Paraguay

South America

General Information about Paraguay.

Asunción - Capital City

National Anthem - With its translation in English.

See our blog post about Shopping in Ciudad del Este

The name Paraguay comes from the Guarani word meaning "from a great river". The landlocked country's borders are comprised primarily of rivers. It has one of the most homogonous populations in all of South America, a mestizo mixture that dates back from the days of the Spanish conquistadors.

Most people speak two languages with more than 90% speaking Guarani and about 80% speaking Spanish. Language however is one of the only surviving characteristics of the indigenous culture. You will find that the the languages tend to mix, and flow together, sometimes making it difficult for even Spanish speaking tourists to understand everything.

The people are characterized by their strong familiar relationships. Therefore, tourists often find it hard to form relationships, as outsiders are viewed with suspicion.

Paraguay is home to the Itaipu Dam on the Paraná river. It is the largest hydroelectric plant in the world. Paraguay's economy has continually struggled and one of the largest controversies is over land inequality. It is estimated that 1% of the population holds roughly 70% of the arable land. The country has been very stable, although perhaps this has not been to its benefit, as one president was in power for 32 years and the country only had one political party. There was and is a large amount of corruption within the government and a few elite.

Adventure seekers will not find a lot to do in Paraguay, but there is some beautiful scenery.

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