Paraguay

Republic of ParaguayRepublica del Paraguay

republicIndependence 14 May 1811 (from Spain)

Paraguay as the 1998 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 99 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

Position23 00 S, 58 00 W

Area406,750 sq km

LocationCentral South America, northeast of Argentina

Populationas each edition published it

5.29 million July 1998 est. · 4.66m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.68% 1998 est. · 2.8% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 20.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

72.23 years 1998 est. · 72.98 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.26 children per woman 1998 est. · 4.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

37.39 deaths per 1,000 live births 1998 est. · 48 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$3,900 1997 est. · $1,500 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

2.6% 1997 est. · 1.7% in 1993

Geography

Central South America, northeast of Argentina

18 fields

Land useshare of 406,750 sq km

arable land 6%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 55%forests and woodland 32%other 7% (1993 est.)irrigated 670 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

406,750sq km

land: 397,300 sq kmwater: 9,450 sq kmslightly smaller than California

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Highest point

850m

Cerro San Rafaellowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m

Land boundaries

3,920km

border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km

Location

Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Climate

subtropical; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the 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

Natural hazards

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

Environment-current issues

deforestation (an estimated 2 million hectares of forest land have been lost from 1958-85);
water pollution;
inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents

Environment-international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: Nuclear Test Ban

Geography-note

landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil

People

15 fields

Population

5,291,020

(July 1998 est.)growth rate: 2.68% (1998 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1998 est.)

Birth

32.21Death

5.29Net migration

-0.1

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1998 est.)72.23

70.27 · 74.29

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)92.1%

93.5% · 90.6%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Age structure

0-14 years:: 39% (male 1,061,972; female 1,026,983)
15-64 years:: 56% (male 1,483,089; female 1,473,372)
65 years and over:: 5% (male 113,298; female 132,306) (July 1998 est.)

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 (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate

37.39 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Paraguayan(s)
adjective:: Paraguayan

Ethnic groups

mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, white plus Amerindian 5%

Religions

Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant denominations

Government

Republic; President Juan Carlos WASMOSY (since 15 August 1993) and Vice President Roberto Angel SEIFART (since 15 August 1993); President Juan Carlos WASMOSY (since 15 August 1993) and Vice President Roberto Angel SEIFART (since 15 August 1993)

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

40.09%

Juan Carlos WASMOSY 40.09%Domingo LAINO 32.06%Guillermo CABALLERO VARGAS 23.04%election last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held 10 May 1998)

Legislature, 80 seatsone dot, one seat

Colorado Party 38PLRA 33EN 9

Country name

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

Data code

Government type

republic

National capital

Asuncion

Administrative divisions

18 departments (departamentos, singular-departamento);
Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

Independence

14 May 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday

Independence Days, 14-15 May (1811)

Constitution

promulgated 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

Suffrage

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

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Juan Carlos WASMOSY (since 15 August 1993) and Vice President Roberto Angel SEIFART (since 15 August 1993);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:: President Juan Carlos WASMOSY (since 15 August 1993) and Vice President Roberto Angel SEIFART (since 15 August 1993);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:: Council of Ministers nominated by the president
elections:: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held 10 May 1998)
election results:: Juan Carlos WASMOSY elected president; percent of vote-Juan Carlos WASMOSY 40.09%, Domingo LAINO 32.06%, Guillermo CABALLERO VARGAS 23.04%

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 9 May 1993 (next to be held 10 May 1998); Chamber of Deputies-last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held 10 May 1998)
election results:: Chamber of Senators-percent of vote by party-NA;
seats by party - Colorado Party 20, PLRA 17, EN 8;
Chamber of Deputies-percent of vote by party-NA;
seats by party-Colorado Party 38, PLRA 33, EN 9

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia), judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates (Consejo de la Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders

Colorado Party, Luis Maria ARGANA, president;
Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA), Domingo LAINO;
National Encounter (EN), Carlos FILIZZOLA;
Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Miguel MONTANER;
Febrerista Revolutionary Party (PRF), Victor SANCHEZ Villagra;
Popular Democratic Party (PDP), Hugo Richer

Political pressure groups and leaders

Unitary Workers Central (CUT);
Roman Catholic Church;
National Workers Central (CNT);
Paraguayan Workers Confederation (CPT)

International organization participation

AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Jorge G. Andres PRIETO CONTI
chancery:: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962

FAX

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Maura A. HARTY
embassy:: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion
mailing address:: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001
telephone:: [595] (21) 213-715

FAX

[595] (21) 213-728

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)

Economy

Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large | informal sector.

28 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

-$21.9billion

purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)

GDP per capita, PPP

-$3,900

purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)

Real growth rate

2.6%

(1997 est.)industrial production growth: 5.1% (1995)

Inflation, consumer prices

6.2%

(1997)

GDP-composition by sector(1995)

agriculture 26.4%industry 24.9%services 48.7% (1995)

Budget

Revenues

$1.25 billionExpenditures

$1.66 billion (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $357 million

Fixed lines

88,730

(1985 est.)

Economy-overview

Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. The informal sector features both reexport of imported consumer goods (electronics, whiskeys, perfumes, cigarettes, and office equipment) to neighboring countries as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors.

The formal sector is largely oriented toward services. A large percentage of the population derive their living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. The formal economy has grown an average of about 3% over the past five years. However, population has increased at about the same rate over the same period, leaving per capita income nearly stagnant.

The WASMOSY government has continued to pursue its economic reform agenda, albeit with limited success because of in-fighting in the ruling party and resistance from the opposition. Paraguay's ongoing integration into Mercosur (the Southern Cone Common Market) offers potential for investment and growth.

Labor force

total:: 1.8 million (1995 est.)
by occupation:: agriculture 45%

Unemployment rate

8.2% (urban) (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity-capacity

6.533 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production

40.05 billion kWh (1995) note: exported about 36.96 billion kWh of electricity to Brazil

Electricity-consumption per capita

577 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products

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

Exports

total value:: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities:: cotton, soybeans, timber, vegetable oils, meat products, coffee, tung oil
partners:: Brazil 48%, Netherlands 22%, Argentina 9%, US 4%, Uruguay 3%, Chile 2% (1997)

Imports

total value:: $2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
commodities:: capital goods, consumer goods, foodstuffs, raw materials, fuels
partners:: Brazil 29%, US 22%, Argentina 14%, Hong Kong 9% (1995)

Debt-external

$1.3 billion (1996)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $38 million (1993)

Currency

1 guarani (G) = 100 centimos

Exchange rates

guaranies (G) per US$-2,528.8 (January 1998), 2,191.0 (1997), 2,062.8 (1996), 1,970.4 (1995), 1,911.5 (1994), 1,744.3 (1993)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

Telephone system

meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion

domestic:: fair microwave radio relay network
international:: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 40, FM 0, shortwave 7

Radios

775,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

Televisions

370,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

8 fields

Merchant marine, 19 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1997 est.)

cargo 14chemical tanker 1oil tanker 3roll-on/roll-off 1

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

555

over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 29 914 to 1,523 m: 353

Networkskm

Highways

29,500Railways

971Waterways

3,100

Highways: paved: 2,803 km · unpaved: 26,697 km (1996 est.) · Railways: standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge · narrow gauge: 60 km 1.000-m gauge · other gauge: 470 km various gauges (privately owned)