Map of Paraguay | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Paraguay achieved its independence from Spain in 1811. In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70) - between Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay - Paraguay lost two-thirds of its adult males and much of its territory. The country stagnated economically for the next half century. Following the Chaco War of 1932-35 with Bolivia, Paraguay gained a large part of the Chaco lowland region. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER ended in 1989, and Paraguay has held relatively free and regular presidential elections since the country's return to democracy.


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Location: Central South America, northeast of Argentina, southwest of Brazil

Geographic coordinates: 23 00 S, 58 00 W

Map reference: South America

Area
Total: 406,752 km²
Land: 397,302 km²
Water: 9,450 km²
Rank: 61
Comparative: about three times the size of New York state; slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries
Total: 4,655 km
Border countries: (3) Argentina 2,531 km; , Bolivia 753 km; , Brazil 1371 km

Coastline: 0 km
Note: (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: subtropical to temperate; 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
Mean elevation: 178 m
Lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
Highest point: Cerro Pero 842 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 53.8% (2011 est.)
Forest: 43.8% (2011 est.)
Other: 2.4% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 1362 km² (2012)

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; population concentrated in eastern and southern part of country


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Population
Distribution: most of the population resides in the eastern half of the country; to the west lies the Gran Chaco (a semi-arid lowland plain), which accounts for 60% of the land territory, but only 2% of the overall population: 7,025,763 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 106
Growth rate: 1.17% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 93
Below poverty line: 22.2% (2015 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Paraguayan(s)
Adjective: Paraguayan

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

Languages:

Religions: Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census)

Demographic profile: Paraguay falls below the Latin American average in several socioeconomic categories, including immunization rates, potable water, sanitation, and secondary school enrollment, and has greater rates of income inequality and child and maternal mortality. Paraguay's poverty rate has declined in recent years but remains high, especially in rural areas, with more than a third of the population below the poverty line. However, the well-being of the poor in many regions has improved in terms of housing quality and access to clean water, telephone service, and electricity. The fertility rate continues to drop, declining sharply from an average 4.3 births per woman in the late 1990s to about 2 in 2013, as a result of the greater educational attainment of women, increased use of contraception, and a desire for smaller families among young women.Paraguay is a country of emigration; it has not attracted large numbers of immigrants because of political instability, civil wars, years of dictatorship, and the greater appeal of neighboring countries. Paraguay first tried to encourage immigration in 1870 in order to rebound from the heavy death toll it suffered during the War of the Triple Alliance, but it received few European and Middle Eastern immigrants. In the 20th century, limited numbers of immigrants arrived from Lebanon, Japan, South Korea, and China, as well as Mennonites from Canada, Russia, and Mexico. Large flows of Brazilian immigrants have been arriving since the 1960s, mainly to work in agriculture. Paraguayans continue to emigrate to Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, the United States, Italy, Spain, and France.

Age structure
0-14 years: 24.13% (male 862,803 /female 832,325)
15-24 years: 18.8% (male 664,086 /female 656,947)
25-54 years: 41.59% (male 1,461,657 /female 1,460,565)
55-64 years: 8.13% (male 290,719 /female 280,328)
65 years and over: 7.35% (male 242,783 /female 273,550) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 56.6 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 47.2 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 9.4 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 10.6 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 28.7 years (2018 est.)
Male: 28.5 years
Female: 28.9 years
Rank: 131

Population growth rate: 1.17% (2018 est.)
Rank: 93

Birth rate: 16.6 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 107

Death rate: 4.8 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 201

Net migration rate: -0.1 migrant(s)/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 106

Population distribution: most of the population resides in the eastern half of the country; to the west lies the Gran Chaco (a semi-arid lowland plain), which accounts for 60% of the land territory, but only 2% of the overall population

Urbanization
Urban population: 61.9% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 1.71% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 3.279 million ASUNCION (capital) (2019)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; water pollution; rivers suffer from toxic dumping; tanneries release mercury and chromium into rivers and streams; loss of wetlands; inadequate means for waste disposal pose health risks for many urban residents
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth:

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 18.1 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 21.4 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 14.7 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 86

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.6 years (2018 est.)
Male: 74.9 years
Female: 80.4 years
Rank: 68

Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 132

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 68.4% (2016)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population
Rural: 5.1% of population
Total: 2% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure: 8% (2016)

Physicians density: 1.37 physicians/1000 population (2018)

Hospital bed density: 1.3 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 4.5% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 21.6% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 11.4% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.5% (2018 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 71
People living with hivaids: 21,000 (2018 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 85
Deaths note: <1000 (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate (2016)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever (2016): note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 20.3% (2016)
Rank: 100

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.3% (2016)
Rank: 120

Education expenditures: 3.4% of GDP (2016)
Rank: 126

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 94.7%
Male: 95.5%
Female: 93.8% (2016)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 12 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 13 years (2010)

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
Etymology: the precise meaning of the name Paraguay is unclear, but it seems to derive from the river of the same name; one explanation has the name meaning water of the Payagua (an indigenous tribe that lived along the river)

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Asuncion
Geographic coordinates: 25 16 S, 57 40 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends last Sunday in March: etymology: the name means 'assumption' and derives from the original name given to the city at its founding in 1537, Nuestra Senora Santa Maria de la Asuncion (Our Lady Saint Mary of the Assumption)

Administrative divisions: 17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital city*; 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: 14-15 May 1811 (from Spain); note - the uprising against Spanish authorities took place during the night of 14-15 May 1811 and both days are celebrated in Paraguay

National holiday: Independence Day, 14-15 May (1811) (observed 15 May); 14 May is celebrated as Flag Day

Constitution
History: several previous; latest approved and promulgated 20 June 1992
Amendments: proposed at the initiative of at least one quarter of either chamber of the National Congress, by the president of the republic, or by petition of at least 30,000 voters; passage requires absolute majority vote by both chambers and approval in a referendum; amended 2011, 2014; note - in April 2017, a proposed amendment to extend presidential term limits was defeated by the lower house of the National Congress (2018)

Legal system: civil law system with influences from Argentine, Spanish, Roman, and French civil law models; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Paraguay
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 75

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Mario Abdo BENITEZ (since 15 August 2018); Vice President Hugo Adalberto VELAZQUEZ Moreno (since 15 August 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Mario Abdo BENITEZ (since 15 August 2018); Vice President Hugo Adalberto VELAZQUEZ Moreno (since 15 August 2018)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Electionsappointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple majority popular vote for a single 5-year term; election last held on 22 April 2018 (next to be held in April 2023)
Election results: Mario Abdo BENITEZ elected president; percent of vote - Mario Abdo BENITEZ (ANR) 46.4%, Efrain ALEGRE (PLRA) 42.7%, Juan Bautista YBANEZ 3.3%, other 7.6%

Legislative branch
Description:
Elections:
Election results:

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 9 justices divided 3 each into the Constitutional Court, Civil and Commercial Chamber, and Criminal Division)
Judge selection and term of office: justices proposed by the Council of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura, a 6-member independent body, and appointed by the Chamber of Senators with presidential concurrence; judges can serve until mandatory retirement at age 75
Subordinate courts: appellate courts; first instance courts; minor courts, including justices of the peace

Political parties and leaders: Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Pedro ALLIANA]Avanza Pais coalition or AP [Adolfo FERREIRO]Broad Front coalition (Frente Guasu) or FG [Esperanza MARTINEZ]Ganar Alliance (alliance between PLRA and Guasu Front)Movimiento Cruzada Nacional or MCNMovimiento Hagamos or MH [Antonio 'Tony' APURIL]Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Jorge OVIEDO MATTO]Partido del Movimiento al Socialismo or P-MAS [Camilo Ernesto SOARES Machado]Partido Democratica Progresista or PDP [Rafael FILIZZOLA]Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Hermann RATZLAFFIN Klippemstein]Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Efrain ALEGRE]Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares]Partido Popular Tekojoja or PPT [Sixto PEREIRA Galeano]Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PPQ [Miguel CARRIZOSA]

International organization participation: CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
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 consulate: Los Angeles, Miami, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Lee MCCLENNY (since 20 February 2018)
From the us telephone: [595] (21) 213-715
From the us embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion
From the us mailing address: Unit 4,711, DPO AA 34,036-0001
From the us FAX: [595] (21) 213-728

Flag description:

National symbols: lion; national colors: red, white, blue

National anthem
Name: Paraguayos, Republica o muerte! (Paraguayans, The Republic or Death!)
Lyricsmusic: Francisco Esteban ACUNA de Figueroa/disputed: note: adopted 1934, in use since 1846; officially adopted following its re-arrangement in 1934

National heritage


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Economy overview: Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy distinguished by a large informal sector, featuring re-export of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries, as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. A large percentage of the population, especially in rural areas, derives its living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain.On a per capita basis, real income has grown steadily over the past five years as strong world demand for commodities, combined with high prices and favorable weather, supported Paraguay's commodity-based export expansion. Paraguay is the fifth largest soy producer in the world. Drought hit in 2008, reducing agricultural exports and slowing the economy even before the onset of the global recession. The economy fell 3.8% in 2009, as lower world demand and commodity prices caused exports to contract. Severe drought and outbreaks of hoof-and-mouth disease in 2012 led to a brief drop in beef and other agricultural exports. Since 2014, however, Paraguay’s economy has grown at a 4% average annual rate due to strong production and high global prices, at a time when other countries in the region have contracted.The Paraguayan Government recognizes the need to diversify its economy and has taken steps in recent years to do so. In addition to looking for new commodity markets in the Middle East and Europe, Paraguayan officials have promoted the country’s low labor costs, cheap energy from its massive Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam, and single-digit tax rate on foreign firms. As a result, the number of factories operating in the country - mostly transplants from Brazil - has tripled since 2014.Corruption, limited progress on structural reform, and deficient infrastructure are the main obstacles to long-term growth. Judicial corruption is endemic and is seen as the greatest barrier to attracting more foreign investment. Paraguay has been adverse to public debt throughout its history, but has recently sought to finance infrastructure improvements to attract foreign investment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 91

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 58

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 123

Gross national saving:
Rank: 108

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 66.7% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 11.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 17.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.3% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 46.6% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -42.2% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 17.9% (2017 est.)
Industry: 27.7% (2017 est.)
Services: 54.5% (2017 est.)

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

Industries: sugar processing, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel, base metals, electric power

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2017 est.)
Rank: 132

Labor force: 3.428 million (2017 est.)
Rank: 101
By occupation agriculture: 26.5%
By occupation industry: 18.5%
By occupation services: 55% (2008)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 85

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 22.2% (2015 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.5%
Highest 10: 37.6% (2013 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 11

Budget
Revenues: 5.524 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 5.968 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 84

Taxes and other revenues: 14.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 202

Public debt:
Rank: 191

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 144

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 76

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 28

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 103

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 106

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 104

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 106

Current account balance:
Rank: 104

Exports:
Rank: 84
Partners: Brazil 31.9%, Argentina 15.9%, Chile 6.9%, Russia 5.9% (2017)
Commodities: soybeans, livestock feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, wood, leather, gold

Imports:
Rank: 96
Commodities: road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery, tractors, chemicals, vehicle parts
Partners: China 31.3%, Brazil 23.4%, Argentina 12.9%, US 7.4% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 79

Debt external:
Rank: 96

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 103

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 92

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 98.4% (2016)
Access electrification urban areas: 99.9% (2016)
Access electrification rural areas: 96.1% (2016)
Production: 63.13 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 45
Consumption: 10.9 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 92
Exports: 41.13 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Exports rank: 4
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 185
Installed generating capacity: 8.87 million kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 65
Generation sources fossil fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 214
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 163
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 99% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 3
Generation sources other renewable sources: 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 162

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 186
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 179
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 181
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 181

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 189
Products consumption: 43,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 112
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 191
Products imports: 40,760 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 89

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 183
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 187
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 167
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 173
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 181

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 7.74 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 117

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 290,109
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 116
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 7,468,275
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 108 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 102

Telephone system
General assessment: the fixed-line market is a state monopoly and fixed-line telephone service is meager; principal switching center is in Asuncion; DSL, cable modem, FttP (fiber to the home) and WiMAX technologies available; competition in mobile market among 4 operators; 18 mobile phones for every fixed-line service phone (2018)
Domestic: deficiencies in provision of fixed-line service have resulted in a rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services fostered by competition among multiple providers; Internet market also open to competition; fixed-line 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular 108 per 100 (2018)
International: country code - 595; Paraguays landlocked position means they must depend on neighbors for interconnection with submarine cable networks, making it cost more for broadband services; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

Broadcast media: 6 privately owned TV stations; about 75 commercial and community radio stations; 1 state-owned radio network (2019)

Internet
Country code: .py
Users total: 3,524,045
Users percent of population: 51.3% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 92

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 278,169
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2017 est.)
Rank: 99


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 124

Military and security forces: Armed Forces Command (Commando de las Fuerzas Militares): Army, National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes marines), Paraguayan Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Paraguay, FAP) (2019)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation is 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy; volunteers for the Air Force must be younger than 22 years of age with a secondary school diploma (2016)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 5 (2015)
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 452,004 (2015)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,641,624
Note: mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: ZP (2016)

Airports: 799 (2013)
Rank: 9
With paved runways total: 15 (2017)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 7 (2017)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 784 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 23 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 290 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 471 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 30 km (2014)
Standard gauge: 30 km
Note: 1.435-m gauge (2014)
Rank: 133

Roadways
Total: 74,676 km (2017)
Paved: 6,167 km (2017)
Unpaved: 68,509 km (2017)
Rank: 65

Waterways: 3,100 km
Note: (primarily on the Paraguay and Paraná River systems) (2012)
Rank: 32

Merchant marine
Total: 80
By type: container ship 3, general cargo 23, oil tanker 6, other 48 (2018): note: as of 2017, Paraguay registered 2,012 fluvial vessels of which 1,741 were commercial barges
Rank: 99

Ports and terminals
River port: Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion (Parana)


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Disputes international: unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for violent extremist organizations

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; transshipment country for Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets, and Europe; weak border controls, extensive corruption and money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; weak anti-money-laundering laws and enforcement