Paraguay

Table of Contents

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
- Drainage
- Soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic groups
- Languages
- Religion
- Settlement patterns
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
- Resources and power
  - Mining and quarrying
  - Energy
- Manufacturing
- Finance
- Trade
- Services
- Labour and taxation
- Transportation
  - Roads
  - Railways
  - Water transport
  - Air services
- Telecommunications
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Local government
- Justice
- Political process
- Security
- Health and welfare
- Education
Cultural life
- Cultural milieu
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- Early history
  - Colonial period
  - Struggle for independence
- Establishment of the republic
  - The Francia regime
  - The start of modernization
- Paraguay’s conflicts with its neighbours
  - War of the Triple Alliance
  - Reconstruction
  - The Chaco War
- The Stroessner regime
- Democratic freedoms
- Paraguay in the 21st century
  - Continued rule by the Colorado Party
  - The Lugo interregnum
  - The Horacio Cartes presidency
  - The presidency of Mario Abdo Benítez

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images

Paraguay: Ethnic composition

Paraguay: Religious affiliation

Paraguay: Age breakdown

Paraguay: Urban-rural

For Students

Paraguay summary

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Paraguay: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

Chagas disease study in Paraguay supports use of rapid tests to improve access to diagnosis • Feb. 18, 2025, 7:33 AM ET (Medical Xpress)

Their sacred land was a gift for their courage. Yet Maká people in Paraguay fight for its ownership • Feb. 3, 2025, 7:40 PM ET (AP)

Paraguay's disappeared: A dictator's shadow is a roadblock for justice, but a few keep up the fight • Jan. 27, 2025, 1:38 AM ET (AP)

Takeaways from AP's reporting on the thousands disappeared in Colombia, Peru and Paraguay • Jan. 27, 2025, 12:43 AM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Tetä Paraguáype • Republic of Paraguay • República del Paraguay
Head Of State And Government	President: Santiago Peña Palacios
Capital	Asunción
Population	(2025 est.) 6,247,000
Form Of Government	multiparty republic with two legislative houses (Chamber of Senators [45¹]; Chamber of Deputies [80])
Official Languages	Spanish; Guaraní
Official Religion	none²
Official Name	República del Paraguay (Spanish); Tetä Paraguáype (Guaraní) (Republic of Paraguay)
Total Area (Sq Km)	406,752
Total Area (Sq Mi)	157,047
Monetary Unit	guaraní (plural guaranies)
Population Rank	(2023) 105
Population Projection 2030	8,009,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2025) 39.8
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2025) 15.4
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2023) 63.3% • Rural: (2023) 36.7%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022) 72.2 years • Female: (2022) 78.1 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: (2020) 95% • Female: (2020) 94%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2023) 42,538
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2023) 6,200
¹Excludes former presidents serving as senators-for-life but having no voting power.²Roman Catholicism, though not official, enjoys special recognition in the constitution.

Photos

Jesuit mission ruins

Alto Paraná River

National anthem of Paraguay

See All Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

Fernando Lugo Horacio Cartes Juan Carlos Wasmosy Alfredo Stroessner Carlos Antonio López Francisco Solano López José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia Federico Chávez Elman Rogers Service history of Latin America United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

Fernando Lugo

Fernando Lugo

president of Paraguay

Horacio Cartes

Horacio Cartes

president of Paraguay

Juan Carlos Wasmosy

president of Paraguay

Alfredo Stroessner

president of Paraguay

Carlos Antonio López

Carlos Antonio López

dictator of Paraguay

Francisco Solano López

Francisco Solano López

dictator of Paraguay

José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia

dictator of Paraguay

Federico Chávez

president of Paraguay

Elman Rogers Service

American anthropologist

Pozo Colorado

Paraguay

Latin America

history of Latin America

Map showing the countries of South America with national capitals and surrounding bodies of water, including the Atlantic and Pacific.

South America

continent

Asunción, Paraguay

Asunción

national capital, Paraguay

Paraguarí

Paraguay

Encarnación

Paraguay

Concepción

Paraguay

Villarrica

Paraguay

Salto del Guairá

Paraguay

Itá

town, Paraguay

Caacupé

Paraguay

Fuerte Olimpo

Paraguay

Cattle grazing on a farm near Coronel Oviedo, Para.

Coronel Oviedo

Paraguay

San Pedro

Paraguay

Ypacaraí

Paraguay

Quiz

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