Compare Spratly Islands (2008) - Paraguay (2008)

Compare Spratly Islands (2008) z Paraguay (2008)

	Spratly Islands (2008)	Paraguay (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.)
Agriculture - products	-	cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber
Airports	3 (2007)	838 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)	total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)	total: 825 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 267 under 914 m: 532 (2007)
Area	total: less than 5 sq km land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea	total: 406,750 sq km land: 397,300 sq km water: 9,450 sq km
Area - comparative	NA	slightly smaller than California
Background	The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim.	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.
Birth rate	-	28.77 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $2.268 billion expenditures: $2.469 billion (2007)
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	tropical	subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
Coastline	926 km	0 km (landlocked)
Constitution	-	promulgated 20 June 1992
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands	conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay
Death rate	-	4.54 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	-	$3.632 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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	all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands	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
Economic aid - recipient	-	$51.09 million (2005)
Economy - overview	Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.	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.
Electricity - consumption	-	6 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - exports	-	64 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2007)
Electricity - production	-	70 billion kWh (2007)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 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; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal pose health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands
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%
Exchange rates	-	guarani per US dollar - 5,031 (2007), 5,672.8 (2006), 6,178 (2005), 5,974.6 (2004), 6,424.3 (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)
Exports - commodities	-	soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood, leather
Exports - partners	-	Uruguay 22%, Brazil 17.2%, Russia 11.9%, Argentina 8.8%, Chile 6.9% (2006)
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 - composition by sector	-	agriculture: 21.9% industry: 18.7% services: 59.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	4.5% (2007)
Geographic coordinates	8 38 N, 111 55 E	23 00 S, 58 00 W
Geography - note	strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs	landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in southern part of country
Heliports	3 (2007)	-
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 46.1% (2003)
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)
Imports - commodities	-	road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery, tractors, chemicals, vehicle parts
Imports - partners	-	China 27%, Brazil 20%, Argentina 13.6%, Japan 8.3%, US 6.4% (2006)
Independence	-	14 May 1811 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate	-	1.9% (2007)
Industries	-	sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel, metallurgic, electric power
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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	6% (2007)
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	0 sq km	670 sq km (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)
Labor force - by occupation	-	agriculture: 31% industry: 17% services: 52% (2007)
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 3,995 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,365 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)	arable land: 7.47% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 92.29% (2005)
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; 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.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94% male: 94.9% female: 93% (2003 est.)
Location	Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines	Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Map references	Southeast Asia	South America
Maritime claims	NA	none (landlocked)
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 - note	Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam	-
Military branches	-	Army, National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval Aviation, Marine Corps, General Naval Prefecture), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Paraguay, FAP) (2006)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	1% (2006 est.)
National holiday	-	Independence Day, 14 May 1811 (observed 15 May)
Nationality	-	noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan
Natural hazards	typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard	local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
Natural resources	fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential	hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Net migration rate	-	-0.08 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	no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states	6,669,086 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	32% (2005 est.)
Population growth rate	-	2.416% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations	-	AM 41, FM 121, shortwave 6 (3 inactive) (2006)
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)
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.)
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)
Telephones - main lines in use	-	331,100 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	3.233 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations	-	5 (2007)
Terrain	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	-	3.84 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	11.4% (2007 est.)
Waterways	-	3,100 km (2007)

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