Bolivia spent US$13.05 billion on products imported from around the world in 2022.

That dollar metric results from a 30.5% increase compared to $10 billion for 2018.

From 2021 to 2022, Bolivian spending on imported goods accelerated by 36.5% from $9.6 billion.

Applying a continental lens, 50.5% of Bolivia’s total imports by value were purchased from fellow Latin American countries excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean. Asian trade partners supplied 28.5% of import sales to Bolivia while 10.6% worth of goods originated from North America. Another 10.3% came from suppliers in Europe.

Tinier percentages trace back to shippers in Africa (0.1%) and Oceania (0.06%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

Given Bolivia’s population of 11.96 million people, its total $13.05 billion in 2022 imports translates to roughly $1,100 in yearly product demand from every person in the South American country. That per-capita amount exceeds an average $800 for Bolivia in 2021.

Bolivia’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Bolivia’s import purchases during 2022 at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Bolivia.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$4.4 billion (33.8% of total imports)
2. Machinery including computers: $1.4 billion (10.4%)
3. Vehicles: $1.1 billion (8.3%)
4. Electrical machinery, equipment: $655 million (5%)
5. Plastics, plastic articles: $633.8 million (4.9%)
6. Iron, steel: $603.7 million (4.6%)
7. Other chemical goods: $471.1 million (3.6%)
8. Articles of iron or steel: $262.9 million (2%)
9. Pharmaceuticals: $248.5 million (1.9%)
10. Rubber, rubber articles: $245.8 million (1.9%)

Bolivia’s top 10 import categories generated over three-quarters (76.4%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

The fastest gainers among these top import categories were mineral fuels including oil (up 97.6% from 2021), rubber both as a material and items made from rubber (up 38.4%), then Bolivia’s imports of machinery including computers (up 34.9%).

The sole decliner among the leading imports was the pharmaceuticals product category, recording a -3.2% reduction.

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level.

Information presented in the sections below is at the more granular 4-digit level.

Top Mineral Fuels Products Imported by Bolivia Including Oil

In 2022, Bolivian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.

1. Processed petroleum oils: US$4.4 billion (up 97.7% from 2021)
2. Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $34.4 million (up 112.4%)
3. Petroleum oil residues: $16.4 million (up 88.8%)
4. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $5 million (up 36.7%)
5. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $2.2 million (up 53.6%)
6. Natural bitumen, asphalt, shale: $299,000 (up 30%)
7. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $253,000 (up 155.6%)
8. Lignite: $150,000 (up 154.2%)
9. Peat: $51,000 (down -59.2%)
10. Petroleum gases: $39,000 (down -82.4%)

Among these import subcategories, Bolivian purchases of high-temperature distilled coal tar oils (up 155.6%), lignite (up 154.2%), then asphalt or petroleum bitumen mixes (up 112.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of mineral fuels-related imports among Bolivian businesses and consumers.

Top Machinery Products Imported by Bolivia Including Computers

In 2022, Bolivian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.

1. Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): US$134.8 million (up 83.9% from 2021)
2. Refrigerators, freezers: $81.1 million (down -8.5%)
3. Computers, optical readers: $69.4 million (up 16.2%)
4. Harvest/threshing machinery: $68.5 million (up 114.9%)
5. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $53.7 million (up 29.6%)
6. Industrial or laboratory furnaces, ovens: $53.3 million (up 1,079%)
7. Miscellaneous machinery: $52.6 million (up 90.1%)
8. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $45.8 million (up 17.8%)
9. Soil preparation or cultivation material: $44.9 million (up 54.5%)
10. Liquid pumps and elevators: $44.9 million (up 9.5%)

Among these import subcategories, Bolivian purchases of industrial or laboratory furnaces and ovens (up 1,079%), harvest or threshing machinery (up 114.9%), then miscellaneous machinery (up 90.1%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of machinery-related imports among Bolivian businesses and consumers.

Top Vehicles Products Imported by Bolivia

In 2022, Bolivian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles and related products.

1. Cars: US$444 million (up 20.1% from 2021)
2. Trucks: $197.3 million (up 5.6%)
3. Tractors: $149.3 million (up 54.9%)
4. Automobile parts/accessories: $107.6 million (up 30.7%)
5. Motorcycles: $81.1 million (up 1.1%)
6. Public-transport vehicles: $52.4 million (up 25.9%)
7. Trailers: $21.2 million (up 29%)
8. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $13.3 million (up 0.4%)
9. Special purpose vehicles: $7 million (up 207%)
10. Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $4.8 million (down -54.1%)

Among these import subcategories, Bolivian purchases of special purpose vehicles (up 207%), tractors (up 54.9%), then automobile parts or accessories (up 30.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of vehicles-related imports among Bolivian businesses and consumers.

Top Electronics Products Imported by Bolivia

In 2022, Bolivian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electrical products including consumer electronics.

1. Phone devices including smartphones: US$122 million (up 3.8% from 2021)
2. Insulated wire/cable: $75.7 million (up 25%)
3. Electric generating sets, converters: $74.9 million (up 338.3%)
4. Electrical converters/power units: $41.2 million (down -38.3%)
5. TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $38.7 million (down -3.5%)
6. Electric storage batteries: $33.9 million (up 21.4%)
7. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $28 million (up 10%)
8. Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $23.6 million (down -0.6%)
9. Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $18.3 million (up 16.9%)
10. Microphones/headphones/amps: $17.7 million (up 13%)

Among these import subcategories, Bolivian purchases of electric generating sets or converters (up 338.3%), insulated wire or cable (up 25%), then electric storage batteries (up 21.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of electrical goods-related imports among Bolivian businesses and consumers.
 

See also Bolivia’s Top 10 Exports, Brazil’s Top 10 Imports, Brazil’s Top Trade Partners, Argentina’s Top 10 Exports and Top South American Export Countries

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Imports – Commodities. Accessed on June 2, 2023

Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on June 2, 2023

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 2, 2023

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on June 2, 2023

Wikipedia, Bolivia. Accessed on June 2, 2023

Wikipedia, Airlines of Bolivia. Accessed on June 2, 2023

Wikipedia, Category: Banks of Bolivia. Accessed on June 2, 2023

Wikipedia, Oil and Gas Companies of Bolivia. Accessed on June 2, 2023