Bolivia

Languages:

Bolivia is a multilingual country with Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara being the official languages. Spanish is the most widely spoken language, with approximately 87% of the population speaking it as their first language. Quechua and Aymara are spoken by indigenous populations in the Andean region and the high plains, respectively. Additionally, there are also small communities of speakers of other indigenous languages, such as Guarani and Mojeño. The literacy rate in Bolivia is around 95% for youth and young adults, but it drops to around 60% for adults over 65 years old.

Religion:

Bolivia is a predominantly Catholic country, with approximately 75% of the population identifying as Roman Catholic. However, there is a significant presence of other Christian denominations, such as Evangelicals and Seventh-day Adventists, as well as small communities of Muslims, Jews, and adherents of other religions. Additionally, many indigenous communities in Bolivia practice a syncretic form of religion that combines Catholicism with indigenous beliefs and traditions. The constitution of Bolivia guarantees religious freedom to all citizens, and the government generally respects this right. However, there have been occasional reports of discrimination against religious minorities in the country.

Ethnic Groups:

Mestizo (mixed White and Amerindian ancestry) 68%, Indigenous 20%, White 5%, Cholo/Chola 2%, Black 1%, other 1%, unspecified 3%; 44% of respondents indicated feeling part of some indigenous group, predominantly Quechua or Aymara (2009 est.) note: results among surveys vary based on the wording of the ethnicity question and the available response choices; the 2001 national census did not provide Mestiz as a response choice, resulting in a much higher proportion of respondents identifying themselves as belonging to one of the available indigenous ethnicity choices; the use of Mestiz and Chol varies among response choices in surveys, with surveys using the terms interchangeably, providing one or the other as a response choice, or providing the two as separate response choices