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Paraguay

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   SOS Children works in Paraguay. For more information see SOS Children
   in Paraguay
             República del Paraguay
   Tetã Paraguái
   Republic of Paraguay

   Flag of Paraguay Coat of arms of Paraguay
   Flag             Coat of arms
   Motto: Spanish: Paz y justicia
   (English: "Peace and justice")
   Anthem: Paraguayos, República o Muerte
   Location of Paraguay
   Capital
   (and largest city)    Asunción
                         25°16′S 57°40′W
    Official languages   Spanish, Guaraní
   Government            Presidential republic
    - President          Nicanor Duarte Frutos
    - Vice President     Luis Castiglioni Joria
       Independence      From Spain
    - Declared           May 14, 1811
                       Area
    - Total              406,752 km² ( 59th)
                         157,047 sq mi
    - Water (%)          2.3%
                    Population
    - July 2005 estimate 6,158,000 ( 101st)
    - Density            15/km² ( 192nd)
                         39/sq mi
        GDP ( PPP)       2005 estimate
    - Total              $28.342 billion ( 96th)
    - Per capita         $4,555 ( 107th)
        HDI  (2004)      0.757 (medium) ( 91st)
         Currency        Guaraní ( PYG)
         Time zone       ( UTC-4)
    - Summer ( DST)      ( UTC-3)
       Internet TLD      .py
       Calling code      +595

   Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay (Spanish: República del
   Paraguay, pron. IPA [re'puβlika del para'ɣwaj], Guarani: Tetã
   Paraguái), is a landlocked country in South America. It lies on both
   banks of the Paraguay River, bordering Argentina to the south and
   southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the
   northwest, and is located in the very heart of South America.
   'Paraguay' is derived from the Guaraní word 'Pararaguay', meaning,
   'From a Great River'. The 'Great River' is the Paraná River, which
   produces the greatest amount of hydroelectric power in the world.

History

   Europeans first arrived in the area in the early 16th century and the
   settlement of Asunción was founded on August 15, 1537, by the Spanish
   explorer Juan de Salazar. The city eventually became the centre of a
   Spanish colonial province, as well as a primary site of the Jesuit
   missions and settlements in South America in the 18th century. Paraguay
   declared its independence by overthrowing the local Spanish authorities
   on May 14, 1811.

   Paraguay's history has been characterized by long periods of
   authoritarian governments, political instability and infighting, and
   devastating wars with its neighbors. Its post-colonial history can be
   roughly be divided into several distinct periods:
    1. 1811 - 1816: The Birth of a Nation
    2. 1816 - 1840: José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia governments
    3. 1840 - 1865: Carlos Antonio Lopez & Francisco Solano Lopez
       governments
    4. 1865 - 1870: The War of the Triple Alliance
    5. 1870 - 1904: Post-war reconstruction and Colorado Party governments
    6. 1904 - 1932: Liberal Party governments and run-up to the Chaco War
    7. 1932 - 1935: Chaco War
    8. 1935 - 1940: Revolutionary Febrerista Party, and Jose Felix
       Estigarribia governments
    9. 1940 - 1948: Higinio Morinigo government
   10. 1948 - 1954: Paraguayan Civil War, re-emergence of the Colorado
       Party
   11. 1954 - 1989: Alfredo Stroessner dictatorship
   12. 1989 - Present: The Road Less Traveled -- Transition to Democracy

   The War of the Triple Alliance and the Chaco War are milestones in
   Paraguay's history, since Paraguay's independence from Spain was a
   rather bloodless affair. Paraguay fought the War of the Triple Alliance
   against Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, and was defeated in 1870 after
   five years of the bloodiest war in South America. Paraguay suffered
   extensive territorial losses to Brazil and Argentina. The Chaco War was
   fought with Bolivia in the 1930s and Bolivia was defeated. Paraguay
   re-established sovereignty over the region called the Chaco, and
   forfeited additional territorial gains as a price of peace.

   The history of Paraguay is fraught with disputes among historians,
   educators and politicians. The official version of historical events,
   wars in particular, varies depending on whether you read a history book
   written in Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil or Bolivia. Even European and
   American authors have been unable to avoid bias. Paraguay's history
   also has been a matter of dispute among Paraguay's main political
   parties, and there is a Colorado Party and Liberal Party official
   version of Paraguayan history.

Politics

   Politics of Paraguay takes place in a framework of a presidential
   representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Paraguay
   is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform
   multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government.
   Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers
   of the National Congress. The Judiciary is independent of the executive
   and the legislature.

Administrative divisions

   Paraguay consists of 17 departments and one capital district (distrito
   capital). These are, with their capitals indicated in parentheses:
    1. Alto Paraguay ( Fuerte Olimpo)
    2. Alto Paraná ( Ciudad del Este)
    3. Amambay ( Pedro Juan Caballero)
    4. Asunción Capital District (Asunción)
    5. Boquerón ( Filadelfia)
    6. Caaguazú ( Coronel Oviedo)
    7. Caazapá ( Caazapá)
    8. Canindeyú ( Salto del Guairá)
    9. Central ( Areguá)

   10. Concepción ( Concepción)
   11. Cordillera ( Caacupé)
   12. Guairá ( Villarrica)
   13. Itapúa ( Encarnación)
   14. Misiones ( San Juan Bautista)
   15. Ñeembucú ( Pilar)
   16. Paraguarí ( Paraguarí)
   17. Presidente Hayes ( Pozo Colorado)
   18. San Pedro ( San Pedro)

   Map of Paraguay

Economy

   Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector that
   features both re-export of imported consumer goods to neighbouring
   countries, and thousands of small business enterprises. Paraguay's
   largest economic activity is based on agriculture, agribusiness and
   cattle ranching. Paraguay is ranked as the world's third largest
   exporter of soybeans, and its beef exports are substantial for a
   country of its size. A large percentage of the population derive their
   living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis.

   Paraguay's economic potential has been historically constrained by its
   landlocked geography, but it does enjoy access to the Atlantic Ocean
   via the Paraná River. Due to its meditereanity, Paraguay's economy is
   very dependent on Brazil and Argentina, its neighbours to the east,
   south and west. Through various treaties, Paraguay has been granted
   free ports in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil through which it sends its
   exports. The most important of these free port is on the Brazilian
   Atlantic coast at Paranaguá.

   The Friendship Bridge that now spans the Paraná River between Ciudad
   del Este and the Brazilian city of Foz do Iguaçu permits about 40,000
   travelers to commute daily between both cities, and allows Paraguay
   land acess to Paranaguá. A vibrant economy has developed in Ciudad del
   Este and Foz de Iguazu mostly based on international commerce and
   shopping trips by Brazilian buyers colloquially called sacoleiros.

   About 60% of the GDP derives from trade and exports to Brazil and
   Argentina. Despite difficulties arising from political instability,
   corruption and slow structural reforms, Paraguay has been a member of
   the free trade bloc MERCOSUR since 1991.

Demographics

   Asunción, the capital of Paraguay
   Enlarge
   Asunción, the capital of Paraguay

   Ethnically, culturally, and socially, Paraguay has one of the most
   homogeneous populations in Latin America. About 95% of the people are
   mestizos of mixed Spanish and Guaraní Indian descent. The only trace of
   the original Guaraní culture is the Guaraní language, spoken by 94% of
   the population. About 75% of all Paraguayans can speak Spanish. Guaraní
   and Spanish are both official languages. Small groups of Ethnic
   Italians, Germans, Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, Arabs, Brazilians, and
   Argentines settled in Paraguay and they have to an extent retained
   their respective languages and culture - particularly the Brazilians.

   Paraguay's population is distributed unevenly throughout the country.
   About 56% of Paraguayans live in urban areas. The vast majority of the
   people live in the eastern region near the capital and largest city,
   Asuncion, that accounts for 10% of the country's population. The Chaco,
   which accounts for about 60% of the territory, is home to less than 2%
   of the population.

   The country is predominantly Roman Catholic, with some Mennonite and
   other Protestant minorities.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraguay"
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