Paraguay is a landlocked country in central South America, bordered by Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil. Its population is estimated at 6.6 million, with Spanish and Guaraní as official languages. Agriculture and the service sector are major parts of the economy, while beef and corn dishes are popular in Paraguayan cuisine. The country’s culture has been influenced by Jesuit missions, and notable writers include Augusto Roa Bastos and Gabriel Cassaccia.
Paraguay is a landlocked country in central South America. It borders Bolivia to the northwest, Argentina to the south, and Brazil to the north and east. The capital is Asuncion. The highest peak is Cerro Pero, at 2,762 feet (842 m), and the lowest point in the country is at the junction of two rivers, the Rio Paraguay and the Rio Parana, where the elevation is 151 feet (46 m) .
The country, officially titled the Republic of Paraguay, is a constitutional republic, with seventeen divisions, called departments. The population in July 2007 was estimated at 6,669,086.
Paraguay has two official languages: Spanish and Guaraní, the language of the region’s indigenous people. The Guaraní language is the source of some English words, for example jaguar, petunia and agouti, and guaraní is also the name of the currency. Ninety-five percent of the population is mestizo, that is, of mixed Spanish and Amerindian origin.
There is very little arable land; however, agriculture in Paraguay produces crops such as cassava, corn, cotton, soybeans, sugarcane, wheat, and fruits and vegetables. Beef, pork, eggs and milk are also produced. Industries in Paraguay include sugar, beverages, textiles, wood products, and electric power, but deforestation and loss of wetlands are both environmental issues.
A large part of Paraguay’s economy is informal and, therefore, not easily accountable. The service sector makes up the bulk of the economy. Paraguay’s main trading partners for exports are Uruguay, Brazil and Russia. For imports, such as vehicles, consumer goods and petroleum products, they mainly rely on China, Brazil and Argentina.
Paraguayan foods include beef dishes such as So’O Yo-Sopy, a hearty beef soup, Bori-Bori, a beef dumpling soup, and Milanesa, breaded fried steak. Corn dishes include locro, a corn stew, mazamorra or corn polenta, and sopa paraguaya, a national dish that incorporates cheese and onions with cornbread.
The culture of Paraguay has been greatly influenced by the Jesuit missions in that country, particularly in the fields of music and religion. Twentieth-century Paraguayan writers include Augusto Roa Bastos, Gabriel Cassaccia, and Elvio Romero, but little of the Paraguayans’ work has been translated into English.
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