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PARAGUAY

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A Brief Description

When Italian explorer Sebastian Cabot first sailed up what is now called the Parana River in 1526, the surrounding lands here were home to many fierce indigenous Indian tribes.

Spain's famed navigator, Juan de Salazar, subsequently founded the now capital city of Asuncion in 1537. In short order the Spanish began to colonize the interior, the Jesuits converted the Indians to Catholicism, and all seemed right on track.

On the surface Paraguay appeared to be a potentially valuable Spanish dominion, but then, with no gold found, no silver to be mined, and no local Indians forced into slave labor, this isolated colony remained peaceful, and for the most part, out of the spotlight of the Spanish Crown.

After 250 years of Spanish rule, and the overthrow of the Spanish King by Napoleon, Paraguay finally became independent in 1811, and in fact, was one of the first countries on the continent to do so.

Independence in Paraguay fathered dictatorships, revolutions, coups and brutal military rule, as well as a number of costly wars. In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70), Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory.

And you guessed it, Paraguay's economy crashed, political infighting continued, and a long series of dictatorships prevailed on into the late 20th century, including the 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner, which was overthrown in 1989.

Despite a marked increase in political unrest in the last few years, as well as a public assassination and three failed coups, Paraguay has held relatively free presidential elections since 2000.

And with Paraguay's access to the Atlantic Ocean through the Parana River; numerous natural resources, and an improving tourism infrastructure - it's a land of opportunity and great promise.

Read more about Paraguay here!

Morning light on the Paraguay River Travel the World through Poster Art!
Facts and Figures

Name Paraguay

(long form) Republic of Paraguay

Population 6,347,900

Population & Density (all countries) here

Capital City Asuncion (508,000)

Currency Guarani (PYG)

Currency Converter here

Languages Spanish, Guarani

Flag here

National Day May 15

Religions Catholic (90%), Mennonite and other Protestant (10%)

Geographic Coordinates

Latitude/Longitude (Capital City)

25º 16' S, 57º 40' W

Relative Location Paraguay, dissected by the Tropic of Capricorn, is located in both the southern and western hemisphere.. It's positioned in central South America, and bordered by Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil.

Land Statistics

Coastline 0 miles (0 km) (landlocked)

Land Areas

(land) 153,398 sq miles (397,300 sq km)

(water) 3,659 sq miles (9,450 sq km)

(TOTAL) 157,057 sq miles (406,750 sq km)

Land Area (all countries) here

Landforms Paraguay is landlocked and criss-crossed by many rivers. The three largest - the Paraguay, Parana and Pilcomayo - form over 75% of the country's borders.

Two major regions divide the country; the Paranena, east of the Paraquay River; is a fertile, cultivated landscape, with rolling hills, low mountains and subtropical forests.

To the west of the Paraguay River, the hot scrub lands and low plains of the Chaco cover about 60% of Paraguay's total land area.

Highest Pt. Cerro Pero - 2,762 ft. (842 m)

Lowest Pt. At the junction of the Paraguay and Parana Rivers - 151 ft. (46 m)

Land Divisions 17 departments and 1 capital city: Departments include: Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes and San Pedro; the capital city is Asuncion.

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Maps

Paraguay (large color) Map here

Paraguay Outline Map here

Paraguay CIA version here

Paraguay Maps at UT here

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South America (Country Test) here!

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World Outline Maps (printable) here

World Time Zone Map here

Recommended Links

Paraguay (Complete) info on the (GDP) economy, imports and exports, natural resources, government, population, military, transportation, and more here

Paraguay Embassy (Washington, D.C.) here

Paraguay Photos at TrekEarth.com here

Paraguay Tourism Minister here

Iguacu Falls Travel the World through Poster Art!

Time and Weather

Climate In general terms, the weather of Paraquay can be divided into two different regions.

The Paranena region is warm, very humid and rainy throughout the year. Here, the average winter lows hover near 65° F (18.3° C).

In summer, high temperatures in Asuncion average 85° F (28.8° C). On a regular basis, repressive heat and off-the-chart humidity push daily highs into the low 100s.

In the Chaco region, daily high temperatures commonly exceed 100° F (38° C) in the summer months, with only slight variations in winter. Rainfall is light and concentrated primarily in the summer..

Note that seasons in Paraguay are just the opposite of those in the northern hemisphere.

Traveler Info

Attractions: For internal reasons (mostly political) Paraguay was closed to tourism for many years, however, over the last few decades travelers are again finding their way to this off-the-beaten-path destination.

Asunción, one of the oldest cities in South America, known as "the Mother of Cities," has many points-of-interest; including the Godoi Museum, Church of La Encarnación, the Panteón Nacional, and the Presidential Palace (Palacio de los Lopez).

Additional destinations of choice within the country include the little town of Itaugua (famous for lace); Aregua and its pottery; the Pantanal, a wilderness region of swamps and marshes - teeming with wildlife; the Jesuit mission tours from Encarnacion; Iguacu Falls and the surrounding tropical rain forest; tours of the Chaco and its wildlfe, and any of Paraguay's national parks.

Note that tourism facilities outside of the capital city of Asuncion are limited, and almost non-existent in remote areas. For interior visits, a local tour operator is recommended.

Country Dialing Code 595

Electricity Paraguay uses 220 volts AC (50 Hz)

Electrical adapters, products and tips here

Travel Warnings here

Visa Information here

PLEASE NOTE: Before making travel plans for any worldwide destination, we strongly recommend you authenticate important details regarding visas, local health care, customs, etc. We always find it helpful to contact the nearest consulate of any country before beginning a journey into a foreign land.

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