Background: Several Indigenous groups, principally belonging to the Guarani language family, inhabited the area of modern Paraguay before the arrival of the Spanish in the early 16th century, when the territory was incorporated into the Viceroyalty of Peru. Paraguay achieved its independence from Spain in 1811 with the help of neighboring states. In the aftermath of independence, a series of military dictators ruled the country until 1870. During the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1864-70) -- fought against 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 and experienced a tumultuous series of political regimes. 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.

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

Land boundaries
Total: 4,655 km
Border countries (3): (3) Argentina 2,531 km; Bolivia 753 km; Brazil 1,371 km

Coastline: 0 km (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
Highest point: Cerro Pero 842 m
Lowest point: junction of Río Paraguay and Río Paraná 46 m
Mean elevation: 178 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 54.1% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 11.5% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 42.4% (2023 est.)
Forest: 36.9% (2023 est.)
Other: 7% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,362 km² (2012)

Major rivers: Río de la Plata/Paraná (shared with Brazil [s], Argentina, and Uruguay [m]) - 4,880 km; Paraguay river mouth (shared with Brazil [s] and Argentina) - 2,549 km
Note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

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

Population
Total: 7,522,549 (2024 est.)
Male: 3,769,376
Female: 3,753,173
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
Growth rate: 1.09% (2024 est.)

Languages: Spanish (official) and Guarani (official) 46.3%, only Guarani 34%, only Spanish 15.2%, other (includes Portuguese, German, other Indigenous languages) 4.1%, no response 0.4% (2012 est.)
Major-language sample(s): ; La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Note: data represent predominant household language

Religions: Roman Catholic 80.4%, Protestant 7% (Evangelical (non-specific) 6.7%, Evangelical Pentecostal <0.1%, Adventist <0.1%, Protestant (non-specific) <0.1%), Believer (not belonging to the church) 5.7%, other 0.6%, agnostic <0.1%, none 0.2%, unspecified 6.2% (2023 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 22.2% (male 850,191/female 821,237)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 2,582,021/female 2,561,962)
65 years and over: 9.4% (2024 est.) (male 337,164/female 369,974)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 46.2 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 32.5 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 13.7 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 7.3 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 31.8 years (2024 est.)
Male: 31.6 years
Female: 32 years

Population growth rate: 1.09% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 15.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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: 63.1% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 3.511 million ASUNCION (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 58 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 22 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 26.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 17.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.8 years (2024 est.)
Male: 76.2 years
Female: 81.6 years

Total fertility rate: 1.88 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 5.1% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 1.9% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.3% (2016 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 6.1% (2024 est.); 5.8% (2023 est.); 6.8% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Asunción
Geographic coordinates: 25 16 S, 57 40 W
Time difference: UTC-3 (2 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name means 'assumption' in Spanish; the Spanish founded the city on August 15, 1537, the Catholic feast day for the Assumption of the Virgin Mary

Administrative divisions: 17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*, Boquerón, Caaguazú, Caazapá, Canindeyú, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guairá, Itapúa, Misiones, Ñeembucú, Paraguarí, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

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

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Santiago PEÑA Palacios (since 15 August 2023)
Head of government: President Santiago PEÑA Palacios (since 15 August 2023)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple-majority popular vote for a single 5-year term
Most recent election date: 30 April 2023
2023: Santiago PEÑA Palacios elected president; percent of vote - Santiago PEÑA Palacios (ANR) 43.9%, Efraín ALEGRE (PLRA) 28.3%, Paraguayo 'Payo' CUBAS Colomés (PCN) 23.6%, other 4.2%
2018: Mario ABDO BENÍTEZ elected president; percent of vote - Mario ABDO BENÍTEZ (ANR) 49%, Efraín ALEGRE (PLRA) 45.1%, other 5.9%
Expected date of next election: April 2,028
Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Congress (Congreso)
Legislative structure: bicameral

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue, with an emblem centered on the white band; the emblem on one side of the flag is the national coat of arms, which has a five-pointed yellow star in a green wreath with the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY around it, all inside two circles; the other side of the flag has a circular treasury seal (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words PAZ Y JUSTICIA)

National anthem
Title: 'Paraguayos, Republica o muerte!' (Paraguayans, the Republic or Death!)
Lyrics/music: Francisco Esteban ACUNA de Figueroa/Remberto GIMENEZ
History: adopted 1846 (lyrics) and 1934 (music)

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 4.2% (2024 est.); 5% (2023 est.); 0.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 4.2% (2024 est.); 5% (2023 est.); 0.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 67% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 12.6% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 21% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.8% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 37.2% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -39.6% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 10.7% (2024 est.)
Industry: 32.5% (2024 est.)
Services: 48.7% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: 2.2% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 3.502 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 6.1% (2024 est.); 5.8% (2023 est.); 6.8% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 6.1% (2024 est.); 5.8% (2023 est.); 6.8% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $7.751 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $9.397 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 10.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $17.395 billion (2024 est.); $18.581 billion (2023 est.); $14.971 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: soybeans, beef, electricity, corn, soybean meal (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $18.377 billion (2024 est.); $17.848 billion (2023 est.); $17.088 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, fertilizers, cars, pesticides (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 8.928 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 14.835 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 24.202 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 5.209 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 99.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 700 metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 10 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 100 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 52,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 7.509 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 2,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 7.507 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 25.733 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 206,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 8.67 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 128 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 78% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 878,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.); 0.8% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.); 1% of GDP (2021 est.); 1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 83 (2025)

Heliports: 29 (2025)

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

Merchant marine
Total: 108 (2023)
By type: container ship 2, general cargo 22, oil tanker 5, other 79