Indigenous peoples in Bolivia

Native Bolivians
Bolivianos Nativos (Spanish)
Aymara ceremony with wiphalas in Copacabana, near Lake Titicaca (2010)
Total population
Increase 4,176,647 (2012 census)[1]
Decrease 41.52% of the Bolivian population
Regions with significant populations
Predominantly in the Andean Plateau, the Gran Chaco and Amazon Rainforest
La Paz Department (Bolivia) La Paz1,474,654[1]
Cochabamba Department Cochabamba835,535[1]
Potosí Department Potosí572,314[1]
Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia) Santa Cruz521,814[1]
Chuquisaca Department Chuquisaca289,728[1]
Languages
Spanish • Indigenous languages (including Quechua, Aymara, Guarani, Chiquitano)
Religion
Majority: Catholicism
Minority: Indigenous religion
Related ethnic groups
Indigenous peoples of the Americas

The Indigenous peoples in Bolivia or Native Bolivians (Spanish: Bolivianos Nativos) are Bolivians who have predominantly or total Amerindian ancestry. They constitute anywhere from 20 to 60% of Bolivia's population of 11,306,341,[2] depending on different estimates, and depending notably on the choice Mestizo being available as an answer in a given census, in which case the majority of the population identify as mestizo,[2] and they belong to 36 recognized ethnic groups. Aymara and Quechua are the largest groups.[3] The geography of Bolivia includes the Andes, the Gran Chaco, the Yungas, the Chiquitania and the Amazon Rainforest.

An additional 30–68% of the population is mestizo, having mixed European and indigenous ancestry.[2]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Características de la Población – Censo 2012" [Population Characteristics – 2012 Census] (PDF) (in Spanish). Instituto Nacional de Estadística. p. 103. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021. Excluding Afro-Bolivians (23,330).
  2. ^ a b c "CIA - The World Factbook -- Bolivia". CIA. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
  3. ^ "Indigenous peoples in Bolivia." International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs. Retrieved 2 Dec 2013.