Republic of
Paraguay
República del Paraguay
The word Guaraní can describe Paraguay’s language, money, or native peoples.
The full name of Paraguay’s capital is quite a mouthful—Nuestra Señora Santa María
de la Asunción (Our Lady Saint Mary of the Assumption)—but most people just call it
Asunción.
The world’s largest rodent, the capybara, lives in Paraguay. It can grow to be 4.5 feet
(1.3 m) long and looks like a giant guinea pig.
In 1900, about half of the country’s land was owned by just 79 people.
The gallopa is a famous Paraguayan folk dance performed by women balancing
bottles on their heads. The bottles may be attached to each other, but they are not
attached to the dancer’s head. Some women can balance as many as seven bottles on
their heads while they dance.
People thought that the giant peccary (a furry, pig-like animal that can weigh up to
90 pounds [40 kg]) had been extinct for thousands of years until 1972, when giant
peccaries were discovered living in Paraguay. Before then, scientists had only found
fossils of the animal.
Women were not allowed to vote in Paraguay until 1963.
Flag
The flag of Paraguay was most recently adopted on 27
November 1842. Unlike most flags, Paraguay’s flag is different
on the front and the back. Both sides have three stripes. Red
stands for justice, white for peace, and blue for liberty. On the
front is the national coat of arms with a star that stands for the
nation and palm and olive branches that symbolize unity and
peace. On the back is a picture of a yellow lion with the words
“peace” and “justice” above it.
National Image
Paraguay’s national coat of arms appears on the flag. In the
center is a star, which stands for Paraguay as a nation. On
either side of the star are palm and olive branches. They
stand for unity and peace. Paraguay’s first national emblem
was adopted in 1812, soon after the nation gained
independence from Spain. This original emblem was based
on the Spanish flag. Eventually, Paraguayans changed their
coat of arms to reflect their independence.
Land and Climate
Paraguay covers about 157,000 square miles (406,600 sq
km). It’s a little bit smaller than the state of California.
Paraguay is sometimes called “an island surrounded by land”
because, unlike most other South American countries,
Paraguay is landlocked (none of its borders touch the ocean).
Paraguay was hard for early visitors to get to because most
people came to South America by boat, and Paraguay is
located in the center of the continent. The Río Paraguay
(Paraguay River) divides the country in two. East of the river, the land is fertile and
green. Most of the population lives in this part of the country. West of the river, the
land is dry and hard to farm, and the climate is hot. Northwest Paraguay is desert.
Because Paraguay is south of the equator, the seasons are opposite those in the
Northern Hemisphere. The warm season is from September to April, and the cool, rainy
season is from May to August.
Population
There are about 6.8 million people living in Paraguay. About 95
percent of the population is mestizo, of mixed Spanish and native
Paraguayan ancestry. Although Paraguayans are proud of their
heritage and history, people with full native heritage are often
treated unfairly. They usually live in poorer areas and are less
educated than those of mixed ancestry. The biggest native
Paraguayan group is the Guaraní, but there are many other, smaller
tribes too.
In the past, Paraguay’s population was very small because many
were killed in wars with other countries and the country’s borders
were closed to immigration. In the last hundred years, Paraguay has
encouraged immigration to increase its population. Now there are immigrants from
places like Spain, Japan, Italy, Portugal, Germany, and other South American countries.
Some of Paraguay’s immigrants have become part of the culture in Paraguay, such as
Germans and Italians. Others, like people from Asia and the Middle East, live mostly
apart from the rest of the culture.
Language
Paraguay has two official languages: Spanish and Guaraní. Spanish
is the language commonly used in government, business, and
education, but in everyday life most people speak Guaraní, the
language of the native Paraguayans. Paraguay is one of the only
countries in Latin America to make one of its native languages an
official language of the country. Outside of cities, some people speak
only Guaraní, but most Paraguayans speak or understand Spanish
too. Paraguayans mix many Guaraní words with Spanish, and, as a
result, many of their words are different from those of other
Spanish-speaking countries.
Can You Say It in Guaraní?
Hello
Mba'éichapa
(mb-AH-eish-pa)
Good-bye
Jajohech apeve
(jaj-OH-hesh AH-peve)
Yes
Hee
(hee)
No
Nahániri
(nah-AN-eri)
Please
Ikatupa
(ikat-OO-pa)
Thank you
Aguijetaite
(awej-EEt-ite)
Religion
About 90 percent of Paraguayans are Roman Catholic. Catholic rituals and holidays are
important to Paraguayan society, but not as much as in most other Latin American
countries. For much of Paraguay’s history, Catholicism was not as prominent because
bishops had a hard time getting to the area and some of Paraguay’s dictators limited
the practice of Catholicism. The Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, is especially
important to Paraguayans. They place pictures of her in churches, homes, and even
cars and buses. Crosses are also common religious decorations. In the countryside,
people mix Christian beliefs and traditional beliefs. For example, although most
Paraguayans who live outside cities are Roman Catholic, they may still fear the evil
spirits from Guaraní folklore and perform rituals that they believe will protect them.
Time Line
7000 BC
7000
Ancient peoples settle in what is now Paraguay
BC
1500
Portuguese explorer Alejo Garcia becomes the first
1524
European to enter Paraguay
Sebastian Cabot explores Paraguay and reports back to
1526
Spain that there may be riches there
1535
Spain officially claims Paraguay
1537
The Spanish found the city of Asunción
1600
1609
Spanish Jesuits (Roman Catholic missionaries) begin
converting Guaraní (the native Paraguayans) to Roman
Catholicism
1610
The Jesuits establish the first reducciones, missions
where Guaraní who had converted to Christianity lived
and worked
1700
1767
King Charles III of Spain forces the Jesuits to leave
Paraguay, fearing that they will try to establish a
separate country
1776
Spain makes Paraguay part of the Vice-royalty of La
Plata, whose capital is Buenos Aires, Argentina
1800
1811
1814
1864
1870
Paraguay gains independence from Spain
Paraguay’s first dictator, José Gaspar Rodríguez de
Francia, comes to power
The War of the Triple Alliance begins when Brazilian
troops invade Paraguay’s neighbor Uruguay; Paraguay
sends troops to attack Brazil
The war ends; Paraguay has lost over half of its
population and large amounts of land
1900
1932
Paraguay and Bolivia begin the Chaco War over the
Chaco area in western Paraguay, which both countries lay
claim to
1935
The Chaco War ends and Paraguay gains territory from
Bolivia; almost 90,000 people are killed in this war
1954
General Alfredo Stroessner takes control of the
government, beginning more than 30 years of
dictatorships
1989
Andres Rodriguez overthrows Stroessner and is then
elected president
1992
1993
A new, more democratic constitution takes effect,
reducing the power of the president and establishing
Guaraní as one of the country’s official languages
Paraguay’s first free democratic elections take place
2000
2002
People throughout the country stage a protest
demanding that the government take control of the
country’s weak economy
2007
The government declares a state of emergency first when
dengue fever breaks out and then again when wildfires
destroy 250,000 acres (100,000 ha) of land
2008
Former bishop Fernando Lugo wins the presidential
election, making him the first president in 61 years not
representing the Colorado political party
PRESENT
Early Paraguay
The early Paraguayans left no written records of their civilization, but archaeologists
have found carvings on cave walls and rocks that they are able to study to learn more
about these early peoples. The people lived in tribes and grew crops like corn, beans,
sweet potatoes, cotton, tobacco, pumpkins, coconuts, and papayas. They also hunted,
fished, and gathered wild fruits. When the first Europeans arrived in the 16th century,
they mixed freely with the Paraguayans, learning their language and customs and
sometimes having children with the women. These children were the first Paraguayan
mestizos, people with both native and Spanish ancestry. In the 1600s, Jesuit
missionaries began to teach many tribes about Catholicism. They set up reducciones,
missions where Paraguayans who converted to Christianity lived and worked. These
settlements were almost totally self-sufficient. The people raised their own crops and
animals, grew cotton to make clothing, and even printed their own schoolbooks. The
reducciones ran well until 1767, when the Spanish threw the Jesuits out because they
were worried the Jesuits would attempt to establish their own country inside Paraguay.
Soon the reducciones were abandoned, and the tribes went back to their lives in the
forest.
Independence to Dictatorship
In 1776, Spain made Paraguay part of a territory whose capital was Buenos Aires,
Argentina. The Paraguayans did not approve of being governed by Buenos Aires, and
they were unhappy with the high taxes they paid to the Spanish. They rebelled, and in
1811, Paraguay became an independent country.
The first leader was José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia. He was the first in Paraguay’s
long line of dictators. Francia believed that to create an organized society, people had
to give up many freedoms. He closed schools, post offices, and newspapers. He also
sent out a force of secret police to spy on citizens and report those who disagreed with
him. When Francia lost power, he was followed by more dictators. The government
changed so often that between 1870 and 1932, there were over 30 different
presidents—about one every two years! During this time, the country was very
unstable. No one knew who would be the next leader and what that person would do
with the country.
Conflicts with Neighbors
While Paraguayans fought among themselves for control of the government, the
country also began fighting the War of the Triple Alliance against Brazil, Argentina, and
Uruguay. In 1864, Paraguay became nervous when Brazil invaded Paraguay’s neighbor
Uruguay. When Paraguay attacked, Uruguay and Argentina joined sides with Brazil.
Paraguay was greatly outnumbered, and by the time the war ended, over half of the
citizens of Paraguay had been killed and the country had lost much of its territory. In
1932, Paraguay and Bolivia began fighting over the Chaco area in western Paraguay.
Both countries wanted control of this land because of the possibility of valuable oil and
gas being found there. Although Paraguay won and gained control over more territory,
many Paraguayans were killed and the country became even more disorganized.
Trying out Democracy
Finally, the government stopped changing hands in 1954 when General Alfredo
Stroessner established a dictatorship that would last 35 years. Although this made the
country more stable, Paraguayans did not have a say in their government, and many of
their leaders were dishonest and corrupt. In 1989, the government was overthrown,
and Andres Rodríguez was elected president. He changed some of the strict laws and
gave Paraguayans more freedom. This marked the beginning of Paraguay’s turn
towards democracy. It continued in 1992, when Paraguay adopted a more democratic
constitution that spread the government’s power between many people instead of
having it just with the president. The next year, Paraguayans elected their first
president under the new constitution. Paraguayans are hopeful that they can overcome
their history of dictatorships and establish democracy and freedom for all citizens.
Games and Sports
Paraguayan kids like to play soccer, volleyball, tennis, and basketball in their free time.
Soccer is the favorite sport, and matches take place wherever and whenever kids can
get together to play. They also gather to watch soccer on television or listen to the
games on the radio, especially when their favorite teams are playing. In the past, girls
didn’t play sports because it wasn’t considered proper, but now they have started to
participate a lot more. Girls also like to play a game called tikichuelas, which is similar
to jacks except instead of a ball they use a fruit called guavira and instead of jacks they
use rocks. Kids who live near rivers like to swim and fish.
Holidays
Virgin of Caacupé Day is an important Catholic holiday
honoring the Virgin Mary. People travel from all parts of
Paraguay to the city of Caacupé, which many consider to be
Paraguay’s spiritual capital. In honor of the holiday, people
make a pilgrimage (religious journey) to the city from
wherever they live, sleeping on straw mats on the ground at
night. On 8 December, a special mass is held in Caacupé’s
famous cathedral. The mass goes all day and sometimes all
night too. During this mass, people hope to receive guidance
for the year to come. For many Catholics, this is the most
important holiday of the year.
Semana Santa (Holy Week, the week before Easter) is a time for family gatherings.
Most people don’t work or go to school during this week. There are religious parades
through the streets, especially outside cities, and some people go to mass each day. On
the Saturday before Easter, people attend mass, and there is a ceremony in which the
priest washes the feet of the poorest people, just as Jesus did in one of the stories in
the Bible.
Food
For breakfast, Paraguayans usually have some type of bread
and cocido (a hot drink made of a tea called mate, sugar,
and milk), coffee, or hot chocolate. Lunch is the most
important meal in Paraguay, and families often eat it
together. Dinner is frequently served after dark when work is
finished. It is important to Paraguayans that their food is
made from fresh ingredients. Packaged or canned foods are
rarely used. The most common foods are mandioca (a root
vegetable prepared in many different ways), guiso (a stew
made with red meat, rice, or noodles), caldo (a soup made with vegetables and meat or
beans), milanesas (marinated beef or chicken), sopa Paraguaya (cornbread baked with
cheese, onions, and sometimes meat), chipa (hard cheese bread), tortillas, and
empanadas (deep-fried meat or vegetable pockets). Families in the countryside grow
small gardens with tomatoes, onions, carrots, garlic, squash, watermelon, cabbage, and
other produce.
Schools
Public school is free, but students must buy their own uniforms and supplies. Schools
are often crowded. Lessons are usually taught in Spanish, which can be hard for kids
from the countryside who mostly speak Guaraní. Paraguayan kids study reading,
grammar, science, and math. Some schools offer art classes, sports, and music lessons,
but many schools cannot even afford to buy books. In these schools, the teacher
usually writes the information on the board and students copy it down into their
notebooks. Most children start school, but just over half finish all nine years of
elementary school. After that, some students go to secondary school, which is another
three years. Often there are not jobs for people who finish school, so they end up
working in the fields or they go to other countries to find work. Only about 5 percent of
Paraguayans go to college.
Life as a Kid
Kids in Paraguay spend their time differently depending on
where they live. Kids in the countryside spend a lot of time
playing outside. They make up games to play or find ways to
make their own toys. Rural families are often poor, so the
kids usually spend some of their time helping earn money for
the family. City kids have more opportunities for
entertainment but usually don’t get to play outside as much
as kids in the country. City schools might have more supplies
and better teachers.
Many kids in Paraguay spend their free time playing sports and games. Wherever and
whenever they can, they play games like soccer, basketball, volleyball, and handball.
Marbles, ping pong, and chess are also popular. Boys usually play sports more than
girls do because girls often have more responsibilities at home and more rules from
their parents.
Government
President: Fernando Lugo
Paraguay is divided into 17 departamentos (similar to
states). The capital city is separate. Each departmento is lead
by a governor. The 1992 constitution spread power between
different groups instead of allowing the president to make all
decisions. The president and vice president are elected by
the people and can only be elected once. Laws are made by the Chamber of Senators
(with 45 members) and the Chamber of Deputies (with 80 members). Paraguay’s
Supreme Court is made up of nine judges who decide if Paraguay’s laws follow the
constitution. The court’s decisions are final. The voting age is 18, and all adults under
the age of 75 are required by law to vote.
Money and Economy
Paraguay’s economy is based on agriculture. People in the
countryside grow cotton or soybeans to sell. Paraguay also
sells large amounts of beef to other countries. People often
go to other countries to work because they can make more
money there, sending what they can home to their families in
Paraguay. There aren’t many natural resources in the country, and one of them, wood,
is quickly being used up. Paraguay has taken advantage of its rivers by generating
hydroelectric power, which supplies more than enough electricity for the country. Even
though the government is working to improve the economy, most of the country is still
controlled by a small number of wealthy people, while the rest remain poor. Many are
uneducated and are unable to find jobs. Paraguay’s currency is the Guaraní.
Getting Around
Paraguay has some paved highways, but many roads are not
paved. Most people use buses to get around. These buses
are sometimes crowded, and people who have seats will
often offer to hold packages or children for strangers who are
standing. Wealthy people who live in the cities and the
countryside have cars or motorcycles. People in the
countryside often walk or drive carts pulled by horses or
oxen. They also ride horses, bicycles, or motorcycles. In
Asunción people frequently take streetcars to get around the
city.
Exotic Wildlife
When early explorers arrived in Paraguay, they were
astonished at the animals that they found. They were
especially amazed by the tapir, an animal about the size of a
cow but with a short trunk similar to an elephant’s. The
explorers returned home with stories of an animal that was
part elephant, part cow, and part horse. Another exotic
animal is one of the tapir’s main predators, the jaguar, a
cousin of the leopard. The jaguar was a common character in
native Paraguayan legends and was often considered the
king of the forest. Its spotted coat helps it blend in with the forest. Although tapirs are
one of its favorite prey, the jaguar also eats caimans (animals similar to crocodiles) and
fish that it catches in the water. Another dangerous Paraguayan animal is the piranha.
They may be small, but a group of these fish can finish off an entire cow in about 30
minutes! Their name comes from a Guaraní word that means “tooth fish.” Explorers
also found armadillos in Paraguay. In Spanish, the word armadillo means “little
armored one.” The animals are named for the bony shell that covers their bodies,
including their tails. They are the only animals alive today with this kind of protection.
Today some of Paraguay’s animals are threatened by hunting and changing habitats.
New steps are being taken to protect animals and their habitats before it’s too late.
Learn More
Contact the Embassy of Paraguay, 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20008; phone (202) 483-6960; web site www.embaparusa.gov.py/index_english.html.
© 2009 ProQuest LLC and Brigham Young University. All rights reserved. It is against
the law to copy, reprint, store, or transmit any part of this publication in any form by
any means without written permission from ProQuest.
Country Detail Map
Paraguay
BOLIVIA
BRAZIL
GRAN
CHACO
During the wet season,
as much as 15 percent
of Paraguay becomes
swamps and marshes.
The Río Paraguay divides the country
in two, and each part is very different
from the other geographically.
guay
Río Para
Filadelfia
Concepción
Pozo Colorado
Río
ARGENTINA
Pil
Pedro Juan
Caballero
com
ayo
Coronel Oviedo
Villarrica
Río
Pa
r ag
uay
Asunción
Hydroelectric dams along the Río Paraná
produce enough electricity to supply
all of Paraguay, with enough leftover
to sell to other countries.
PARANÁ
PLATEAU
o
Rí
Te
Pilar
bicu r y
a
Encarnación
Río P
araná
© 2008 ProQuest LLC and Brigham Young University.
In southern Paraguay
the land is mostly flat.
Without mountains to get
in the way, the wind can blow
as fast as 100 miles
per hour (160 km/h).
Ciudad
del Este