2008 Edition

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.

Area

total: 406,750 sq km land: 397,300 sq km water: 9,450 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than California

Climate

subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.49 cu km/yr (20%/8%/71%) per capita: 80 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

23 00 S, 58 00 W

Geography - note

landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in southern part of country

Irrigated land

670 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 3,995 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,365 km

Land use

arable land: 7.47% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 92.29% (2005)

Location

Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Natural resources

hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

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 renewable water resources

336 cu km (2000)

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.)

Birth rate

28.47 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

4% of GDP (2004)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

15,000 (1999 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.)

Languages

Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.56 years male: 72.99 years female: 78.26 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94% male: 94.9% female: 93% (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)

Median age

total: 21.7 years male: 21.5 years female: 22 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan

Net migration rate

-0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

6,831,306 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

2.39% (2008 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2005)

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.)

Total fertility rate

3.8 children born/woman (2008 est.)

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

Capital

name: Asuncion geographic coordinates: 25 16 S, 57 40 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

promulgated 20 June 1992

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay

Diplomatic representation from the US

Ambassador Liliana AYALDE embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001 telephone: [595] (21) 213-715

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

Executive branch

chief of state: President Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez (since 15 August 2008); Vice President Federico FRANCO (since 15 August 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

FAX

[1] (202) 234-4508 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New York

[595] (21) 228-603

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)

Government type

constitutional republic

Independence

14 May 1811 (from Spain)

International organization participation

CAN (associate), 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, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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)

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

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 14 May 1811 (observed 15 May)

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]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $2.159 billion expenditures: $2.042 billion (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

20% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

25.03% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

guarani (PYG)

Currency code

PYG

Current account balance

$119 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$3.492 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

56.8 (2008)

Economic aid - recipient

$51.09 million (2005)

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.

Electricity - consumption

6 billion kWh (2007)

Electricity - exports

64 billion kWh (2007)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007)

Electricity - production

70 billion kWh (2007)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0.1% (2001)

Exchange rates

guarani (PYG) per US dollar - 5,031 (2007), 5,672.8 (2006), 6,178 (2005), 5,974.6 (2004), 6,424.3 (2003)

Exports

$5.463 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood, leather

Exports - partners

Argentina 28.1%, Uruguay 15.2%, Brazil 12.7%, Chile 5.9%, Germany 4.9%, Russia 4.5% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 22.7% industry: 17.6% services: 59.7% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$4,000 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6.6% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$10.87 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$26.7 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 46.1% (2003)

Imports

$6.094 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery, tractors, chemicals, vehicle parts

Imports - partners

Brazil 30.4%, US 22.8%, Argentina 14.4%, China 8.6% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

-1% (2007 est.)

Industries

sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel, metallurgic, electric power

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.1% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

18.9% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

2.787 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 31% industry: 17% services: 52% (2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$233.8 million (2005)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2007 est.)

Oil - consumption

27,410 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007)

Oil - imports

25,940 bbl/day (2007)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

32% (2005 est.)

Public debt

27% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.463 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$2.057 million (2007)

Stock of domestic credit

$2.457 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$1.943 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$1.368 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

5.6% (2007 est.)

Internet country code

.py

Internet hosts

19,691 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

4 (2000)

Internet users

280,000 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 41, FM 121, shortwave 6 (3 inactive) (2006)

Radios

925,000 (1997)

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

453,800 (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4.33 million (2007)

Television broadcast stations

5 (2007)

Televisions

990,000 (2001)

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)

Merchant marine

total: 23 by type: cargo 18, carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 6 (Argentina 5, Netherlands 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals

Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

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 (2000)

Waterways

3,100 km (2007)

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

male: 72,109 female: 70,509 (2008 est.)

Military branches

Army, National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval Aviation, Marine Corps, General Naval Prefecture), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Paraguay, FAP) (2008)

Military expenditures

1% of GDP (2006 est.)

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)

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; weak border controls, extensive corruption and money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; weak anti-money-laundering laws and enforcement This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008