long run, the government must press forward with general,
market-oriented economic reforms. Growth of 3.5% in 1993 was spurred
by higher-than-expected agricultural output and rising international
commodity prices. Inflation picked up steam in fourth quarter 1993
because of rises in public sector salaries and utility rates.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $15.2 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
3.5% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
$3,000 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
20.4% (1993 )
Unemployment rate:
11% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$1.2 billion
expenditures:
$1.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $487 million (1992
est.)
Exports:
$728 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
cotton, soybean, timber, vegetable oils, meat products, coffee, tung
oil
partners:
EC 37%, Brazil 25%, Argentina 10%, Chile 6%, US 6%
Imports:
$1.38 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)
commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, raw materials, fuels
partners:
Brazil 30%, EC 20%, US 18%, Argentina 8%, Japan 7%
External debt:
$1.2 billion (1993 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 2.2% (1991 est.); accounts for 20% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
5,257,000 kW
production:
16.2 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
3,280 kWh (1992)
Industries:
meat packing, oilseed crushing, milling, brewing, textiles, other
light consumer goods, cement, construction
Agriculture:
accounts for 26% of GDP and 44% of labor force; cash crops - cotton,
sugarcane, soybeans; other crops - corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava,
fruits, vegetables; animal products - beef, pork, eggs, milk; surplus
producer of timber; self-sufficient in most foods
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
important transshipment point for Bolivian cocaine headed for the US
and Europe
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $172 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.1
billion
Currency:
1 guarani (G) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates:
guaranies (G) per US$ - 1,861.3 (January 1994), 1,744.3 (1993),
1,500.3 (1992), 447.5 (March 1992), 1,325.2 (1991), 1,229.8 (1990),
1,056.2 (1989), 550.00 (fixed rate 1986-February 1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

@Paraguay, Communications

Railroads:
970 km total; 44