Capital: Asuncion
Currency: Guarani (PYG)
Borders: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Paraguay is located in the centre of the South American continent
and occupies a landmass of 397,300 sq km and a total water area of
9,450 sq km. It is one of only two land-locked South American
countries. Paraguay is bordered by Bolivia to the north, Brazil to
the east and Argentina to the south and west. The terrain is
comprised of the grassy plains and woodland in the east, a low
marshy plain in the west and areas of thick thorny bush. The main
natural features are the Rio Paraguay, which cuts from north to
south in the centre of the country and the Parana River, which
borders the southern border of Argentina. The highest area of
elevation is Cerro Pero, which stands at a height of 842m. Paraguay
is the possessor of valuable natural resources such as timber, iron
ore, manganese and limestone. Paraguay uses hydropower to generate a
massive 99.85% of the country's electricity supply.
This city has a dramatic riverside setting in the southwest of
Paraguay, the other side of the Paraguay River from Argentina.
Paraguay was once a Spanish colony although it declared independence
in 1811. Many aspects of Spanish culture still prevail including
religion, language and colonial architecture. The national unit of
currency is the Guarani.
The main industries within Paraguay are sugar, cement, textiles,
beverages and wood products. Agriculture accounts for 45% of
Paraguay's workforce. The agricultural products of Paraguay are
cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava, fruits
and vegetables. The chief export is electricity and the largest
export partner is Brazil. The transport network is comprised of
971km of railways, 25,901 km of highways and important harbours at
Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio and Encarnacion.
The climate is best described as subtropical to
temperate. The country is the recipient of much rainfall although
the far west of Paraguay is semiarid. The main rainy season runs
from October to March and brings with it local flooding in the
southeast. The average daily temperature in Asuncion is 17°C in July
and 27°C in January. |
