Paraguay (2004) | Guam (2001) | |
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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 | none (territory of the US) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 38.2% (male 1,201,459; female 1,162,954)
15-64 years: 57% (male 1,773,151; female 1,758,323) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 136,376; female 159,105) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years:
35.07% (male 28,978; female 26,270) 15-64 years: 58.78% (male 48,704; female 43,902) 65 years and over: 6.15% (male 4,871; female 4,832) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber | fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef |
Airports | 880 (2003 est.) | 5 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 12
over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.) |
total:
4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 866
1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 323 under 914 m: 517 (2004 est.) |
total:
1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 406,750 sq km
land: 397,300 sq km water: 9,450 sq km |
total:
549 sq km land: 549 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than California | three times the size of Washington, DC |
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. | Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military installation on the island is one of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific. |
Birth rate | 29.78 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 25.07 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $937.8 million
expenditures: $988.4 million, including capital expenditures of $700 million (2003 est.) |
revenues:
$605.3 million expenditures: $654.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
Capital | Asuncion | Hagatna (Agana) |
Climate | subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west | tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 125.5 km |
Constitution | promulgated 20 June 1992 | Organic Act of 1 August 1950 |
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:
Territory of Guam conventional short form: Guam |
Currency | guarani (PYG) | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | 4.58 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 4.2 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $2.96 billion (2003 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador John F. KEANE
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 |
none (territory of the US) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador James SPALDING Hellmers
chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962 FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508 consulate(s) general: Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York |
none (territory of the US) |
Disputes - international | unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations | none |
Economic aid - recipient | NA (2001) | Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam |
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, 1999, and 2000, rose slightly in 2001, only to fall again in 2002. 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. | The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20 years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones. More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry has recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists. Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of military downsizing. |
Electricity - consumption | 2.637 billion kWh (2001) | 744 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 39.11 billion kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 44.89 billion kWh (2001) | 800 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
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: Mount Lamlam 406 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands | extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic species |
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 |
- |
Ethnic groups | mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95% | Chamorro 47%, Filipino 25%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other 18% |
Exchange rates | guarani per US dollar - 6,424.34 (2003), 5,716.26 (2002), 4,105.92 (2001), 3,486.35 (2000), 3,119.07 (1999) | the US dollar is used |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE Frutos (since 15 August 2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Nicanor DUARTE Frutos (since 15 August 2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003); 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 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA April 2008) election results: Nicanor DUARTE Frutos elected president; percent of vote - Nicanor DUARTE Frutos 37.1%, Julio Cesar Ramon FRANCO Gomez 23.9%, Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella 21.3%, Guillermo SANCHEZ Guffanti 13.5%, other 4.2% |
chief of state:
President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Carl GUTIERREZ (since 8 November 1994) and Lieutenant Governor Madeleine BORDALLO (since 8 November 1994) cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2002) election results: Carl GUTIERREZ reelected governor; percent of vote - Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) 53.2%, Joseph ADA (Republican) 46.8% |
Exports | NA (2001) | $75.7 million (f.o.b., 1999) |
Exports - commodities | soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood, leather | mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials, fish, food and beverage products |
Exports - partners | Brazil 34.2%, Uruguay 19.6%, Switzerland 7.8%, Argentina 5.3% (2003) | US 25% |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 October - 30 September |
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) | territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $28.17 billion (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 24.8%
industry: 23.7% services: 51.4% (2003 est.) |
agriculture:
NA% industry: 15% (1993) services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,700 (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.8% (2003 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 23 00 S, 58 00 W | 13 28 N, 144 47 E |
Geography - note | landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in southern part of country | largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean |
Highways | total: 29,500 km
paved: 14,986 km unpaved: 14,514 km (1999 est) |
total:
885 km paved: 675 km unpaved: 210 km note: there are also 685 km of roads classified non-public, including roads located on federal government installations |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 0.5%
highest 10%: 43.8% (1998) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
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, Europe, and US; corruption and some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area | - |
Imports | NA (2001) | $203 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) |
Imports - commodities | road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery | petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods |
Imports - partners | Brazil 32.5%, Argentina 21.6%, China 12.7% (2003) | US 23%, Japan 19% |
Independence | 14 May 1811 (from Spain) | none (territory of the US) |
Industrial production growth rate | 0% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Industries | sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel, metallurgic, electric power | US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles |
Infant mortality rate | total: 26.67 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 31.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
6.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 14.2% (2003 est.) | 0% (1999 est.) |
International organization participation | FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 20 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 670 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura) | Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor) |
Labor force | 2.15 million (2003 est.) | 60,000 (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 45% | federal and territorial government 26%, private 74% (trade 24%, other services 40%, industry 10%) (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 3,920 km
border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 7.6%
permanent crops: 0.23% other: 92.17% (2001) |
arable land:
11% permanent crops: 11% permanent pastures: 15% forests and woodland: 18% other: 45% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Spanish (official), Guarani (official) | English, Chamorro, Japanese |
Legal system | based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice | modeled on US; US federal laws apply |
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 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA April 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA April 2008) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, MPQ 7, PPS 2, PEN 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, PQ 10, PPS 2 |
unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7 note: Guam elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); results - Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 74.64 years
male: 72.12 years female: 77.29 years (2004 est.) |
total population:
77.94 years male: 75.66 years female: 80.55 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94% male: 94.9% female: 93% (2003 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.) |
Location | Central South America, northeast of Argentina | Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines |
Map references | South America | Oceania |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,667 GRT/30,826 DWT
by type: cargo 14, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: Argentina 2, Japan 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.) |
none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the US |
Military branches | Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $52.7 million (2003) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.9% (2003) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,504,407 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,084,087 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 63,386 (2004 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 14 May (1811) (observed 15 May annually) | Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521) |
Nationality | noun: Paraguayan(s)
adjective: Paraguayan |
noun:
Guamanian(s) adjective: Guamanian |
Natural hazards | local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June) | frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August) |
Natural resources | hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone | fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan) |
Net migration rate | -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Herminio CACERES, interim president]; Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PQ [Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella]; Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Enrique GONZALEZ Quintana, acting chairman]; Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Luis TORALES Kenney]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Julio Cesar FRANCO]; Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares]; note - Nicanor DUARTE Frutos on leave as party leader of the Colorado Party or ANR while serving as President of Paraguay; Lino Cesar OVIEDO Silva, leader of UNACE, is currently serving a ten-year prison term | Democratic Party (party of the Governor) [leader NA]; Republican Party (controls the legislature) [leader NA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Ahorristas Estafados or AE; Coordinating Table of National Campesino Organizations or MCNOC; National Federation of Campesinos or FNC; National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central or CUT;; | NA |
Population | 6,191,368 (July 2004 est.) | 157,557 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 36% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.51% (2004 est.) | 2.09% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion | Apra Harbor |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998) | AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 221,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 441 km
standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge (2003) |
0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant | Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.) |
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: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth:
1.14 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75 | 18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections |
Telephone system | general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion
domestic: fair microwave radio relay network international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment:
modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service and local access to the Internet international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking the US and Asia) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 273,200 (2002) | 84,134 (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,770,300 (2003) | 55,000 (1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 5 (2003) | 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 | volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low-rising hills in center, mountains in south |
Total fertility rate | 3.98 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 3.85 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 18.5% (2003 est.) | 15% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | 3,100 km (2004) | none |