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NAVIGATION
Republic of Paraguay
Republica del Paraguay
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay
conventional short form: Paraguay local short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay |
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Government type:
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constitutional republic |
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Capital:
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Asuncion |
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Administrative divisions:
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17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro |
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Independence:
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14 May 1811 (from Spain) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 14 May (1811) |
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Constitution:
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promulgated 20 June 1992 |
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Legal system:
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based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75 |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Luis Angel GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999); Vice President Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000) resigned 16 October 2002; position now vacant; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Luis Angel GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999); Vice President Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000) resigned 16 October 2002; position now vacant; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003) note: President Luis Angel GONZALEZ MACCHI, formerly president of the Chamber of Senators, constitutionally succeeded President Raul CUBAS Grau, who resigned after being impeached soon after the assassination of Vice President Luis Maria ARGANA; the successor to ARGANA was decided in an election held in August 2000 election results: Raul CUBAS Grau elected president; percent of vote - 55.3%; resigned 28 March 1999 |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 25, PLRA 13, PEN 7; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 45, PLRA 26, PEN 9 elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003); Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Authentic Radical Liberal Party or PLRA [Miguel Abdon SAGUIER]; Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Luis Miguel ANDRADA Nogues]; Febrerista Revolutionary Party or PRF [Oscar ACUNA TORRES]; National Encounter Party or PEN [Mario PAZ CASTAING]; National Republican Association - Colorado Party [Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central or CUT |
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International organization participation:
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CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Leila Teresa RACHID COWLES
chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508 telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador John F. KEANE
embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001 telephone: [595] (21) 213-715 FAX: [595] (21) 213-728 |
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Flag description:
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three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles) |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. The informal sector features both reexport of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population derives their living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3% annually in 1995-97, but GDP declined slightly in 1998, 1999, and 2000. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural reform, substantial internal and external debt, and deficient infrastructure. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $26.2 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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0% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 29%
industry: 26% services: 45% (2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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36% (2001 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 44% (1998) (1998) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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58 (1998) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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7.2% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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2 million (2000 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 45% |
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Unemployment rate:
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17.8% (2001 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $1.3 billion
expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (1999 est.) |
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Industries:
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sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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0% (2000 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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53.056 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 0%
hydro: 100% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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1.95 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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47.392 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber |
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Exports:
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$2.2 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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electricity, soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils |
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Exports - partners:
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Brazil 39%, Uruguay 14%, Argentina 11% (2000) |
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Imports:
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$2.7 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery |
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Imports - partners:
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Argentina 25.4%, Brazil 24.5%, Uruguay 3.8% (2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$2.9 billion (2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$NA |
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Currency:
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guarani (PYG) |
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Currency code:
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PYG |
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Exchange rates:
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guarani per US dollar - 4,783.0 (January 2002), 4,107.7 (2001), 3,486.4 (2000), 3,119.1 (1999), 2,726.5 (1998), 2,177.9 (1997); note - since early 1998, the exchange rate has operated as a managed float; prior to that, the exchange rate was determined freely in the market |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |