Brief information:
Paraguay is a landlocked country in South America, bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the country from north to south. Due to its central location in South America, it is sometimes referred to as Corazón de América (“Heart of America”).
Paraguay is a representative democratic republic, with a multi-party system and separation of powers in three branches. Executive power is exercised solely by the President, who is head of state and head of government. Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the National Congress. The judiciary is vested on tribunals and Courts of Civil Law and a nine-member Supreme Court of Justice, all of them independent of the executive and the legislature.
Paraguay consists of seventeen departments and one capital district (distrito capital).
It is also divided into 2 regions: The “Occidental Region” or Chaco (Boquerón, Alto Paraguay and Presidente Hayes), and the “Oriental Region” (the other departments and the capital district).
The overall climate ranges from subtropical to temperate. Like most lands in the region, Paraguay has only wet and dry periods. Winds play a major role in influencing Paraguay’s weather: between October and March, warm winds blow from the Amazon Basin in the North, while the period between May and August brings cold winds from the Andes.
Paraguay’s indigenous language and culture, Guaraní, remains highly influential. In each census, residents predominantly identify as mestizo, reflecting years of intermarriage among the different ethnic groups. Guaraní is recognized as an official language alongside Spanish. Both languages are widely spoken in the country, with around 92% of the general population speaking Spanish and 98% speaking Guaraní.
Published on April 23, 2015 by admin