República del Paraguay Tetã Paraguái Republic of Paraguay
Flag Coat of arms
Motto Paz y justicia  (Spanish) "Peace and justice"
Anthem Paraguayos, República o Muerte
Capital (and largest city)		Asunción 25°16′S, 57°40′W
Official languages		Spanish, Guaraní
Demonym		Paraguayan
Government		Constitutional republic
-	President	Nicanor Duarte Frutos
-	Vice President	Luis Castiglioni
Independence		from Spain
-	Declared	May 14, 1811
Area
-	Total	406,752 km² (59th) 157,047 sq mi
-	Water (%)	2.3
Population
-	July 2005 estimate	6,158,000 (101st)
-	Density	15 /km² (192nd) 39 /sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$28.342 billion (96th)
-	Per capita	$4,555 (107th)
Gini? (2002)		57.8 (high)
HDI (2004)		0.757 (medium) (91st)
Currency		Guaraní (PYG)
Time zone		(UTC-4)
-	Summer (DST)	(UTC-3)
Internet TLD		.py
Calling code		+595

Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay (Spanish: República del Paraguay pron. IPA [re'publika del para'ɣwai]; Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái), is a landlocked country in South America. It lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, bordering Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest, and is located in the very heart of South America. The name "Paraguay" is derived from the Guaraní word pararaguay meaning "from a great river". The "great river" is the Paraná River, which produces the greatest amount of hydroelectric power in the world.^[1][2] Paraguay is a country in South America. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Paraguay. ... Image File history File links Paraguay_COA.svg‎ Coat of arms of Paraguay Extraced from Image:Flag_of_Paraguay. ... Flag of Paraguay (obverse). ... The national coat of arms of Paraguay (Escudo de Armas) has the following construction: Round, white background, red border with the inscription: República del Paraguay, to the left a green palm branch and to the right a green olive branch, and both are tied together. ... For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is evoking and eulogising the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognised either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Paraguayos, República o Muerte is the national anthem of Paraguay. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... Paraguays population is distributed unevenly throughout the country. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... An official language is a language that is given a unique legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... Guaraní (local name: avañeẽ ) is an Amerindian language of South America that belongs to the Tupí-Guaraní subfamily. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A constitutional republic is a state where the head of state and other officials are elected as representatives of the people and must govern according to existing constitutional law that limits the governments power over citizens. ... This is a list of Presidents of Paraguay and holders of its predecessor offices. ... Óscar Nicanor Duarte Frutos (born October 11, 1956) is the current President of Paraguay. ... A vice president is an officer in government or business who is next in rank below a president. ... Luis Alberto Castiglioni Soria has been the vice-president of Paraguay since August 15, 2003. ... May 14 is the 134th day of the year (135th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1811 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here surface areas between 100,000 km² and 1,000,000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... This is a list of countries ordered according to population. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... Gross domestic product (by purchasing power parity) in 2006 The purchasing power parity (PPP) theory was developed by Gustav Cassel in 1920. ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... Map of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita for the year 2006. ... Graphical representation of the Gini coefficient The Gini coefficient is a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth distribution. ... World map indicating Human Development Index (2006). ... Coloured world map indicating Human Development Index (2006) (colour-blind compliant map) This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Programmes Human Development Report 2006, compiled on the basis of 2004 data. ... The guaraní (plural: guaraníes; ISO 4217 code PYG) is the national currency unit of Paraguay. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... “UTC” redirects here. ... Though DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... “UTC” redirects here. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .py is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Paraguay. ... A telephone number is a sequence of decimal digits (0-9) that is used for identifying a destination telephone line in a telephone network. ... Look up pronunciation in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Articles with similar titles include the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the “International Phonetic Alphabet”. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ... Guaraní (local name: avañeẽ ) is an Amerindian language of South America that belongs to the Tupí-Guaraní subfamily. ... A landlocked country is one that has no coastline. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... The Paraguay River near Asunción The River Paraguay (Rio Paraguay in Spanish, Rio Paraguai in Portuguese) is a major river in south central South America, running through Brazil and Paraguay and forming a border between Brazil and Bolivia as well as Paraguay and Argentina. ... The sun rising over the Paraná River, from the north-east of Rosario, Argentina. ...

History

Main article: History of Paraguay

Europeans first arrived in the area in the early sixteenth century and the settlement of Asunción was founded on August 15, 1537 by the Spanish explorer Juan de Salazar. The city eventually became the center of a Spanish colonial province, as well as a primary site of the Jesuit missions and settlements in South America in the eighteenth century. Jesuit Reductions were founded and flourished in eastern Paraguay for about 150 years until their destruction by the Spanish crown in 1767. Paraguay declared its independence after overthrowing the local Spanish authorities on May 14, 1811. This is the history of Paraguay. ... The European peoples are the various nations and ethnic groups of Europe. ... is the 227th day of the year (228th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 6 - Alessandro de Medici assassinated August 25 - The Honourable Artillery Company, the oldest surviving regiment in the British Army, and the second most senior, was formed. ... The Spanish colonization of the Americas began with the arrival in the Western Hemisphere of Christopher Columbus in 1492. ... The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ... The Jesuit Reductions were a particular version of the general Spanish colonial strategy of building reducciones de indios in order to civilise and catechise the native populations of South America. ... 1767 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... May 14 is the 134th day of the year (135th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1811 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Paraguay's history has been characterized by long periods of authoritarian governments, political instability and infighting, and devastating wars with its neighbors. Its post-colonial history can be divided into several distinct periods:

In addition to the Declaration of Independence, the War of the Triple Alliance and the Chaco War are milestones in Paraguay's history. Paraguay fought the War of the Triple Alliance against Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, and was defeated in 1870 after five years of the bloodiest war in South America. Paraguay suffered extensive territorial losses to Brazil and Argentina. The Chaco War was fought with Bolivia in the 1930s and Bolivia was defeated. Paraguay re-established sovereignty over the region called the Chaco, and forfeited additional territorial gains as a price of peace. José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, El Supremo Dr. José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia y Velasco (January 6, 1766 – September 20, 1840) was the first leader of Paraguay following its independence from Spain. ... Carlos Antonio L pez (1790-1862) was a Paraguayan political figure. ... Francisco Solano López Francisco Solano López (24 July 1827 - 1 March 1870) was president of Paraguay from 1862 until his death in 1870. ... Combatants Paraguay Uruguay, Argentina, Empire of Brazil Commanders Francisco Solano López † José E. Díaz Pedro II of Brazil Duke of Caxias Bartolomé Mitre Venancio Flores Strength at the beginning of the war ca. ... The Colorado Party (Spanish: Partido Colorado) is a political party in Paraguay. ... The Paraguayan Liberal Party was a Liberal party in Paraguay. ... Combatants Republic of Bolivia Republic of Paraguay Commanders Hans Kundt Mcal. ... Combatants Republic of Bolivia Republic of Paraguay Commanders Hans Kundt Mcal. ... José Felix Estigarribia (1888 - 1940) was a Paraguayan political figure. ... General Higinio Morínigo (1897 - 1985) was a Paraguayan dictator, general and political figure. ... The Paraguayan Civil War was a conflict in Paraguay from March to August 1947. ... Alfredo Stroessner Matiauda, whose name is also spelled Strössner or Strößner, (November 3, 1912, Encarnación - August 16, 2006, Brasília) served as President of Paraguay from 1954 to 1989. ... Combatants Paraguay Uruguay, Argentina, Empire of Brazil Commanders Francisco Solano López † José E. Díaz Pedro II of Brazil Duke of Caxias Bartolomé Mitre Venancio Flores Strength at the beginning of the war ca. ... Combatants Republic of Bolivia Republic of Paraguay Commanders Hans Kundt Mcal. ... Combatants Republic of Bolivia Republic of Paraguay Commanders Hans Kundt Mcal. ... There are things that have the name Chaco: South America: Gran Chaco, a region in South America Chaco Province, Argentina in the northeastern part of the country Chaco, a region in Paraguay Chaco Department, historical in Paraguay and proposed in Bolivia Gran Chaco Province, Bolivia (in Tarija Department) Chaco War...

The history of Paraguay is fraught with disputes among historians, educators and politicians. The official version of historical events, wars in particular, varies depending on whether you read a history book written in Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil or Bolivia. Even European and North American authors have been unable to avoid bias. Paraguay's history also has been a matter of dispute among Paraguay's main political parties, and there is a Colorado Party and Liberal Party official version of Paraguayan history. Dueling is allowed. The Colorado Party (Spanish: Partido Colorado) is a political party in Paraguay. ... The Paraguayan Liberal Party was a Liberal party in Paraguay. ...

Politics

Main article: Politics of Paraguay

Paraguay's politics takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Paraguay is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the National Congress. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Paraguays highly centralized government was fundamentally changed by the 1992 constitution, which reinforced a division of powers that in the previous two Constitutions existed mostly in the paper. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of popular sovereignty by the peoples representatives. ... Look up republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This is a list of Presidents of Paraguay and holders of its predecessor offices. ... For the comedy film of the same name, see Head of State (film). ... The head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. ... Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative body with the power to adopt laws. ... Paraguays bicameral Congress (Congreso) consists of a 45-member Senate and an 80-member Chamber of Deputies. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      In the law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of courts which administer justice in the name of the sovereign or state, a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. ...

After World War II, politics became particularly unstable. In the late 1980s, Paraguay was an authoritarian regime under the control of Stroessner, who remained in office for more than three decades. Stroessner assumed power following a more open but highly unstable period in Paraguay's history. The political instability of the immediate post-war period, culminating in the civil war in 1947 have taught Paraguayans to equate open politics with weakness and authoritarian politics with strength.

The splits in the Colorado Party in the 1980s and the conditions that led to this--Stroessner's age, the character of the regime, the economic downturn, and international isolation--provided an opportunity for demonstrations and statements by the opposition prior to the 1988 general elections.

The PLRA leader Laíno served as the focal point of the opposition in the second half of the 1980s. The government's effort to isolate Laíno by exiling him in 1982 had backfired. On his fifth attempt, in 1986, Laíno returned with three television crews from the U.S., a former United States ambassador to Paraguay, and a group of Uruguayan and Argentine congressmen. Despite the international contingent, the police violently barred Laíno's return. However, the Stroessner regime relented in April 1987 and permitted Laíno to arrive in Asunción. Laíno took the lead in organizing demonstrations and diminishing somewhat the normal opposition party infighting. The opposition was unable to reach agreement on a common strategy regarding the elections, with some parties advocating abstention and others calling for blank voting. Nonetheless, the parties did cooperate in holding numerous lightning demonstrations (mítines relámpagos), especially in rural areas. Such demonstrations were held and disbanded quickly before the arrival of the police.

Obviously stung by the upsurge in opposition activities, Stroessner condemned the Accord for advocating "sabotage of the general elections and disrespect of the law" and used the national police and civilian vigilantes of the Colorado Party to break up demonstrations. A number of opposition leaders were imprisoned or otherwise harassed. Hermes Rafael Saguier, another key leader of the PRLA, was imprisoned for four months in 1987 on charges of sedition. In early February 1988, police arrested 200 people attending a National Coordinating Committee meeting in Coronel Oviedo. Forty-eight hours before the elections, Laíno and several other National Accord members were placed under house arrest.

Despite limited campaign activities, the government reported that 88.7 percent of the vote went to Stroessner, 7.1 percent to PLR candidate Luis María Vega, and 3.2 percent to PL candidate Carlos Ferreira Ibarra. The remaining 1 percent of ballots were blank or annulled. The government also reported that 92.6 percent of all eligible voters cast their ballots. The National Coordinating Committee rejected the government's figures, contending that abstention was as high as 50 percent in some areas. In addition, election monitors from twelve countries, including the United States, France, Spain, Brazil, and Argentina, reported extensive irregularities.

Shortly after the elections, researchers from the Catholic University of Our Lady of Asunción and the West German Friedrich Naumann Foundation released the findings of a public opinion poll that they had conducted several weeks earlier. The poll, which measured political attitudes of urban Paraguayans - defined as those living in towns with at least 2,500 residents -suggested that the Colorado Party had considerable support, although nowhere near the level of official election statistics. Asked for whom they would vote in an election involving the free participation of all parties and political movements, 43 percent named the Colorado Party; the PLRA, which finished second in the poll, was mentioned by only 13 percent of all respondents. Stroessner's name also topped the list of those political leaders considered most capable of leading the country.

Although contending that these results reflected the Colorados' virtual monopoly of the mass media, opposition politicians also saw several encouraging developments. Some 53 percent of those polled indicated that there was an "uneasiness" in Paraguayan society. Furthermore, 74 percent believed that the political situation needed changes, including 45 percent who wanted a substantial or total change. Finally, 31 percent stated that they planned to abstain from voting in the February elections.

Relations between militants and traditionalists deteriorated seriously in the months following the elections. Although Chaves and his followers had not opposed Stroessner's re-election bid, Montanaro denounced them as "legionnaires" (a reference to those Paraguayan expatriates who fought against Francisco Solano López and who were regarded as traitors by the original Colorados). By late 1988 the only major agencies still headed by traditionalists were the IBR and the National Cement Industry (Industria Nacional de Cemento). In September 1988, traditionalists responded to these attacks by accusing the militants of pursuing "a deceitful populism in order to distract attention from their inability to resolve the serious problems that afflict the nation." Traditionalists also called for an end to personalism and corruption.^[3]

Law

In recent years, Paraguay has made important progress toward greater fiscal transparency. The fairly comprehensive financial administration law (1999) has been complemented by recent legal reforms that eliminated most tax exemptions, revamped revenue administration procedures and introduced standardized transparency requirements for public procurement, all of which reduce the scope for corruption. In addition, efforts are ongoing to clarify the relations between the government and the nonfinancial public enterprises (NFPEs), including through tariff adjustments that have reduced quasi-fiscal activities (QFAs) and the launching of external audits of the enterprises’ financial health carried out by international firms. However, Paraguay fails to meet several requirements (at times even basic ones) of the code: (i) the transparency and credibility of the budget as an expression of the government’s fiscal objectives and a guide to fiscal policy implementation are severely limited by the lack of an underlying consistent macroeconomic framework, the limited accountability imposed on the amendments introduced either by congress or the executive at both the approval and execution stages, and the lack of a modern framework for civil service; (ii) relations across different branches of government and between the latter and the rest of the public sector are not always clear and little information is provided on QFAs; (iii) few assurances of data quality are provided, as data reconciliation and assessments by the relevant national body are weak; and (iv) disclosure of fiscal information is sparse and its coverage not comprehensive.^[4]

Administrative divisions

Main article: Departments of Paraguay

Paraguay consists of seventeen departments and one capital district (distrito capital): These are, with their capitals indicated: Paraguay consists of 18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) (capitals in parentheses): Alto Paraguay (Fuerte Olimpo) Alto Paraná (Ciudad del Este) Amambay (Pedro Juan Caballero) Asunción (Asunción) Boquerón (Filadelfìa) Caaguazú (Coronel Oviedo) Caazapá (Caazapá) Canindeyú (Salto del Guairá) Central (Areguá) Concepción (Concepción) Cordillera (Caacupé) Guair...

Alto Paraguay is a department in Paraguay. ... Fuerte Olimpo is a city in Paraguay. ... Alto Paraná is a department in Paraguay. ... Skyline view and the Friendship Bridge Ciudad del Este (Spanish for City of the East) is the capital of Alto Paraná department of Paraguay, located at the Rio Paraná at . ... Amambay is a department in Paraguay. ... Pedro Juan Caballero is a city in Paraguay, located in Amambay Department of which it is the capital. ... Asunción Department is by far the smallest of the departments of Paraguay, but as of 2002 had the third largest population. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Boquerón is a department in the western region of Paraguay. ... Main road of Filadelfia Filadelfia is a town in the Gran Chaco desert of western Paraguay and is the capital of the Boquerón department. ... Caaguazú is a department in Paraguay. ... Coronel Oviedo is a city in Paraguay. ... Caazapá is a department in Paraguay. ... Caazapá is a city in Paraguay, founded in 1607, by Friar Luis de Bolanos, a Franciscan monk. ... Canindeyú is a department in Paraguay. ... Salto del Guairá is a city in Paraguay. ... Central is a department in Paraguay. ... Areguá is a city in Paraguay. ... Concepción is a department of Paraguay. ... Concepción is a city in northern Paraguay and capital of the Concepción Department. ... Cordillera is a department in Paraguay. ... Caacupé is a city in Paraguay. ... Guairá is a department in Paraguay. ... Villarrica is a city in the center of southern Paraguay. ... Itapúa is a department in Paraguay. ... Encarnación is a city in Paraguay. ... Misiones is a department in Paraguay. ... San Juan Bautista is a city in Paraguay. ... Ñeembucú is a department in Paraguay. ... Pilar is a city in Paraguay. ... Paraguarí is a department in Paraguay. ... Paraguarí is a city in Paraguay. ... Presidente Hayes is a department in Paraguay. ... Pozo Colorado is a city in Paraguay. ... San Pedro is a department in Paraguay. ... San Pedro is a city in Paraguay. ... Map of Paraguay with the departements numbered File links The following pages link to this file: Departments of Paraguay Categories: GFDL images ...

Geography

Map of Paraguay

Main article: Geography of Paraguay

Paraguay is divided by the Rio Paraguay into the eastern region —officially called Eastern Paraguay (Paraguay Oriental) and known as the Paraneña region — and the western region — officially Western Paraguay (Paraguay Occidental) and also known as the Chaco. Map of Paraguay from the CIA Factbook 2002 File links The following pages link to this file: Paraguay Geography of Paraguay Asunción Talk:Paraguay Talk:Geography of Paraguay Categories: CIA World Factbook images ... Map of Paraguay from the CIA Factbook 2002 File links The following pages link to this file: Paraguay Geography of Paraguay Asunción Talk:Paraguay Talk:Geography of Paraguay Categories: CIA World Factbook images ... 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 land: 397,300 sq km water: 9,450 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than California Land boundaries: total: 3,920 km border... The Paraguay River near Asunción The River Paraguay is a major river in South America, running from west Brazil south through the centre of Paraguay to flow into the River Parana. ... There are things that have the name Chaco: South America: Gran Chaco, a region in South America Chaco Province, Argentina in the northeastern part of the country Chaco, a region in Paraguay Chaco Department, historical in Paraguay and proposed in Bolivia Gran Chaco Province, Bolivia (in Tarija Department) Chaco War...

The southeastern border is formed by the Paraná River, containing the Itaipu dam shared with Brazil. It is currently the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world, generating nearly all of Paraguay's demand for electricity. Another large hydroelectric power plant on the Paraná River is Yacyretá, shared by Paraguay and Argentina. Paraguay is currently the world's largest exporter of hydroelectric power. The sun rising over the Paraná River, from the north-east of Rosario, Argentina. ... Itaipu Dam close-up Itaipu (Guarani: Itaipu, Portuguese: Itaipu, Spanish: Itaipú; pronounced ) is a hydroelectric dam on the Paraná River located on the border between Brazil and Paraguay. ... Hydroelectric dam diagram The waters of Llyn Stwlan, the upper reservoir of the Ffestiniog Pumped-Storage Scheme in north Wales, can just be glimpsed on the right. ... View of the dam from up-river. ...

The terrain is made up of grassy plains and wooded hills to the east. To the west, there are mostly low, marshy plains.

The local climate ranges from subtropical to temperate, with substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, though becoming semi-arid in the far west. Subtropical (or semitropical) areas are those adjacent to the tropics, usually roughly defined as the ranges 23. ... In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Paraguay

Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector that features both re-export of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries, and thousands of small business enterprises. Paraguay's largest economic activity is based on agriculture, agribusiness and cattle ranching. Paraguay is ranked as the world's third largest exporter of soybeans, and its beef exports are substantial for a country of its size. A large percentage of the population derive their living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. Despite difficulties arising from political instability, corruption and slow structural reforms, Paraguay has been a member of the free trade bloc Mercosur, participating since 1991 as one of the founding members. Paraguay has a market economy and is marked by a large informal sector. ... A market economy (also called a free market economy or a free enterprise economy) is an economic system in which the production and distribution of goods and services take place through the mechanism of free markets guided by a free price system. ... In economics the informal economy is the system of exchange used outside state-controlled or money-based economic activities. ... Motto (Spanish) (Portuguese) (Guaraní) Our North is the South  â€¢  â€¢ Pro Tempore Secretariat Montevideo, Uruguay Largest city São Paulo, Brazil Official languages 3 Portuguese Spanish Guaraní Membership 5 Argentina Brazil Paraguay Uruguay Venezuela Leaders  -  Carlos Álvarez Establishment  -  Declaration of Foz do Iguaçu 30 December 1985   -  Treaty of Asunción... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...

Paraguay's economic potential has been historically constrained by its landlocked geography, but it does enjoy access to the Atlantic Ocean via the Paraná River. Because it is landlocked, Paraguay's economy is very dependent on Brazil and Argentina, its neighbors and major trade partners. Roughly 38 percent of the GDP derives from trade and exports to Brazil and Argentina.^[5] The sun rising over the Paraná River, from the north-east of Rosario, Argentina. ...

Through various treaties, Paraguay has been granted free ports in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil through which it sends its exports. The most important of these free ports is on the Brazilian Atlantic coast at Paranaguá. The Friendship Bridge that now spans the Paraná River between Ciudad del Este and the Brazilian city of Foz do Iguaçu permits about forty thousand travelers to commute daily between both cities, and allows Paraguay land access to Paranaguá. A vibrant economy has developed in Ciudad del Este and Foz do Iguaçu mostly based on international commerce and shopping trips by Brazilian buyers colloquially called sacoleiros.^[6] Paranaguá is a city in the state of Paraná in Brazil. ... Its Paraguays most important bridge The Friendship Bridge (a direct translation from Ponte da Amizade or Puente de la Amistad) is an arch bridge connecting the Brazilian city of Foz do Iguaçu and the Paraguayan city of Ciudad del Este. ... Skyline view and the Friendship Bridge Ciudad del Este (Spanish for City of the East) is the capital of Alto Paraná department of Paraguay, located at the Rio Paraná at . ... Foz do Iguaçu () is the 3rd largest city of Paraná state, Brazil and the 11th largest of the Brazils Southern region, with a population of 309,000 habitants . ... Paranaguá is a city in the state of Paraná in Brazil. ... Skyline view and the Friendship Bridge Ciudad del Este (Spanish for City of the East) is the capital of Alto Paraná department of Paraguay, located at the Rio Paraná at . ... Foz do Iguaçu () is the 3rd largest city of Paraná state, Brazil and the 11th largest of the Brazils Southern region, with a population of 309,000 habitants . ...

Bilateral EU-Paraguay trade in goods amounts to €437 million in 2005; the EU importing around €269 million and exporting roughly €168 million. In 2005, trade with EU represented 8.9% of total Paraguay’s trade. The EU market represents 13.7% of Paraguay exports and 6.1% of its imports.^[7]

While the country’s external debt remains satisfactory (40% of GDP), Paraguay’s economy is still driven by agricultural production (27% of GDP and 84% of exports). It is a structure which is very vulnerable to climatic factors and price volatility. In 2004 its main exports were soybeans (35%) and meat (10%). Because of the regional crisis, very limited economic growth (2.7% in 2005) and a population increase, GDP per capita has fallen considerably in the long term, standing at USD 1 155 in 2005. Combined with inequality, the aforementioned factors explain why poverty currently affects 40% of the population.^[8]

Although only ranked 112th out of 175 countries in the 2006 World Bank Doing Business ranking, Paraguay has ranked particularly well in the "Protecting Investors" sub-category within that index. The indexes vary between 0 and 10, with higher values indicating greater disclosure, greater liability of directors, greater powers of shareholders to challenge the transaction, and better investor protection, respectively.

The "Disclosure Index" for Paraguay is 6, whereas the Latin American region ranked only 4.3 (OECD countries ranked 6.3 on average). The country ranked 5 in "Director Liability Index", the same as OECD countries and better than the 5.1 attributed to its neighbours. In the "Shareholder Suits Index" category, Paraguay obtained 6 points, in contrast with 5.8 for its neighbours and 6.6 for OECD countries. The comprehensive "Investor Protection Index" attributed 5.7 to Paraguay, 5.1 to its neighbours and 6.0 to OECD countries on average.^[9]

Demographics

Asunción, the capital of Paraguay

Main article: Demographics of Paraguay

Ethnically, culturally, and socially, Paraguay has one of the most homogeneous populations in Latin America. About 65% of the people are mestizos of mixed Spanish and Guaraní Indian descent. White 31%, unmixed Amerindian 1%, Asian (Chinese, Taiwanese and Japanese Okinawan) 2%.One trace of the original Guaraní culture that still endures nowadays is the Guaraní language, spoken by 94% of the population in the country^{[citation needed]}. About 75% of all Paraguayans can speak Spanish. Guaraní and Spanish are both official languages. Small groups of ethnic Italians, Germans, Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, Arabs, Brazilians, and Argentines settled in Paraguay and they have to an extent retained their respective languages and culture, particularly the Brazilians. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1417x857, 480 KB) Description = Skyline von Asuncion Source = selbst fotografiert Date = created January 1984 Author = Reinhard Jahn, Mannheim nanosmile Wikipedia account please use this discussion page File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1417x857, 480 KB) Description = Skyline von Asuncion Source = selbst fotografiert Date = created January 1984 Author = Reinhard Jahn, Mannheim nanosmile Wikipedia account please use this discussion page File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Paraguays population is distributed unevenly throughout the country. ... Look up Homogeneous in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... Languages Predominantly Spanish, (with a minority of other languages), while Mestiços speaks Portuguese Religions Christianity (Predominantly Roman Catholic, with a minority of Protestant and other Religions) Related ethnic groups European (mostly Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian), Amerindian people, African people, Austronesian people, Hispanics and Latinos Mestizo (Portuguese, Mestiço... For other uses, see Guaraní (disambiguation). ... Guaraní (local name: avañeẽ ) is an Amerindian language of South America that belongs to the Tupí-Guaraní subfamily. ... Languages Arabic other minority languages Religions Predominantly Sunni Islam, as well as Shia Islam, Greek Orthodoxy, Greek Catholicism, Roman Catholicism, Alawite Islam, Druzism, Ibadi Islam, and Judaism Footnotes a Mainly in Antakya. ...

Paraguay's population is distributed unevenly throughout the country. About 56% of Paraguayans live in urban areas. The vast majority of the people live in the eastern region near the capital and largest city, Asuncion, that accounts for 10% of the country's population. The Chaco, which accounts for about 60% of the territory, is home to less than 2% of the population. Map of Paraguay Pante n de los H roes in Asunci n Asunci n, population 500,939 (1992), is the capital of Paraguay. ... There are things that have the name Chaco: South America: Gran Chaco, a region in South America Chaco Province, Argentina in the northeastern part of the country Chaco, a region in Paraguay Chaco Department, historical in Paraguay and proposed in Bolivia Gran Chaco Province, Bolivia (in Tarija Department) Chaco War...

The country is predominantly Roman Catholic, with some Mennonite, Latter-Day Saint (Mormon), and other Protestant minorities. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints claims over 66,000 members organized in 145 congregations. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Mennonites are a group of... For other uses, see Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (disambiguation). ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ...

Culture

Main article: Culture of Paraguay

Paraguayans' cultural ancestry can be traced to the extensive intermarriage among the original male Spanish settlers and female indigenous, Guaraní, brides. Paraguayan culture therefore is a fusion of two cultures and traditions: one European, the other Guaraní. More than 90% of Paraguayans are mestizos, and this makes Paraguay one of the most homogeneous countries in Latin America. A characteristic of this cultural fusion is the extensive bilingualism present to this day: more than 80% of Paraguayans speak both Spanish and the indigenous language, Guaraní. Jopara, the mixture of Guaraní and Spanish, is also widely spoken. Paraguayans cultural ancestry can be traced to the extensive intermarriage among the original male Spanish settlers and female indigenous, Guaraní, brides. ...

Landscape in the Gran Chaco, Paraguay

This cultural fusion is expressed in arts such as embroidery (ao po'í) and lace making (ñandutí). The music, which consists of lilting polkas, bouncy galopas, and languid guaranías is played on the native harp. Paraguay's culinary heritage is also deeply influenced by this cultural fusion. Several popular dishes contain mandioca, a local staple crop similar to the yuca root found in the Southwestern United States and Mexico, and other indigenous ingredients. A popular dish is sopa paraguaya, similar to a thick corn bread. Another notable food is chipa, a bagel-like bread made from cornmeal, mandioca and cheese. Many other dishes consists of different kinds of cheeses, onions, bell peppers, cottage cheese, yellow cornmeal, milk, seasonings, butter, eggs and fresh corn kernels. Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 616 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 616 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... In contrast to most of its neighbours, the national music of Paraguay is overwhelmingly European in character. ...

Main Catholic chapel in Concepción

The 1950s and 1960s saw the flowering of a new generation of Paraguayan novelists and poets such as José Ricardo Mazó, Roque Vallejos, and Nobel Prize nominee Augusto Roa Bastos. Several Paraguayan films have been made. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1200 × 1600 pixel, file size: 397 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to en. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1200 × 1600 pixel, file size: 397 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to en. ... Briznas: suerte de antología (1982) José Ricardo Mazó (Pilar, 1927- Asunción, 1987), the Paraguayan poet, was born in Pilar, in the department of Ñeembucú [1]. He was a member of the Literary Academy of the College of San José and of the Paraguayan Academia Universitaria. ... Roque Vallejos (Asunción 1943 - Asunción, 2 April 2006) was a poet, psychiatrist and essayist from Paraguay. ... Augusto Roa Bastos, (June 13, 1917 – April 26, 2005), was a Paraguayan novelist, widely acclaimed as one of the greatest that nation has produced. ... The Cinema of Paraguay is small compared to that of neighbouring Brazil and Argentina. ...

There is a fairly high degree of mobility between classes, and even the poorest peasant displays a strong degree of personal pride.^{[citations needed]} Social life revolves largely around an extended family of parents, children and blood relations as well as godparents. The Paraguayans' chief loyalty is to their family, and it, in turn, is their haven and support. Family interests determine to a large extent which political party they will join, to whom they will marry, what sort of job they will get, whether they will win a lawsuit, and—in some cases—whether they would be wise to emigrate for a time. Even so, they are very heart warming and open to tourists and foreigners.

Inside the family, conservative values predominate. In lower classes, godparents have a special relationship to the family, since usually they are chosen because of their favorable social position, in order to provide extra security for the children. Particular respect is owed them, in return for which the family can expect protection and patronage. In higher classes, however, godparents are usually family members or family friends, thus being chosen is more of an honor than a serious commitment.^{[citations needed]}

Social Issues

Paraguay is still a poor and unequal society. Various poverty estimates suggest that between one in every three Paraguayans (World Bank Poverty Assessment ) to half of the population is poor (2003 Census Bureau Household Survey). In rural areas, 41.2 percent of the people lack a monthly income to cover basic necessities, whereas in urban centers this figure is 27.6 percent. The top 10 percent of the population holds 43.8% of the national income, while the lowest 10 percent has only 0.5%. The economic recession has worsened income inequality, notably in the rural areas, where the Gini Index has risen from 0.56 in 1995 to 0.66 in 1999. Similarly, land concentration in the Paraguayan countryside is one of the highest in the globe: 10% of the population controls 66% of the land, while 30% of the rural people are landless.^[10] This inequality has cause a great deal of tensions between the landless and elites.^[11]

The World Bank has helped the Paraguayan government in tackling overall reduction of Paraguay's maternal and infant mortality. The Mother and Child Basic Health Insurance Project aimed at contributing to reducing mortality by increasing the use of selected life-saving services included in the country's Mother and Child Basic Health Insurance Program (MCBI) by women of child-bearing age, and children under age six in selected areas. To this end, the project also targeted at improving the quality and efficiency of the health service network within certain areas, in addition to increasing the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare's (MSPBS) management capacity.^[12]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Paraguay

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Paraguay

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... The Cinema of Paraguay is small compared to that of neighbouring Brazil and Argentina. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require rewriting and/or reformatting. ... Paraguay is a member of the United Nations and several of its specialized agencies. ... Guaraní Mythology refers to the beliefs of the Guaraní people of the south-central part of South America, especially the native peoples of Paraguay and parts of the surrounding areas of Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia. ... Guaraní (local name: avañeẽ ) is an Amerindian language of South America that belongs to the Tupí-Guaraní subfamily. ... This is a list of cities in Paraguay. ... The following is a list of people from Paraguay. ... The constitution of Paraguay designates the president as commander in chief of the armed forces. ... In contrast to most of its neighbours, the national music of Paraguay is overwhelmingly European in character. ... Categories: Paraguay | Public holidays by country ... // Railways total: 971 km standard gauge: 441 km 1. ... In the recent years, the soybean industry has grown exponentially in South America, primarily in Brazil and Argentina (South America’s two largest countries) and Uruguay and Paraguay (the two smallest. ...

Further reading

• Sandra Bao, Ben Greensfelder and Carolyn Hubbard, Lonely Planet Guide: Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay

International Rankings

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is an international daily newspaper published by Dow Jones & Company in New York City, New York, USA, with Asian and European editions, and a worldwide daily circulation of more than 2 million as of 2006, with 931,000 paying online subscribers. ... Map of Economic Freedom released by the Heritage Foundation. ... The Economist is a weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London, UK. It has been in continuous publication since September 1843. ... The Economist is a weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London, UK. It has been in continuous publication since September 1843. ... Democracy index map. ... Reporters Without Borders, or RWB (French: Reporters sans frontières, Spanish: Reporteros Sin Fronteras, or RSF) is a French origin international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press, founded by its current general-secretary, Robert Menard. ... Reporters Without Borders, or RWB (French: Reporters sans frontières, Spanish: Reporteros Sin Fronteras, or RSF, German: Reporter ohne Grenzen or ROG) is a Paris-based international non-governmental organization that advocates for freedom of the press. ... Transparency International (TI) is an international organisation addressing corruption, including, but not limited to, political corruption. ... Overview of the index of perception of corruption, 2006 Since 1995, Transparency International has published an annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI)[1] ordering the countries of the world according to the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians.[2] The organization defines corruption as... The United Nations Development Programe (UNDP), the United Nations global development network, is the largest multilateral source of development assistance in the world. ...

References

External links

• (Spanish) National Department of Tourism
• (Spanish) Ministry of Finance with economic and Government information, available also in english
• (Spanish) Tourism in Paraguay
• Encyclopaedia Britannica Paraguay Complete guide to Paraguay's history and culture
• CIA - The World Factbook: Paraguay
• Paraguay Convention & Visitor's Bureau

Newspapers

• (Spanish) ABC Color
• (Spanish) Última Hora
• (Spanish) La Nación
• This article is based on a translation of an article from the German Wikipedia. Rundschau

Online media

• (Spanish) Ciudad del Este Online Newspaper.
• (Spanish) Jakueke News Portal -- Independent Media.
• (Spanish) Neike Online Newspaper.
• (Spanish) Portal Paraguayo de Noticias (Paraguayan News Portal).

Search engines

• Yagua - Paraguay Main Search Engine

Other

• Paraguay main cities satellite views
• Paraguay.com Paraguay Resource Site. Culture, History, Arts, Geography and more.
• (Spanish) The history of Paraguay Paraguay's history

International membership

v • d • e Latin Union Andorra · Angola · Argentina · Bolivia · Brazil · Cape Verde · Chile · Colombia · Costa Rica · Côte d'Ivoire · Cuba · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · El Salvador · France · Guatemala · Guinea-Bissau · Haiti · Holy See · Honduras · Italy · Mexico · Moldova · Monaco · Mozambique · Nicaragua · Panama · Paraguay · Peru · Philippines · Portugal · Romania · San Marino · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Sovereign Military Order of Malta · Spain · Timor-Leste · Uruguay · Venezuela The Latin Union is an international organization of nations that use a Romance language. ... Motto: n/a Anthem: Independência total Capital (and largest city) São Tomé Portuguese Government Republic  - President Fradique de Menezes  - Prime Minister Tomé Vera Cruz Independence from Portugal   - Date 12 July 1975  Area  - Total 964 km² (183rd) 372 sq mi   - Water (%) 0 Population  - 2005 estimate 157,000 (188th)  - Density... Motto Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum(Latin) Defence of the faith and assistance to the poor Anthem (Latin) Hail, thou White Cross Capital Palazzo Malta, Rome Official languages Italian Government  -  Grand Master Fra Andrew Bertie Currency Scudo The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and... The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor, is an island nation in Southeast Asia, consisting of the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecussi-Ambeno, a political exclave of East Timor situated on the western side of... Official languages: Catalan  · French · Italian · Portuguese · Romanian · Spanish Catalan IPA: (català IPA: or []) is a Romance language, the national language of Andorra, and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Balearic Islands, Catalonia and Valencia , and in the city of LAlguer in the Italian island of Sardinia. ... v • d • e Union of South American Nations  (Unasur · Unasul) Argentina · Bolivia · Brazil · Chile · Colombia · Ecuador · Guyana · Paraguay · Peru · Suriname · Uruguay · Venezuela v • d • e Mercosur · Mercosul  (Southern Common Market) Members Argentina · Brazil · Paraguay · Uruguay · Venezuela Pro Tempore Secretariat Brasília Official languages 4 Spanish Portuguese English Dutch Member states 12 Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Guyana Paraguay Peru Suriname Uruguay Venezuela Leaders  -  President Rodrigo Borja  -  Tempore Secretary Jorge Taunay Filho Formation  -  Cuzco Declaration 8 December 2004  Area  -  Total 17,715,335 km² (1st2)  sq... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Motto (Spanish) (Portuguese) (Guaraní) Our North is the South  â€¢  â€¢ Pro Tempore Secretariat Montevideo, Uruguay Largest city São Paulo, Brazil Official languages 3 Portuguese Spanish Guaraní Membership 5 Argentina Brazil Paraguay Uruguay Venezuela Leaders  -  Carlos Álvarez Establishment  -  Declaration of Foz do Iguaçu 30 December 1985   -  Treaty of Asunción... Associate members Bolivia · Chile · Colombia · Ecuador · Peru Observers Mexico v • d • e Organization of American States (OAS) Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Bahamas · Barbados · Belize · Bolivia · Brazil · Canada · Chile · Colombia · Costa Rica · Cuba · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · El Salvador · Grenada · Guatemala · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Jamaica · Mexico · Nicaragua · Panama · Paraguay · Peru · St. Lucia · St. Vincent and the Grenadines · St. Kitts and Nevis · Suriname · Trinidad and Tobago · United States · Uruguay · Venezuela