Paraguay (2003) | Togo (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro | 5 regions (regions, singular - region); De La Kara, Des Plateaux, Des Savanes, Du Centre, Maritime |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 38.4% (male 1,179,084; female 1,141,420)
15-64 years: 56.8% (male 1,721,867; female 1,707,918) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 132,145; female 154,466) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years:
45.63% (male 1,179,650; female 1,171,748) 15-64 years: 51.92% (male 1,302,197; female 1,373,247) 65 years and over: 2.45% (male 54,651; female 71,595) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber | coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish |
Airports | 879 (2002) | 9 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 11
over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002) |
total:
2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 868
1,524 to 2,437 m: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 323 under 914 m: 518 (2002) |
total:
7 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 406,750 sq km
land: 397,300 sq km water: 9,450 sq km |
total:
56,785 sq km land: 54,385 sq km water: 2,400 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than California | slightly smaller than West Virginia |
Background | In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70), Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular presidential elections have been held since then. | French Togoland became Togo in 1960. General Gnassingbe EYADEMA, installed as military ruler in 1967, is Africa's longest-serving head of state. Despite the facade of multiparty elections that resulted in EYADEMA's victory in 1993, the government continues to be dominated by the military. In addition, Togo has come under fire from international organizations for human rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest. Most bilateral and multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen. |
Birth rate | 30.14 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 37.04 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $1.3 billion
expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (1999 est.) |
revenues:
$232 million expenditures: $252 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) |
Capital | Asuncion | Lome |
Climate | subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west | tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 56 km |
Constitution | promulgated 20 June 1992 | multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the Republic 1 July 1992; adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay
conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay |
conventional long form:
Togolese Republic conventional short form: Togo local long form: Republique Togolaise local short form: none former: French Togoland |
Currency | guarani (PYG) | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States |
Death rate | 4.64 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 11.24 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $3.2 billion (2002 est.) | $1.5 billion (1999) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Karl HOFMANN embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou and Rue 15 Beniglato, Lome mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome telephone: [228] 21 29 91 through 21 29 94 FAX: [228] 21 79 52 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Leila Teresa RACHID COWLES
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 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Akoussoulelov BODJONA chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190 |
Disputes - international | unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug trafficking, and harbors Islamist militants | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $201.1 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | 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. | This small sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be imported. Together, cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate some 40% of export earnings, with cotton being the most significant cash crop despite falling prices on the world market. In the industrial sector, phosphate mining is by far the most important activity. Togo is the world's fourth largest producer, and geological advantages keep production costs low. The recently privatized mining operation, Office Togolais des Phosphates (OTP), is slowly recovering from a steep fall in prices in the early 1990's, but continues to face the challenge of tough foreign competition, exacerbated by weakening demand. Togo serves as a regional commercial and trade center. It continues to expand its duty-free export-processing zone (EPZ), launched in 1989, which has attracted enterprises from France, Italy, Scandinavia, the US, India, and China and created jobs for Togolese nationals. The government's decade-long effort, supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in line with expenditures has stalled. Progress depends on following through on privatization, increased openness in government financial operations, progress towards legislative elections, and possible downsizing of the military, on which the regime has depended to stay in place. Lack of foreign aid, deterioration of the financial sector, energy shortages, and depressed commodity prices continue to constrain economic growth; however, Togo did realize a 3% gain in GDP in 1999. The takeover of the national power company by a Franco-Canadian consortium in 2000 should ease the energy crisis and if successful legislative elections pave the way for increased aid, growth should rise to 5% a year in 2001-02. |
Electricity - consumption | 2.637 billion kWh (2001) | 511.6 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 39.11 billion kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 426 million kWh
note: electricity supplied by Ghana (1999) |
Electricity - production | 44.89 billion kWh (2001) | 92 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 0%
hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0.1% (2001) |
fossil fuel:
97.83% hydro: 2.17% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Agou 986 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands | deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas |
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 |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95% | native African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1% |
Exchange rates | guarani per US dollar - 5,720.44 (2002), 4,105.92 (2001), 3,486.35 (2000), 3,119.07 (1999), 2,726.49 (1998) | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August 2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI (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 (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% |
chief of state:
President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA (since 14 April 1967) head of government: Prime Minister Agbeyome KODJO (since 29 August 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 June 1998 (next to be held NA 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Gnassingbe EYADEMA reelected president; percent of vote - Gnassingbe EYADEMA 52.13%, Gilchrist OLYMPIO 34.12%, other 13.75% |
Exports | NA (2001) | $336 million (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity | cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa |
Exports - partners | Brazil 25.1%, Argentina 23%, Chile 5.5%, Bermuda 4% (2002) | Nigeria, Brazil, Canada, Philippines (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar 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) | five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $25.19 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $7.3 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 27%
industry: 27% services: 46% (2001 est.) |
agriculture:
42% industry: 21% services: 37% (1997) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -2.7% (2002 est.) | 3.4% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 23 00 S, 58 00 W | 8 00 N, 1 10 E |
Geography - note | landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in southern part of country | - |
Highways | total: 29,500 km
paved: 14,986 km unpaved: 14,514 km (1999 est) |
total:
7,520 km paved: 2,376 km unpaved: 5,144 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 0.5%
highest 10%: 43.8% (1998) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in South America; 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 | transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers |
Imports | NA (2001) | $452 million (f.o.b., 2000) |
Imports - commodities | road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products |
Imports - partners | Brazil 32.7%, Argentina 22.7%, US 18.1%, Hong Kong 4.7% (2002) | Ghana, China, France, Cote d'Ivoire (1999) |
Independence | 14 May 1811 (from Spain) | 27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship) |
Industrial production growth rate | 0% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Industries | sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products | phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement; handicrafts, textiles, beverages |
Infant mortality rate | total: 27.71 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 32.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
70.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 10.5% (2002 est.) | 2.5% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ECLAC, 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, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 4 (2000) | 3 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 670 sq km (1998 est.) | 70 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) | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme |
Labor force | 2 million (2000 est.) | 1.74 million (1996) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 45% | agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (1998 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 3,920 km
border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km |
total:
1,647 km border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km |
Land use | arable land: 5.54%
permanent crops: 0.21% other: 94.25% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
38% permanent crops: 7% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 17% other: 34% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Spanish (official), Guarani (official) | French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north) |
Legal system | based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice | French-based court system |
Legislative branch | bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA May 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA May 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, MPQ 10, PPS 2 |
unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 21 March 1999 (next due to be held NA October 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPT 79, independents 2 note: Togo's main opposition parties boycotted the election because of EYADEMA's alleged manipulation of 1998 presidential polling; in March of 1999, opposition parties entered into negotiations with the president over the establishment of an independent electoral commission and a new round of legislative elections, now scheduled for October 2001 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 74.4 years
male: 71.89 years female: 77.03 years (2003 est.) |
total population:
54.35 years male: 52.38 years female: 56.38 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94% male: 94.9% female: 93% (2003 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51.7% male: 67% female: 37% (1995 est.) |
Location | Central South America, northeast of Argentina | Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana |
Map references | South America | Africa |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 30 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 32,475 GRT/36,101 DWT
ships by type: cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Argentina 2, Japan 1 (2002 est.) |
total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,603 GRT/2,800 DWT ships by type: specialized tanker 1 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force | Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $125 million (FY98) | $27 million (FY96) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.4% (FY98) | 2% (FY96) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,465,781 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49:
1,175,528 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,056,437 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49:
616,622 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 17 years of age (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 61,706 (2003 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 14 May (1811) | Independence Day, 27 April (1960) |
Nationality | noun: Paraguayan(s)
adjective: Paraguayan |
noun:
Togolese (singular and plural) adjective: Togolese |
Natural hazards | local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June) | hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts |
Natural resources | hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone | phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land |
Net migration rate | -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS]; Movimiento Patria Querida or MPQ [Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella]; Movimiento Union Nacional de Colorados Eticos or UNACE [Lino Cesar OVIEDO Silva]; Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Diego ABENTE Brun]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Julio Cesar FRANCO]; Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares] | Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Yawovi AGBOYIBO]; Coordination des Forces Nouvelles or CFN [Joseph KOFFIGOH]; Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA [Leopold GNININVI]; Party for Democracy and Renewal or PDR [Zarifou AYEVA]; Patriotic Pan-African Convergence or CPP [Edem KODJO]; Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA]; Union of Forces for Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO (in exile), Jeane-Pierre FABRE, general secretary in Togo]; Union of Independent Liberals or ULI [Jacques AMOUZO]
note: Rally of the Togolese People or RPT, led by President EYADEMA, was the only party until the formation of multiple parties was legalized 12 April 1991 |
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 | NA |
Population | 6,036,900 (July 2003 est.) | 5,153,088
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 36% (2001 est.) | 32% (1989 est.) |
Population growth rate | 2.54% (2003 est.) | 2.6% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion | Kpeme, Lome |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998) | AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998) |
Radios | - | 940,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 441 km
standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge (2002) |
total:
525 km (1995) narrow gauge: 525 km 1.000-m gauge |
Religions | Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant | indigenous beliefs 59%, Christian 29%, Muslim 12% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75 | NA years of age; universal adult |
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) |
general assessment:
fair system based on a network of microwave radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile cellular system domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional system; cellular system has capacity of 10,000 telephones international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie |
Telephones - main lines in use | 290,475 (2001) | 25,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 510,000 (2001) | 2,995 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 4 (2001) | 3 (plus two repeaters) (1997) |
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 | gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes |
Total fertility rate | 4.02 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 5.32 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 18.2% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | 3,100 km | 50 km (Mono river) |