Introduction: Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and countercoups. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. In December 2005, Bolivians elected Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's traditional political class and empower the nation's poor, indigenous...

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Economic Overview: In 2010-2011 foreign direct investment grew by 41 percent to US$319 million with 74 percent of this directed to the hydrocarbon and manufacturing sectors. The dramatic increase in investment comes after a drop in foreign investment coinciding with the global financial crisis. The leading source countries include Spain, Sweden and Brazil. The state owned oil and gas company also intends to seek US$10.7 billion in investment by 2015, indicating government recognition of a role for foreign investment in the country. World Bank figures show the hydrocarbon sector grew by 15 percent in 2011. The oil and gas sectors also showed signs of growth in ...

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