Paraguay (2001) | El Salvador (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | 17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and one capital city; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion (city), Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro | 14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Usulutan |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
38.9% (male 1,133,306; female 1,097,360) 15-64 years: 56.39% (male 1,622,743; female 1,610,659) 65 years and over: 4.71% (male 124,321; female 145,750) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 36.1% (male 1,281,889/female 1,228,478)
15-64 years: 58.7% (male 1,942,674/female 2,134,154) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 158,276/female 202,602) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (yucca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber | coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef, dairy products; shrimp |
Airports | 915 (2000 est.) | 65 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
11 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2000 est.) |
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
904 1,524 to 2,437 m: 29 914 to 1,523 m: 340 under 914 m: 535 (2000 est.) |
total: 61
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 48 (2007) |
Area | total:
406,750 sq km land: 397,300 sq km water: 9,450 sq km |
total: 21,040 sq km
land: 20,720 sq km water: 320 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than California | slightly smaller than Massachusetts |
Background | In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70), Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular presidential elections have been held since then. | El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms. |
Birth rate | 30.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 26.13 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$1.3 billion expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (1999 est.) |
revenues: $2.82 billion
expenditures: $2.94 billion (FY07 est.) |
Capital | Asuncion | name: San Salvador
geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west | tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 307 km |
Constitution | promulgated 20 June 1992 | 20 December 1983 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay |
conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador
conventional short form: El Salvador local long form: Republica de El Salvador local short form: El Salvador |
Currency | guarani (PYG) | - |
Death rate | 4.75 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $3 billion (2000 est.) | $7.518 billion (2006 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador David N. GREENLEE embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001 telephone: [595] (21) 213-715 FAX: [595] (21) 213-728 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles L. GLAZER
embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023 telephone: [503] 2278-4444 FAX: [503] 2278-5522 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Leila RACHID chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962 FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508 consulate(s) general: Detroit (honorary), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (honorary) |
chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez
chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671 FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Elizabeth (New Jersey), Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales (Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington, DC consulate(s): Boston |
Disputes - international | - | International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, in 1992, with final agreement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS) survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $199.4 million of which $55 million from US (2005) |
Economy - overview | Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. The informal sector features both reexport of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population derives their living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3% annually in 1995-97, but GDP declined slightly in 1998 and 1999. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural reform, substantial internal and external debt, and deficient infrastructure. Growth rebounded slightly in 2000. | The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has the third largest economy, but growth has been minimal in recent years. Hoping to stimulate the sluggish economy, the government is striving to open new export markets, encourage foreign investment, and modernize the tax and healthcare systems. Implementation in 2006 of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, which El Salvador was the first to ratify, has strengthened an already positive export trend. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances from Salvadorans living abroad - equivalent to more than 16% of GDP - and external aid. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador has lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy. The current government has pursued economic diversification, with some success in promoting textile production, international port services, and tourism. It is committed to opening the economy to trade and investment, and has embarked on a wave of privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution, banking, and pension funds. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.915 billion kWh (1999) | 5.204 billion kWh (2006) |
Electricity - exports | 46.03 billion kWh (1999) | 95.5 million kWh (2006) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 322 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | 51.554 billion kWh (1999) | 5.293 billion kWh (2006) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
0.07% hydro: 99.79% nuclear: 0% other: 0.15% (1999) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point:
junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation (an estimated 2 million hectares of forest land were lost from 1958-85); water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents | deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes |
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: Nuclear Test Ban |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95% | mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1% |
Exchange rates | guarani per US dollar - 3,570.0 (January 2001), 3,486.4 (2000), 3,119.1 (1999), 2,726.5 (1998), 2,177.9 (1997), 2,056.8 (1996); note - since early 1998, the exchange rate has operated as a managed float; prior to that, the exchange rate was determined freely in the market | the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001 |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Luis GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999); vice president Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Luis GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999); vice president Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003) election results: Raul CUBAS Grau elected president; percent of vote - 55.3%; resigned 28 March 1999 note: President Luis GONZALEZ MACCHI, formerly president of the Chamber of Senators, constitutionally succeeded President Raul CUBAS Grau, who resigned after being impeached soon after the assassination of Vice President Luis Maria ARGANA; the successor to ARGANA was decided in an election held in August 2000 |
chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 21 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2009) election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president; percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL 35.6%, Hector SILVA 3.9%, other 2.8% |
Exports | $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | electricity, soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils | offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity |
Exports - partners | Brazil, Argentina, EU | US 49.6%, Guatemala 14.4%, Honduras 8.8%, Nicaragua 5% (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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 the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles) | three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $26.2 billion (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
28% industry: 21% services: 51% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 10.1%
industry: 29.9% services: 60% (2006 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,750 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 1% (2000 est.) | 4.2% (2006 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 23 00 S, 58 00 W | 13 50 N, 88 55 W |
Geography - note | landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil | smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea |
Heliports | - | 1 (2007) |
Highways | total:
25,901 km paved: 3,067 km unpaved: 22,834 km (2001) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
0.7% highest 10%: 46.6% (1995) |
lowest 10%: 0.7%
highest 10%: 38.8% (2002) |
Illicit drugs | illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in South America; transshipment country for Andean cocaine headed for Southern Cone markets and Europe | transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; significant use of cocaine |
Imports | $3.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery | raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity |
Imports - partners | Brazil, US, Argentina, Uruguay, EU, Hong Kong | US 32.2%, Guatemala 9.3%, Mexico 7.4%, Germany 6.3%, China 4.7% (2006) |
Independence | 14 May 1811 (from Spain) | 15 September 1821 (from Spain) |
Industrial production growth rate | 0% (2000 est.) | 2% (2006 est.) |
Industries | sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products | food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals |
Infant mortality rate | 29.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 22.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 25.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 8% (2000 est.) | 4% (2006 est.) |
International organization participation | CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 4 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 670 sq km (1993 est.) | 450 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura) | Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly) |
Labor force | 2 million (2000 est.) | 2.875 million (2006 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 45% | agriculture: 17.1%
industry: 17.1% services: 65.8% (2003 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
3,920 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km |
total: 545 km
border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km |
Land use | arable land:
6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 55% forests and woodland: 32% other: 7% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 31.37%
permanent crops: 11.88% other: 56.75% (2005) |
Languages | Spanish (official), Guarani (official) | Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians) |
Legal system | based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice | based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court |
Legislative branch | bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003); Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 25, PLRA 13, PEN 7; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 45, PLRA 26, PEN 9 |
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ARENA 34, FMLN 32, PCN 10, PDC 6, CD 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
73.92 years male: 71.44 years female: 76.52 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 71.78 years
male: 68.18 years female: 75.57 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.1% male: 93.5% female: 90.6% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 80.2% male: 82.8% female: 77.7% (2003 est.) |
Location | Central South America, northeast of Argentina | Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras |
Map references | South America | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total:
20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,066 GRT/35,441 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2 (2000 est.) |
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Military branches | Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force | Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2006) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $125 million (FY98) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.4% (FY98) | 5% (2006) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
1,388,436 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
1,001,516 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - military age | 17 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
58,359 (2001 est.) |
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National holiday | Independence Day, 14 May (1811) | Independence Day, 15 September (1821) |
Nationality | noun:
Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan |
noun: Salvadoran(s)
adjective: Salvadoran |
Natural hazards | local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June) | known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes |
Natural resources | hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone | hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land |
Net migration rate | -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -3.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Authentic Radical Liberal Party or PLRA [Miguel Abdon SAGUIER]; Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Adalina GUITERREZ DE GALEANO]; Febrerista Revolutionary Party or PRF [Carlos Maria LJUBETIC]; National Encounter or PEN [Euclides ACEVEDO]; National Republican Association - Colorado Party [acting president Bader RACHID LICHI] | Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA] (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez]; Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [Rene AGUILUZ]; Revolutionary Democratic Front or FDR [Julio Cesar HERNANDEZ Carcamo] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central or CUT | labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI |
Population | 5,734,139 (July 2001 est.) | 6,948,073 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 36% (2000 est.) | 35.2% (2005 est.) |
Population growth rate | 2.6% (2001 est.) | 1.699% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998) | AM 52, FM 144, shortwave 0 (2005) |
Radios | 925,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
971 km standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 60 km 1.000-m gauge note: there are 470 km of various gauges that are privately owned |
total: 562 km
narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge note: railways not in operation since 2005 because of disuse and lack of maintenance due to high costs (2007) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant | Roman Catholic 83%, other 17%
note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.781 male(s)/female total population: 0.949 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75 | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion domestic: fair microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: the four mobile-cellular service providers are expanding services rapidly and in 2006 mobile-cellular density stood at roughly 55 per 100 persons; growth in fixed-line services has slowed in the face of mobile-cellular competition
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System |
Telephones - main lines in use | 290,475 (2001) | 1.037 million (2006) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 510,000 (2001) | 3.852 million (2006) |
Television broadcast stations | 4 (2001) | 5 (1997) |
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 | mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau |
Total fertility rate | 4.11 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 3.08 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 16% (2000 est.) | 6% official rate; but the economy has much underemployment (2006 est.) |
Waterways | 3,100 km | Rio Lempa partially navigable for small craft (2007) |