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, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, 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;
• water pollution;
• inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents;
• loss of wetlands

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

• landlocked;
• lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil;
• population concentrated in southern part of country

0-14 years:

38.7% (male 1,156,366; female 1,119,558)

15-64 years:

56.6% (male 1,671,721; female 1,658,683)

65 years and over:

4.7% (male 128,137; female 150,026) (2002 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 (2002 est.)

noun:

Paraguayan(s)

adjective:

Paraguayan

conventional long form:

Republic of Paraguay

conventional short form:

Paraguay

local short form:

Paraguay

local long form:

Republica del Paraguay

• 17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital city*;
• Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

• Authentic Radical Liberal Party or PLRA [Miguel Abdon SAGUIER];
• Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Luis Miguel ANDRADA Nogues];
• Febrerista Revolutionary Party or PRF [Oscar ACUNA TORRES];
• National Encounter Party or PEN [Mario PAZ CASTAING];
• National Republican Association - Colorado Party [Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS]

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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Leila Teresa RACHID COWLES

chancery:

2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

consulate(s) general:

Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York

FAX:

[1] (202) 234-4508

telephone:

[1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962

chief of mission:

Ambassador John F. KEANE

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%:

1%

highest 10%:

44% (1998) (1998)

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

• guarani per US dollar - 4,783.0 (January 2002), 4,107.7 (2001), 3,486.4 (2000), 3,119.1 (1999), 2,726.5 (1998), 2,177.9 (1997);
• 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

general assessment:

meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion

domestic:

fair microwave radio relay network

international:

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

total:

971 km

standard gauge:

441 km 1.435-m gauge

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

narrow gauge:

60 km 1.000-m gauge

total:

25,901 km

paved:

3,067 km

unpaved:

22,834 km (2001)

total:

21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 34,623 GRT/36,821 DWT

ships by type:

cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 3

note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Argentina 2, Japan 1 (2002 est.)

• major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in South America;
• transshipment country for Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets, Europe, and US;
• corruption and some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area