islands for tourism.

Transportation
Paracel Islands

Airports:

1 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)

Ports and terminals:

small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island
being expanded

Military
Paracel Islands

Military - note:

occupied by China

Transnational Issues
Paracel Islands

Disputes - international:

occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Paraguay

Introduction
Paraguay

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, Paraguay won large, economically important areas from
Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER
ended in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political
infighting in recent years, Paraguay has held relatively free and
regular presidential elections since then.

Geography
Paraguay

Location:

Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Geographic coordinates:

23 00 S, 58 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 406,750 sq km
land: 397,300 sq km
water: 9,450 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries:

total: 3,995 km
border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,365 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern
portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

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

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 7.47%
permanent crops: 0.24%
other: 92.29% (2005)

Irrigated land:

670 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

336 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (d