racel Islands
Ports and harbors:
small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island
being expanded
Airports:
1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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 20 October, 2005
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@Paraguay
Introduction Paraguay
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.
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: 3,920 km
border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 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: 7.6%
permanent crops: 0.23%
other: 92.17% (2001)
Irrigated land:
670 sq km (1998 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
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