2000 Edition

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.

Area

land

397,300 sq km

total

406,750 sq km

water

9,450 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than California

Climate

subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Cerro San Rafael 850 m

lowest point

junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m

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

Geographic coordinates

23 00 S, 58 00 W

Geography - note

landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil

Irrigated land

670 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km

total

3,920 km

Land use

arable land

6%

forests and woodland

32%

other

7% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

55%

Location

Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 39% (male 1,109,887; female 1,074,815) 15-64 years: 56% (male 1,574,978; female 1,563,872) 65 years and over: 5% (male 120,662; female 141,614) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

31.27 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

4.81 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%

Infant mortality rate

30.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), Guarani (spoken by most of rural population)

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.27 years (2000 est.)

male

71.22 years

total population

73.68 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

90.6% (1995 est.)

male

93.5%

total population

92.1%

Nationality

adjective

Paraguayan

noun

Paraguayan(s)

Net migration rate

-0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

5,585,828 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

2.64% (2000 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant

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 (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.16 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

Capital

Asuncion

Constitution

promulgated 20 June 1992

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Paraguay

conventional short form

Paraguay

local long form

Republica del Paraguay

local short form

Paraguay

Data code

PA

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Stephan G. MCFARLAND

embassy

1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion

mailing address

Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001

telephone

(21) 213-715

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Juan Esteban AGUIRRE MARTINEZ

telephone

(202) 483-6960 through 6962

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers nominated by the president

chief of state

President Luis GONZALEZ Macchi (since 28 March 1999); vice president (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Raul CUBAS Grau elected president; percent of vote - 55.3%; resigned 28 March 1999

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)

head of government

President Luis GONZALEZ Macchi (since 28 March 1999); vice president (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

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 will be decided in an election expected to be held in August 2000

FAX

(202) 234-4508

(21) 213-728

consulate(s) general

Kansas City (Kansas), Miami, New Orleans, New York

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)

Government type

constitutional republic

Independence

14 May 1811 (from Spain)

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

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

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

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)

National holiday

Independence Days, 14-15 May (1811)

Political parties and leaders

Authentic Radical Liberal Party or PLRA ; Christian Democratic Party or PDC ; Febrerista Revolutionary Party or PRF [Carlos Maria LJUBETIC]; National Encounter or PEN ; 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

Suffrage

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

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (1995 est.)

revenues

$1.9 billion

Currency

1 guarani (G) = 100 centimos

Debt - external

$2.7 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

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%.

Electricity - consumption

1.494 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

45.307 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

50.324 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

0.12%

hydro

99.66%

nuclear

0%

other

0.22% (1998)

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

Exports

$3.1 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils

Exports - partners

Brazil, Argentina, EU

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $19.9 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

28%

industry

21%

services

51% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $3,650 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-1% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 46.6% (1995)

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)

Industrial production growth rate

-4% (1999 est.)

Industries

sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5% (1999)

Labor force

1.7 million (1996)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 45%

Population below poverty line

32% (1997-98 est.)

Unemployment rate

12% (1998 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

4 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998)

Radios

925,000 (1997)

Telephone system

meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion

domestic

fair microwave radio relay network

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

167,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

15,807 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

10 (1997)

Televisions

515,000 (1997)

Airports

937 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

10 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

927 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 29 914 to 1,523 m: 346 under 914 m: 551 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

15,000 km

total

29,500 km

unpaved

14,500 km (1999)

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 15, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 4, roll-on/roll-off 1 (1999 est.)

total

21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,287 GRT/32,510 DWT

Ports and harbors

Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Railways

narrow gauge

60 km 1.000-m gauge

note

there are 470 km of various gauges that are privately owned

standard gauge

441 km 1.435-m gauge

total

971 km

Waterways

3,100 km

Military branches

Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$125 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.4% (FY98)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,349,800 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 974,313 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

17 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

56,701 (2000 est.)

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

PERU