Compare Paraguay (2008) - Gaza Strip (2008)

Compare Paraguay (2008) z Gaza Strip (2008)

	Paraguay (2008)	Gaza Strip (2008)

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	-
Age structure	0-14 years: 37.2% (male 1,262,408/female 1,220,809) 15-64 years: 57.7% (male 1,933,559/female 1,915,033) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 155,660/female 181,617) (2007 est.)	0-14 years: 47.6% (male 361,115/female 344,236) 15-64 years: 49.9% (male 377,927/female 361,824) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 15,454/female 21,849) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber	olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products
Airports	838 (2007)	2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2007)	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 825 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 267 under 914 m: 532 (2007)	total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area	total: 406,750 sq km land: 397,300 sq km water: 9,450 sq km	total: 360 sq km land: 360 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than California	slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Background	In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70) - between Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay - 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.	The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements provided for a transitional period of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under a series of agreements signed between May 1994 and September 1999, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank and Gaza. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza stalled following the outbreak of an intifada in September 2000, as Israeli forces reoccupied most Palestinian-controlled areas. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent status agreement was postponed indefinitely due to violence and accusations that both sides had not followed through on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and withdrew settlers and redeployed soldiers from four small northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November 2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The international community refused to accept the HAMAS-led government because it did not recognize Israel, would not renounce violence, and refused to honor previous peace agreements between Israel and the PA. HAMAS took control of the PA government in March 2006, but President ABBAS had little success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform acceptable to the international community so as to lift economic sanctions on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene throughout most of 2006 as a result of Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members. Violent clashes took place between Fatah and HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 and early 2007, resulting in numerous Palestinian deaths and injuries. ABBAS and HAMAS Political Bureau Chief MISHAL in February 2007 signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the formation of a Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) headed by HAMAS member Ismail HANIYA. However, fighting continued in the Gaza Strip, and in June, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent takeover of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip. ABBAS dismissed the NUG and through a series of Presidential decrees formed a PA government in the West Bank led by independent Salam FAYYAD. HAMAS rejected the NUG's dismissal and has called for resuming talks with Fatah, but ABBAS has ruled out negotiations until HAMAS agrees to a return of PA control over the Gaza Strip and recognizes the FAYYAD-led government. FAYYAD and his PA government initiated a series of security and economic reforms to improve conditions in the West Bank. ABBAS participated in talks with Israel's Prime Minister OLMERT and secured the release of some Palestinian prisoners and previously withheld customs revenue. During a November 2007 international meeting in Annapolis Maryland, ABBAS and OLMERT agreed to resume peace negotiations with the goal of reaching a final peace settlement by the end of 2008.
Birth rate	28.77 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	38.9 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $2.268 billion expenditures: $2.469 billion (2007)	revenues: $1.149 billion expenditures: $2.31 billion note: includes West Bank (2006)
Capital	name: Asuncion geographic coordinates: 25 16 S, 57 40 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	-
Climate	subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west	temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	40 km
Constitution	promulgated 20 June 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: none conventional short form: Gaza Strip local long form: none local short form: Qita Ghazzah
Death rate	4.54 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	3.74 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$3.632 billion (31 December 2007 est.)	$NA
Diplomatic representation from the US	Ambassador James C. CASON 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 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 York	-
Disputes - international	unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations	West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel removed settlers and military personnel from the Gaza Strip in August 2005
Economic aid - recipient	$51.09 million (2005)	$1.4 billion; (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)
Economy - overview	Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. This 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, especially in rural areas, derives its living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, limited progress on structural reform, and deficient infrastructure. The economy rebounded between 2003 and 2007, posting modest growth each year. Growing world demand for commodities combined with high prices and favorable weather to support Paraguay's commodity-based export expansion.	High population density, limited land access, and strict internal and external security controls have kept economic conditions in the Gaza Strip - the smaller of the two areas under the Palestinian Authority (PA)- even more degraded than in the West Bank. The beginning of the second intifadah in September 2000 sparked an economic downturn, largely the result of Israeli closure policies; these policies, which were imposed to address security concerns in Israel, disrupted labor and trade access to and from the Gaza Strip. In 2001, and even more severely in 2003, Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread business closures. The Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in September 2005 offered some medium-term opportunities for economic growth, but continued Israeli-imposed crossings closures, which became more restrictive after Hamas violently took over the territory in June 2007, have resulted in widespread private sector layoffs and shortages of most goods.
Electricity - consumption	6 billion kWh (2007)	230,000 kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	64 billion kWh (2007)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2007)	90,000 kWh; note - from Israeli Electric Company (2005)
Electricity - production	70 billion kWh (2007)	140,000 kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m	lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m
Environment - current issues	deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal pose health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands	desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination of underground water resources
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: none of the selected agreements	-
Ethnic groups	mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, other 5%	Palestinian Arab
Exchange rates	guarani per US dollar - 5,031 (2007), 5,672.8 (2006), 6,178 (2005), 5,974.6 (2004), 6,424.3 (2003)	new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August 2003); Vice President Francisco OVIEDO Britez (since 21 November 2007); 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 Francisco OVIEDO Britez (since 21 November 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held in 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	0 bbl/day (2007)	$301 million f.o.b.; (includes West Bank) (2005)
Exports - commodities	soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood, leather	citrus, flowers, textiles
Exports - partners	Uruguay 22%, Brazil 17.2%, Russia 11.9%, Argentina 8.8%, Chile 6.9% (2006)	Israel, Egypt, West Bank (2006)
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)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 21.9% industry: 18.7% services: 59.4% (2007 est.)	agriculture: 8% industry: 13% services: 79% (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	4.5% (2007)	-8% (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates	23 00 S, 58 00 W	31 25 N, 34 20 E
Geography - note	landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in southern part of country	strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history
Heliports	-	1 (2007)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 46.1% (2003)	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
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, and Europe; corruption and some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; weak anti-money-laundering laws and enforcement	-
Imports	25,940 bbl/day (2007)	$2.44 billion c.i.f.; (includes West Bank) (2005)
Imports - commodities	road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery, tractors, chemicals, vehicle parts	food, consumer goods, construction materials
Imports - partners	China 27%, Brazil 20%, Argentina 13.6%, Japan 8.3%, US 6.4% (2006)	Israel, Egypt, West Bank (2006)
Independence	14 May 1811 (from Spain)	-
Industrial production growth rate	1.9% (2007)	2.4% (includes West Bank) (2005)
Industries	sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel, metallurgic, electric power	generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis had established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial center, but operations ceased prior to Israel's evacuation of Gaza Strip settlements
Infant mortality rate	total: 26.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 30.73 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	total: 21.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 22.91 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	6% (2007)	3.6% (includes West Bank) (2006)
International organization participation	CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO	-
Irrigated land	670 sq km (2003)	150 sq km; note - includes West Bank (2003)
Judicial branch	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	2.735 million (2007)	267,000 (2006)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 31% industry: 17% services: 52% (2007)	agriculture: 12% industry: 18% services: 70% (2005)
Land boundaries	total: 3,995 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,365 km	total: 62 km border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km
Land use	arable land: 7.47% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 92.29% (2005)	arable land: 29% permanent crops: 21% other: 50% (2002)
Languages	Spanish (official), Guarani (official)	Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely understood)
Legal system	based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	-
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 in April 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held in April 2008) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANR 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, PQ 7, PPS 2, PEN 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANR 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, PQ 10, PPS 2	-
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 75.34 years male: 72.78 years female: 78.02 years (2007 est.)	total population: 72.16 years male: 70.84 years female: 73.54 years (2007 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: 92.4% male: 96.7% female: 88% (2004 est.)
Location	Central South America, northeast of Argentina	Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel
Map references	South America	Middle East
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation
Merchant marine	total: 22 ships (1000 GRT or over) 39,693 GRT/43,530 DWT by type: cargo 16, container 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 5 (Argentina 3, Netherlands 1, Switzerland 1) (2007)	-
Military branches	Army, National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval Aviation, Marine Corps, General Naval Prefecture), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Paraguay, FAP) (2006)	in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian Authority is not permitted conventional military forces; there are, however, public security forces (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1% (2006 est.)	NA
National holiday	Independence Day, 14 May 1811 (observed 15 May)	-
Nationality	noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan	noun: NA adjective: NA
Natural hazards	local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)	droughts
Natural resources	hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone	arable land, natural gas
Net migration rate	-0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders	Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Jose A. ALDERETE]; Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Enrique GONZALEZ Quintana]; Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PQ [Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella]; Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Luis TORALES Kennedy]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Blas LLANO]; 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	-
Political pressure groups and leaders	Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Coordinating Board of Campesino Organizations or MCNOC [Luis AGUAYO]; National Federation of Campesinos or FNC [Odilon ESPINOLA]; National Workers Central or CNT [Secretary General Juan TORRALES]; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central or CUT [Jorge Guzman ALVARENGA Malgarejo]	-
Population	6,669,086 (July 2007 est.)	1,482,405 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	32% (2005 est.)	80% (2007 est.)
Population growth rate	2.416% (2007 est.)	3.66% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 41, FM 121, shortwave 6 (3 inactive) (2006)	AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 0 (2008)
Railways	total: 36 km standard gauge: 36 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)	-
Religions	Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census)	Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 99.3%, Christian 0.7%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.034 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.857 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.049 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.045 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.707 male(s)/female total population: 1.037 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75	-
Telephone system	general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching center is in Asuncion domestic: the fixed-line market is a state monopoly; deficiencies in provision of fixed-line service has resulted in a rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services fostered by competition among multiple providers international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)	general assessment: NA domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services international: country code - 970 (2004)
Telephones - main lines in use	331,100 (2006)	349,000 (includes West Bank) (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	3.233 million (2006)	1.095 million (includes West Bank) (2005)
Television broadcast stations	5 (2007)	1 (2008)
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	flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain
Total fertility rate	3.84 children born/woman (2007 est.)	5.64 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	11.4% (2007 est.)	34.8% (2006)
Waterways	3,100 km (2007)	-

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