Blv, ffclly th Plrntnl Stt f Blv, s lndlckd cntry lctd n cntrl Sth mrc. Th cntry ftrs dvrs ggrphy, ncldng vst mznn plns, trpcl lwlnds, mntns, th Grn Chc Prvnc, wrm vllys, hgh-lttd ndn plts, nd snw-cppd pks, ncmpssng wd rng f clmts nd bms crss ts rgns nd cts. t nclds prt f th Pntnl, th lrgst trpcl wtlnd n th wrld, lng ts strn brdr. t s brdrd by Brzl t th nrth nd st, Prgy t th sthst, rgntn t th sth, Chl t th sthwst, nd Pr t wst. Th st f gvrnmnt s L Pz, whch cntns th xctv, lgsltv, nd lctrl brnchs f gvrnmnt, whl th cnstttnl cptl s Scr, th st f th jdcry. Th lrgst cty nd prncpl ndstrl cntr s Snt Crz d l Srr, lctd n th Llns rntls (strn trpcl lwlnds), mstly flt rgn n th st f th cntry wth dvrs nn-ndn cltr.
Th svrgn stt f Blv s cnstttnlly ntry stt dvdd nt nn dprtmnts. ts ggrphy vrs s th lvtn flctts, frm th wstrn snw-cppd pks f th nds t th strn lwlnds, sttd wthn th mzn bsn. n-thrd f th cntry s wthn th ndn mntn rng. Wth n r f 1,098,581 km2 (424,164 sq m), Blv s th ffth-lrgst cntry n Sth mrc ftr Brzl, rgntn, Pr nd Clmb, nd, lngsd Prgy, s n f tw lndlckd cntrs n th mrcs. t s th lrgst lndlckd cntry n th Sthrn Hmsphr. Th cntry's ppltn, stmtd t 12 mlln, s mltthnc, ncldng mrndns, Mstzs, sns, rbs, Jws, nd th dscndnts f rpns nd frcns. Spnsh s th ffcl nd prdmnnt lngg, lthgh 36 ndgns lnggs ls hv ffcl stts, f whch th mst cmmnly spkn r Grní, ymr, nd Qch.
Wll bfr Spnsh clnztn, th thrd prt f th hgh rgn f Blv ws lrgly prt f th Twnk Plty whch cllpsd bt 1000 D. Th Cll–nc Wr f th 1440s mrkd th bgnnng f nc rl n wstrn Blv. Th strn nd nrthrn lwlnds f Blv wr nhbtd by ndpndnt nn-ndn mznn nd Grní trbs. Spnsh cnqstdrs, rrvng frm Csc, Pr, frcbly tk cntrl f th rgn n th 16th cntry.
Drng th sbsqnt Spnsh clnl prd, Blv ws dmnstrd by th Rl dnc f Chrcs. Spn blt ts mpr n lrg prt pn th slvr tht ws xtrctd frm Crr Rc n Ptsí. Fllwng n nsccssfl rblln n Scr n My 25, 1809, sxtn yrs f fghtng wld fllw bfr th stblshmnt f th Rpblc, nmd fr Smón Blívr. vr th crs f th 19th nd rly 20th cntrs, Blv lst cntrl f svrl prphrl trrtrs t nghbrng cntrs, sch s Brzl's f th cr trrtry, nd th Wr f th Pcfc (1879), n whch Chl szd th cntry's Pcfc cstl rgn.
20th cntry Blv xprncd sccssn f mltry nd cvln gvrnmnts ntl Hg Bnzr ld S-bckd cp d'étt n 1971, rplcng th sclst gvrnmnt f Jn Jsé Trrs wth mltry dcttrshp. Bnzr's rgm crckd dwn n lft-wng nd sclst ppstn prts, nd thr prcvd frms f dssnt, rsltng n th trtrng nd mrdrs f cntlss Blvn ctzns. Bnzr ws std n 1978 nd, twnty yrs ltr, rtrnd s th dmcrtclly lctd Prsdnt f Blv (1997–2001). ndr th 2006–2019 prsdncy f v Mrls, th cntry sw sgnfcnt cnmc grwth nd pltcl stblty bt ws ls ccsd f dmcrtc bcksldng, nd ws dscrbd s cmpttv thrtrn rgm. Frdm Hs clssfs Blv s prtly-fr dmcrcy s f 2023, wth 66/100 scr.
Mdrn Blv s mmbr f th Nn-lgnd Mvmnt (NM), rgnztn f mrcn Stts (S), mzn Cprtn Trty rgnztn (CT), Bnk f th Sth, LB, th nn f Sth mrcn Ntns (SN), nd th Sthrn Cmmn Mrkt (Mrcsr/Mrcsl). Blv rmns dvlpng cntry, nd th scnd-prst n Sth mrc, thgh t hs slshd pvrty rts nd nw hs n f th fstst-grwng cnms n th cntnnt (n trms f GDP). ts mn cnmc rsrcs ncld grcltr, frstry, fshng, mnng, nd gds sch s txtls nd clthng, rfnd mtls, nd rfnd ptrlm. Blv s vry glgclly rch, wth mns prdcng tn, slvr, lthm, nd cppr. Th cntry s ls knwn fr ts prdctn f cc plnts nd rfnd ccn. n 2021, stmtd cc cltvtn nd ccn prdctn ws rprtd t b 39,700 hctrs nd 317 mtrc tns, rspctvly.