Natural resources: hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Land use: arable land: 6%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 55%

forests and woodland: 32%

other: 7% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 670 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: local flooding in southeast (early September to
June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Environment - current issues: 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

Geography - note: landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and
Brazil

Paraguay People

Population: 5,734,139 (July 2001 est.)

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.)

Population growth rate: 2.6% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 30.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 4.75 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

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.)

Infant mortality rate: 29.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.92 years

male: 71.44 years

female: 76.52 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.11 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.11% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 220 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Paraguayan(s)

adjective: Paraguayan

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant

Languages: Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.1%

male: 93.5%

female: 90.6% (1995 est.)

Paraguay Government

Country n