Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/803

 BOLIVIA

681

BOLIVIA.

(Republic A Boliviana.) Constitution and Government.

The Constitution of the Republic of Bolivia (so ^amed in 1825) bears date October 28, 1880. By its provisions the executive power is vested in a President, elected for a term of four years by direct popular vote, and not eligible for re-election ; there is a Congress of two chambers, called the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The suffrage is possessed by all who can read and write. There are 16 Senators (2 for each Department) elected for six years, and 75 Deputies elected for four years. Both Senators and Deputies are elected by direct vote of the people. Of the Senators one-third retire every two years ; of the Deputies one-half retire every two years. Senators receive a salary of 500 bolivianos (40Z.) per month during the sittincrs, which, as a rule, last for 60 days, but may be extended to 90 days, and Deputies receive £3 for each day they attend. Extraordinary sessions may be held for special purposes. There are a President, two Vice-Presidents and a ministry, divided into six departments— of Foreign Relations and Worship ; Finance ; Government and Public Works ; Justice and Industry ; War and Colonisation ; and Education and Agriculture.

President of the Republic. — Senor Eliodoro Villazon, elected for the term 1909-13 (18,000 bolivianos).

The supreme political, administrative, and military authority in each department is vested in a prefect. The Republic is divided into 9 depart- ments, 55 provinces, and 437 cantons and 248 vice-cantons, administered respectively by prefects, sub-prefects, corregidores and alcaldes. Prefects and sub-prefects are appointed by the President of the Republic ; corregidores and alcaldes by the sub-prefects of the provinces. The capital of each depart- ment has its municipal council ; the subdivisions have municipal boards, and the still smaller subdivisions have municipal agents. The territories in the north-east of the Republic and in the Gran Chaco are governed by two officials, called dclegados naeionales.

Departments and Territories

La Paz.

Cocliabamba

Potosi

Santa-Cruz

Chuquisaca

Tarija

Oruro

El Beni.

De los Chiquites

Territories

Area : , \ square ' 1 ■ miles '

53.800 i

23,300

1 48,900

' 141,700

26,400

70,800

19,000

102,100

2,795

119,400

Census 1900

445,616 328,163 325,615 209,592 204,434 102,887 86,081 32,180

10,000

Per Estimated square 1910 i mile 1 1910

516,914 i 0-60

380,669 19-33

377,713 : 7-70

■243,127 j 1-70

237,143 II 1-03

119,439 'i 1-OS

99,854 ;: 5-25

37,830 i 3-60

218,852 !| 82-5

86,984 i 8-09

Total

1

i 708,195

1,744,568

2,267,935 i| 3-38

The Indian population in 1900 was 920,864, or 50-9 pei cent, of the whole: the mixed was 486,018, or 267 percent.; the white was 231,088, or 12-7 per cent.; the negro, 3,945, or 0-21 per cent.; and the unclassified.