Paraguay

Broadcast media

6 privately owned TV stations; about 75 commercial and community radio stations; 1 state-owned radio network (2010)

Internet country code

.py

Internet users

total: 3,524,045 | percent of population: 51.3% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101

Telephone system

general assessment: the fixed-line market is a state monopoly and fixed-line telephone service is meager; principal switching center is in Asuncion | domestic: deficiencies in provision of fixed-line service have resulted in a rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services fostered by competition among multiple providers; Internet market also open to competition | international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 368,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 7,489,474 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 102

Agriculture - products

cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (manioc, tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber

Budget

revenues: $5.002 billion | expenditures: $5.418 billion (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.5% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 75

Central bank discount rate

5.5% (31 December 2012) | 6% (31 December 2011) | country comparison to the world: 76

Commercial bank prime lending rate

18.08% (31 December 2016 est.) | 19.74% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 20

Current account balance

$460 million (2016 est.) | $-462 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 46

Debt - external

$16.48 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $16.16 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 98

Distribution of family income - Gini index

51.7 (2014) | 53.2 (2009) | country comparison to the world: 12

Economy - overview

Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy distinguished by a large informal sector, featuring re-export of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries, as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. A large percentage of the population, especially in rural areas, derives its living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain. | On a per capita basis, real income has grown steadily over the past decade. The economy grew rapidly between 2003 and 2008 as strong world demand for commodities, combined with high prices and favorable weather, supported Paraguay's commodity-based export expansion. Paraguay is the sixth largest soy producer in the world. Drought hit in 2008, reducing agricultural exports and slowing the economy even before the onset of the global recession. The economy fell 3.8% in 2009, as lower world demand and commodity prices caused exports to contract. Severe drought and outbreaks of hoof-and-mouth disease in 2012 led to a brief drop in beef and other agricultural exports. Since 2014, however, Paraguay’s economy has grown at a 4% average annual rate due to strong production and high global prices, at a time when other countries in the region have contracted. | The Paraguayan Government recognizes the need to diversify its economy and has taken steps in recent years to do so. In addition to looking for new commodity markets in the Middle East and Europe, Paraguayan officials have promoted the country’s low labor costs, cheap energy from its massive Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam, and single-digit tax rate on foreign firms. As a result, the number of factories operating in the country – mostly transplants from Brazil - has tripled since 2014. | Political uncertainty, corruption, limited progress on structural reform, and deficient infrastructure are the main obstacles to long-term growth. Paraguay has been adverse to public debt throughout its history, but has recently changed its anti-debt policies to finance infrastructure improvements to attract foreign investment. Judicial corruption is endemic and is seen as the greatest barrier to attracting more foreign investment.

Exchange rates

guarani (PYG) per US dollar - | 5,680.7 (2016 est.) | 5,680.7 (2015 est.) | 5,160.4 (2014 est.) | 4,462.2 (2013 est.) | 4,424.9 (2012 est.)

Exports

$10.86 billion (2016 est.) | $10.67 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85

Exports - commodities

soybeans, livestock feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, wood, leather, gold

Exports - partners

Brazil 35.4%, Argentina 10.5%, Russia 7.6%, Chile 6.1% (2016)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$27.44 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$64.39 billion (2016 est.) | $61.08 billion (2015 est.) | $58.68 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 102

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 67.4% | government consumption: 11.7% | investment in fixed capital: 16.3% | investment in inventories: 0.3% | exports of goods and services: 44.8% | imports of goods and services: -40.5% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 20% | industry: 30.3% | services: 49.7% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$9,400 (2016 est.) | $9,200 (2015 est.) | $9,000 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 140

GDP - real growth rate

4.1% (2016 est.) | 3% (2015 est.) | 4.7% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 57

Gross national saving

19.7% of GDP (2016 est.) | 15.8% of GDP (2015 est.) | 15.9% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.5% | highest 10%: 37.6% (2013 est.)

Imports

$9.617 billion (2016 est.) | $10.15 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96

Imports - commodities

road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery, tractors, chemicals, vehicle parts

Imports - partners

China 27.3%, Brazil 24.3%, Argentina 14.3%, US 7.1% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

10.4% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Industries

sugar processing, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel, base metals, electric power

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.1% (2016 est.) | 3.1% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 166

Labor force

3.383 million (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 102

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 26.5% | industry: 18.5% | services: 55% (2008)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$962.3 million (31 December 2012 est.) | $958.1 million (31 December 2011 est.) | $42 million (31 December 2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 107

Population below poverty line

22.2% (2015 est.)

Public debt

22.4% of GDP (2016 est.) | 21.1% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 179

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$6.881 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $5.939 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85

Stock of broad money

$8.557 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $7.708 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$591.3 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $303.8 million (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 91

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$5.276 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $6.054 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 103

Stock of domestic credit

$12.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $11.99 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 102

Stock of narrow money

$4.293 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $3.974 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 107

Taxes and other revenues

18.2% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 167

Unemployment rate

6% (2016 est.) | 5.8% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 82

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

3.9 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 135

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 176

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 181

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 179

Electricity - consumption

10.47 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92

Electricity - exports

41.13 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 5

Electricity - from fossil fuels

0.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 214

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

99.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 2

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 162

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 152

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 186

Electricity - installed generating capacity

8.87 million kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 66

Electricity - production

55.19 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Electricity access

population without electricity: 100,000 | electrification - total population: 98% | electrification - urban areas: 99% | electrification - rural areas: 96% (2013)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 165

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 173

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 183

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 es) | country comparison to the world: 184

Refined petroleum products - consumption

38,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 116

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189

Refined petroleum products - imports

37,610 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 94

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 186

Area

total: 406,752 sq km | land: 397,302 sq km | water: 9,450 sq km | country comparison to the world: 61

Area - comparative

about three times the size of New York state; slightly smaller than California

Climate

subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

mean elevation: 178 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m | highest point: Cerro Pero 842 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal pose health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

23 00 S, 58 00 W

Geography - note

landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in eastern and southern part of country

Irrigated land

1,362 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 4,655 km | border countries (3): Argentina 2,531 km, Bolivia 753 km, Brazil 1,371 km

Land use

agricultural land: 53.8% | arable land 10.8%; permanent crops 0.2%; permanent pasture 42.8% | forest: 43.8% | other: 2.4% (2011 est.)

Location

Central South America, northeast of Argentina, southwest of Brazil

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Natural resources

hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Population - distribution

most of the population resides in the eastern half of the country; to the west lies the Gran Chaco (a semi-arid lowland plain), which accounts for 60% of the land territory, but only 2% of the overall population

Terrain

grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere

Administrative divisions

17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

Capital

name: Asuncion | geographic coordinates: 25 16 S, 57 40 W | time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) | daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends last Sunday in March

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes | citizenship by descent: at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Paraguay | dual citizenship recognized: yes | residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years

Constitution

several previous; latest approved and promulgated 20 June 1992; amended 2011, 2014 (2016)

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay | conventional short form: Paraguay | local long form: Republica del Paraguay | local short form: Paraguay | etymology: the precise meaning of the name Paraguay is unclear, but it seems to derive from the river of the same name; one explanation has the name meaning "water of the Payagua" (an indigenous tribe that lived along the river)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Hugo F. RODRIGUES, Jr. (since 20 January 2017) | embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion | mailing address: Unit 4711, DPO AA 34036-0001 | telephone: [595] (21) 213-715 | FAX: [595] (21) 213-728

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador German Hugo ROJAS Irigoyen (since 28 December 2016) | chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962 | FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508 | consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Horacio CARTES Jara (since 15 August 2013); Vice President Juan AFARA Maciel (since 15 August 2013); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: President Horacio CARTES Jara (since 15 August 2013); Vice President Juan AFARA Maciel (since 15 August 2013) | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president | elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple majority popular vote for a single 5-year term; election last held on 21 April 2013 (next to be held in April 2018) | election results: Horacio CARTES elected president; percent of vote - Horacio CARTES (ANR) 48.5%, Efrain ALEGRE (PLRA) 39%, Mario FERREIRO (AP) 6.2%, Anibal CARRILLO (FG) 3.5%, other 2.8%

Flag description

three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears a circular seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words PAZ Y JUSTICIA (Peace and Justice)); red symbolizes bravery and patriotism, white represents integrity and peace, and blue denotes liberty and generosity | note: the three color bands resemble those on the flag of the Netherlands; one of only three national flags that differ on their obverse and reverse sides - the others are Moldova and Saudi Arabia

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

14 May 1811 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 9 justices divided 3 each into the Constitutional Court, Civil and Commercial Chamber, and Criminal Division | judge selection and term of office: justices proposed by the Council of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura, a 6-member independent body, and appointed by the Chamber of Senators with presidential concurrence; judges appointed until mandatory retirement at age 75 | subordinate courts: appellate courts; first instance courts; minor courts, including justices of the peace

Legal system

civil law system with influences from Argentine, Spanish, Roman, and French civil law models; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice

Legislative branch

description: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members directly elected in 18 multi-seat constituencies - corresponding to the country's 17 departments and capital city - by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms) | elections: Chamber of Senators - last held on 21 April 2013 (next to be held in April 2018); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 21 April 2013 (next to be held in April 2018) | election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party/coalition - ANR 38.5%, PLRA 26.2%, FG 10.6%, PDP 6.4%, Avanza Pais 5.2%, UNACE 4%, PEN 3.5%, PPQ 2%, other 3.4%; seats by party/coalition - ANR 19, PLRA 13, FG 5, PDP 3, Avanza Pais 2, UNACE 2, PEN 1, PPQ 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - ANR 44, PLRA 27, Avanza Pais 2, PEN 2, UNACE 2, FG 1, PPQ 1, other 1

National anthem

name: "Paraguayos, Republica o muerte!" (Paraguayans, The Republic or Death!) | lyrics/music: Francisco Esteban ACUNA de Figueroa/disputed | note: adopted 1934, in use since 1846; officially adopted following its re-arrangement in 1934

National holiday

Independence Day, 14-15 May (1811) (observed 15 May)

National symbol(s)

lion; national colors: red, white, blue

Political parties and leaders

Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Pedro ALLIANA] | Avanza Pais coalition or AP [Adolfo FERREIRO] | Broad Front coalition (Frente Guasu) or FG [Esperanza MARTINEZ] | Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Jorge OVIEDO MATTO] | Partido del Movimiento al Socialismo or P-MAS [Camilo Ernesto SOARES Machado] | Partido Democratica Progresista or PDP [Rafael FILIZZOLA] | Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Hermann RATZLAFFIN Klippemstein] | Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Efrain ALEGRE] | Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares] | Partido Popular Tekojoja or PPT [Sixto PEREIRA Galeano] | Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PPQ [Miguel CARRIZOSA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Ahorristas Estafados or AE | National Coordinating Board of Campesino Organizations or MCNOC [Luis AGUAYO] | National Federation of Campesinos or FNC [Marcial GOMEZ] | National Workers Central or CNT [Secretary General Juan TORALES] | Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT | Roman Catholic Church | Unitary Workers Central or CUT [Jorge Guzman ALVARENGA Malgarejo]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 75

Background

Paraguay achieved its independence from Spain in 1811. In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70) - between Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay - Paraguay lost two-thirds of its adult males and much of its territory. The country stagnated economically for the next half century. Following the Chaco War of 1932-35 with Bolivia, Paraguay gained a large part of the Chaco lowland region. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER ended in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, Paraguay has held relatively free and regular presidential elections since the country's return to democracy.

Military branches

Armed Forces Command (Commando de las Fuerzas Militares): Army, National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Marine Corps, Naval Aviation, and Coast Guard), Paraguayan Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Paraguay, FAP), Logistics Command, War Materiel Directorate (2012)

Military expenditures

1.25% of GDP (2016) | 1.42% of GDP (2015) | 1.29% of GDP (2014) | 1.28% of GDP (2013) | 1.3% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 54

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation is 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy; volunteers for the Air Force must be younger than 22 years of age with a secondary school diploma (2012)

Age structure

0-14 years: 24.56% (male 867,854/female 837,480) | 15-24 years: 19.29% (male 673,354/female 666,053) | 25-54 years: 41.08% (male 1,426,941/female 1,425,279) | 55-64 years: 7.95% (male 281,388/female 270,939) | 65 years and over: 7.12% (male 232,011/female 262,440) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

16.6 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.6% (2012) | country comparison to the world: 105

Contraceptive prevalence rate

79.4% | note: percent of women aged 15-44 (2008)

Death rate

4.8 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 198

Demographic profile

Paraguay falls below the Latin American average in several socioeconomic categories, including immunization rates, potable water, sanitation, and secondary school enrollment, and has greater rates of income inequality and child and maternal mortality. Paraguay's poverty rate has declined in recent years but remains high, especially in rural areas, with more than a third of the population below the poverty line. However, the well-being of the poor in many regions has improved in terms of housing quality and access to clean water, telephone service, and electricity. The fertility rate continues to drop, declining sharply from an average 4.3 births per woman in the late 1990s to about 2 in 2013, as a result of the greater educational attainment of women, increased use of contraception, and a desire for smaller families among young women. | Paraguay is a country of emigration; it has not attracted large numbers of immigrants because of political instability, civil wars, years of dictatorship, and the greater appeal of neighboring countries. Paraguay first tried to encourage immigration in 1870 in order to rebound from the heavy death toll it suffered during the War of the Triple Alliance, but it received few European and Middle Eastern immigrants. In the 20th century, limited numbers of immigrants arrived from Lebanon, Japan, South Korea, and China, as well as Mennonites from Canada, Russia, and Mexico. Large flows of Brazilian immigrants have been arriving since the 1960s, mainly to work in agriculture. Paraguayans continue to emigrate to Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, the United States, Italy, Spain, and France.

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 56.6 | youth dependency ratio: 47.2 | elderly dependency ratio: 9.4 | potential support ratio: 10.6 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 100% of population | rural: 94.9% of population | total: 98% of population | urban: 0% of population | rural: 5.1% of population | total: 2% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

5% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 84

Ethnic groups

mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, other 5%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.5% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 65

HIV/AIDS - deaths

<1000 (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

19,000 (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 79

Health expenditures

9.8% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 26

Hospital bed density

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

total: 18.7 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 22.1 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 15.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86

Languages

Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.4 years | male: 74.7 years | female: 80.2 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 95.1% | male: 95.8% | female: 94.3% (2015 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: intermediate | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever | vectorborne disease: dengue fever | note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)

Major urban areas - population

ASUNCION (capital) 2.356 million (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

132 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64

Median age

total: 28.2 years | male: 28 years | female: 28.5 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 136

Mother's mean age at first birth

22.9 years | note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Paraguayan(s) | adjective: Paraguayan

Net migration rate

-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 105

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.3% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 100

Physicians density

1.29 physicians/1,000 population (2012)

Population

6,943,739 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 104

Population distribution

most of the population resides in the eastern half of the country; to the west lies the Gran Chaco (a semi-arid lowland plain), which accounts for 60% of the land territory, but only 2% of the overall population

Population growth rate

1.18% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 98

Religions

Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 95.5% of population | rural: 78.4% of population | total: 88.6% of population | urban: 4.5% of population | rural: 21.6% of population | total: 11.4% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years | male: 12 years | female: 13 years (2010)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female | total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.9 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 134

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 13% | male: 11.5% | female: 12.3% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 95

Urbanization

urban population: 60.2% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 2.02% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Disputes - international

unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for violent extremist organizations

Illicit drugs

major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; transshipment country for Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets, and Europe; weak border controls, extensive corruption and money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; weak anti-money-laundering laws and enforcement

Airports

799 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 9

Airports - with paved runways

total: 15 | over 3,047 m: 3 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 | 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 784 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 | 914 to 1,523 m: 290 | under 914 m: 471 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

ZP (2016)

Merchant marine

total: 19 | by type: cargo 13, container 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 | foreign-owned: 6 (Argentina 5, Netherlands 1) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 96

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 1 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 5 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 452,004 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,641,624 mt-km (2015)

Ports and terminals

river port(s): Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion (Parana)

Railways

total: 30 km | standard gauge: 30 km 1.435-m gauge (2014) | country comparison to the world: 133

Roadways

total: 32,059 km | paved: 4,860 km | unpaved: 27,199 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 95

Waterways

3,100 km (primarily on the Paraguay and Paran� River systems) (2012) | country comparison to the world: 32