Part 657

Televisions: NA

@Paracel Islands:Transportation

Ports and harbors: small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded

Airports: 1 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total : 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (on Woody Island) (1996 est.)

Military

Military - note: occupied by China

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam ______________________________________________________________________

PARAGUAY

@Paraguay:Geography

Location: Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Geographic coordinates: 23 00 S, 58 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 406,750 sq km land: 397,300 sq km water: 9,450 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than California

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)

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

Elevation extremes: 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: 6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 55% forests and woodland : 32% other: 7% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 670 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

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

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Nuclear Test Ban