boundary with Brazil (just west of Guaira Falls on the
Rio Parana) has not been determined
Climate:
varies from temperate in east to semiarid in 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
Natural resources:
hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Land use:
arable land:
20%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
39%
forest and woodland:
35%
other:
5%
Irrigated land:
670 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains
may become boggy (early October to June)
Note:
landlocked; buffer between Argentina and Brazil

*Paraguay, People

Population:
5,070,856 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.8% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
32.61 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
4.58 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
26.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
72.98 years
male:
71.42 years
female:
74.62 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.37 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Paraguayan(s)
adjective:
Paraguayan
Ethnic divisions:
mestizo (Spanish and Indian) 95%, white and Indian 5%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant denominations
Languages:
Spanish (official), Guarani
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
90%
male:
92%
female:
88%
Labor force:
1.641 million (1992 est.)
by occupation:
agriculture, industry and commerce, services, government (1986)

*Paraguay, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Paraguay conventional short form:
Paraguay
local long form:
Republica del Paraguay
local short form:
Paraguay
Digraph:
PA
Type:
republic
Capital:
Asuncion
Administrative divisions:
19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alto Paraguay, Alto
Parana, Amambay, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Chaco,
Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Nueva Asuncion,
Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro
Independence:
14 May 1811 (from Spain)
Constitution:
25 August 1967; Constituen