Paraguay

Internet country code

.py

Internet hosts

13,178 (2006)

Internet users

200,000 (2005)

Radio broadcast stations

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

Telephone system

general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching center is in Asuncion domestic: fair microwave radio relay network international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

320,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.887 million (2005)

Television broadcast stations

5 (2003)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $1.334 billion expenditures: $1.37 billion; including capital expenditures of $700 million (2005 est.)

Currency (code)

guarani (PYG)

Current account balance

$-255 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$3.45 billion (2005 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

56.8 (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

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 derives its living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3% annually in 1995-97, but averaged near-zero growth in 1998-2001 and contracted by 2.3 percent in 2002, in response to regional contagion and an outbreak of hoof-and-mouth disease. 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. Aided by a firmer exchange rate and perhaps a greater confidence in the economic policy of the DUARTE FRUTOS administration, the economy rebounded between 2003 and 2005, posting modest growth each year.

Electricity - consumption

3.528 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports

44.17 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - production

51.29 billion kWh (2003)

Exchange rates

guarani per US dollar - 6,178 (2005), 5,974.6 (2004), 6,424.3 (2003), 5,716.3 (2002), 4,105.9 (2001)

Exports

$3.13 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Uruguay 26.7%, Brazil 15.2%, Argentina 4.8%, Chile 4.7% (2005)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$7.281 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$29.11 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 22.4% industry: 20.7% services: 56.9% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$4,600 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.7% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.8% (1998)

Imports

$3.832 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery

Imports - partners

Brazil 26.8%, Argentina 21.1%, US 20.8%, China 9.5% (2005)

Industrial production growth rate

0% (2000 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.8% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

19.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Labor force

2.68 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 45% industry: NA% services: NA%

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

25,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

32% (2005 est.)

Public debt

36% of GDP (2005 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.297 billion (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

16% (2005 est.)

Area

total: 406,750 sq km land: 397,300 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

lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m

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

Geographic coordinates

23 00 S, 58 00 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

670 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 3,920 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km

Land use

arable land: 7.47% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 92.29% (2005)

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

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

Capital

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

Ambassador James C. CASON 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

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: Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August 2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August 2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated 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 27 April 2003 (next to be held April 2008) election results: Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS elected president; percent of vote - Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS 37.1%, Julio Cesar Ramon FRANCO Gomez 23.9%, Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella 21.3%, Guillermo SANCHEZ Guffanti 13.5%, other 4.2%

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

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges appointed on the proposal of the Council 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; accepts 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) elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held April 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held April 2008) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANR 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, PQ 7, PPS 2, PEN 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANR 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, PQ 10, PPS 2 note: as of January 2006, changes in party affiliation has led to the composition of the legislature as follows: Chamber of Senators - seats by party - ANR 18, PLRA 12, UNACE 5, PQ 7, PPS 2, PEN 1; Chamber of Deputies - seats by party - ANR 39, PLRA 21, UNACE 8, PQ 10, PPS 2

National holiday

Independence Day, 14 May 1811 (observed 15 May annually)

Political parties and leaders

Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Herminio CACERES, interim president]; Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Enrique GONZALEZ Quintana, acting chairman]; Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PQ [Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella]; Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Luis TORALES Kennedy]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Blas LLANO]; Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares] note: Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS on leave as party leader of the Colorado Party or ANR while serving as President of Paraguay; Lino Cesar OVIEDO Silva, leader of UNACE, is currently serving a ten-year prison term

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]

Suffrage

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

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.

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 1,345,022 females age 18-49: 1,342,725 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 1,109,166 females age 18-49: 1,135,046 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49: 63,058 females age 18-49: 62,217 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Army, National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval Aviation, Marine Corps, General Naval Prefecture), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Paraguay, FAP) (2006)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.9% (2003 est.)

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 (2004)

Age structure

0-14 years: 37.7% (male 1,245,149/female 1,204,970) 15-64 years: 57.5% (male 1,878,761/female 1,862,266) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 145,899/female 169,419) (2006 est.)

Birth rate

29.1 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate

4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

15,000 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 24.78 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.1 years male: 72.56 years female: 77.78 years (2006 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94% male: 94.9% female: 93% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 21.3 years male: 21.1 years female: 21.6 years (2006 est.)

Nationality

noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan

Net migration rate

-0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Population

6,506,464 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate

2.45% (2006 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant 10%

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 (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.89 children born/woman (2006 est.)

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; corruption and some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; weak anti-money-laundering laws and enforcement

Airports

881 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 12 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 869 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 325 under 914 m: 518 (2006)

Merchant marine

total: 21 ships (1000 GRT or over) 34,749 GRT/39,280 DWT by type: cargo 15, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 3 (Argentina 3) registered in other countries: 1 (Ecuador 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals

Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Railways

total: 36 km standard gauge: 36 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways

total: 29,500 km paved: 14,986 km unpaved: 14,514 km (1999)

Waterways

3,100 km (2005)