The Republic of Paraguay is located in the center of South
America, northeast of Argentina.
It is bordered by Argentina, Bolivia,
and Brazil.
It has a total land area of 405,750 square kilometers.
In comparative area, Paraguay is about the size of California.
The name Paraguay comes from the Guarani native language, meaning "A Place with
a Great River." Paraguay's borders are all defined by rivers.
Paraguay's economy is predominantly agricultural. There are also a number of small industries. Re-exporting to other Latin American countries is also a large contributing factor in the economy. Hydroelectric projects have benefited the economy.
Paraguay achieved its independence from Spain on May 14, 1811. Its history since the mid-19th century has been dominated by wars and dictatorships. Human rights abuses, corruption and drug trafficking have been major issues in recent years.
The government is a republic, with three branches, the Executive (a President, elected by popular vote to a single five year term, and the Cabinet), a Legislative (a bicameral Congress), and the Judicial (the Supreme Court of Justice), appointed by proposal of the Council of Magistrates. The current constitution dates from 1991. The capital city is Asuncion.
Paraguay has two official languages, Spanish and Guarani.
Most of the population of 6,669,086 (July 2007 estimate) is mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) at 95 percent. The remaining 5 percent includes European descendants, the largest number of which are of German origin. There are several communities of German-speaking Mennonites, who emigrated to Paraguay from Russia.
Major religions are Roman Catholic (90 percent), with Mennonite and other Protestant at 10 percent.
The currency is the Guarani.
Web Sites
- CIA: The World Factbook
- Embassy of the Republic of Paraguay in the United States
- Embassy of the United States: Asuncion. Paraguay
Catalog
Search the library's catalog for Paraguay.
Databases
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