Paraguay

• 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

• 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

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

noun:

Paraguayan(s)

adjective:

Paraguayan

total:

32.3 years (2025 est.)

male:

31.6 years

female:

32 years

• 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

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.)

total:

21.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

26.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

17.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

78.8 years (2024 est.)

male:

76.2 years

female:

81.6 years

total:

5.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

3.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

1.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

9.3% (2025 est.)

male:

15.5% (2025 est.)

female:

3.3% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

3.6% (2016)

women married by age 18:

21.6% (2016)

• deforestation;
• water pollution;
• toxic dumping in rivers and streams;
• loss of wetlands;
• inadequate means for waste disposal in urban areas

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

Nuclear Test Ban, Tropical Timber 2006

urban population:

63.1% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

energy:

37.3 kt (2022-2024 est.)

agriculture:

813 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste:

101.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

other:

10 kt (2019-2021 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

1.819 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

18.1% (2022 est.)

municipal:

362 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

154 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

1.897 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Republic of Paraguay

conventional short form:

Paraguay

local long form:

República del Paraguay

local short form:

Paraguay

etymology:

derives from the river of the same name; the river's name may come from the Guarani words para (water or river) and guay (born)

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

• 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

history:

several previous; latest approved and promulgated 20 June 1992

amendment process:

• proposed at the initiative of at least one quarter of either chamber of the National Congress, by the president of the republic, or by petition of at least 30,000 voters;
• passage requires a two-thirds majority vote by both chambers and approval in a referendum

citizenship by birth:

yes

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Paraguay

dual citizenship recognized:

yes

residency requirement for naturalization:

3 years

legislature name:

Congress (Congreso)

legislative structure:

bicameral

chamber name:

Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados)

number of seats:

80 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

proportional representation

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

5 years

most recent election date:

4/30/2023

parties elected and seats per party:

• National Republican Association/Colorado Party (ANR) (48);
• Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA) - Alliances (23);
• National Crusade Party (CN) (4);
• Other (5)

percentage of women in chamber:

23.8%

expected date of next election:

April 2028

chamber name:

Senate (Cámara de Senadores)

number of seats:

45 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

proportional representation

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

5 years

most recent election date:

4/30/2023

parties elected and seats per party:

• National Republican Association/Colorado Party (ANR) (23);
• Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA) - Alliances (12);
• National Crusade Party (CN) (5);
• Other (5)

percentage of women in chamber:

22.2%

expected date of next election:

April 2028

highest court(s):

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 9 justices divided 3 each into the Constitutional Court, Civil and Commercial Chamber, and Criminal Division)

judge selection and term of office:

• justices proposed by the Council of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura, a 6-member independent body, and appointed by the Chamber of Senators with presidential concurrence;
• judges can serve until mandatory retirement at age 75

subordinate courts:

• appellate courts;
• first instance courts;
• minor courts, including justices of the peace

• Asociacion Nacional Republicana (National Republican Association) - Colorado Party or ANR
• Avanza Pais coalition or AP
• Frente Guasu (Broad Front coalition) or FG
• GANAR Alliance (Great Renewed National Alliance) (alliance between PLRA and Guasú Front)
• Movimiento Hagamos or MH
• Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos (National Union of Ethical Citizens) or UNACE
• Partido Cruzada Nacional (National Crusade Party) or PCN; note - formerly Movimiento Cruzada Nacional
• Partido del Movimiento al Socialismo or P-MAS
• Partido Democratica Progresista (Progressive Democratic Party) or PDP
• Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN
• Partido Liberal Radical Autentico (Authentic Radical Liberal Party) or PLRA
• Partido Pais Solidario or PPS
• Partido Popular Tekojoja or PPT
• Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PPQ

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Robert ALTER (since July 2025)

embassy:

1776 Mariscal Lopez Avenue, Asuncion

mailing address:

3020 Asuncion Place, Washington DC 20521-3020

telephone:

[595] (21) 248-3000

FAX:

[595] (21) 213-728

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://py.usembassy.gov/

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)

meaning:

red stands for bravery and patriotism, white for integrity and peace, and blue for liberty and generosity

note 1: resembles the flag of the Netherlands, which does not have a central emblem

note 2: one of three national flags that differ on each side -- the others are Moldova and Saudi Arabia

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)

total World Heritage Sites:

1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Jesuit Missions of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangue

• upper middle-income South American economy;
• COVID-19 hit while still recovering from 2019 Argentina-driven recession;
• global hydroelectricity leader;
• major corruption and money-laundering locale;
• highly agrarian economy;
• significant income inequality

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

total:

14.1% (2024 est.)

male:

11% (2024 est.)

female:

18.8% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

on food:

29.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco:

4.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

lowest 10%:

1.8% (2023 est.)

highest 10%:

34.4% (2023 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

consumption:

700 metric tons (2023 est.)

exports:

10 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

100 metric tons (2023 est.)

total petroleum production:

2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

52,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

• 6 privately owned TV stations;
• about 75 commercial and community radio stations;
• 1 state-owned radio network (2019)

total:

30 km (2014)

standard gauge:

30 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

total ports:

1 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

0

very small:

1

ports with oil terminals:

0

key ports:

Puerto de Asuncion

• the military's inventory is comprised of mostly older or obsolescent equipment from a variety of foreign suppliers, particularly Brazil and the US;
• in recent years, the military has received small quantities of more modern equipment, such as light attack aircraft from Brazil and secondhand helicopters from Taiwan (2025)

• has a small, recently established space program focused on the acquisition of satellites, satellite data, and the technologies and capabilities to manufacture satellites, as well as promoting domestic expertise and industry;
• a priority is acquiring remote sensing capabilities to support socio-economic development, including resource mapping, weather, and crop monitoring;
• has built a cube satellite with foreign assistance;
• operates satellites;
• cooperates with foreign space agencies and industries, including those of India, Japan, Taiwan, the US, and member states of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (2025)

• 2017 - organized country’s first international conference on space issues
• 2021 - first research/technology-demonstrator cube satellite (Guaranisat-1) built jointly with Japan, launched by US, and deployed from International Space Station; signed protocols for the establishment of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency
• 2025 - developing Guarani-Sat-2, which will be Paraguay's second satellite and the first designed and built domestically

refugees:

7,649 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

141 (2024 est.)

stateless persons:

5 (2024 est.)