1991 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1991 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
varies from temperate in east to semiarid in far west
Coastline
none--landlocked
Comparative area
slightly smaller than California
Disputes
short section of the boundary with Brazil (just west of Guaira Falls on the Rio Parana) has not been determined
Environment
local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
Land boundaries
3,920 km total; Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Land use
arable land 20%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 39%; forest and woodland 35%; other 5%; includes irrigated NEGL%
Maritime claims
none--landlocked
Natural resources
iron ore, manganese, limestone, hydropower, timber
Note
landlocked; buffer between Argentina and Brazil
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
Total area
406,750 km2; land area: 397,300 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
35 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate
6 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Ethnic divisions
mestizo (Spanish and Indian) 95%, white and Indian 5%
Infant mortality rate
47 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Labor force
1,300,000; agriculture 44%, industry and commerce 34%, services 18%, government 4% (1986)
Language
Spanish (official) and Guarani
Life expectancy at birth
67 years male, 72 years female (1991)
Literacy
90% (male 92%, female 88%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Nationality
noun--Paraguayan(s); adjective--Paraguayan
Net migration rate
0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Organized labor
about 2% of labor force
Population
4,798,739 (July 1991), growth rate 2.9% (1991)
Religion
Roman Catholic 90%; Mennonite and other Protestant denominations
Total fertility rate
4.7 children born/woman (1991)
Government
Administrative divisions
19 departments (departamentos, singular--departamento); Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Chaco, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Nueva Asuncion, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro
Capital
Asuncion
Communists
Oscar Creydt faction and Miguel Angel SOLER faction (both illegal); 3,000 to 4,000 (est.) party members and sympathizers in Paraguay, very few are hard core; party beginning to return from exile is small and deeply divided
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Marcos MARTINEZ MENDIETA; Chancery at 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 483-6960 through 6962; there are Paraguayan Consulates General in New Orleans and New York, and a Consulate in Houston; US--Ambassador Jon GLASSMAN; Embassy at 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Asuncion (mailing address is C. P. 402, Asuncion, or APO Miami 34036-0001); telephone [595] (21) 213-715
Elections
President--last held 1 May 1989 (next to be held February 1993); results--Gen. RODRIGUEZ 75.8%, Domingo LAINO 19.4%; Chamber of Senators--last held 1 May 1989 (next to be held by May 1993); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(36 total) Colorado Party 24, PLRA 10, PLR 1, PRF 1; Chamber of Deputies--last held on 1 May 1989 (next to be held by May 1994); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(72 total) Colorado Party 48, PLRA 19, PRF 2, PDC 1, PL 1, PLR 1
Executive branch
president, Council of Ministers (cabinet), Council of State
Flag
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)
Independence
14 May 1811 (from Spain)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)
Leaders
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Gen. Andres RODRIGUEZ Pedotti (since 15 May 1989)
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
Legislative branch
bicameral Congress (Congreso) consists of an upper chamber or Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)
Long-form name
Republic of Paraguay
Member of
AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO
National holiday
Independence Days, 14-15 May (1811)
Other political or pressure groups
Confederation of Workers (CUT); Roman Catholic Church
Political parties and leaders
Colorado Party, Luis Maria ARGANA, acting president; Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA), Juan Manuel BENITEZ Florentin; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Jorge Dario CRISTALDO; Febrerista Revolutionary Party (PRF), Euclides ACEVEDO; Popular Democratic Party (PDP), Hugo RICHER
Suffrage
universal and compulsory at age 18 and up to age 60
Type
republic
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for 25% of GDP and 44% of labor force; cash crops--cotton, sugarcane; other crops--corn, wheat, tobacco, soybeans, cassava, fruits, and vegetables; animal products--beef, pork, eggs, milk; surplus producer of timber; self-sufficient in most foods
Budget
revenues $1.2 billion; expenditures $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $487 million (1991)
Currency
guarani (plural--guaranies); 1 guarani (0) = 100 centimos
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $172 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $1.05 billion
Electricity
5,169,000 kW capacity; 15,144 million kWh produced, 3,250 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
guaranies (0) per US$1--1,204.5 (October 1989), 1,056.2 (1989), 550.00 (fixed rate 1986-February 1989), 339.17 (1986), 306.67 (1985)
Exports
$980 million (registered f.o.b., 1990 est.); commodities--cotton, soybean, timber, vegetable oils, coffee, tung oil, meat products; partners--EC 37%, Brazil 25%, Argentina 10%, Chile 6%, US 6%
External debt
$1.7 billion (1989 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
$4.6 billion, per capita $1,000; real growth rate 3.5% (1990 est.)
Illicit drugs
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; important transshipment point for Bolivian cocaine headed for the US and Europe
Imports
$1.4 billion (registered c.i.f., 1990 est.); commodities--capital goods 35%, consumer goods 20%, fuels and lubricants 19%, raw materials 16%, foodstuffs, beverages, and tobacco 10%; partners--Brazil 30%, EC 20%, US 18%, Argentina 8%, Japan 7%
Industrial production
growth rate 5.9% (1989 est.); accounts for 16% of GDP
Industries
meat packing, oilseed crushing, milling, brewing, textiles, other light consumer goods, cement, construction
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
44% (1990 est.)
Overview
The economy is predominantly agricultural. Agriculture, including forestry, accounts for about 25% of GNP, employs about 45% of the labor force, and provides the bulk of exports. Paraguay has no known significant mineral or petroleum resources but does have a large hydropower potential. Since 1981 economic performance has declined compared with the boom period of 1976-81, when real GDP grew at an average annual rate of nearly 11%. During 1982-86 real GDP fell in three of five years, inflation jumped to an annual rate of 32%, and foreign debt rose. Factors responsible for the erratic behavior of the economy were the completion of the Itaipu hydroelectric dam, bad weather for crops, and weak international commodity prices for agricultural exports. In 1987 the economy experienced a minor recovery because of improved weather conditions and stronger international prices for key agricultural exports. The recovery continued through 1990, on the strength of bumper crops in 1988-89. The government, however, must follow through on promises of reforms needed to deal with escalating inflation, large fiscal deficits, growing debt arrearages, and falling reserves.
Unemployment rate
12% (1989 est.)
Communications
Airports
851 total, 738 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 60 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
4 major transport aircraft
Highways
21,960 km total; 1,788 km paved, 474 km gravel, and 19,698 km earth
Inland waterways
3,100 km
Merchant marine
14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,743 GRT/22,954 DWT; includes 12 cargo, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker; note--1 naval cargo ship is sometimes used commercially
Ports
Asuncion
Railroads
970 km total; 440 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 60 km 1.000-meter gauge, 470 km various narrow gauge (privately owned)
Telecommunications
principal center in Asuncion; fair intercity microwave net; 78,300 telephones; stations--40 AM, no FM, 5 TV, 7 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy (including Naval Air and Marines), Air Force
Defense expenditures
$84 million, 1.4% of GDP (1988 est.) _%_
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 1,130,690; 823,136 fit for military service; 51,415 reach military age (17) annually