Independence date: May 15, 1811
Country name: Republic of Paraguay
Capital: Asuncion
Government type: Republic

BASIC FACTS

•  Area: 406,750 km 2

•  Geographical Location : Located in the South American continent, its bordered by Bolivia to the North and Northeast; by Brazil to the East, and by Argentina to the South and West.

•  Climate: The climate in Paraguay can be distinguished in two seasons: a warm, rainy season with an average temperature of 31ºC to 38ºC, and predominant winds from the Northwest that bring a lot of rain to the country; and a cold, dry season, with little rain, predominant winds from the South, and an average temperature that ranges from 0ºC to 14.5ºC.

•  Organization of its territory : The Paraguay River divides the territory of the country in two great natural regions: the Oriental Region and the Occidental Region. Politically, the Paraguayan State is divided into a Capital District (the city of Asuncion ) and 17 departments.

•  Natural Resources: The country offers mainly water, hydro electrical, and forest resources, as well as, great agriculture and livestock raising opportunities. It also has reserves of natural gas and non-ferrous minerals.

•  Population Density : 14 hab/km 2

•  Languages that are spoken in the country: Spanish is the country's official language; the guarani, a language considered national patrimony, is also wildly spoken.

•  Currency: guarani (G) 6,180 = 1.00 US$

DEMOGRAPHIC FACTS AND SOCIAL INDICATORS

•  Population: 5,534,378 inhabitants

•  Urban Population: 56.1%

•  Rural Population: 43.1%

•  Population Growth: 2.3%

State divisions: Executive Power,
Congress (2 Chambers), Judicial Power

Administrative divisions: 17 Departments
Elections: Every 5 years (last 2003)
Executive Branch -Chief of State and Head of Government:

President: Nicanor Duarte Frutos.
Vice President: Luis Castiglioni.
Cabinet: Ministers nominated by the President.

Diplomatic Representation of the United States of America in Paraguay:
Embassy Address: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez.
Asunción, Paraguay
Mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001.
Phone: 595-21-213715
Fax: 595-21-213728