GENERAL OVERVIEW

SPARK OF HISTORY
Paraguay was settled thousands of years ago by the semi-nomadic Guaraní people in the East and hunting Guaycurú people in the west. First European to arrive in Paraguay was Alejo García in 1524. Spanish settlers founded the city of Asuncíon that soon became an important colonial center. The Spanish mixed peacefully with the local Guaraní population, resulting in today’s predominantly mixed mestizo population.

Starting in the 15th century, Paraguay became the main route to other destinations around the continent. Asunción has been traditionally known as "Mother of Cities", serving as a place from where the Spaniards departed to found new Colonies.

Franciscan and Jesuit missions cooperated with the Guaranis peacefully and protected them from enslavement until they were expelled by Spain in 1767. During the colonial period, Paraguay covered much of northern Argentina and western Brazil, and it was the first country in Spanish Latin America to gain its independence in 1811. It lost much of its former territory and nearly two-thirds of its adult male population in the war against its neighbors between 1865 and 1870. After the war, Paraguay received immigrants from Europe, the Middle East and from the neighboring countries. Paraguay suffered more losses of territory to Bolivia in the Chaco War in 1932-35. The military dictator Alfredo Stroessner ruled the country from the 1950s until 1989, after which Paraguay has been ruled by democratic leaders.

GENERAL

Paraguay was once so isolated it was called an island surrounded by land. But in recent years, this small, landlocked country has opened up to the outside world, albeit slowly. It has adopted democracy and free trade. It's friendly, safer than many of its neighbors and far less commercialized.

Paraguay is a landlocked country that borders with Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia. It is politically divided into 17 Departments: Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Boquerón, Caaguazú, Caazapá, Canindeyú, Central, Concepción, Guaira, Itapúa, Cordillera, Misiones, Ñeembucú, Paraguarí, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro, and Asunción, the Capital District. The Tropic of Capricorn passes through the City of Belén, located in the Department of Concepción, dividing the country into a tropical area to the North and a temperate one to the South.

The country has a total surface area of 406.752 square kilometers, divided in two well-differentiated natural regions: the Easter or Oriental Region and the Western or Chaco Region, each one with their own fauna, flora, and particular characteristics.

Paraguay is a land that will delight outdoor enthusiasts. Bird-watchers, fishermen, horseback riders and hikers/trekkers will find no shortage of things to do, in some of the most beautiful settings on the continent and with plenty of room to move about.

Although Paraguay is landlocked, the country is watered by numerous rivers, streams, and lakes, which are all part of the La Plata River Basin. The Guaraní Aquifer, considered one of the biggest fresh water reserves on the planet, flows underground. The Paraguay and the Paraná Rivers, which are the main waterways, are evoked in traditional music and poetry.

Asunción, the Capital City with a population of 600.000, offers the profile of a cosmopolitan city with a warm atmosphere. With wide avenues covered by numerous species of trees that bloom during every season of the year, Asunción boasts modern hotels, shopping malls, and theaters alongside more traditional and historic architecture.

ECONOMY

Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector that features both re-export of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries, and thousands of small business enterprises. Paraguay's largest economic activity is based on agriculture, agribusiness and cattle ranching. Paraguay is ranked as the world's third largest exporter of chalk boards, and its beef exports are substantial for a country of its size.

RISK SITUATION

Because of a lack of security and border control, travel to the tri-border region of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina, as well as the cities of Ciudad del Este and Pedro Juan Caballero, should be undertaken with caution. Banditry and crime in the countryside, especially in the Amambay, San Pedro, Alto Parana, and Canindeyu departments, also represent certain hazards for single traveler.

Hire an experienced guide if you plan to visit the El Chaco wilderness area, where harsh conditions and wild animals can present hazards.