Bolivia population pyramid 2026
Latin America and the Caribbean · South America
12,749,291 people in 2026 (projected). Bolivia’s pyramid is smooth and still broad-based, but its four youngest bands are now almost equal in size as fertility nears replacement level.
- 2026 population
- 12.7Mrank 79 of 237
- Median age
- 25.5 yearsoldest rank 165
- Fertility rate
- 2.47births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Transitional5.8% age 65+
Bolivia population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
Hover over or tap a bar to see exact values.
Download this population pyramid
Use the publication-ready SVG, create a high-resolution PNG, or download the complete age-by-sex dataset.
The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Bolivia age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 29.1% of the population, while 5.8% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 65.1% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Bolivia’s age structure as transitional; the guide to population pyramid types explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 53.7: about 54 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (44.7 children and 9.0 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Bolivia’s population pyramid
A slower transition than its neighbours
Bolivia’s fertility decline began later and has been more gradual than in most of South America. Women averaged more than six children around 1960 and about four in 2000; in 2023 the rate was 2.55, still well above the levels in neighbouring countries such as Argentina. Mortality has also remained relatively high: infant mortality fell from about 168 per 1,000 live births in 1950 to about 32 in 2023, but this rate has long been among the highest on the continent, and life expectancy in 2026 is about 67 for men and 72 for women.
The result is a pyramid that is still triangular above age 30 but has stopped widening at the bottom. The bands from 0–4 to 15–19 are nearly identical in size, which means the annual number of births has been roughly stable for about two decades: falling fertility has been offset by the growing number of women of childbearing age. The chart shows no notches or bulges; the slope is regular, without the scars of war or abrupt policy change seen in many other countries. Bolivia’s 2026 structure is closest to those of Laos and Nicaragua.
Emigration without a visible gap
Bolivians have emigrated in significant numbers, notably to Argentina, Chile and, in the 2000s, Spain. The UN estimates a net outflow of about 580,000 between 1950 and 1999 and 300,000 more between 2000 and 2023. Relative to the population this is modest, and it leaves no clear mark on the pyramid: men and women are almost evenly balanced up to the early fifties, and women become a clear majority only from the sixties, reaching about 69 men per 100 women at 80–84.
In 1950 the picture was different. Women outnumbered men at every age above 25, and people aged 65 and over formed about 6% of the population, a larger share than in 2000. The chart alone cannot establish why the older population was relatively so large at that time.
A long, slow approach to a peak
Births still outnumber deaths by almost three to one. Under the UN medium scenario the population rises from about 12.7 million in 2026 to 16.1 million in 2050 and peaks at about 17.9 million in 2086, with deaths first exceeding births in 2089. The guide to population momentum explains why growth continues for so long after fertility approaches replacement.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Bolivia’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Births outnumber deaths in 2026; the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2089. People aged 65 and older are projected to outnumber children under 15 by 2085.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Bolivia is projected to record 261,496 births (about 716 births a day) and 91,521 deaths, a natural increase of 169,975. Net migration adds −3,157 people, ranking #113 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 6,218,605 births, 2,120,027 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −303,039. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −84,471 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 71.7 years43.1 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 66.6 years38.4 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 15.0 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 29.6per 1,000 births · 168 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 38.5per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 28.1 yearssex ratio at birth 104.2
Women in Bolivia are projected to live 5.1 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 168 to 29.6 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #39 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 28.1 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Bolivia
The median age of 25.5 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 2.47 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 69.1 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,749,291 | #79 | Largest first |
| Median age | 25.5 years | #165 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 2.47 | #80 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +1.3% | #78 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 69.1 years | #184 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 5.8% | #160 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Bolivia
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | 1,258,128 | 9.9% | 640.3K / 617.8K |
| 2 | 5–9 | 1,232,772 | 9.7% | 627K / 605.7K |
| 3 | 10–14 | 1,219,472 | 9.6% | 619.8K / 599.7K |
| 4 | 15–19 | 1,195,428 | 9.4% | 606.8K / 588.6K |
| 5 | 20–24 | 1,136,190 | 8.9% | 574.8K / 561.4K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Bolivia has 6,384,681 males and 6,364,610 females. That is 100.3 males per 100 females, ranking #74 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 50.1% of the population and females for 49.9%. There are 20,071 more males than females overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 81.0 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 104.2 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Bolivia has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 3,089,969 in 1950 to 12,749,291 in 2026, a change of 313%. Over the same span, median age moved from 19.6 to 25.5 years.
The under-15 share changed from 39.4% to 29.1%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 6.1% to 5.8%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Bolivia’s population is projected to grow by about 26%, reaching 16,110,162 in 2050. The median age changes from 25.5 to 31.9 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 4.0 percentage points to 9.8%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 22.8%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 17,909,130 in 2086. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3,089,969 | 19.6 | 6.19 | 40.7 | 133,003 | 79,841 | −7,397 | +1.5% |
| 1960 | 3,702,323 | 18.6 | 6.27 | 43.3 | 162,555 | 84,052 | −3,144 | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 4,590,010 | 18.4 | 6.00 | 47.1 | 195,854 | 87,957 | −4,915 | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 5,758,900 | 18.3 | 5.47 | 51.8 | 228,742 | 88,283 | −11,762 | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 7,130,142 | 18.6 | 4.90 | 56.8 | 257,156 | 85,807 | −21,917 | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 8,606,326 | 19.9 | 3.99 | 62.1 | 256,865 | 83,866 | −26,940 | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 10,182,345 | 21.5 | 3.21 | 66.0 | 260,864 | 81,828 | −12,590 | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 11,816,299 | 24.0 | 2.65 | 62.9 | 259,912 | 128,039 | −4,663 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 12,244,160 | 24.7 | 2.55 | 68.6 | 260,151 | 87,812 | −3,008 | +1.4% |
| 2024* | 12,413,315 | 24.9 | 2.52 | 68.7 | 261,003 | 89,024 | −3,000 | +1.4% |
| 2026* | 12,749,291 | 25.5 | 2.47 | 69.1 | 261,496 | 91,521 | −3,157 | +1.3% |
| 2030* | 13,405,564 | 26.6 | 2.38 | 69.7 | 261,371 | 97,262 | −3,074 | +1.2% |
| 2040* | 14,899,396 | 29.3 | 2.19 | 71.2 | 254,549 | 115,095 | −3,549 | +0.9% |
| 2050* | 16,110,162 | 31.9 | 2.06 | 72.6 | 246,054 | 136,912 | −3,398 | +0.7% |
| 2060* | 17,007,283 | 34.2 | 1.96 | 74.0 | 236,288 | 159,093 | −3,398 | +0.4% |
| 2070* | 17,590,206 | 36.3 | 1.90 | 75.4 | 226,437 | 180,977 | −3,317 | +0.2% |
| 2080* | 17,867,661 | 38.2 | 1.85 | 76.9 | 214,634 | 197,935 | −3,169 | +0.1% |
| 2090* | 17,899,006 | 39.7 | 1.83 | 78.2 | 204,464 | 207,480 | −2,797 | -0.0% |
| 2100* | 17,760,564 | 41.1 | 1.79 | 79.6 | 193,045 | 212,399 | −2,807 | -0.1% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 640,282 | 617,846 | 1,258,128 | 9.9% |
| 5–9 | 627,031 | 605,741 | 1,232,772 | 9.7% |
| 10–14 | 619,820 | 599,652 | 1,219,472 | 9.6% |
| 15–19 | 606,823 | 588,605 | 1,195,428 | 9.4% |
| 20–24 | 574,813 | 561,377 | 1,136,190 | 8.9% |
| 25–29 | 550,638 | 541,987 | 1,092,625 | 8.6% |
| 30–34 | 518,181 | 512,633 | 1,030,814 | 8.1% |
| 35–39 | 469,141 | 463,718 | 932,859 | 7.3% |
| 40–44 | 398,933 | 394,002 | 792,935 | 6.2% |
| 45–49 | 340,325 | 341,558 | 681,883 | 5.3% |
| 50–54 | 285,992 | 288,441 | 574,433 | 4.5% |
| 55–59 | 235,284 | 240,814 | 476,098 | 3.7% |
| 60–64 | 183,994 | 196,415 | 380,409 | 3.0% |
| 65–69 | 135,482 | 152,168 | 287,650 | 2.3% |
| 70–74 | 91,040 | 108,066 | 199,106 | 1.6% |
| 75–79 | 57,013 | 73,961 | 130,974 | 1.0% |
| 80–84 | 31,886 | 45,922 | 77,808 | 0.6% |
| 85–89 | 12,678 | 21,078 | 33,756 | 0.3% |
| 90–94 | 4,422 | 8,336 | 12,758 | 0.1% |
| 95–99 | 831 | 2,022 | 2,853 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 74 | 267 | 341 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Bolivia’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Laos99% overlap · median age 25.3
- Nicaragua98% overlap · median age 26.3
- Haiti98% overlap · median age 24.3
- Djibouti98% overlap · median age 25.2
- Bangladesh98% overlap · median age 26.3
- Honduras98% overlap · median age 24.6
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Bolivia.
Use this chart in your work
Charts and tables may be reused with attribution. Please link to this page and credit the United Nations as the data source.
Embed the population pyramid
Cite this page
APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Bolivia Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/bolivia/
MLA
“Bolivia Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/bolivia/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Bolivia Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/bolivia/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bolivia in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Bolivia's population in 2026 is projected at 12,749,291.
What is the median age in Bolivia?
The projected median age in Bolivia in 2026 is 25.5 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Bolivia?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 2.47 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Bolivia's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 26%, from 12.7M to 16.1M.
What share of Bolivia is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 5.8% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 9.8%.
How many babies are born in Bolivia each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 261,496 births and 91,521 deaths in 2026, about 716 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 169,975.
What is life expectancy in Bolivia for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 71.7 years for women and 66.6 years for men, a gap of 5.1 years in favour of women.
Does Bolivia have more immigrants or emigrants?
Bolivia is projected to lose about 3,157 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −303,039.
What is the sex ratio in Bolivia?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 100.3 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.