Ecuador and Bolivia
Ecuador and Bolivia maintain diplomatic and academic cooperation and share the Andean Community. A memorandum between their diplomatic academies signed in May 2025 adds training exchanges to a regional agenda covering security, labor mobility and social protection.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08Bilateral context
On 23 May 2025, during contacts linked to Ecuador's presidential inauguration, Gabriela Sommerfeld met Bolivian foreign minister Celinda Sosa Lunda.
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, goods trade between Ecuador and Bolivia totalled 274.2 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, pharmaceutical products stands out in shipments from Ecuador to Bolivia, at 1.2 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 274.17 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Ecuador to Bolivia | 22.38 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Bolivia to Ecuador | 251.8 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Ecuador to Bolivia | ||
| Export share: Bolivia to Ecuador | ||
| Investment stock: Ecuador in Bolivia | ||
| Investment stock: Bolivia in Ecuador |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter ECU. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
- Goods: Ecuador to Bolivia
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter ECU. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
- Goods: Bolivia to Ecuador
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter ECU. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | Ecuador | Bolivia |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 130.32 billion USD2025 · WB | 64.77 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 7,125.28 USD2025 · WB | 5,147.81 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 3.73 %2025 · WB | -1.58 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | ||
| Inflation · annual average | 0.71 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 19.52 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | ||
| Unemployment | 3.31 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 2.97 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -2.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -11.6 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 54.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 84.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | 5.91 %2025 · WB | -1.88 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 18,289,8962025 · WB | 12,581,8432025 · WB |
| Area | 256,370 km²2023 · WB | 1,098,580 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDEcuador: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Bolivia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personEcuador: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Bolivia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Ecuador: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Bolivia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Ecuador: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Bolivia: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency stated
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionEcuador: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Bolivia: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Ecuador: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Bolivia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Ecuador: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Bolivia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPEcuador: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Bolivia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleEcuador: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Bolivia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceEcuador: 2023 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Bolivia: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Ecuador to Bolivia
Bolivia to Ecuador
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Meat and edible offal | 6.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 0.625 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 0.116 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 0.112 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 0.00126 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Millions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | Ecuador to Bolivia | Bolivia to Ecuador |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 402.5 | 36.9 | 365.6 |
| 2022 | 521.9 | 38.5 | 483.4 |
| 2023 | 520.3 | 35.3 | 485 |
| 2024 | 369.7 | 23.9 | 345.8 |
| 2025 | 274.2 | 22.4 | 251.8 |
Connections between people
On 23 May 2025, during contacts linked to Ecuador's presidential inauguration, Gabriela Sommerfeld met Bolivian foreign minister Celinda Sosa Lunda. The instrument envisages information exchange on training, courses and seminars, as well as mobility for diplomats, teachers and researchers. The Andean Community provides an additional framework shared with Colombia and Peru. When handing over the regional presidency in September 2026, Ecuador reported progress on organized crime, updating the Andean Migration Statute and developing labor skills certification with the ILO. [1] [2]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Ecuador living in Bolivia | ||
| Residents from Bolivia living in Ecuador | ||
| Study and training: Ecuador in Bolivia | ||
| Study and training: Bolivia in Ecuador | ||
| Academic stays: Ecuador in Bolivia | ||
| Academic stays: Bolivia in Ecuador | ||
| Travel: Ecuador to Bolivia | ||
| Travel: Bolivia to Ecuador |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for Ecuador is 130.3 billion USD (2025), compared with 64.8 for Bolivia (2025). The reference populations are 18.29 and 12.58 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of Ecuador was 2.01 times that of Bolivia in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [5] [6] [7] [8]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Bilateral context
On 23 May 2025, during contacts linked to Ecuador's presidential inauguration, Gabriela Sommerfeld met Bolivian foreign minister Celinda Sosa Lunda. They signed a memorandum between Ecuador's Galo Plaza Lasso Diplomatic Academy and Bolivia's Plurinational Diplomatic Academy. [1] [2]
Cooperation and bilateral issues
The instrument envisages information exchange on training, courses and seminars, as well as mobility for diplomats, teachers and researchers. The Andean Community provides an additional framework shared with Colombia and Peru. When handing over the regional presidency in September 2026, Ecuador reported progress on organized crime, updating the Andean Migration Statute and developing labor skills certification with the ILO. These are measures of a four-country framework, not exclusive agreements between Quito and La Paz. [1] [2]
Andean framework
Ecuador's CAN presidency from September 2025 to September 2026 promoted implementation of Decision 922 against organized crime and a social and mobility agenda. Bolivia participated as a member alongside Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. [2]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (Ecuador and Bolivia) totalled 274.2 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 22.4 million; those in the opposite direction, 251.8 million. The difference between the two flows was 229.4 million, in favour of Bolivia. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [3]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 402.5 million USD in 2021 and 274.2 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was -31.9 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2022, at 521.9 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [3]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, pharmaceutical products stands out in shipments from Ecuador to Bolivia, at 1.2 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, meat and edible offal stands out in shipments from Bolivia to Ecuador, at 6.1 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [4]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — ECU-BOL
www.cancilleria.gob.ec · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bilateral relations — ECU-BOL
www.cancilleria.gob.ec · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- UN Comtrade annual data; reused verified primary payload, not re-downloaded
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Official series — gdp
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official series — population
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.