bolivia

In 114th position on the UNDP human Development Index scale, Bolivia is one of the poorest Latin American countries, with 62.7% of its population living under the national poverty line. Indigenous people represent two-thirds of the country’s population. In the last 50 years, Bolivia’s total population has tripled in size. This increase was accompanied by an intense urbanization process. Between 1950 and 2000, the rural population decreased from 65% to 35% of the national population. In 2000, 15% of the population was aged less than 5 years, 40% less than 15, and 59% less than 25. The total fertility rate, 4.4 in 2000, remains high. The infant mortal-ity rate has dropped and the government's policy of expanding the Basic Health Insurance to provide all services to pregnant women, to new mothers up to six months after childbirth and to children up to five years of age, should result in further mortality reduction. However, chronic malnutrition and anaemia in children under three still per-sists. The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) has resulted in high levels of immunization coverage.

Crisis involving: Part of the Population.

• WHO Country information
• Website of the Regional Office for the Americas

• Country profile
  pdf, 61kb
  December 2005