South America · Andean South America
Bolivia Demographics
Bolivia’s 2024 census counted 11.37 million people, while the World Bank WDI mid-year estimate for the same year is 12.41 million. This profile separates census counts from internationally comparable estimates for population growth, fertility, age structure, life expectancy and urbanization.
Sources used: Bolivia INE Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024, World Bank World Development Indicators via FRED, United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, UNData, PopulationPyramid.net and Worldometer derivative tables based on UN WPP.
Last updated: July 2, 2026
Core Demographic Indicators
Detailed Demographic Indicators
| Indicator | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population, census count | 11,365,333 | 2024 | Bolivia INE, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024 |
| Male population, census count | 5,682,498 | 2024 | Bolivia INE, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024 |
| Female population, census count | 5,682,835 | 2024 | Bolivia INE, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024 |
| Sex ratio, census count | 100.0 males per 100 females | 2024 | Calculated from Bolivia INE male and female counts |
| Population, mid-year estimate | 12,413,315 | 2024 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| Population growth, mid-year estimate | 1.38% | 2024 | Calculated from World Bank WDI 2023 and 2024 population estimates |
| Median age | 24.9 years | 2024 | Worldometer derivative table based on UN WPP 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 2.523 births per woman | 2024 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| Life expectancy at birth, total | 68.739 years | 2024 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| Life expectancy at birth, male | 66.13 years | 2023 | World Bank WDI |
| Life expectancy at birth, female | 71.14 years | 2023 | World Bank WDI |
| Urban population, census count | 7,846,708 | 2024 | Bolivia INE, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024 |
| Rural population, census count | 3,518,625 | 2024 | Bolivia INE, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024 |
| Urban population share, census count | 69.0% | 2024 | Bolivia INE, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024 |
| Population aged 0-14, census count | 3,063,844 people · 27.0% | 2024 | Bolivia INE, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024 |
| Population aged 15-64, census count | 7,460,214 people · 65.6% | 2024 | Calculated from Bolivia INE 15-39 and 40-64 census groups |
| Population aged 65+, census count | 841,275 people · 7.4% | 2024 | Bolivia INE, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024 |
| Population aged 0-14, WDI share | 29.79% | 2024 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| Population aged 15-64, WDI share | 64.57% | 2024 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| Population aged 65+, WDI share | 5.64% | 2024 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| Net migration | Data not available | Data not available | Source not available in the verified table set |
Table analysis
- The official 2024 census count is 11,365,333, while the WDI mid-year estimate is 12,413,315; they should not be treated as the same measure.
- The census male and female totals are nearly equal: 5,682,498 males and 5,682,835 females.
- The official census urban population is 7,846,708, equal to 69.0% of the counted population.
- The official 65+ group is 7.4% in the census, while the WDI estimate gives 5.64%; this difference reflects source definition and model treatment.
- Net migration is not displayed as a numeric value because a verified primary table was not available in the source set used for this page.
Population Trend
Bolivia Population Trend, 1960-2024
World Bank WDI annual mid-year population estimates, selected years.
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators via FRED. Values are mid-year population estimates, not census counts.
Trend analysis
- The WDI series rises from 3.70 million in 1960 to 12.41 million in 2024.
- The selected-year series more than triples across the 1960-2024 span.
- The chart uses one source and one measure: WDI mid-year population estimates.
- The 2024 WDI value is higher than the 2024 census count because the two sources use different measurement systems.
Historical Population Table
| Year | Population | Change since previous listed year | Percent change | Measure | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3,702,323 | Data not available | Data not available | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1965 | 4,109,796 | 407,473 | 11.0% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1970 | 4,590,010 | 480,214 | 11.7% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1975 | 5,137,539 | 547,529 | 11.9% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1980 | 5,758,900 | 621,361 | 12.1% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1985 | 6,416,185 | 657,285 | 11.4% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1990 | 7,130,142 | 713,957 | 11.1% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1995 | 7,874,676 | 744,534 | 10.4% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2000 | 8,606,326 | 731,650 | 9.3% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2005 | 9,360,754 | 754,428 | 8.8% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2010 | 10,182,345 | 821,591 | 8.8% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2015 | 11,014,705 | 832,360 | 8.2% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2020 | 11,816,299 | 801,594 | 7.3% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2021 | 11,937,360 | 121,061 | 1.0% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2022 | 12,077,154 | 139,794 | 1.2% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2023 | 12,244,159 | 167,005 | 1.4% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2024 | 12,413,315 | 169,156 | 1.4% | Mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
Table analysis
- The historical table uses listed-year intervals, so the change column is not an annual rate except for the adjacent annual rows from 2020 to 2024.
- The WDI series passed 10 million in 2010 and 12 million in 2022.
- The 2023-2024 increase is 169,156, or about 1.38% using the WDI population series.
- These values are model-based international estimates and should be read separately from the 2024 census count.
Broad Age Structure
A verified 5-year age-by-sex table was not available in the accessible source set used here. This section uses official broad census age groups and does not present a full population pyramid.
Bolivia Broad Age Structure, 2024 Census
Official census shares for children, working-age population and older population.
Source: Bolivia INE, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024. The 15-64 count is calculated from the official 15-39 and 40-64 groups.
Chart analysis
- The 2024 census shows 27.0% of the population aged 0-14.
- The combined 15-64 group accounts for 65.6% of the counted population.
- The 65+ group is 7.4% in the official census broad-age table.
- This is a broad age-structure chart, not a population pyramid.
Age Structure Table
| Age group | Population | Share | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-14 | 3,063,844 | 27.0% | 2024 | Bolivia INE, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024 |
| 15-39 | 4,765,577 | 41.9% | 2024 | Bolivia INE, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024 |
| 40-64 | 2,694,637 | 23.7% | 2024 | Bolivia INE, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024 |
| 15-64 | 7,460,214 | 65.6% | 2024 | Calculated from official 15-39 and 40-64 census groups |
| 65+ | 841,275 | 7.4% | 2024 | Bolivia INE, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024 |
Age-sex analysis
- The largest official broad group is ages 15-39, with 4,765,577 people.
- The 15-64 total shown here is a calculated combined group from the official 15-39 and 40-64 rows.
- The 65+ group has 841,275 people in the 2024 census.
- Male and female counts by 5-year age group were not available in the verified data set, so no age-sex pyramid is shown.
Age Structure Source Crosswalk
| Age measure | INE census 2024 | WDI 2024 | Source note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ages 0-14 share | 27.0% | 29.79% | INE is a census distribution; WDI is an internationally comparable estimate. |
| Ages 15-64 share | 65.6% | 64.57% | INE value is calculated from official 15-39 and 40-64 census groups. |
| Ages 65+ share | 7.4% | 5.64% | Different population bases can produce different older-age shares for the same year. |
Method note
- The census and WDI age shares should not be blended into one distribution.
- The 65+ share differs by 1.76 percentage points between the census and WDI rows.
- The table keeps both values visible because both are useful for different tasks: local census reporting and cross-country comparison.
Fertility, Life Expectancy and Urbanization
Fertility Rate Compared With Replacement-Level Benchmark
Total fertility rate in births per woman, 2024.
Source: World Bank WDI via FRED. The 2.1 benchmark is a broad replacement-level reference and is not a country-specific threshold.
Chart analysis
- Bolivia’s 2024 WDI fertility rate is 2.523 births per woman.
- The rate is above the broad 2.1 replacement-level benchmark shown in the chart.
- The comparison is a benchmark check, not a forecast of future population size.
Fertility Rate Table
| Year | Fertility rate | Unit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.273 | Births per woman | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1970 | 6.004 | Births per woman | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1980 | 5.474 | Births per woman | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1990 | 4.900 | Births per woman | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2000 | 3.991 | Births per woman | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2010 | 3.213 | Births per woman | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2020 | 2.651 | Births per woman | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2021 | 2.618 | Births per woman | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2022 | 2.584 | Births per woman | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2023 | 2.547 | Births per woman | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2024 | 2.523 | Births per woman | World Bank WDI via FRED |
Table analysis
- The WDI fertility series declines from 6.273 in 1960 to 2.523 in 2024.
- The 2020-2024 rows show a steady reduction from 2.651 to 2.523.
- The series uses births per woman and should not be read as a count of births.
Life Expectancy by Sex, 2023
World Bank WDI life expectancy at birth, years.
Source: World Bank WDI. Sex-specific values use 2023 because the verified male and female rows available for this page are for that year.
Chart analysis
- Female life expectancy at birth is 71.14 years in 2023.
- Male life expectancy at birth is 66.13 years in 2023.
- The female-male gap is about 5.01 years in the sex-specific 2023 WDI values.
Life Expectancy Table
| Year | Total | Male | Female | Female-male gap | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 43.338 years | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2020 | 62.906 years | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2021 | 61.427 years | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2022 | 67.434 years | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2023 | 68.581 years | 66.13 years | 71.14 years | 5.01 years | World Bank WDI |
| 2024 | 68.739 years | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
Table analysis
- Total life expectancy rises from 43.338 years in 1960 to 68.739 years in 2024 in the WDI series.
- The sex-specific row is kept at 2023 because the verified male and female values available for this page use that year.
- The 2021 value is lower than the adjacent 2020 and 2022 values in the WDI series, so it is left visible rather than smoothed.
Urban and Rural Population Share by Census
Bolivia census distribution, selected census years.
Source: Bolivia INE census results. Urban and rural shares use census classification for each census year.
Chart analysis
- The census urban share rises from 27.1% in 1950 to 69.0% in 2024.
- The rural share falls from 72.9% in 1950 to 31.0% in 2024.
- The 2024 census counted 7,846,708 urban residents and 3,518,625 rural residents.
Urban and Rural Census Table
| Census year | Urban population | Rural population | Urban share | Rural share | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 708,568 | 1,906,324 | 27.1% | 72.9% | Bolivia INE census series |
| 1976 | 1,995,597 | 2,707,095 | 42.4% | 57.6% | Bolivia INE census series |
| 1992 | 3,694,846 | 2,725,946 | 57.5% | 42.5% | Bolivia INE census series |
| 2001 | 5,165,230 | 3,109,095 | 62.4% | 37.6% | Bolivia INE census series |
| 2012 | 6,788,962 | 3,270,894 | 67.5% | 32.5% | Bolivia INE census series |
| 2024 | 7,846,708 | 3,518,625 | 69.0% | 31.0% | Bolivia INE, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024 and census series |
Table analysis
- The census urban count grows from 708,568 in 1950 to 7,846,708 in 2024.
- The 2024 urban share is 69.0%, while the rural share is 31.0%.
- Urban and rural classifications follow census definitions, which can differ from World Bank or UN urban series.
Population Projection
UN WPP Medium-Variant Projection
Scenario-based population values for selected projection years.
Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024 and derivative display tables. Projection values are scenario-based estimates, not guaranteed future counts.
Projection analysis
- The medium-variant projection shown here is 12,581,843 for 2025.
- The selected 2050 projection is 16,110,162.
- The selected 2100 medium-variant projection is 17,760,564.
- The projection line is separate from the historical WDI chart because projection years are scenario-based.
Projection Scenario Table
| Year | Projected population | Scenario | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12,581,843 | UN WPP 2024 medium variant | World Bank WDI and UN WPP 2024 derivative table |
| 2050 | 16,110,162 | UN WPP 2024 medium variant | PopulationPyramid.net based on UN WPP 2024 |
| 2100 | 17,760,564 | UN WPP 2024 medium variant | UNData, UN World Population Prospects 2024 |
Method note
- The table uses selected projection years only; missing intermediate years are not interpolated.
- The scenario label is kept visible because a projection is not an observed count.
- The 2025 value is also present in WDI population tables, while later rows come from UN WPP projection displays.
Demographic Overview
The 2024 census count and the 2024 WDI estimate differ by more than 1 million people, so the page keeps them in separate rows and notes.
The 2024 census broad-age table places 65.6% of the counted population in the combined 15-64 group and 7.4% in the 65+ group.
The WDI fertility rate fell from 6.273 births per woman in 1960 to 2.523 in 2024, remaining above the 2.1 benchmark shown in the chart.
The census urban share reached 69.0% in 2024, with 7,846,708 urban residents and 3,518,625 rural residents.
Only total male and female census counts were verified for this page; detailed 5-year age-by-sex rows were not used.
The UN WPP medium-variant projection shown here reaches 16.11 million in 2050 and 17.76 million in 2100.
Data Sources and Methodology
This page uses official census data where the measure is a census count, and WDI or UN WPP data where the measure is an internationally comparable estimate or projection. Missing fields are not estimated.
| Source | Year or release | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Bolivia Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Censo de Población y Vivienda 2024 | 2024 census results | Census population, male and female totals, urban and rural population, broad age groups and census urbanization table. |
| World Bank World Development Indicators via FRED | Annual series through 2024 | Population time series, calculated 2024 population growth, fertility rate, life expectancy and WDI age-share comparison rows. |
| World Bank World Development Indicators | 2023 sex-specific life expectancy values | Male and female life expectancy rows and chart. |
| United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 and UNData | 2024 revision | Projection coverage note and 2100 medium-variant projection value. |
| PopulationPyramid.net based on UN WPP 2024 | UN WPP 2024 extract | 2050 medium-variant projection value. |
| Worldometer derivative table based on UN WPP 2024 | UN WPP 2024 extract | Median age card and table row only; not used as the primary population source. |
Method note
- Official census counts and WDI mid-year estimates are displayed as separate measures.
- Derived values are labeled: the 2024 WDI growth rate is calculated from the 2023 and 2024 WDI population estimates.
- The official 15-64 census count is calculated from the official 15-39 and 40-64 census rows.
- Projection rows are not combined with observed census rows in the historical population table.
- Net migration and detailed 5-year age-by-sex values are not imputed.
Indicator Definitions
| Indicator | Definition used on this page | Unit | Source note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Census population | Population counted in the national census. | Persons | Bolivia INE 2024 census. |
| Mid-year population estimate | Internationally comparable annual population estimate. | Persons | World Bank WDI via FRED. |
| Population growth | Percent change from the prior WDI annual population value. | Percent | Calculated from WDI values. |
| Fertility rate | Total fertility rate. | Births per woman | World Bank WDI. |
| Life expectancy at birth | Expected years of life at birth under the source’s mortality assumptions. | Years | World Bank WDI. |
| Urban population share | Population classified as urban in the census table. | Percent of census population | Bolivia INE census series. |
| Projection population | Scenario-based population value from UN WPP medium variant. | Persons | UN WPP 2024 and derivative display tables. |
Methodological Safety Note
Methodological Safety Note: Bolivia’s census population, WDI mid-year estimates and UN WPP projections are different measures. Census counts refer to the official enumeration; WDI values are internationally comparable estimates; projection values are scenario-based. Rounding may affect shares. Urban population depends on the census classification used in each year. The 15-64 census count shown here is calculated from official 15-39 and 40-64 rows. Verified 5-year age-by-sex data and a verified net migration table were not available in the source set, so they are not estimated.
Data Notes
Why are two 2024 population values shown?
The census count is an official enumeration of 11,365,333 people. The WDI value is a mid-year estimate of 12,413,315 people. They use different methods and should not be merged.
Is the age chart a population pyramid?
No. A full population pyramid requires verified age groups by sex. The chart shown here is a broad age-structure chart based on official census age groups.
Is Bolivia below replacement-level fertility?
No. The 2024 WDI fertility rate is 2.523 births per woman, above the broad 2.1 replacement-level benchmark used in the comparison chart.
What share of Bolivia’s population is urban in the 2024 census?
The 2024 census reports 7,846,708 urban residents, equal to 69.0% of the counted population.