Paraguay

In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70), Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and relatively free and regular presidential elections have been held since then.

• 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

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

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

Nuclear Test Ban

0-14 years:

39% (male 1,109,887; female 1,074,815)

15-64 years:

56% (male 1,574,978; female 1,563,872)

65 years and over:

5% (male 120,662; female 141,614) (2000 est.)

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:

0.85 male(s)/female

total population:

1.01 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

noun:

Paraguayan(s)

adjective:

Paraguayan

conventional long form:

Republic of Paraguay

conventional short form:

Paraguay

local long form:

Republica del Paraguay

local short form:

Paraguay

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

• 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

• Authentic Radical Liberal Party or PLRA [Julio Cesar "Yolito" FRANCO];
• Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Miguel MONTANER];
• Febrerista Revolutionary Party or PRF [Carlos Maria LJUBETIC];
• National Encounter or PEN [Mario PAZ Castaing];
• National Republican Association - Colorado Party [acting president Bader RACHID LICHI]

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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Juan Esteban AGUIRRE MARTINEZ

chancery:

2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962

FAX:

[1] (202) 234-4508

consulate(s) general:

Kansas City (Kansas), Miami, New Orleans, New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Stephan G. MCFARLAND

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

• 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)

lowest 10%:

0.7%

highest 10%:

46.6% (1995)

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

• guarani (G) per US$ - 3.332.0 (January 2000), 3,119.1 (1999), 2,726.5 (1998), 2,177.9 (1997), 2,056.8 (1996), 1,963.0 (1995);
• note - since early 1998, the exchange rate has operated as a managed float;
• prior to that, the exchange rate was determined freely in the market

total:

971 km

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

total:

29,500 km

paved:

15,000 km

unpaved:

14,500 km (1999)

total:

21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,287 GRT/32,510 DWT

ships by type:

cargo 15, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 4, roll-on/roll-off 1 (1999 est.)

• illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in South America;
• transshipment country for Bolivian cocaine headed for Southern Cone markets and Europe and a limited amount to the US [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]