aguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry
forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Natural resources:
hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Land use:
arable land:
20%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
39%
forest and woodland:
35%
other:
5%
Irrigated land:
670 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal
present health hazards for many urban residents
natural hazards:
local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained
plains may become boggy (early October to June)
international agreements:
party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of
the Sea; signed, but not ratified - Nuclear Test Ban
Note:
landlocked; buffer between Argentina and Brazil

@Paraguay, People

Population:
5,213,772 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.76% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
32.03 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
4.48 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
25.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
73.28 years
male:
71.74 years
female:
74.9 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.29 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Paraguayan(s)
adjective:
Paraguayan
Ethnic divisions:
mestizo (Spanish and Indian) 95%, white and Indian 5%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant denominations
Languages:
Spanish (official), Guarani
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
90%
male:
92%
female:
88%
Labor force:
1.692 million (1993 est.)
by occupation:
agriculture, industry and commerce, services, government (1986)

@Paraguay, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Paraguay
conventional short form:
Paraguay
local long form:
Republica del Paraguay
local short form:
Paraguay
Digraph:
PA
Type:
republic
Capital:
Asuncion
Administrative divisions:
19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alto
Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa,
Canindeyu, Central, Chaco, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua,
Misiones, Neembucu, Nueva Asuncion, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San
Pedro
Independence:
14 May 1811 (from Spain)
Na