Paraguay
Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay
constitutional republicIndependence 14 May 1811 (from Spain)
Paraguay as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 115 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.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular presidential elections have been held since then.
Geography
Central South America, northeast of Argentina
18 fieldsLand boundaries
total: 3,920 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Climate
subtropical to temperate; 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
Elevation extremes
lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m
Land use
arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 55% forests and woodland: 32% other: 7% (1993 est.)
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 were 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
People
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2001 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 38.9% (male 1,133,306; female 1,097,360) 15-64 years: 56.39% (male 1,622,743; female 1,610,659) 65 years and over: 4.71% (male 124,321; female 145,750) (2001 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: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 73.92 years male: 71.44 years female: 76.52 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.1% male: 93.5% female: 90.6% (1995 est.)
Government
Constitutional republic; President Luis GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999)
20 fieldsLegislature, 80 seatsone dot, one seat
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay
Administrative divisions
- 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
Legal system
based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Luis GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999);
- vice president Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000);
- note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Luis GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999);
- vice president Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000);
- 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 after being impeached soon after the assassination of Vice President Luis Maria ARGANA;
- the successor to ARGANA was decided in an election held in August 2000
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 25, PLRA 13, PEN 7;
- Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%;
- seats by party - Colorado Party 45, PLRA 26, PEN 9
Judicial branch
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura)
Political parties and leaders
- Authentic Radical Liberal Party or PLRA [Miguel Abdon SAGUIER];
- Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Adalina GUITERREZ DE GALEANO];
- Febrerista Revolutionary Party or PRF [Carlos Maria LJUBETIC];
- National Encounter or PEN [Euclides ACEVEDO];
- National Republican Association - Colorado Party [acting president Bader RACHID LICHI]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- Ahorristas Estafados or AE;
- National Workers Central or CNT;
- Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT;
- Roman Catholic Church;
- Unitary Workers Central or CUT
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, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Leila RACHID chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962
FAX
[1] (202) 234-4508 consulate(s) general: Detroit (honorary), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (honorary)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador David N. GREENLEE embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001 telephone: [595] (21) 213-715
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.
32 fieldsElectricity
Economy - overview
Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. The informal sector features both reexport of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain.
A large percentage of the population derives their living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3% annually in 1995-97, but GDP declined slightly in 1998 and 1999. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels.
Most observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural reform, substantial internal and external debt, and deficient infrastructure. Growth rebounded slightly in 2000.
Budget
revenues: $1.3 billion expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (1999 est.)
Agriculture - products
- cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (yucca), fruits, vegetables;
- beef, pork, eggs, milk;
- timber
Imports - commodities
road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery
Exchange rates
- guarani per US dollar - 3,570.0 (January 2001), 3,486.4 (2000), 3,119.1 (1999), 2,726.5 (1998), 2,177.9 (1997), 2,056.8 (1996);
- 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
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone system
general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion domestic: fair microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Transportation
8 fieldsRailways
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
Merchant marine
total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,066 GRT/35,441 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 11 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 904 1,524 to 2,437 m: 29 914 to 1,523 m: 340 under 914 m: 535 (2000 est.)
Military
Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force
7 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldIllicit drugs
- illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in South America;
- transshipment country for Andean cocaine headed for Southern Cone markets and Europe
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Paraguay.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/paraguay/2001.