From The Rio Times · Contributing Reporter · · 1m 50s
Bolivia Population and Ethnic Groups Explained
Bolivia's population grew 13% since 2012 with 38.7% identifying as Indigenous.
In brief
Bolivia's population grew 13% since 2012 with 38.7% identifying as Indigenous. Bolivia's 2024 census shows 11.3 million people, 38.7% self-identify as Indigenous, and 76.8% speak Spanish first. Originally reported by The Rio Times.
Population Growth
Bolivia's population grew 13% since 2012 to 11,365,333 people at the March 2024 census.
Age Distribution
The median age is 27 years with 27% under 15 and 7% aged 65 or older.
Urban Concentration
69% of Bolivians live in cities, with Santa Cruz and La Paz departments holding 3 million people each.
Indigenous Identity
38.7% of people self-identify as Indigenous, mainly Quechua and Aymara peoples.
Language Patterns
Spanish is the first language of 76.8% of people aged 4 and over, with Quechua and Aymara following.
Department Breakdown
Santa Cruz leads with 3,122,605 people, followed by La Paz with 3,030,917 and Cochabamba with 2,016,357.
Migration Trends
Bolivia reports 329,047 relatives living abroad, with Chile as the top destination at 33.3%.
Indigenous Language Use
37.1% of Bolivians aged 6 and over speak at least one Indigenous language.
Rural vs Urban Identity
68.1% of rural residents identify as Indigenous versus 25.6% in cities.
Population by Department
Potosí has 61.8% Indigenous identification, while Santa Cruz has only 16.3%.
Language Shifts
Quechua and Aymara share 13.2% and 7.3% of the population, down from 17.6% and 10.9% in 2012.
Emigration Patterns
Bolivia has 175,017 foreign-born residents, with Argentina as the largest group at 58,886.
Urban Indigenous Population
2 million Indigenous residents live in urban areas, with 37.6% of Bolivians speaking multiple languages.
What's Next
Bolivia's population continues to age with growing urbanization and Indigenous identity.
At a glance
Bolivia's 2024 census shows 11.3 million people, 38.7% self-identify as Indigenous, and 76.8% speak Spanish first.
