Bolivia

Bolivia is a democratic, pro-business country with a long mining history dating back to the Spanish colonial period in the 15th Century. Mining in Bolivia has been known for producing silver, zinc, lead, tin, iron and antimony. It is also well-known for other resources such as natural gas, petroleum, timber and hydropower. The country has a population of approximately 8.9 million people.

Bolivia is the site of the most prolific silver mine in history. Cerro Rico de Potosi produced over 2 billion ounces of silver for the Spanish from 1545 to 1825. Other international companies with major projects in Bolivia and the surrounding Andean region include; Newmont (Kori Chaka), Coeur d'Alene (San Bartolome), Anglo American (Collahuasi), Phelps Dodge (El Abra), Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton (Escondida), Apex Silver (San Cristobal), Pan American Silver (San Vicente), and Comsur who operate the original Bolivar Goldfields.

Bolivia's major trade partner is Brazil, accounting for 37% of exports and 25% of imports.