1.
[syn: Paraguay, Republic of Paraguay]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Paraguay
n 1: a landlocked republic in south central South America;
achieved independence from Spain in 1811 [syn: Paraguay,
Republic of Paraguay]
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Paraguay
Introduction Paraguay
---------------------
Background: 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 Paraguay
------------------
Location: Central South America, northeast of
Argentina
Geographic coordinates: 23 00 S, 58 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 406,750 sq km
water: 9,450 sq km
land: 397,300 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries: total: 3,920 km
border countries: Argentina 1,880
km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
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
Natural resources: hydropower, timber, iron ore,
manganese, limestone
Land use: arable land: 5.54%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 94.25% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 670 sq km (1998 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; water pollution;
inadequate means for waste disposal
present health risks for many urban
residents; loss of wetlands
Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: 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
Geography - note: landlocked; lies between Argentina,
Bolivia, and Brazil; population
concentrated in southern part of
country
People Paraguay
---------------
Population: 5,884,491 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 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.)
Population growth rate: 2.57% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 30.5 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 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 (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 28.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.16 years
female: 76.77 years (2002 est.)
male: 71.67 years
Total fertility rate: 4.07 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.11% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 3,000 (1999 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 220 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Paraguayan(s)
adjective: Paraguayan
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Spanish and
Amerindian) 95%
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and
other Protestant
Languages: Spanish (official), Guarani
(official)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 92.1%
male: 93.5%
female: 90.6% (1995 est.)
Government Paraguay
-------------------
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
Paraguay
conventional short form: Paraguay
local short form: Paraguay
local long form: Republica del
Paraguay
Government type: constitutional republic
Capital: Asuncion
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)
Constitution: promulgated 20 June 1992
Legal system: based on Argentine codes, Roman law,
and French codes; judicial review of
legislative acts in Supreme Court of
Justice
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and
compulsory up to age 75
Executive branch: chief of state: President Luis Angel
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
Angel 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)
note: President Luis Angel 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
election results: Raul CUBAS Grau
elected president; percent of vote -
55.3%; resigned 28 March 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)
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
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)
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
[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]
Political pressure groups and Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National
leaders: Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan
Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman
Catholic Church; Unitary Workers
Central or CUT
International organization CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA,
participation: IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MONUC, NAM
(observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: 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
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador David
US: N. GREENLEE
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
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
----------------
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, 1999, and
2000. 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $26.2
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,600
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 29%
industry: 26%
services: 45% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 36% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 0.5%
percentage share: highest 10%: 43.8% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini 57.7 (1998)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.2% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 2 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 45%
Unemployment rate: 17.8% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.3 billion
expenditures: $2 billion, including
capital expenditures of $700 million
(1999 est.)
Industries: sugar, cement, textiles, beverages,
wood products
Industrial production growth rate: 0% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: 53.056 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.04%
hydro: 99.85%
other: 0.11% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 1.95 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 47.392 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn,
wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca),
fruits, vegetables; beef, pork,
eggs, milk; timber
Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: electricity, soybeans, feed, cotton,
meat, edible oils
Exports - partners: Brazil 39%, Uruguay 14%, Argentina
11% (2000)
Imports: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: road vehicles, consumer goods,
tobacco, petroleum products,
electrical machinery
Imports - partners: Argentina 25.4%, Brazil 24.5%,
Uruguay 3.8% (2000)
Debt - external: $2.9 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: guarani (PYG)
Currency code: PYG
Exchange rates: 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
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Paraguay
-----------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 290,475 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 510,000 (2001)
Telephone 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)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three
inactive) (1998)
Radios: 925,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (2001)
Televisions: 990,000 (2001)
Internet country code: .py
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2000)
Internet users: 20,000 (2000)
Transportation Paraguay
-----------------------
Railways: 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
Highways: total: 25,901 km
paved: 3,067 km
unpaved: 22,834 km (2001)
Waterways: 3,100 km
Ports and harbors: Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio,
Encarnacion
Merchant marine: 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.)
Airports: 899 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 11
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 888
1,524 to 2,437 m: 28
914 to 1,523 m: 332
under 914 m: 528 (2001)
Military Paraguay
-----------------
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and
Marines), Air Force
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,427,160 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 1,028,935 (2002
service: est.)
Military manpower - reaching military males: 58,359 (2002 est.)
age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar $125 million (FY98)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 1.4% (FY98)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Paraguay
-----------------------------
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: 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