COMMERCE, TRANSPORTATION, ETC. Bolivia is greatly hampered in the development of commer eial interests by its inland situation. It exports chiefly metals, rubber. wool, hides and skins. and other raw products, the trade being carried on principally through the Chilean ports of Anto fagasta, and .1rica, the Peruvian port of Mot lendn, and the river portS of Villa Bella and Puerto Suarez, on the eastern frontier. Estimates for the commerce of Bolivia since 149.5 place the average annual imports at nearly 13,000,000 bolivianos ($6.000,000), and the exports at about 24,000.000 bolivinnos ($11, 000,000). The import trade is to a great ex tent controlled by Germany, which exports to Bolivia woolens and silks, machinery, furni ture, and clothing. Franee controls the im ports of wine, owing to the treaty by which French wines have been admitted free of duty.
The trade with the United States, which shows some increase of late, is confined mainly to im ports of cotton fabrics. The leading position of Germany in the commerce of Bolivia is attrib uted largely to the predominance of German inr migration and to the cheaper prices of German goods.
The surface formation of the country is not favorable to the development of a good system of communication. Most of the roads in the moun tainous regions are intended only for pack-ani mals. by which the internal commerce is princi pally carried on, and wagon-roads are found only in the vicinity of the capitals of the provinces and other large cities. The principal roads of the country in 1900 had a total length of nearly 950 miles. Of railways Bolivia has only one narrow-gauge line from Oruro to the Chilean frontier (about 500 miles), with a small branch line (25 miles) to the mines of Huanchaca. Plans for new lines, however, are numerous, and concessions have been granted for railways to connect the city of La Paz with the Peruvian frontier, Oruro with Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz with Balfa Negro, on the eastern frontier. Bolivia is connected by telegraph-lines with Peru, Chile, and Argentina. and by cable with the Unit ed States and Europe. There are about 2300 miles of telegraph-lines.