Bolivian American

Bolivian American
Boliviano Estadounidense

Raquel Welch · Kori Udovicki · Jaime Escalante
Total population
Bolivian 82,322 Americans up to roughly 0.04% of the US population
Regions with significant populations
Virginia · Maryland · Washington D.C. · are the largest Bolivian American communities
Languages
American English · Spanish
Religion
Predominantly Roman Catholic, minority Protestant

Part of a series of articles on Hispanic and Latino Americans
National origin groups
Argentine Americans Bolivian Americans Chilean Americans Colombian Americans Costa Rican Americans Cuban Americans Dominican Americans Ecuadorian Americans Guatemalan Americans Honduran Americans Mexican Americans Nicaraguan Americans Panamanian Americans Paraguayan Americans Peruvian Americans Puerto Ricans (stateside) Salvadoran Americans Spanish Americans Uruguayan Americans Venezuelan Americans
History
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Political movements
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Organizations
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Culture
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Languages
English · Spanish in the United States Spanish · Spanglish
Lists
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Portals
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Bolivian American is a compound term that applies to American citizens of Bolivian origin. Racially, Bolivian Americans are identified as Indigenous, European (mostly Spanish, German, or Croatian), Afro Bolivian, or a combination of any or all three races in varying degrees of admixture. Furthermore, there are Bolivian Americans of Japanese descent, albeit, in small numbers.

History

Bolivian immigration into the United States occurred in two significant phases. The first phase occurred during and subsequent to the 1952 National Revolution (between 1952 and the latter 1960s). Most of these immigrants consisted of middle- to upper-middle income occupational professionals or political dissidents, and identify with Bolivia's White or Criollo (mixed White) society.

The second notable phase of Bolivian immigration (between 1980 and 1988) was a result of Bolivia's fiscal policies in the 1970s which gave way to the hyperinflation throughout most of the 1980s. Most of these immigrants consisted of lower-income Mestizo and Indigenous Bolivians obtaining work posts as service and manual laborers.

Many Bolivians who emigrated to the United States came as tourists. However, it remained indefinitely in the country, setting them to family and friends. This made it difficult to know the number of Bolivians living in the United States. Between 1984 and 1993, only 4,574 Bolivians obtained U.S. citizenship. In this period about 457 were naturalized each year.

Demography

Bolivians have settled throughout the United States, mainly in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia; there are also large groups of Bolivian immigrants in Texas, New York City, New Jersey, South Florida, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Chicago and California. The number of Bolivians in the U.S. in 2006 was estimated at 82,322.

US communities with high percentages of people of Bolivian ancestry

The top 101 US communities with the highest percentage of people claiming Bolivian ancestry (and/or born in Bolivia) are:

1. Seven Corners, VA 3.7%
2. Pimmit Hills, VA 3.4%
3. Lake Barcroft, VA 3.1%
4. Bailey's Crossroads, VA 3.0%
5. Annandale, VA 2.9%
6. Jefferson, VA 2.9%
7. Arlington, VA 2.8%
8. Mantua, VA 1.9%
9. Idylwood, VA 1.8%
10. Lincolnia, VA 1.7%
11. Quioque, NY 1.6%
12. Golden Beach, FL 1.5%
13. Merrifield, VA 1.4%
14. Dunn Loring, VA 1.4%
15. Queenstown, MD 1.1%
16. Aspen Hill, MD 1.1%
17. Islandia, NY 1.1%
18. Falls Church, VA 1.1%
19. Temelec, CA 1.1%
20. Stacey Street, FL 1.1%
21. Springfield, VA 1.1%
22. Oakton, VA 1.0%
23. Port Chester, NY 1.0%
24. Benoit, MS 0.9%
25. Wheaton-Glenmont, MD 0.9%
26. Rye Brook, NY 0.9%
27. Union Hall, VA 0.8%
28. Cabin John, MD 0.8%
29. Madill, OK 0.8%
30. Watson, IL 0.8%
31. North Bay Village, FL 0.8%
32. Vienna, VA 0.8%
33. Matinecock, NY 0.8%
34. Saucier, MS 0.8%
35. Rose Hill, VA 0.8%
36. Rockville, MD 0.7%
37. Foxborough, MA 0.7%
38. North Kensington, MD 0.7%
39. Reston, VA 0.7%
40. Thonotosassa, FL 0.7%
41. North Bethesda, MD 0.7%
42. Robesonia, PA 0.6%
43. Alexandria, VA 0.6%
44. Friendship Village, MD 0.6%
45. Cedarhurst, NY 0.6%
46. Schuyler, NE 0.6%
47. Burke, VA 0.6%
48. Groveton, VA 0.6%
49. Bagdad, FL 0.6%
50. West Springfield, VA 0.6%
51. The Crossings, FL 0.6%
52. Jamaica Beach, TX 0.6%
53. Rosemount, OH 0.6%
54. Glenvar Heights, FL 0.5%
55. White Oak, MD 0.5%
56. Kendall West, FL 0.5%
57. Huntington, VA 0.5%
58. Montgomery Village, MD 0.5%
59. Herndon, VA 0.5%
60. Hybla Valley, VA 0.5%
61. Sunshine Ranches, FL 0.5%
62. Cedar Glen Lakes, NJ 0.5%
63. Doral, FL 0.5%
64. Brentwood, MD 0.5%
65. Green Meadow, FL 0.5%
66. Highland Acres, DE 0.5%
67. Hamburg, NJ 0.5%
68. Miami Springs, FL 0.5%
69. Middleburg, VA 0.5%
70. Alum Rock, CA 0.5%
71. Damascus, MD 0.5%
72. Gaithersburg, MD 0.5%
73. South River, NJ 0.5%
74. Germantown, MD 0.5%
75. Woodside, CA 0.4%
76. Sea Ranch Lakes, FL 0.4%
77. Ladera Heights, CA 0.4%
78. Lookout Mountain, GA 0.4%
79. Rossmoor, MD 0.4%
80. Inwood, NY 0.4%
81. Hopkins, MN 0.4%
82. West Monroe, MI 0.4%
83. Lake Ridge, VA 0.4%
84. Langley Park, MD 0.4%
85. Gap, PA 0.4%
86. Landover Hills, MD 0.4%
87. Mill Neck, NY 0.4%
88. Selma, TX 0.4%
89. North Marshall, OK 0.4%
90. Somerville, ME 0.4%
91. Hanson, MA 0.4%
92. Ashland, NJ 0.4%
93. Richmond Heights, FL 0.4%
94. Newington, VA 0.4%
95. Salisbury, CT 0.4%
96. Hackensack, NJ 0.4%
97. Bethesda, MD 0.4%
98. Waltham, MA 0.4%
99. Deal, NJ 0.4%
100. Providence, RI 0.4%
101. Yaphank, NY 0.4%

Notable Bolivian Americans

• Raquel Welch, actress
• Jaime Escalante, educator
• Jaime Laredo, violinist
• Jaime Moreno, footballer
• Marco Etcheverry, footballer
• Reynaldo H. Lopez
• Ben Mikaelsen, writer
• Cecilia Muñoz, politician
• Kori Udovički, politician
• Wilfredo Mercado, Musician
• Tom Trigo
• Rodolfo Rodrigues

External links

2006 American Community Survey: Race and Hispanic or Latino

• Bolivian-American Project