Paraguay

republicIndependence 14 May 1811 (from Spain)

Paraguay as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 75 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

4.93 million July 1992 · 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

4.4 children per woman 1992 · 4.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

28 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 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

13 fields

Total area

406,750km2

Comparative 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

4,929,446

(July 1992), growth rate 2.9% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

33Death

5Net migration

Labor force

1,418,000

(1991 est.); agriculture, industry and commerce, services, government (1986)

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%

Religions

Roman Catholic 90%; Mennonite and other Protestant denominations

Government

Republic

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

75.8%

Gen. RODRIGUEZ 75.8%Domingo LAINO 19.4%

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

Constitution

25 August 1967; Constituent Assembly rewrote the Constitution that was promulgated on 20 June 1992

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)

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)

Political parties and leaders

Colorado Party, Luis Maria ARGANA, acting president;
Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA), Juan Manuel BENITEZ Florentin;
Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Jose Angel BURRO;
Febrerista Revolutionary Party (PRF), Victor BAREIRO;
Popular Democratic Party (PDP), Hugo RICHER

Suffrage

universal and compulsory at age 18 and up to age 60

Elections

President:: last held 1 May 1989 (next to be held NA February 1993); results - Gen. RODRIGUEZ 75.8%, Domingo LAINO 19.4%
Chamber of Senators:: last held 1 May 1989 (next to be held by NA 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 NA May 1994);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (72 total) Colorado Party 48, PLRA 19, PRF 2, PDC 1, other 2

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

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 Juan Esteban Aguirre MARTINEZ;
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 D. GLASSMAN;
Embassy at 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Asuncion (mailing address is C. P. 402, Asuncion, or APO AA 34036-0001);
telephone [595] (21) 213-715;
FAX [595] (21) 213-728

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

Agriculture, including forestry, accounts for about 25% of GDP, employs | about 45% of the labor force, and provides the bulk of exports.

17 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

15%

(1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

14%

(1991 est.)

External debt

$1.7billion

(1991 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$1.2 billionExpenditures

$1.2 billion

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

Overview

Agriculture, including forestry, accounts for about 25% of GDP, 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 the period 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. In a major step to increase its economic activity in the region, Paraguay in March 1991 joined the Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR), which includes Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. During 1991 the government began to more seriously address its arrearages with international creditors and its domestic fiscal problems.

Inflation was cut in third, but the foreign trade deficit widened to more than $1 billion. For the long run, the government must press forward with general market-oriented economic reforms.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $7.0 billion, per capita $1,460; real growth rate 3.0% (1991 est.)

Exports

$642 million (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:: cotton, soybean, timber, vegetable oils, coffee, tung oil, meat products
partners:: EC 37%, Brazil 25%, Argentina 10%, Chile 6%, US 6%

Imports

$1.85 billion (c.i.f., 1991)

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

Electricity

5,578,000 kW capacity; 15,447 million kWh produced, 3,219 kWh per capita (1991)

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 (1970-89), $1.1 billion

Currency

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

Exchange rates

guaranies (G) per US$ - 1,447.5 (March 1992), 1,325.2 (1991), 1,229.8 (1990), 1,056.2 (1989), 550.00 (fixed rate 1986-February 1989),

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Merchant marine, 13 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 11petroleum tanker; note - 1 naval cargo ship is sometimes used commercially 213 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,747 GRT/19,865 DWT

Airports, 845 total, 716 usable

permanent-surface runways

7runways over | 3,659 m

0runways 2,440-3,659 m

3runways 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)