Geography

Location:
Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Area:

total area: 406,750 sq km
land area: 397,300 sq km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Climate:
varies from temperate in east to semiarid in 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
Natural resources:
hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Land use:

arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 39%
forest and woodland: 35%
other: 5%
Irrigated land:
670 sq km (1989 est.)



People

Population:
5,358,198 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.71% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
31.48 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
4.38 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.58 years
male: 72.06 years
female: 75.18 years (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions:
mestizo (mixed Spanish and Indian) 95%, Caucasians plus Amerindians
Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant denominations
Languages:
Spanish (official), Guarani
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 90%
male: 92%
female: 88%
Labor force:
1.692 million (1993 est.)
by occupation: agriculture 45%



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Goverment

Type:
Republic
Capital:
Asuncion
Administrative divisions:
19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Chaco, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Nueva Asuncion, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro
Independence:
14 May 1811 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Days, 14-15 May (1811)
Executive branch:

chief of state and head of government:
cabinet: Council of Ministers; nominated by the president
Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress (Congreso)
Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores):; seats - (45 total)
Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados): ; seats - (80 total)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court



Economy

National product:
GDP - purchasing power parity - $15.4 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate:
3.5% (1994 est.)
National product per capita:
$2,950 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
18% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate:
11.2% (1994 est.)
Budget:
$1.2 billion

revenues:$1.4 billion,expenditures: including capital expenditures of $487 million (1992
Exports:
$728 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities: cotton, soybeans, timber, vegetable oils, meat products, coffee, tung oil
partners: EC 37%, Brazil 25%, Argentina 10%, Chile 6%, US 6%
Imports:
$1.38 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)
commodities: capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, raw materials, fuels
partners: Brazil 30%, EC 20%, US 18%, Argentina 8%, Japan 7%
External debt:
$1.4 billion (yearend 1993 est.)
Currency:
1 guarani (G) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates:
guaranies (G) per US$ - 1,949.6 (January 1995),
£1=....... pesos