Statistics Paraguay 
Paraguay in the World
Paraguay - Introduction 2012
top of pageBackground: 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 all 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 despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years Paraguay has held relatively free and regular presidential elections since the country's return to democracy.
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
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 southern part of country
Paraguay - People 2012
top of pagePopulation: 6,541,591 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 103
Growth rate: 1.256% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 93
Below poverty line: 34.7% (2010 est.)
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 2.5 in 2008 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.
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.
Environment
Current issues: deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal pose health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands
Sanitation facility access:
urban: 90% of population
rural: 40% of population
total: 70% of population
rural: 40% of population
total: 70% of population
Unimproved:
urban: 10% of population
rural: 60% of population
total: 30% of population
rural: 60% of population
total: 30% of population
Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 91
People living with hivaids: 13,000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 90
Deaths: fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 95
Paraguay - Government 2012
top of pageAdministrative 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
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
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges proposed by the Council of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura and approved by the Senate and president)
Political parties and leaders: Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Lilian SAMANIEGO]; Avanza Pais coalition [Mario Ferreiro]; Broad Front coalition (Frente Guazu) or FG [Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez]; Movimiento Popolar Tekojoja or Tekojoja [Sixto PEREIRA]; Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Lino Cesar OVIEDO Silva]; Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PPQ [Sebastian ACHA]; Partido del Movimiento al Socialismo or P-MAS [Camilo Ernesto SOARES Machado]; Partido Democratica Progresista or PDP [Rafael Augusto FILIZZOLA Serra]; Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Fernando CAMACHO Paredes]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Blas Antonio Llano Ramos]; Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares]
International organization participation: CAN (associate) CD CELAC FAO G-11 G-77 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO (correspondent) ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) LAES LAIA Mercosur (suspended) MIGA MINURSO MINUSTAH MONUSCO NAM (observer) OAS OPANAL OPCW PCA UN UNASUR UNCTAD UNESCO UNFICYP UNIDO Union Latina UNISFA UNMIL UNMISS UNOCI UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO
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 a circular seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words PAZ Y JUSTICIA (Peace and Justice)); red symbolizes bravery and patriotism white represents integrity and peace and blue denotes liberty and generosity
Paraguay - Economy 2012
top of pageEconomy 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 stagnated at 1980 levels. The economy grew rapidly between 2003 and 2008 as growing world demand for commodities combined with high prices and favorable weather to support Paraguay's commodity-based export expansion. Paraguay is the sixth 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. The government reacted by introducing fiscal and monetary stimulus packages. Growth resumed at a 13% level in 2010 the highest in South America but slowed to 4% in 2011 as the stimulus subsided. In 2012 severe drought and outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease led to a drop in beef and other agricultural exports and the economy contracted about 0.5%. Political uncertainty corruption limited progress on structural reform and deficient infrastructure are the main obstacles to long-term growth.
Agriculture products: cotton sugarcane soybeans corn wheat tobacco cassava (tapioca) fruits vegetables; beef pork eggs milk; timber
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$42 million (31 December 2010)
$409.1 million (31 December 2006)
$409.1 million (31 December 2006)
Rank: 116
Exports: $5.52 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 118
Commodities: soybeans feed cotton meat edible oils wood leather
Partners: Uruguay 15% Brazil 11.4% Argentina 10.2% Chile 8.3% Russia 6.6% Netherlands 5.4% Germany 4.3% (2011)
Imports: $11.5 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 99
Commodities: road vehicles consumer goods tobacco petroleum products electrical machinery tractors chemicals vehicle parts
Partners: Brazil 27.5% China 16.9% US 15% Argentina 14.8% Chile 4.4% (2011)
Exchange rates:
guarani (PYG) per US dollar -
4,450 (2012 est.)
4,176 (2011 est.)
4,736 (2010 est.)
4,965 (2009)
4,338 (2008)
4,450 (2012 est.)
4,176 (2011 est.)
4,736 (2010 est.)
4,965 (2009)
4,338 (2008)
Paraguay - Energy 2012
top of pageElectricity
Production: 54.41 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 48
Consumption: 6.237 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 103
Exports: 43.38 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 5
Imports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 119
Installed generating capacity: 8.816 million kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 60
Generation sources fossil fuels: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 208
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 158
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 99.9% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 2
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 172
Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 177
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 167
Crude oil imports: 0.01 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 85
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 176
Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 187
Products consumption: 26,820 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 121
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Products exports rank: 211
Products imports: 23,810 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 98
Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 179
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 185
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 131
Imports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 115
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 182
Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 4.394 million Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 128
Paraguay - Communication 2012
top of pageTelephones
Main lines in use: 372,400 (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 108
Mobile cellular: 6.529 million (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 96
Broadcast media: 6 privately-owned TV stations; about 75 commercial and community radio stations; 1 state-owned radio network (2010)
Internet
Country code: .py
Hosts: 280,658 (2012)
Hosts rank: 65
Users: 1.105 million (2009)
Users rank: 94
Paraguay - Military 2012
top of pageMilitary service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 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 (2010)
Paraguay - Transportation 2012
top of pageParaguay - Transnational issues 2012
top of pageDisputes international: unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering smuggling arms and illegal narcotics trafficking and fundraising for extremist organizations
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
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