Paraguay has a predominantly agricultural economy, with a struggling commercial sector.
After decades of dictatorship and military rule, Paraguay has made important strides on the road to democracy; in April 2008, an opposition candidate won the presidential election, ending 61 years of conservative rule.
Through various treaties, Paraguay has been granted free ports in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil through which it sends its exports.
Paraguay's economic potential has been historically constrained by its landlocked geography, but it does enjoy access to the Atlantic Ocean via the Paranб River.
Paraguay is a member of the United Nations and several of its specialized agencies.
The name "Paraguay" is derived from the Guaranн word pararaguay meaning "from a great river."
Small groups of ethnic Italians, Germans, Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, Arabs, Brazilians, and Argentines settled in Paraguay and to some extent they have retained their respective languages and culture, particularly the Brazilians.
The administration has used diplomacy to promote the opening of international markets to Paraguayan products.
Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country located in the center of South America.
Paraguay's largest economic activity is based on agriculture, agribusiness, and cattle ranching.
Another large hydroelectric power plant on the Paranб River is Yacyretб, shared by Paraguay and Argentina.
More than 90 percent of Paraguayans are mestizos, and this makes Paraguay one of the most homogeneous countries in Latin America.
Ethnically, culturally, and socially, Paraguay has one of the most homogeneous populations in Latin America.
Three successive dictators for life, Josй Gaspar Rodrнguez de Francia (1813–1840), Carlos Antonio Lуpez (1841–1862), and Francisco Solano Lуpez (1862-1867) ruled Paraguay until 1870.
Paraguay is currently the world's largest exporter of hydroelectric power.
km), Paraguay is about the size of the U.S. state of California.
The World Bank has helped the Paraguayan government in tackling overall reduction of Paraguay's maternal and infant mortality.
Leftist former Catholic bishop Fernando Lugo achieved a historic victory in Paraguay's presidential election in April 2008, defeating the ruling party candidate and ending 61 years of conservative rule.
Despite difficulties arising from political instability, corruption, and slow structural reforms, Paraguay has been a member of the free trade bloc Mercosur, participating since 1991 as one of the founding members.
The 1950s saw the launching of Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen (1954) and Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane (1958).
Paraguay declared its independence after overthrowing the local Spanish authorities on May 14, 1811.
According to International Monetary Fund (IMF) data, Paraguay's real GDP in 2005 of $8.06 billion (in 2000 dollars) represented an increase of 2.9 percent from 2004.
Paraguay's highly centralized government was fundamentally changed by the 1992 constitution, which provides for a division of powers.
Paraguay had been home to native tribes, including the Guaranн, for thousands of years before Europeans first arrived in the area in the early sixteenth century.
Where the borders of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay converge is a region that has become a center for money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations.
In 1921 a law passed by the Paraguayan congress in effect allowed the Mennonites, largely German speaking, to create a state within the state of Boqueron.
Paraguay's culinary heritage is also deeply influenced by this cultural fusion.
Paraguayans' chief loyalty is to their family, and it, in turn, is their haven and support.
About 500 species of hardwood trees grow in Paraguay, as well as eucalyptus, cedar, and yerba matй, the last a relative of the holly that is used to make tea.
The War of the Triple Alliance had a devastating, long-term effect on Paraguay.
Paraguay is closely aligned with its MERCOSUR partners on many political, economic, and social issues.
Land concentration in the Paraguayan countryside is one of the highest in the globe: 10 percent of the population controls 66 percent of the land, while 30 percent of the rural people are landless.
Soybeans are particularly vital, accounting for 35 percent of total export revenues in 2003. Other agricultural cash crops include cotton, sugarcane, cassava, sunflowers, wheat, and corn. Other significant exports include feed, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood, and leather.
Most Populated Cities In ParaguayCityPopulationAsuncion1,482,200Ciudad del Este320,782San Lorenzo227,876Capiata198,5536 more rows
More than 30 percent of the population lives in poverty, according to the central bank, and Paraguay ranks near the bottom among South American countries in reducing poverty over the last decade, according to the United Nations. Social spending for antipoverty projects is minimal, largely because taxation is lacking.Apr 24, 2013
The climate of Paraguay consists of a subtropical climate in the Paranaense region and a tropical climate in the Chaco. The Paranaense region has a humid climate, with abundant precipitation throughout the year and only moderate seasonal changes in temperature.
Pira caldo is a fish soup that is part of the traditional cuisine. Sopa paraguaya is a traditional Paraguayan dish. Literally meaning "Paraguayan soup," sopa paraguaya is similar to corn bread. Corn flour, pig fat (lard) or butter, cheese and milk or whey are common ingredients.
Paraguay's winter months, May through September, are cooler, but the weather is changeable. Winter temperatures typically range between about 42 and 71 degrees Fahrenheit, with July usually the coldest month of the year.
The peak summer months are December, January, and February, when average temperatures are 95°F. During the winter, temperatures are much cooler and can reach freezing at night, usually hanging at about 42°F during the day in July and August, although the mercury can get to about 71°F. The southeastern section of ...
Spanish and Guaraní are Paraguay's official languages. Nearly 87% of the country's population speaks Spanish. Guaraní is spoken by about 4,650,000 people, accounting for over 90% of the people of Paraguay. In rural areas, 52% of the Guaraní speakers are monolingual.Aug 1, 2017
The religious identities of the people of Paraguay, have since national independence been oriented towards the Christianity, and specifically the Roman Catholic Church.
Members of an indigenous tribe called the Guarani were once the primary occupants of Paraguay. When Spanish settlers arrived in 1500, many of them took Guarani wives, thereby creating a fusion of European and indigenous cultures. As a result, many natives of Paraguay speak both Spanish and Guarani.