Part 586

Land boundaries: total: 3,920 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: short section of the boundary with Brazil, just west of Salto del Guaira (Guaira Falls) on the Rio Parana, has not been determined

Climate: subtropical; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

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 lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Cerro San Rafael 850 m

Natural resources: hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 39% forest and woodland: 35% other: 5%

Irrigated land: 670 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: deforestation (an estimated 2 million hectares of forest land have been lost from 1958-85); water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents natural hazards: local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June) international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands

Geographic note: landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil

People ------

Population: 5,504,146 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41% (male 1,144,644; female 1,096,430) 15-64 years: 55% (male 1,518,661; female 1,513,577) 65 years and over: 4% (male 106,121; female 124,713) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.67% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 30.97 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female all ages: 1.01 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.84 years male: 72.33 years female: 75.43 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.15 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan

Ethnic divisions: mestizo (mixed Spanish and Indian) 95%, whites plus Amerindians 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant denominations

Languages: Spanish (official), Guarani

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 92.1% male: 93.5% female: 90.6%

Government ----------