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Latin America and Caribbean
The territory of present-day Bolivia used to be part of the empire of the Inca kings. In the sixteenth century, however, Spanish conquistadors destroyed the Inca empire and ruthlessly exploited the country. Practically nothing was left of the legendary wealth of silver and the vast profits from the extraction of other mineral resources. Today, Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in South America.
Even after independence in 1825, underdevelopment and political crises marked everyday life. The state and society were badly affected by the aftermath of decades of rule by military dictatorships. Since 1982, Bolivia's economy and its political life have enjoyed greater stability. In particular, the low-lying region around the city of Santa Cruz has become the locomotive of the Bolivian economy. But the majority of the population have not seen lasting improvement in their living conditions. While the proportion of people living in extreme poverty has fallen over the last decade from 45 per cent (2000) to 33 per cent (2008), the gap between rich and poor remains larger in Bolivia than anywhere else in Latin America.
In the presidential elections in December 2005, Evo Morales became the country's first ever indigenous president, winning a surprisingly clear majority of 54 per cent. When re-elected in December 2009, Morales increased his lead even further: the government party MAS (Movimiento al Socialismo) took 64 per cent of the votes, thus acquiring a two-thirds majority in both houses of parliament. His government programme sets its sights on far-reaching economic and societal change. One stated objective is the greater inclusion of the indigenous population, who have often been excluded from policy-making in the past. On 7 February 2009 a new constitution came into force. The new constitution was adopted by a majority of Bolivians in a referendum, and the Morales government plans to use it to help usher in a new model for the state and society.
Relations with Germany
Germany has for many years been one of the most important bilateral partners of Bolivia. Bolivian-German development cooperation concentrates on medium- to long-term structural reforms, with an emphasis on tackling poverty. The priority areas of cooperation are: governance and democracy, water supply and sanitation, and sustainable agricultural development.
German Embassy

German Embassy in Bolivia
Avenida Arce 2395
Esquina C/ Belisario Salinas
La Paz
Bolivia
Phone: +591 / 2 / 2 44 00 66
Fax: +591 / 2 / 2 44 14 41






