Kuwait (2004) | Paraguay (2004) | |
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Administrative divisions | 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli | 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 |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 27.5% (male 316,237; female 304,671)
15-64 years: 69.8% (male 1,007,298; female 569,128) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 38,408; female 21,807) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 38.2% (male 1,201,459; female 1,162,954)
15-64 years: 57% (male 1,773,151; female 1,758,323) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 136,376; female 159,105) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | practically no crops; fish | cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber |
Airports | 7 (2003 est.) | 880 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 12
over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
total: 866
1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 323 under 914 m: 517 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 17,820 sq km
land: 17,820 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 406,750 sq km
land: 397,300 sq km water: 9,450 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than New Jersey | slightly smaller than California |
Background | Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961. Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91. | 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. |
Birth rate | 21.85 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 29.78 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $29.41 billion
expenditures: $17.57 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003) |
revenues: $937.8 million
expenditures: $988.4 million, including capital expenditures of $700 million (2003 est.) |
Capital | Kuwait | Asuncion |
Climate | dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters | subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west |
Coastline | 499 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | approved and promulgated 11 November 1962 | promulgated 20 June 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form: State of Kuwait
conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt |
conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay
conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay |
Currency | Kuwaiti dinar (KWD) | guarani (PYG) |
Death rate | 2.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 4.58 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $12.18 billion (2003 est.) | $2.96 billion (2003 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Richard LEBARON
embassy: Bayan, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan palace), Kuwait City mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE 09880-9000 telephone: [965] 539-5307, 5308 FAX: [965] 538-0282 |
chief of mission: Ambassador John F. KEANE
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 SALIM al-Abdallah Jabir Al Sabah
chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702 FAX: [1] (202) 364-2868 |
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 Orleans, New York |
Disputes - international | Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf | unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations |
Economic aid - recipient | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Economy - overview | Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of about 98 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country. | 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 derives 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, 1999, and 2000, rose slightly in 2001, only to fall again in 2002. 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 29.29 billion kWh (2001) | 2.637 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 39.11 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 31.49 billion kWh (2001) | 44.89 billion kWh (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 306 m |
lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification | deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping |
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 |
Ethnic groups | Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7% | mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95% |
Exchange rates | Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.298 (2003), 0.3039 (2002), 0.3067 (2001), 0.3068 (2000), 0.3044 (1999) | guarani per US dollar - 6,424.34 (2003), 5,716.26 (2002), 4,105.92 (2001), 3,486.35 (2000), 3,119.07 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977); Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdullah al-Salim Al Sabah
head of government: Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 13 July 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior NAWWAF al-Ahmad Al Sabah (since 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamad Al Sabah (since 2001) and Muhammad Dayfallah al-SHARAR (since 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch |
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); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA 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% |
Exports | 1.97 million bbl/day (2003) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | oil and refined products, fertilizers | soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood, leather |
Exports - partners | Japan 21.3%, South Korea 14.9%, US 11.5%, Singapore 9.8%, Taiwan 9.3% (2003) | Brazil 34.2%, Uruguay 19.6%, Switzerland 7.8%, Argentina 5.3% (2003) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates to 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I | 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) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $41.46 billion (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $28.17 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 59.5% services: 40% (2003) |
agriculture: 24.8%
industry: 23.7% services: 51.4% (2003 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $4,700 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.6% (2003 est.) | 1.8% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 29 30 N, 45 45 E | 23 00 S, 58 00 W |
Geography - note | strategic location at head of Persian Gulf | landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in southern part of country |
Heliports | 3 (2003 est.) | - |
Highways | total: 4,450 km
paved: 3,587 km unpaved: 863 km (1999 est.) |
total: 29,500 km
paved: 14,986 km unpaved: 14,514 km (1999 est) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: 0.5%
highest 10%: 43.8% (1998) |
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, Europe, and US; corruption and some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area |
Imports | NA (2003) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing | road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery |
Imports - partners | US 14.7%, Japan 10.3%, Germany 9.6%, China 6.6%, UK 6.1%, Saudi Arabia 5.5%, Italy 5%, France 4.2% (2003) | Brazil 32.5%, Argentina 21.6%, China 12.7% (2003) |
Independence | 19 June 1961 (from UK) | 14 May 1811 (from Spain) |
Industrial production growth rate | -5% (2002 est.) | 0% (2000 est.) |
Industries | petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, construction materials | sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel, metallurgic, electric power |
Infant mortality rate | total: 10.26 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 11.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
total: 26.67 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 31.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.2% (2003 est.) | 14.2% (2003 est.) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Irrigated land | 60 sq km (1998 est.) | 670 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | High Court of Appeal | Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura) |
Labor force | 1.38 million
note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force. (2003 est.) |
2.15 million (2003 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA, industries NA, services NA | agriculture 45% |
Land boundaries | total: 462 km
border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km |
total: 3,920 km
border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km |
Land use | arable land: 0.73%
permanent crops: 0.11% other: 99.16% (2001) |
arable land: 7.6%
permanent crops: 0.23% other: 92.17% (2001) |
Languages | Arabic (official), English widely spoken | Spanish (official), Guarani (official) |
Legal system | civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - Islamists 21, government supporters 14, liberals 3, and independents 12; note - all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly |
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 NA April 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA April 2008) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, MPQ 7, PPS 2, PEN 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, PQ 10, PPS 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 76.84 years
male: 75.86 years female: 77.86 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 74.64 years
male: 72.12 years female: 77.29 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.5% male: 85.1% female: 81.7% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94% male: 94.9% female: 93% (2003 est.) |
Location | Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia | Central South America, northeast of Argentina |
Map references | Middle East | South America |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm | none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total: 38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,319,082 GRT/3,768,828 DWT
by type: bulk 1, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 4, petroleum tanker 21, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: India 1, Saudi Arabia 1 registered in other countries: 5 (2004 est.) |
total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,667 GRT/30,826 DWT
by type: cargo 14, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: Argentina 2, Japan 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.) |
Military branches | Land Forces, Navy, Air Force (including Air Defense Force), National Guard | Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $2,500.4 million (2003) | $52.7 million (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 5.8% (2003) | 0.9% (2003) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 880,461 (2004 est.) | males age 15-49: 1,504,407 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 531,556 (2004 est.) | males age 15-49: 1,084,087 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 18,849 (2004 est.) | males: 63,386 (2004 est.) |
National holiday | National Day, 25 February (1950) | Independence Day, 14 May (1811) (observed 15 May annually) |
Nationality | noun: Kuwaiti(s)
adjective: Kuwaiti |
noun: Paraguayan(s)
adjective: Paraguayan |
Natural hazards | sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August | local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June) |
Natural resources | petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas | hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone |
Net migration rate | 14.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 169 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2004) | - |
Political parties and leaders | none; formation of political parties is illegal | Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Herminio CACERES, interim president]; Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PQ [Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella]; Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Enrique GONZALEZ Quintana, acting chairman]; Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Luis TORALES Kenney]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Julio Cesar FRANCO]; 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 | several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and nationalists | Ahorristas Estafados or AE; Coordinating Table of National Campesino Organizations or MCNOC; National Federation of Campesinos or FNC; National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central or CUT;; |
Population | 2,257,549
note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2004 est.) |
6,191,368 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | 36% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | 3.36%
note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2004 est.) |
2.51% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud | Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998) |
Railways | - | total: 441 km
standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge (2003) |
Religions | Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15% | Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.76 male(s)/female total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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 (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21
note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996, naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the first time |
18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75 |
Telephone system | general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones international: country code - 965; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat |
general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion
domestic: fair microwave radio relay network international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 486,900 (2003) | 273,200 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1.42 million (2003) | 1,770,300 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997) | 5 (2003) |
Terrain | flat to slightly undulating desert plain | 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 |
Total fertility rate | 3.03 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 3.98 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 2.1% (2003 est.) | 18.5% (2003 est.) |
Waterways | - | 3,100 km (2004) |