Municipalities of Oruro

List of municipalities (and autonomous indigenous territories) in the Department of Oruro

  1. Oruro
  2. Caracollo
  3. El Choro
  4. Paria
  5. Challapata
  6. Santuario de Quillacas
  7. Corque
  8. Choquecota
  9. Curahuara de Carangas
  10. Turco
  11. Huachacalla
  12. Escara
  13. Cruz de Machacamarca
  14. Yunguyo del Litoral
  15. Esmeralda
  16. Poopó
  17. Pazña
  18. Antequera
  19. Huanuni
  20. Machacamarca
  21. Salinas de Garci Mendoza (AIOC)
  22. Pampa Aullagas
  23. Sabaya
  24. Coipasa
  25. Uru Chipaya (Nación Originaria Uru Chipaya)
  26. Toledo
  27. Eucaliptus
  28. Andamarca
  29. Belén de Andamarca
  30. Totora
  31. Santiago de Huari
  32. La Rivera
  33. Todos Santos
  34. Carangas
  35. Santiago de Huayllamarca

The Department of Oruro has a total population of 571,471 people, making it one of the least populated departments in Bolivia. The population shows a balanced gender distribution, with 282,808 men (49.5%) and 288,663 women (50.5%).

Population Concentration

Oruro’s population is highly concentrated in its capital municipality:

  • Oruro city has 298,350 inhabitants, representing over half (about 52%) of the department’s total population.
  • This concentration highlights the capital’s role as the main administrative, economic, and service center.

Municipal Structure

The department is divided into 35 municipalities and autonomous indigenous territories. Outside the capital, only a few municipalities exceed 15,000 residents, such as:

  • Challapata
  • Caracollo
  • Huanuni
  • Corque
  • Paria
  • Sabaya
  • Salinas de Garci Mendoza (AIOC)

Most municipalities are small, rural, and sparsely populated, particularly in the Altiplano region.

Rural and Indigenous Presence

Oruro includes Indigenous Native Peasant autonomies and nations, notably:

  • Salinas de Garci Mendoza (AIOC)
  • Uru Chipaya (Nación Originaria Uru Chipaya)

These territories reflect the department’s cultural diversity and indigenous self-governance, despite having relatively small populations.

Municipalities of Oruro

Oruro’s demographic profile is characterized by extreme urban concentration, widespread rural dispersion, and strong indigenous representation. These features shape the department’s development challenges, particularly in service delivery, infrastructure, and regional equity, while reinforcing the central role of Oruro city in economic and social life.

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