Paraguay

republicIndependence 14 May 1811 (from Spain)

Paraguay as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 70 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalAsuncion

Area406,750 km2

Populationas each edition published it

4.8 million July 1991 · 4.66m in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.8% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 20.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 72.98 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.7 children per woman 1991 · 4.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

47 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 48 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $1,500 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 1.7% in 1993

Geography

12 fields

Total area

406,750km2

land area: 397,300 km2Comparative area: slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries

3,920km total

Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km

Disputes

short section of the boundary with Brazil (just west of Guaira Falls on the Rio Parana) has not been determined

Climate

varies from temperate in east to semiarid in 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

Natural resources

iron ore, manganese, limestone, hydropower, timber

Land use

arable land 20%;
permanent crops 1%;
meadows and pastures 39%;
forest and woodland 35%;
other 5%;
includes irrigated NEGL%

Environment

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

Note

landlocked; buffer between Argentina and Brazil

People

14 fields

Population

4,798,739

(July 1991), growth rate 2.9% (1991)

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth

35Death

6Net migration

Literacy

90%

(male 92%, female 88%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality

noun--Paraguayan(s); adjective--Paraguayan

Ethnic divisions

mestizo (Spanish and Indian) 95%, white and Indian 5%

Religion

Roman Catholic 90%; Mennonite and other Protestant denominations

Labor force

1,300,000; agriculture 44%, industry and commerce 34%, services 18%, government 4% (1986)

Government

Republic

16 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

75.8%

Gen. RODRIGUEZ 75.8%Domingo LAINO 19.4%1 May 1989 (next to be held February 1993)

Chamber of Senators, 36 seats, elected 1 May 1989one dot, one seat

Colorado Party 24PLRA 10PLR 1PRF 1

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

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

Executive branch

president, Council of Ministers (cabinet), Council of State

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)

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia) Chief of State and Head of Government--President Gen. Andres RODRIGUEZ Pedotti (since 15 May 1989) 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 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

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

Other political or pressure groups

Confederation of Workers (CUT); Roman Catholic Church

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

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

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)

Economy

The economy is predominantly agricultural.

17 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$4.6billion

per capita $1,000; real growth rate 3.5% (1990 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

44%

(1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

12%

(1989 est.)

External debt

$1.7billion

(1989 est.)

Imports $1.4 billion (registered c.i.f., 1990 est.)commodities, where a share is given

capital goods

35%consumer goods

20%fuels and lubricants

19%raw materials

16%and tobacco

10%

also foodstuffs, beverages; partners--Brazil 30%, EC 20%, US 18%, Argentina 8%, Japan 7%

Budget

Revenues

$1.2 billionExpenditures

$1.2 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $487 million (1991)

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.

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%

Industrial production

growth rate 5.9% (1989 est.); accounts for 16% of GDP

Electricity

5,169,000 kW capacity; 15,144 million kWh produced, 3,250 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

meat packing, oilseed crushing, milling, brewing, textiles, other light consumer goods, cement, construction

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

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; important transshipment point for Bolivian cocaine headed for the US and Europe

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

Currency

guarani (plural--guaranies); 1 guarani (0) = 100 centimos

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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Merchant marine, 14 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 12petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker; note--1 naval cargo ship is sometimes used commercially 214 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,743 GRT/22,954 DWT

Airports, 851 total, 738 usable

permanent-surface runways

6runways over 3,659 m

1runways 2,440-3,659 m

2runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

21,960Railroads

970Inland waterways

3,100

Highways: ; 1,788 km paved, 474 km gravel, and 19,698 km earth · Railroads: ; 440 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 60 km 1.000-meter gauge, 470 km various narrow gauge (privately owned)