Paraguay

Republic of ParaguayRepublica del Paraguay

republicIndependence 14 May 1811 (from Spain)

Paraguay as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 105 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

5.43 million July 1999 est. · 4.66m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.65% 1999 est. · 2.8% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 20.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

72.43 years 1999 est. · 72.98 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.22 children per woman 1999 est. · 4.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

36.35 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 48 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$3,700 1998 est. · $1,500 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-0.5% 1998 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:: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography--note

landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil

People

15 fields

Population

5,434,095

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 2.65% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

31.87Death

5.23Net migration

-0.09

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)72.43

70.47 · 74.49

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 1,086,107; female 1,049,833)
15-64 years:: 56% (male 1,528,127; female 1,517,213)
65 years and over:: 5% (male 116,761; female 136,054) (1999 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
total population:: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

36.35 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 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 Luis GONZALEZ Macchi (since 28 March 1999); President Luis GONZALEZ Macchi (since 28 March 1999)

19 fields

Legislature, 80 seatsone dot, one seat

-Colorado Party 45PLRA/PEN 35

Country name

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

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

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 Luis GONZALEZ Macchi (since 28 March 1999); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:: President Luis GONZALEZ Macchi (since 28 March 1999); 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 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003)
election results:: Raul CUBAS Grau elected president;
percent of vote--55.3%;
resigned 28 March 1999

note: President Luis GONZALEZ Macchi, formerly president of the Chamber of Senators, constitutionally succeeded President Raul CUBAS Grau, who resigned following the assassination of Vice President Luis Maria ARGANA;

the successor to ARGANA will be decided in an election to be held in late 1999

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 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003); Chamber of Deputies--last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003)
election results:: Chamber of Senators--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--Colorado Party 24, PLRA/PEN 20, other 1;
Chamber of Deputies--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--Colorado Party 45, PLRA/PEN 35

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

National Republican Maria LJUBETIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

International organization participation

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, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery:: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
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

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.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$3,700

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

-0.5%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 5.1% (1995)

Inflation, consumer prices

14.6%

(1998)

Unemployment rate

8.2%

(urban) (1996 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1997)

agriculture 27%industry 30%services 43% (1997)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

48%

Brazil

29%

22%

Netherlands

22%

Argentina

14%

Hong Kong

Uruguay

Chile

Exports $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)Imports $2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)(1997) · (1995)

Budget

Revenues

$1.25 billionExpenditures

$1.66 billion (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $357 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 0.07%hydro 99.93%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

45.03 billion (1996)Electricity consumption

4.768 billion (1996)Electricity exports

40.262 billion (1996)

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 six years, but GDP declined in 1998. However, population has increased at about the same rate over the same period, leaving per capita income nearly stagnant.

The new government of Raul CUBAS Grau was pursuing an economic reform agenda, albeit with limited success because of in-fighting in the ruling party and resistance from the opposition.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$19.8 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

21.8% (1991 est.)

Labor force

1.8 million (1995 est.)

Labor force--by occupation

agriculture 45%

Industries

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

Agriculture--products

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

Exports

$1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Exports--commodities

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

Imports

$2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)

Imports--commodities

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

Debt--external

$1.3 billion (1996)

Economic aid--recipient

$180.4 million (1995)

Currency

1 guarani (G) = 100 centimos

Exchange rates

guaranies (G) per US$--2,866.3 (January 1999), 2,755.7 (1998), 2,191.0 (1997), 2,062.8 (1996), 1,970.4 (1995), 1,911.5 (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

88,730

(1985 est.)

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

10 (1997)

Televisions

370,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

8 fields

Merchant marine, 21 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1998 est.)

cargo 15chemical tanker 1oil tanker 4roll-on/roll-off 1

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

552

over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 29 914 to 1,523 m: 349

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 note: there are 470 km of various gauges that are privately owned