Paraguay

Republic of ParaguayRepublica del Paraguay

constitutional republicIndependence 14 May 1811 (from Spain)

Paraguay as the 2008 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 136 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, UTC-4
Position23 00 S, 58 00 W
Area406,750 sq km
LocationCentral South America, northeast of Argentina
2008

Every edition of Paraguay

Populationas each edition published it
6.83 million July 2008 est. · 4.66m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.39% 2008 est. · 2.8% in 1993
Median ageyears
21.7 years 2008 est. · 20.9 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
75.56 years 2008 est. · 72.98 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.8 children per woman 2008 est. · 4.8 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
25.55 deaths per 1,000 live births 2008 est. · 48 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$4,000 2007 est. · $1,500 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
6.6% 2007 est. · 1.7% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70) - between Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay - 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, Paraguay won large, economically important areas from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER ended in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, Paraguay has held relatively free and regular presidential elections since then.

Geography

Central South America, northeast of Argentina

20 fields

Land useshare of 406,750 sq km

arable land 7.47%permanent crops 0.24%other 92.29% (2005)irrigated 670 sq km (2003)
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
842m
Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu)lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
Land boundaries
3,995km
border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,365 km

Location

Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Geographic coordinates

23 00 S, 58 00 W

Map references

South America

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

Natural resources

hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total:
0.49 cu km/yr (20%/8%/71%)
per capita:
80 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

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

Environment - current issues

  • deforestation;
  • water pollution;
  • inadequate means for waste disposal pose health risks for many urban residents;
  • loss of wetlands

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:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

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

People

22 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2008 est.)

161,811
65 and over5.1%
188,290
1,988,256
15-6457.9%
1,968,869
1,283,311
0-1436.9%
1,240,769
MaleFemale
Population
6,831,306
(July 2008 est.)growth rate: 2.39% (2008 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2008 est.)

Birth
28.47Death
4.49Net migration
-0.07

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2008 est.)75.56
72.99 · 78.26Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)25.55
29.74 · 21.16Literacy (2003 est.)94%
94.9% · 93%
TotalMale · femaleMedian age years (2008 est.)21.7
21.5 · 22School life expectancy years (2005)12
12 · 12
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions(2002 census)

Roman Catholic 89.6%Protestant 6.2%other Christian 1.1%other or unspecified 1.9%none 1.1% (2002 census)

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 (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.8 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

600 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk:
intermediate
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease:
dengue fever and malaria (2008)

Nationality

noun:
Paraguayan(s)
adjective:
Paraguayan

Ethnic groups

mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, other 5%

Languages

Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Education expenditures

4% of GDP (2004)

Government

Constitutional republic; President Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez (since 15 August 2008); President Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez (since 15 August 2008)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

40.8%
Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez 40.8%Blanca OVELAR 30.6%Lino OVIEDO 21.9%Pedro FADUL 2.4%other 4.3%election last held 20 April 2008 (next to be held April 2013)

Chamber of Senators, 80 seats, elected 20 April 2008one dot, one seat

ANR 30PLRA 27UNACE 15PPQ 3APC 2other 3

Country name

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

Government type

constitutional republic

Capital

name:
Asuncion
geographic coordinates:
25 16 S, 57 40 W
time difference:
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

  • 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

Independence

14 May 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday

Independence Day, 14 May 1811 (observed 15 May)

Constitution

promulgated 20 June 1992

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Executive branch

chief of state:
  • President Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez (since 15 August 2008);
  • Vice President Federico FRANCO (since 15 August 2008);
  • note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez (since 15 August 2008); Vice President Federico FRANCO (since 15 August 2008)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections:
  • president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term;
  • election last held 20 April 2008 (next to be held April 2013)
election results:
  • Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez elected president;
  • percent of vote - Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez 40.8%, Blanca OVELAR 30.6%, Lino OVIEDO 21.9%, Pedro FADUL 2.4%, other 4.3%

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 20 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2013); Chamber of Deputies - last held 20 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2013)
election results:
  • Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA;
  • seats by party - ANR 15, PLRA 14, UNACE 9, PPQ 4, other 3;
  • Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;
  • seats by party - ANR 30, PLRA 27, UNACE 15, PPQ 3, APC 2, other 3

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders

  • Alianza Patriotica por el Cambio (Patriotic Alliance for Change) or APC [Fernando LUGO];
  • Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Jose Alberto ALDERETE];
  • Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Enrique GONZALEZ Quintana];
  • Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PPQ [Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella];
  • Partido del Movimiento al Socialismo or P-MAS;
  • Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Emilio CAMACHO Paredes];
  • Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Blas LLANO];
  • Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares]

Political pressure groups and leaders

  • Ahorristas Estafados or AE;
  • National Coordinating Board of Campesino Organizations or MCNOC [Luis AGUAYO];
  • National Federation of Campesinos or FNC [Odilon ESPINOLA];
  • National Workers Central or CNT [Secretary General Juan TORRALES];
  • Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT;
  • Roman Catholic Church;
  • Unitary Workers Central or CUT [Jorge Guzman ALVARENGA Malgarejo]

International organization participation

CAN (associate), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador James SPALDING Hellmers
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 York

Diplomatic representation from the US

Ambassador Liliana AYALDE

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) 228-603

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

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

51 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$26.7billion
(2007 est.)official exchange rate: $10.87 billion (2007 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$4,000
(2007 est.)
Real growth rate
6.6%
(2007 est.)industrial production growth: -1% (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2007 est.)

agriculture 22.7%industry 17.6%services 59.7% (2007 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

12.7%
Brazil
30.4%
28.1%
Argentina
14.4%
US
22.8%
15.2%
Uruguay
China
8.6%
5.9%
Chile
4.9%
Germany
4.5%
Russia
Exports $5.463 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)Imports $6.094 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)(2007)

Budget

Revenues
$2.159 billionExpenditures
$2.042 billion (2007 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production
70 billion (2007)Electricity consumption
6 billion (2007)Electricity exports
64 billion (2007)

Economy - overview

Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. This 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, especially in rural areas, derives its living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, limited progress on structural reform, and deficient infrastructure.

The economy rebounded between 2003 and 2007, posting modest growth each year, as growing world demand for commodities combined with high prices and favorable weather to support Paraguay's commodity-based export expansion.

Labor force

2.787 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
31%
industry:
17%
services:
52% (2007)

Unemployment rate

5.6% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
0.7%
highest 10%:
46.1% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed)

18.9% of GDP (2007 est.)

Public debt

27% of GDP (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

20% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

25.03% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$1.943 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$1.368 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit

$2.457 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products

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

Industries

sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel, metallurgic, electric power

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption

27,410 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007)

Oil - imports

25,940 bbl/day (2007)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2007 est.)

Current account balance

$119 million (2007 est.)

Exports

$5.463 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood, leather

Imports

$6.094 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery, tractors, chemicals, vehicle parts

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.463 billion (31 December 2007)

Debt - external

$3.492 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Currency (code)

guarani (PYG)

Exchange rates

guarani (PYG) per US dollar - 5,031 (2007), 5,672.8 (2006), 6,178 (2005), 5,974.6 (2004), 6,424.3 (2003)

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
4.33 million
(2007)
Internet users
19,691
(2008)
Fixed lines
453,800
(2007) · country code .py

Telephone system

general assessment:
meager telephone service; principal switching center is in Asuncion
domestic:
  • the fixed-line market is a state monopoly;
  • deficiencies in provision of fixed-line service have resulted in a rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services fostered by competition among multiple providers
international:
country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 41, FM 121, shortwave 6 (3 inactive) (2006)

Internet users

280,000 (2007)

Transportation

8 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

3
over 3,047 m
5
1,524 to 2,437 m
26
5
914 to 1,523 m
267
under 914 m
532
Paved 13Unpaved 825

Networkskm

Roadways
29,500Railways
36Waterways
3,100 (2007)
Roadways: paved: 14,986 km · unpaved: 14,514 km (2000) · Railways: standard gauge: 36 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)

Airports

838 (2007)

Railways

total:
36 km
standard gauge:
36 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)

Roadways

total:
29,500 km
paved:
14,986 km
unpaved:
14,514 km (2000)

Merchant marine

total:
23
by type:
cargo 18, carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned:
6 (Argentina 5, Netherlands 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals

Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Military

Army, National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval Aviation, Marine Corps, General Naval Prefecture), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Paraguay, FAP) (2008)

6 fields
Military expenditures
1%of GDP
(2006 est.)

Military branches

Army, National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval Aviation, Marine Corps, General Naval Prefecture), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Paraguay, FAP) (2008)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy (2006)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49:
1,589,873
females age 16-49:
1,585,573 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49:
1,327,730
females age 16-49:
1,356,989 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male:
72,109
female:
70,509 (2008 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations

Illicit drugs

  • major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile;
  • transshipment country for Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets, and Europe;
  • weak border controls, extensive corruption and money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area;
  • weak anti-money-laundering laws and enforcement

Central Intelligence Agency. “Paraguay.” The World Factbook 2008. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/paraguay/2008.

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