Bolivia - Country Information

Film Commissions

General Information

Location: South America
Local Time: GMT -4
Capital City: La Paz (Administrative & Legislative), Sucre (Judicial)
Population: 8.2 million
Area: 1,098,582 square km, 682,658 square miles.
Language(s): Spanish, Quechua, Aymara, Guarani
Dialling Code: 591
Emergency: Police: 110. Fire: 119. Ambulance: 118 (La Paz)
Directory Enquiries:
TV Standard:
Driving: Driving is on the right. International Driving Permit required, this may be issued in Bolivia by the Federacion Inter-Americana de Touring Automovil on presentation of UK licence
Electricity: 220V AC 50Hz (La Paz 110 & 220V)

Business & Currency

Currency: Boliviano (BOB 1 = 100 Centavos)
Notes: BOB: 10, 20, 50, 100, 200
Coins: BOB: 1, 2, 5. Centavos: 10, 20, 50

Credit Cards/Travellers Cheques: Major credit cards & travellers cheques are accepted

Opening Hours
Bank: 0830-1200 & 1430-1800 Mon-Fri
Office: 0830-1200 & 1430-1830 Mon-Fri (0800-1600 public offices)
Shops: 0930-1230 & 1500-1930 Mon-Fri, 1000-1500 Sat

Public Holidays
2008
Jan 1 New Years Day, Feb 4 Carnival, Mar 21 Good Friday, May 1 Labour Day, May 22 Corpus Christi, Aug 6 Independence Day, Nov 1 All Saints Day, Dec 25 Christmas Day

Business/Social Hints: Business is conducted in Spanish or English. On social occasions, eg invitation to restaurants, be reasonably punctual and dress formally unless otherwise indicated. The minimum drinking age is 21 years

Tipping: Service charges are normally added to hotel bills, however additional tips of around 5-10% are customary

Health

Reciprocal health:

Compulsory vaccinations: Yellow fever if arriving from infected areas.

Recommended immunisations: Diphtheria*, hepatitis A, hepatitis B*, malaria*, TB*, tetanus, rabies, typhoid, yellow fever for travellers visiting risk areas such as the Departments of Beni, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz & subtropical area of La Paz Department
* recommended in some circumstances, travellers making 3 or more visits per year, stays of more than 3 months in a rural area, high-risk occupational groups & backpackers staying more than 1 month.

Risks: Malaria exists all year below 2,500 metres, in the departments of Beni, Pando, Santa Cruz & Tarija, and in the provinces of Lacareja, Rurenabaque & North & South Yungas in La Paz Department. Lower risk exists in Cochabamba & Chuquisaca. Rabies.

Airports

Passport & Visa

The following details relate to holders of adult normal passports (requirements for children may be different), if any other type of passport or travel document is held, entry requirements should be checked with the relevant embassy or consulate

Passports

Required, but NOT by the following:
1) Nationals of Bolivia
2) Holders identity cards issued to nationals of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay

Passport Validity: Passports must be valid for at least 6 months

Passport Notes:

Visas

The following DO NOT require a visa:
1) Nationals of Bolivia
2) Returning alien residents provided holding a passport stamped `No requiere visa de reingreso'
3) For tourist visits up to 30 days by:
a) Nationals of Andorra, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Czech Rep, Estonia, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Monaco, Netherland Antilles, Netherlands, New Zealand, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Venezuela
4) For tourist visits up to 90 days by:
a) Nationals of the United Kingdom
b) Nationals of Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Norway, Panama, Panama, Paraguary, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Swenden, Turkey, Uruguay, Vatican City

Air Transit

Required by all except those as noted above and:
1) Persons continuing their journey to a third country by the same flight within 24 hours provided they do not leave the airport or make an overnight stopover and holding confirmed reservations and documents for their onward journey

Exit Permits

Required by nationals and alien residents of Bolivia, to be obtained within 24 hours of departure

Special Notes

Climate

Bolivia can generally be divided into two climates. The west, including the high Andes mountains, where the highest peaks are permamently covered in snow & temperatures are governed by altitude. Northeastern slopes are semi-tropical, although higher slopes can be very cold with frost. The plateau which lies between the eastern & western ranges is extremely high & receives little rain mainly between Dec-Mar. Care should be taken when visiting these mountains as the air is very thin & sunburn a hazard. The east, continuing from the Andes, here the terraine falls suddenly into Amazon Basin rainforest & lowlands. Temperatures & humidity are high all year, but particularly during the heavy rainy season between Nov-Feb

Clothing

Light clothes with rainwear, plus warmer wear if visiting mountain regions

Charts for La Paz

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Max Temp (C) 17 17 18 18 18 17 17 17 18 19 19 18 Min Temp (C) 6 6 6 4 3 1 1 2 3 4 6 6 Humidity am (%) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Humidity pm (%) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Rainfall (mm) 114 107 66 33 13 8 10 13 28 41 48 94

Temperature (C) Rainfall (mm) Humidity (%)

Representative

UK Tourist Office
Information available via www.turismobolivia.bo

Embassy
Embassy of Bolivia
106 Eaton Square
London, SW1W 9AD
tel: +44 20 7235 4255
fax: +44 20 7235 1286
e-mail: info@embassyofbolivia.co.uk
website: www.embassyofbolivia.co.uk
hours: 0930-1730 (Mon-Fri)