The Republic of Paraguay is a landlocked nation in central South America which shares borders with Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil. The only other landlocked nation on the continent is Bolivia. Paraguay derives its name from the Paraná River which forms its southeastern border and provides the country with its only water access to the Atlantic Ocean.
Fast Facts:
- Capital: Asunción
- Government: Constitutional Republic
- Language spoken: Spanish & Guarani
- Population: 6,831,306 (2008 est.) Cia.gov: The World Fact Book
- Currency: Guarani (PYG)
- Exchange Rate
- Country Code: +595
- Time zone: UTC -4
- Airport code: ASU/SGAS (Asuncion - Silvio Pettirossi International Airport) Azworldairports: Asuncion - Silvio Pettirossi International Airport
- Climate: Subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west.
Brief History
Before the arrival of Europeans to the area in the 16th century, Paraguay was inhabited by Amerindian tribes. Spanish settlers quickly intermarried with the local Guarani tribes, creating a mestizo culture which today accounts for 95% of the nation's population. In 1811, Paraguay achieved independence from Spain. In the 1860s, Paraguay was defeated in the bloody War of the Triple Alliance by the allied nations of Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil. European immigrants began arriving in the area in the late 19th century, and still maintain a presence in the country.
