 |
| People |
Population :
|
6,191,368 (July 2004 est.) |
| Languages : |
Spanish (official), Guarani (official) |
| Age Structure: |
0-14 years: 38.2%
15-64 years: 57%
65 years and over: 4.8% |
| Economy |
Currency :
|
guarani (PYG) - 6,424.34 to $1US (2003) |
| Industries : |
sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel, metallurgic, electric power |
| Below Poverty : |
36% (2001 est.) |
| Government |
Capital :
|
Asuncion |
| Type of Gov’t : |
constitutional republic |
| President : |
Nicanor DUARTE Frutos
(since 15 August 2003) |
| Independence : |
14 May 1811 (from Spain) |
| Geography |
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 |
| Nat. Resources : |
hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone |
| 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. |
| Further Information |
| These facts have come from The World Factbook online. For more information on Paraguay, visit them here |
|
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Paraguay, Work re-established: 1991
