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| Paraguay |

Introduction | Paraguay

Background: | 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. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War of 1932-35, Paraguay won large, economically important areas from Bolivia. 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 then.

Geography | Paraguay

Location: | Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Geographic coordinates: | 23 00 S, 58 00 W
Map references: | South America
Area: | total: 406,750 sq km land: 397,300 sq km water: 9,450 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries: | total: 3,995 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,365 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 extremes: | lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m
Natural resources: | hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Land use: | arable land: 7.47% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 92.29% (2005)
Irrigated land: | 670 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources: | 336 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): | total: 0.49 cu km/yr (20%/8%/71%) per capita: 80 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards: | local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
Environment - current issues: | deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal pose health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: | landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in southern part of country

People | Paraguay

Population: | 6,831,306 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 36.9% (male 1,283,311/female 1,240,769) 15-64 years: 57.9% (male 1,988,256/female 1,968,869) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 161,811/female 188,290) (2008 est.)
Median age: | total: 21.7 years male: 21.5 years female: 22 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate: | 2.39% (2008 est.)
Birth rate: | 28.47 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: | 4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate: | -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 25.55 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 75.56 years male: 72.99 years female: 78.26 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 3.8 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 15,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 600 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: | degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria (2008)
Nationality: | noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan
Ethnic groups: | mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, other 5%
Religions: | Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census)
Languages: | Spanish (official), Guarani (official)
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94% male: 94.9% female: 93% (2003 est.)

Government | Paraguay

Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay
Government type: | constitutional 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)
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
Independence: | 14 May 1811 (from Spain)
National holiday: | Independence Day, 14 May 1811 (observed 15 May)
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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75
Executive branch: | chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August 2003); Vice President Francisco OVIEDO Britez (since 21 November 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August 2003); Vice President Francisco OVIEDO Britez (since 21 November 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 20 April 2008 (next to be held April 2013) election results: Fernando LUGO elected president; percent of vote - Fernando LUGO 40.8%, Blanca OVELAR 30.6%, Lino OVIEDO 21.9%, Pedro FADUL 2.4%, other 4.3%; note - LUGO will take office on 15 August 2008
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 20 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2013); Chamber of Deputies - last held 20 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2013) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANR 15, PLRA 14, UNACE 9, PPQ 4, other 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANR 30, PLRA 27, UNACE 15, PPQ 3, APC 2, other 3
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura)
Political parties and leaders: | Alianza Patriotica por el Cambio (Patriotic Alliance for Change) or APC [Fernando LUGO]; Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Jose Alberto ALDERETE]; Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Enrique GONZALEZ Quintana]; Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PPQ [Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella]; Partido del Movimiento al Socialismo or P-MAS; Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Emilio CAMACHO Paredes]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Blas LLANO]; Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Coordinating Board of Campesino Organizations or MCNOC [Luis AGUAYO]; National Federation of Campesinos or FNC [Odilon ESPINOLA]; National Workers Central or CNT [Secretary General Juan TORRALES]; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central or CUT [Jorge Guzman ALVARENGA Malgarejo]
International organization participation: | CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador James SPALDING Hellmers chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962 FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: | Ambassador James C. CASON embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001 telephone: [595] (21) 213-715 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)

Economy | Paraguay

Economy - overview: | Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. This sector features both reexport of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries, as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population, especially in rural areas, derives its living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, limited progress on structural reform, and deficient infrastructure. The economy rebounded between 2003 and 2007, posting modest growth each year, as growing world demand for commodities combined with high prices and favorable weather to support Paraguay's commodity-based export expansion.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $27.08 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $10.87 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 6.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $4,500 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 22.4% industry: 17.6% services: 60% (2007 est.)
Labor force: | 2.787 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 31% industry: 17% services: 52% (2007)
Unemployment rate: | 5.6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line: | 32% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 46.1% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 56.8 (2008)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 8.1% (2007)
Investment (gross fixed): | 18.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $2.268 billion expenditures: $2.469 billion (2007)
Public debt: | 27.1% of GDP (2007)
Agriculture - products: | cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber
Industries: | sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel, metallurgic, electric power
Industrial production growth rate: | -1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production: | 70 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0.1% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: | 6 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - exports: | 64 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2007)
Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 28,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports: | 0 bbl/day (2007)
Oil - imports: | 25,940 bbl/day (2007)
Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2007)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2007 est.)
Current account balance: | $162 million (2007 est.)
Exports: | $6.898 billion f.o.b. (2007)
Exports - commodities: | soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood, leather
Exports - partners: | Uruguay 22%, Brazil 17.2%, Russia 11.9%, Argentina 8.8%, Chile 6.9% (2006)
Imports: | $7.012 billion f.o.b. (2007)
Imports - commodities: | road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery, tractors, chemicals, vehicle parts
Imports - partners: | China 27%, Brazil 20%, Argentina 13.6%, Japan 8.3%, US 6.4% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient: | $51.09 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $2.463 billion (31 December 2007)
Debt - external: | $3.605 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $2.057 million (2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $NA
Market value of publicly traded shares: | $233.8 million (2005)
Currency (code): | guarani (PYG)
Currency code: | PYG
Exchange rates: | guarani per US dollar - 5,031 (2007), 5,672.8 (2006), 6,178 (2005), 5,974.6 (2004), 6,424.3 (2003)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

Communications | Paraguay

Telephones - main lines in use: | 331,100 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 3.233 million (2006)
Telephone system: | general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching center is in Asuncion domestic: the fixed-line market is a state monopoly; deficiencies in provision of fixed-line service have resulted in a rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services fostered by competition among multiple providers international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 41, FM 121, shortwave 6 (3 inactive) (2006)
Radios: | 925,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 5 (2007)
Televisions: | 990,000 (2001)
Internet country code: | .py
Internet hosts: | 12,497 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 4 (2000)
Internet users: | 260,000 (2006)

Transportation | Paraguay

Airports: | 838 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 825 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 267 under 914 m: 532 (2007)
Railways: | total: 36 km standard gauge: 36 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways: | total: 29,500 km paved: 14,986 km unpaved: 14,514 km (1999)
Waterways: | 3,100 km (2007)
Merchant marine: | total: 22 ships (1000 GRT or over) 39,693 GRT/43,530 DWT by type: cargo 16, container 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 5 (Argentina 3, Netherlands 1, Switzerland 1) (2007)
Ports and terminals: | Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Military | Paraguay

Military branches: | Army, National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval Aviation, Marine Corps, General Naval Prefecture), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Paraguay, FAP) (2008)
Military 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 (2006)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,589,873 females age 16-49: 1,585,573 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,327,730 females age 16-49: 1,356,989 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: | males age 16-49: 72,109 females age 16-49: 70,509 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1% (2006 est.)

Transnational Issues | Paraguay

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 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; corruption and some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; weak anti-money-laundering laws and enforcement

This page was last updated on 19 June, 2008