Paracel Islands (2003) | Paraguay (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | - | 17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and one capital city; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion (city), Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years:
38.9% (male 1,133,306; female 1,097,360) 15-64 years: 56.39% (male 1,622,743; female 1,610,659) 65 years and over: 4.71% (male 124,321; female 145,750) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (yucca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber |
Airports | 1 (2002) | 915 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
total:
11 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
904 1,524 to 2,437 m: 29 914 to 1,523 m: 340 under 914 m: 535 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: NA sq km
land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
406,750 sq km land: 397,300 sq km water: 9,450 sq km |
Area - comparative | NA | slightly smaller than California |
Background | The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. | 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 | - | 30.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues:
$1.3 billion expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (1999 est.) |
Capital | - | Asuncion |
Climate | tropical | subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west |
Coastline | 518 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | - | promulgated 20 June 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands |
conventional long form:
Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay |
Currency | - | guarani (PYG) |
Death rate | - | 4.75 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $3 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | chief of mission:
Ambassador David N. GREENLEE 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 Leila RACHID chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962 FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508 consulate(s) general: Detroit (honorary), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (honorary) |
Disputes - international | occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $NA |
Economy - overview | China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. | 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 and 1999. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural reform, substantial internal and external debt, and deficient infrastructure. Growth rebounded slightly in 2000. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 1.915 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | - | 46.03 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | - | 51.554 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
0.07% hydro: 99.79% nuclear: 0% other: 0.15% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m |
lowest point:
junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | deforestation (an estimated 2 million hectares of forest land were lost from 1958-85); water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban |
Ethnic groups | - | mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95% |
Exchange rates | - | guarani per US dollar - 3,570.0 (January 2001), 3,486.4 (2000), 3,119.1 (1999), 2,726.5 (1998), 2,177.9 (1997), 2,056.8 (1996); note - since early 1998, the exchange rate has operated as a managed float; prior to that, the exchange rate was determined freely in the market |
Executive branch | - | chief of state:
President Luis GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999); vice president Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Luis GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999); vice president Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000); 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 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003) election results: Raul CUBAS Grau elected president; percent of vote - 55.3%; resigned 28 March 1999 note: President Luis GONZALEZ MACCHI, formerly president of the Chamber of Senators, constitutionally succeeded President Raul CUBAS Grau, who resigned after being impeached soon after the assassination of Vice President Luis Maria ARGANA; the successor to ARGANA was decided in an election held in August 2000 |
Exports | - | $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | - | electricity, soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils |
Exports - partners | - | Brazil, Argentina, EU |
Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
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) |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $26.2 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture:
28% industry: 21% services: 51% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $4,750 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 1% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 16 30 N, 112 00 E | 23 00 S, 58 00 W |
Geography - note | composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group | landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil |
Highways | - | total:
25,901 km paved: 3,067 km unpaved: 22,834 km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%:
0.7% highest 10%: 46.6% (1995) |
Illicit drugs | - | illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in South America; transshipment country for Andean cocaine headed for Southern Cone markets and Europe |
Imports | - | $3.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | - | road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery |
Imports - partners | - | Brazil, US, Argentina, Uruguay, EU, Hong Kong |
Independence | - | 14 May 1811 (from Spain) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 0% (2000 est.) |
Industries | - | sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products |
Infant mortality rate | - | 29.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 8% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | - | CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 4 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | 670 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura) |
Labor force | - | 2 million (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 45% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
3,920 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 55% forests and woodland: 32% other: 7% (1993 est.) |
Languages | - | Spanish (official), Guarani (official) |
Legal system | - | based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice |
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 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003); Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 25, PLRA 13, PEN 7; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 45, PLRA 26, PEN 9 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population:
73.92 years male: 71.44 years female: 76.52 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.1% male: 93.5% female: 90.6% (1995 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines | Central South America, northeast of Argentina |
Map references | Southeast Asia | South America |
Maritime claims | NA | none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | - | total:
20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,066 GRT/35,441 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | occupied by China | - |
Military branches | - | Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $125 million (FY98) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.4% (FY98) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
1,388,436 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
1,001,516 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 17 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
58,359 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | - | Independence Day, 14 May (1811) |
Nationality | - | noun:
Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan |
Natural hazards | typhoons | local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June) |
Natural resources | none | hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone |
Net migration rate | - | -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | Authentic Radical Liberal Party or PLRA [Miguel Abdon SAGUIER]; Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Adalina GUITERREZ DE GALEANO]; Febrerista Revolutionary Party or PRF [Carlos Maria LJUBETIC]; National Encounter or PEN [Euclides ACEVEDO]; National Republican Association - Colorado Party [acting president Bader RACHID LICHI] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central or CUT |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.) |
5,734,139 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | 36% (2000 est.) |
Population growth rate | - | 2.6% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded | Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998) |
Radios | - | 925,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | total:
971 km standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 60 km 1.000-m gauge note: there are 470 km of various gauges that are privately owned |
Religions | - | Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant |
Sex ratio | - | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75 |
Telephone system | - | general assessment:
meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion domestic: fair microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 290,475 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 510,000 (2001) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 4 (2001) |
Terrain | mostly low and flat | 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 | - | 4.11 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 16% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | none | 3,100 km |