Paraguay

republicIndependence 14 May 1811 (from Spain)

Paraguay as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 121 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
LocationCentral South America, between Argentina and Brazil
1994

Every edition of Paraguay

Populationas each edition published it
5.21 million July 1994 est. · 4.66m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.76% 1994 est. · 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
4.29 children per woman 1994 est. · 4.8 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
25.2 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 48 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$3,000 1993 est. · $1,500 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
3.5% 1993 est. · 1.7% in 1993

Geography

Central South America, between Argentina and Brazil

22 fields
Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked
Land boundaries
3,920km
total · Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Irrigated land
670sq km
(1989 est.)

Location

Central South America, between Argentina and Brazil

Map references

South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

406,750 sq km

land area

397,300 sq km

comparative area

slightly smaller than California

International disputes

short section of the boundary with Brazil, just west of Salto del Guaira (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

hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

arable land

20%

permanent crops

1%

meadows and pastures

39%

forest and woodland

35%

other

5%

current issues

  • deforestation;
  • water pollution;
  • inadequate means for waste disposal present health hazards for many urban residents

natural hazards

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

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea; signed, but not ratified - Nuclear Test Ban

Note

landlocked; buffer between Argentina and Brazil

People

21 fields
Population
5,213,772
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 2.76% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
32.03Death
4.48Net migration
0
Labor force
1.692million
(1993 est.)
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1990 est.)

Infant mortality rate

25.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

73.28 years

male

71.74 years

female

74.9 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.29 children born/woman (1994 est.)

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

Languages

Spanish (official), Guarani

total population

90%

male

92%

female

88%

by occupation

agriculture, industry and commerce, services, government (1986)

Government

Republic

34 fields

Legislature, 45 seatsone dot, one seat

Colorado Party 20PLRA 17EN 8

Legislature, 80 seatsone dot, one seat

Colorado Party 38PLRA 33EN 9

conventional long form

Republic of Paraguay

conventional short form

Paraguay

local long form

Republica del Paraguay

local short form

Paraguay

Type

republic

Capital

Asuncion

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

Independence

14 May 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday

Independence Days, 14-15 May (1811)

Constitution

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 60

chief of state and head of government

  • President Juan Carlos WASMOSY (since 15 August 1993);
  • Vice President Roberto Angel SEIFART (since 15 August 1993);
  • election last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held May 1998);
  • results - Juan Carlos WASMOSY 40.09%, Domingo LAINO 32.06%, Guillermo CABALLERO VARGAS 23.04%

cabinet

Council of Ministers; nominated by the president

Legislative branch

bicameral Congress (Congreso)

Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores)

  • elections last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held May 1998);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (45 total) Colorado Party 20, PLRA 17, EN 8

Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)

  • elections last held on 9 May 1993 (next to be held by May 1998);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (80 total) Colorado Party 38, PLRA 33, EN 9

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)

Political parties and leaders

  • Colorado Party, Eugenio SANABRIA CANTERO, president;
  • Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA), Domingo LAINO;
  • National Encounter (EN), Guillermo CABALLERO VARGAS (the EN party includes the following minor
parties:
  • Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Jose Angel BURRO;
  • Febrerista Revolutionary Party (PRF), Euclides ACEVEDO;
  • Popular Democratic Party (PDP), Hugo RICHER)

Other political or pressure groups

Confederation of Workers (CUT); Roman Catholic Church

Member of

AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, MERCOSUR, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission

Ambassador Juan Esteban AGUIRRE Martinez

chancery

2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

(202) 483-6960 through 6962

FAX

(202) 234-4508

consulate(s) general

New Orleans and New York

consulate(s)

Miami

chief of mission

(vacant); Charge D'Affaires Gerald McCOLLOCH

embassy

1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Asuncion

mailing address

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, led by soybeans and cotton.

26 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$3,000
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
3.5%
(1993 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 2.2% (1991 est.); accounts for 20% of GDP
Unemployment rate
11%
(1993 est.)

Overview

Agriculture, including forestry, accounts for about 25% of GDP, employs about 45% of the labor force, and provides the bulk of exports, led by soybeans and cotton. Paraguay lacks substantial mineral or petroleum resources but possesses 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 export prices for agricultural commodities. 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. In 1992, the government, through an unorthodox approach, reduced external debt with both commercial and official creditors by purchasing a sizable amount of the delinquent commercial debt in the secondary market at a substantial discount.

The government had paid 100% of remaining official debt arrears to the US, Germany, France, and Spain. All commercial debt arrears have been rescheduled. For the long run, the government must press forward with general, market-oriented economic reforms. Growth of 3.5% in 1993 was spurred by higher-than-expected agricultural output and rising international commodity prices. Inflation picked up steam in fourth quarter 1993 because of rises in public sector salaries and utility rates.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $15.2 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$1.2 billion

expenditures

$1.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $487 million (1992 est.)

Exports

$728 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities

cotton, soybean, timber, vegetable oils, meat products, coffee, tung oil

partners

EC 37%, Brazil 25%, Argentina 10%, Chile 6%, US 6%

Imports

$1.38 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)

commodities

capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, raw materials, fuels

partners

Brazil 30%, EC 20%, US 18%, Argentina 8%, Japan 7%

External debt

$1.2 billion (1993 est.)

capacity

5,257,000 kW

production

16.2 billion kWh

consumption per capita

3,280 kWh (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • accounts for 26% of GDP and 44% of labor force;
  • cash crops - cotton, sugarcane, soybeans;
  • other crops - corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava, fruits, 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

recipient

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $172 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.1 billion

Currency

1 guarani (G) = 100 centimos

Exchange rates

guaranies (G) per US$ - 1,861.3 (January 1994), 1,744.3 (1993), 1,500.3 (1992), 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

15 fields

Networkskm

Railroads
970Inland waterways
3,100
Railroads: ; 440 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 60 km 1.000-meter gauge, 470 km various narrow gauge (privately owned)

Railroads

970 km total; 440 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 60 km 1.000-meter gauge, 470 km various narrow gauge (privately owned)

total

28,300 km

paved

2,600 km

unpaved

gravel 500 km; earth 25,200 km

Ports

Asuncion, Villeta, Ciudad del Este

Merchant marine

13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,747 GRT/19,513 DWT, cargo 11, oil tanker 2

note

1 naval cargo ship is sometimes used commercially

total

969

usable

827

with permanent-surface runways

7

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

5

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

93

Telecommunications

  • meager telephone service;
  • principal switching center in Asuncion;
  • fair intercity microwave net;
  • 78,300 telephones;
  • telephone density - 16 telephones per 1,000 persons;
  • broadcast stations - 40 AM, no FM, 5 TV, 7 shortwave;
  • 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Army, Navy (including Naval Air and Marines), Air Force

3 fields

Branches

Army, Navy (including Naval Air and Marines), Air Force

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 1,249,470;
  • fit for military service 907,533;
  • reach military age (17) annually 53,126 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $100 million, 1.6% of GDP (1994 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Paraguay.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/paraguay/1994.

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