General travel information for Bolivia
Continent: South America
Geographical location: Central South America, located in the southern hemisphere
Highest elevation: Sajama (6542 m above sea level)
Longest river: Río Mamoré (1170 km)
Form of government: Republic System of
Government: Presidential system
Languages: Spanish (official language), plus 36 indigenous languages including Quechua, Aymara and Guaraní
Neighboring countries: Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru, Chile
Capital: Sucre
Area: Approx. 1,100,000 km²
Residents: Approx. 11,100,000 people (2018)
Population density: 10 people per km²
Religions: About 93% followers of Christianity (76% Catholics, 17% Protestants)
Currency: Boliviano (BOB); 1 euro is about 7.3 BOB. The current exchange rates for our travel
destinations can be found at oanda.com Travel Climate: Depending on the altitude: cool-temperate altitude climate, moderate – subtropical altitude climate, savanna climate , tropical climate.
Time zone: UTC-4
Area code: +591
Country code: BOL
Electricity: In Bolivia, the type A and C sockets are used. The mains voltage is 220-230V with a 50Hz change interval.
- Check a2zdirectory for old history of Bolivia and agooddir for modern history of Bolivia.
Travel climate in Bolivia
Travel to Bolivia can be made at any time of the year. The Andes region is most beautiful in the dry season from May to October, the South American winter. Lots of sun and very dry air with daytime temperatures of around 20-25 degrees, night temperatures often drop below freezing point. When it comes to clothing, the “onion principle” has proven its worth, putting on and taking off layer by layer. In the Amazon lowlands, on the other hand, there is a tropical, hot and humid climate all year round with abundant rainfall. The desert-like coastal strip in Perú has a dry and sunny climate with temperatures around 25 degrees. The basin of Lake Titicaca is a special climatic oasis.
Culture and sights in Bolivia
In Bolivia, different myths, rites, textiles, rhythms and dances have developed into the entirety of the Bovilian culture, corresponding to the 35 ethnic groups in the country who live under the most varied of climatic and economic conditions. Added to this are the cultural influences from the Spanish colonial era and the cultural heritage of the Incas.
As in all South American countries, music and dance played an important role in Bolivia, both to celebrate rituals and traditions and as a means of expressing pain and grief, especially during the Spanish colonial era. In addition, literature has also become a formative object of Bovilian culture
The most famous music from Bolivia is the musíca andina, the music of the Andes, which Bovilian musicians have spread to Europe. The melancholy melodies and still come from the Inca times. The somewhat livelier, Spanish-influenced Huayno is usually danced properly. In addition, the Spanish Cueco is danced at almost every folk festival. and there are many other dances with different regional origins. Traditional instruments such as the panpipe and the Andean drum are used in Bolivian music. or the Andean harp. The baroque music of the Jesuit missions is also known for the Bolivian lowlands.
An annual event with international attention is the Bolivian Carnival, with the Oruro Carnival as the most important event.
Since the 1920s, some Indian women in Bolivia and Peru have been dressing in a fashion imported from Europe to South America with hats originally designed for men, which are now incorrectly regarded as typical and can be seen especially on market days. The clothing of these so-called Cholitas consists of the pollera (an overskirt), up to 10 petticoats, the shawl and the typical hat. Cholitas usually appear plump to overweight due to the many layers of clothing.
There are a number of both cultural and natural attractions to discover in Bolivia. When it comes to cultural sights, it is above all the architectural monuments of the Incas that can be found mainly in the Andean region. This includes the Bolivian part of the once 6000 km long Andean road Qhapaq Ñan from Ecuador to Chile, along which the remains of countless Inca buildings, such as hostels, suspension bridges, checkpoints and storage facilities have been preserved. Near the city of Tiawanacu is the pre-Inca ruin site of Tiahuanaco. The ruins of the fortress Samaipata, which is also part of the Inca culture, are located southwest of Santa Cruz.
Also worth seeing are the old towns of La Paz, Sucre and Potsoi.
The natural beauties of Bolivia can mainly be admired in the national parks that were created to protect them. Above all, a visit to the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park in the Amazon basin with its diverse Bolivian flora and fauna is recommended. Of course, the nature parks in the Andes such as Tunari, Sajama or Madidi also offer magnificent landscapes. A trip through Bolivia also includes a visit to Lake Titicaca with the lunar island of Isla de la Luna, the salt lake Salar de Uyuni or the valley of the moon, Valle de la Luna, near La Paz.
Holidays with fixed dates in Bolivia
Jan 1st New Year
Jan 22nd Foundation of the plurinational state
In Feb. Carnival Monday
In Feb. Carnival Tuesday
In April Good Friday
May 1st Labor Day
May / June Corpus Christi
June 21st Aymara New Year’s Day
June 22nd Job free for Aymara New Year’s Day
6 Aug Independence Day
2 Nov All Saints Day
25 Dec Christmas
Medical information for Bolivia
For legal reasons, we as a tour operator are not allowed to communicate any binding medical information for Bolivia and therefore refer to the information provided by the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Robert Koch Institute and the German Society for Tropical Medicine and International Health
Travel advice for Bolivia
You can obtain current travel and safety advice, information on entering and leaving the country, as well as special criminal information and recommendations for your stay in Bolivia from the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Mission abroad in Bolivia
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in La Paz (there are other honorary consulates in Cochabamba, Santa Cruz and Tarija)
Administrative district / consular district: Bolivia
Place: La Paz
Street address: Avenida Arce No. 2395 at the corner of Calle Belisario Salinas, La Paz
Postal address: Embajada de la República Federal de Alemania, Casilla 5265, La Paz, Bolivia
Phone: +591 2 244 00 66, +591 2 244 00 88, +591 2 244 06 06, +591 2 244 75 00, +591 2 244 05 12
Fax: +591 2 244 14 41
Email: Contact form
Website: http://www.la-paz.diplo.de
Official languages in the host country: Spanish
Embassy of the Plurinational State of Bolivia in Berlin
(there are other honorary consulates in Hamburg, Königstein and Munich, among others)
Place: Berlin
Street address: Wichmannstraße 6
Postal address: Wichmannstraße 6, 10787 Berlin
Telephone: 030 26 39 15 0
Fax: 030 26 39 15 15
E- Mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.bolivia.de