Map of Paraguay | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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Background: In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70) Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War of 1932-35 large economically important areas were won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989 and relatively free and regular presidential elections have been held since then.


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Location: Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Geographic coordinates: 23 00 S, 58 00 W

Map reference: South America

Area
Total: 406,750 km²
Land: 397,300 km²
Water: 9,450 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries
Total: 3,920 km
Border countries: (3) Argentina 1,880 km; , Bolivia 750 km; , Brazil 1,290 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: subtropical; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Terrain: grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
Extremes highest point: Cerro San Rafael 850 m

Natural resources: hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Land use
Arable land: 6%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 55%
Forests and woodland: 32%
Other: 7% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 670 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: local flooding in southeast (early September to June; poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Geography
Note: landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil


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Population: 5,651,634 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 2.62% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Paraguayan(s)
Adjective: Paraguayan

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, white plus Amerindian 5%

Languages: Spanish (official), Guarani

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant denominations

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 40% (male 1,163,416; female 1,113,654)
15-64 years: 56% (male 1,571,685; female 1,564,757)
65 years and over: 4% (male 109,547; female 128,575) (July 1997 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.62% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 30.47 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 4.24 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation (an estimated 2 million hectares of forest land have been lost from 1958-85; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 22.3 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.1 years
Male: 72.6 years
Female: 75.68 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.08 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 92.1%
Male: 93.5%
Female: 90.6% (1995 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay
Conventional short form: Paraguay
Local long form: Republica del Paraguay
Local short form: Paraguay

Government type: republic

Capital: Asuncion

Administrative divisions: 18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

Dependent areas

Independence: 14 May 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Days, 14-15 May (1811)

Constitution: promulgated 20 June 1992

Legal system: based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 60

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Juan Carlos WASMOSY (since 15 August 1993) and Vice President Roberto Angel SEIFART (since 15 August 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Juan Carlos WASMOSY (since 15 August 1993) and Vice President Roberto Angel SEIFART (since 15 August 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president
Elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held NA May 1998)
Election results: Juan Carlos WASMOSY elected president; percent of vote - Juan Carlos WASMOSY 40.09%, Domingo LAINO 32.06%, Guillermo CABALLERO VARGAS 23.04%

Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held 10 May 1998); Chamber of Deputies - last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held NA May 1998)
Election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Colorado Party 20, PLRA 17, EN 8; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Colorado Party 38, PLRA 33, EN 9

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia), judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates (Consejo de la Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jorge G. PRIETO CONTI
In the us chancery: 2,400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 483-6,960 through 6,962
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 234-4,508
In the us consulates general: Miami and New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Robert E. SERVICE
From the us embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion
From the us mailing address: Unit 4,711, APO AA 34,036-0001
From the us telephone: [595] (21) 213-715
From the us FAX: [595] (21) 213-728

Flag description: three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles; the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. The informal sector features both reexport of imported consumer goods (electronics, whiskeys, perfumes, cigarettes, and office equipment) to neighboring countries as well as by the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. The formal sector is largely oriented toward services, but a large percentage of the population derive their living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. The formal economy has grown an average of 3% to 4% over the past five years. However, population has increased at 3% a year over the same period, leaving per capita income nearly stagnant. The WASMOSY government has continued to pursue its economic reform agenda - with mixed success - in close coordination with its partners in Mercosur (Southern Cone Common Market). Paraguay's ongoing integration into Mercosur offers potential for investment and growth. Although GDP grew by only about 1.5% in 1996, it is expected to grow at a higher rate in 1997.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 1.5% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 26.3%
Industry: 20.7%
Services: 53% (1995)

Agriculture products: cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber

Industries: meat packing, oilseed crushing, milling, brewing, textiles, other light consumer goods, cement, construction

Industrial production growth rate: 1.3% (1995 est.)

Labor force
Total: 1.8 million (1995 est.)
By occupation: agriculture 45%

Unemployment rate: 5.3% (urban) (1995)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $1.25 billion (1995 est.)
Expenditures: $1.66 billion, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1995 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports
Total value: $819.5 million (f.o.b., 1995)
Commodities: cotton, soybeans, timber, vegetable oils, meat products, coffee, tung oil
Partners: EU 37%, Brazil 25%, Argentina 10%, Chile 6%, US 6%

Imports
Total value: $2.871 billion (c.i.f., 1995)
Commodities: capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, raw materials, fuels
Partners: Brazil 30%, EU 20%, US 18%, Argentina 8%, Japan 7%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $1.3 billion (1996)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: guaranies (G) per US$ - 2,139.1 (January 1997), 2,063.8 (1996), 1,970.4 (1995), 1,911.5 (1994), 1,744.3 (1993), 1,500.3 (1992)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 41.625 billion kWh (1995)
Note: exported about 37.9 million kW of electricity

Electricity consumption
Per capita: 616 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system: meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion
Domestic: fair microwave radio relay network
International: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $94 million (1994)
Percent of gdp: 0.6% (1994)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 725 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 436
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With paved runways under 914 m: 427 (1996 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 289
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 22
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 267 (1996 est.)

Airports with paved runways
Total: 436
Over 3047 m: 3
15-24 to 2437 m: 2
914 to 1523 m: 4
Under 914 m: 427 (1996 est.)

Airports with unpaved runways
Total: 289
15-24 to 2437 m: 22
914 to 1523 m: 267 (1996 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 971 km
Standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 60 km 1.000-m gauge
Other gauge: 470 km various gauges (privately owned)

Roadways

Waterways: 3,100 km

Merchant marine
Total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 25,379 GRT/32,510 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, oil tanker 3, roll-on/roll-off 1 (1996 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: short section of the boundary with Brazil, just west of Salto del Guaira (Guaira Falls) on the Rio Parana, has not been precisely delimited

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; transshipment country for Bolivian cocaine headed for Europe and the US