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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 relatively free and regular presidential elections have been held since then.
Location: Central South America, northeast of Argentina Geographic coordinates: 23 00 S, 58 00 W Map references: South America Area:
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than California Land boundaries:
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:
Natural resources: hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone Land use:
Irrigated land: 670 sq km (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:
Geography - note: landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil
Population: 5,585,828 (July 2000 est.) Age structure:
Population growth rate: 2.64% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 31.27 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 4.81 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate: 30.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth:
Total fertility rate: 4.16 children born/woman (2000 est.) Nationality:
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95% Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant Languages: Spanish (official), Guarani (spoken by most of rural population) Literacy:
Country name:
Data code: PA Government type: constitutional republic Capital: Asuncion 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 Independence: 14 May 1811 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Days, 14-15 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; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75 Executive branch:
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)
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 [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] Political pressure groups and leaders: 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, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
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 - 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 derive 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, and deficient infrastructure. Growth should recover in 2000, perhaps to 2%. GDP: purchasing power parity - $19.9 billion (1999 est.) GDP - real growth rate: -1% (1999 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,650 (1999 est.) GDP - composition by sector:
Population below poverty line: 32% (1997-98 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (1999) Labor force: 1.7 million (1996) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 45% Unemployment rate: 12% (1998 est.) Budget:
Industries: sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products Industrial production growth rate: -4% (1999 est.) Electricity - production: 50.324 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - production by source:
Electricity - consumption: 1.494 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - exports: 45.307 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998) Agriculture - products: cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber Exports: $3.1 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Exports - commodities: soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils Exports - partners: Brazil, Argentina, EU Imports: $3.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Imports - commodities: road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery Imports - partners: Brazil 34%, US, Argentina, Uruguay, EU, Hong Kong (1998) Debt - external: $2.7 billion (1999) Economic aid - recipient: $NA Currency: 1 guarani (G) = 100 centimos Exchange rates: guarani (G) per US$ - 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 Fiscal year: calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use: 167,000 (1995) Telephones - mobile cellular: 15,807 (1995) Telephone system:
meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion
Radio broadcast stations: AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998) Radios: 925,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 10 (1997) Televisions: 515,000 (1997) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (1999)
Railways:
Highways:
Waterways: 3,100 km Ports and harbors: Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion Merchant marine:
Airports: 937 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways:
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age Military manpower - availability:
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $125 million (FY98) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY98)
Illicit drugs: 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 Please click here for a guide to the country profiles Click here for all other countries
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