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Paraguay

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Republic of Paraguay
Coat of arms of Paraguay
Coat of arms
Motto: "Paz y justicia" (Spanish)
"Peace and justice"
Anthem: 
Paraguayos, República o Muerte  (Spanish)
Paraguayans, Republic or Death
Location of  Paraguay  (dark green)in South America  (grey)
Location of  Paraguay  (dark green)

in South America  (grey)

Capital
and largest city
Asunción
25°16′S 57°40′W / 25.267°S 57.667°W / -25.267; -57.667
Official language[1][2]
Ethnic groups
(2016[3])
Demonym(s)Paraguayan
GovernmentUnitary presidential constitutional republic
 President
Santiago Peña
Hugo Velázquez Moreno
LegislatureCongress
Senate
Chamber of Deputies
Independence from Spain
 Declared
14 May 1811
 Recognized
25 November 1842
Area
 Total
406,752 km2 (157,048 sq mi) (59th)
 Water (%)
2.3
Population
 2021 estimate
6,703,799[4][5] (104th)
 Density
17.2/km2 (44.5/sq mi) (204th)
GDP (PPP)2017 estimate
 Total
$68.005 billion[6] (100th)
 Per capita
$9,779[6] (107th)
GDP (nominal)2017 estimate
 Total
$28.743 billion[6] (99th)
 Per capita
$4,133[6] (109th)
Gini (2015)Positive decrease 48[7]
high
HDI (2015)Steady 0.693[8]
medium · 110th
CurrencyGuaraní (PYG)
Time zoneUTC–4 (PYT)
 Summer (DST)
UTC–3 (PYST)
Driving sideright
Calling code+595
ISO 3166 codePY
Internet TLD.py
  1. Mixed European and Amerindian.

Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay (Spanish: República del Paraguay), is a small country in South America. It is landlocked, meaning that it is not next to the ocean. It is bordered to the North and East by Brazil, the West by Bolivia, and the South and Southeast by Argentina. The main languages are Spanish and Guaraní. Paraguay's population is about 6 million. The ethnic makeup of the population is the following: Mestizo (mixed European and Amerindian) 80%, European 20%, unmixed Amerindian 1-3%, Asian 1-4%.

Over (20%) of the population lives below the poverty line.

Paraguay has two official languages, Spanish and Guaraní. Guaraní is recognized as a national language.

The capital city is Asuncion. Asuncion was founded in 1537 by a Spaniard named Juan de Salazar. Paraguay was a colony of Spain, but became independent in 1811.

From 1865-1870 Paraguay lost land and most of its male population in the War of the Triple Alliance against Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. It gained land in the Chaco War against Bolivia in the 1930s.

Paraguay's main religion is Roman Catholicism.

The weather is humid in the east and dry in the west.

Government and politics

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Administrative subdivisions

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Paraguay has 17 departments and one capital district (Distrito Capital). The departments are formed by districts.

The departments are grouped in two geographic regions, separated by the Paraguay river:

  • Occidental (Western) region or Chaco, to the north of the Paraguay river (departments: Alto Paraguay, Boquerón and Presidente Hayes)
  • Oriental (Eastern) region, to the south of the Paraguay river (departments: Alto Paraná, Amambay, Caaguazú, Caazapá, Canindeyú, Central, Concepción, Cordillera, Guairá, Itapúa, Misiones, Paraguarí, San Pedro and Ñeembucú; the capital district is part of this region)