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Paraguay: The Facts Written by Anna Mracek
Situated between Argentina, Bolivia Brazil, Paraguay
is a little smaller than California, covering an area of 406,750 square kilometers.
It's capital is Asuncion, located in he southwest, close the Argentine border.
Though completely landlocked, Paraguay does have access to the Rio Parana, which flows
from Brazil, along Paraguay's southeastern border, through Argentina and into the
Atlantic. Paraguay is divided into two ecological
sections. Along the Rio Parana in the south are grasslands and wooded hills that are
often flooded and boggy throughout the winter. In the center of the country the Gran
Chaco region--located west of the Rio Paraguay which bisects the country--consists mostly
of wetlands surrounding the river and parched, thorny scrub elsewhere. Although over
half of the country is being used as permanent pasture land, none of Paraguay's land is
devoted to permanent agriculture with only 6% even being arable. The rest of the
country is still forested--for now. Rapid deforestation is one of Paraguay's
pressing ecological concerns. Additional environmental problems include the poor
drainage and stagnant water associated with regular flooding and the health hazards that
accompany them. Most of the population, 95%, are of Mestizo heritage
(mixed Spanish and Amerindian), with the remainder being Caucasian or pure
Amerindian. The majority religion is Roman Catholicism, with smaller numbers of
Mennonites and followers of other Protestant denominations. Fully 92% of all
Paraguayan men and women over the age of 15 are literate. The official language is
Spanish, but Guarani is also spoken. Paraguay is governed by a republic, with the country divided into 18 administrative departments. Although Paraguay won its independence from Spain on May 14, 1811. The executive branch is led by a president, currently Juan Carlos Wasmosy, and is elected very five years by universal suffrage. Everyone between the ages of 18 and 60 is required to vote, with this responsibility being optional after the age of 60. The Legislative Branch consists of a bicameral Congress and the Chamber of Senators. The Judicial Branch is led by the Supreme Court of Justice and the legal system is based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes. The Supreme Court of Justice does have the power to review acts of the Legislature.
The Flag is divided into three equal, horizontal bars of red, white, and
blue. The emblem in the center of the flag is unique in that it is different on both
sides of the flag. When the hoist side is on the left the emblem (centered in the
white bar of color) is the national coat of arms. When the hoist side is on the
right the emblem (still in the same place) is the seal of the treasury with "Paz y
Justice" (Peace and Justice) and "Republic del Paraguay" (Republic of
Paraguay) in concentric circles around it. Paraguay's main industries are food processing, such as meat packaging and oilseed crushing, textiles, consumer goods, and construction. Agriculturally, Paraguay's main products are cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, and tobacco.
Sources CIA World Factbook University of Texas Map
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