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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 to temperate; 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 were 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, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia,
and Brazil
Background: In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance
(1865-70), Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much
of its territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century.
In the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas
were won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo
STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and relatively free and regular
presidential elections have been held since then.
Paraguay
GEOGRAPHY
Size: 406,750 square kilometers.
Topography: Divided by Río Paraguay into eastern
Paraneña and western Chaco regions. Paraneña landform ranges from
lowlands to mountains, highest elevations occurring near border
with Brazil. Chaco's vast low plain--more than 60 percent of Paraguay's
total land area--alternately flooded and parched. About 95 percent
of population concentrated in Paraneña.
Climate: Subtropical, humid climate in Paraneña
with abundant rainfall evenly distributed throughout the year. Tropical
climate in Chaco with distinct wet and dry seasons. Modest seasonal
variations in temperature in both regions.
Data as of December 1988
Paraguay
GEOGRAPHY
Although landlocked, Paraguay is bordered and criss-crossed by
navigable rivers. The Río Paraguay divides the country into strikingly
different eastern and western regions. Both the eastern region--officially
called Eastern Paraguay (Paraguay Oriental) and known as the Paraneña
region--and the western region--officially Western Paraguay (Paraguay
Occidental) and known as the Chaco-- gently slope toward and are
drained into the Río Paraguay, which thus not only separates the
two regions but unifies them. With the Paraneña region reaching
southward and the Chaco extending to the north, Paraguay straddles
the Tropic of Capricorn and experiences both subtropical and tropical
climates.
Data as of December 1988
Paraguay
External Boundaries
Paraguay is bounded by three substantially larger countries: Bolivia,
Argentina, and Brazil . The northwestern boundary with Bolivia,
extending through the low hills of the Chaco region, was set in
1938. The boundary between the Chaco and Brazil was defined in 1927;
it continues from the confluence of the Río Apa and Río Paraguay
northward along the course of the Río Paraguay to the border with
Bolivia. The northern border of the Paraneña region, set in 1872,
follows the course of the Río Paraná, the ridges of the mountains
in the northeast region, and finally the course of the Río Apa until
it empties into the Río Paraguay. Paraguay's southern border with
Argentina is formed by the Río Pilcomayo, Río Paraguay, and Río
Paraná. These boundaries were agreed to in 1876.
Data as of December 1988
Paraguay
Natural Regions
The two main natural regions in Paraguay are the Paraneña region--a
mixture of plateaus, rolling hills, and valleys--and the Chaco region--an
immense piedmont plain. About 95 percent of Paraguay's population
resides in the Paraneña region, which has all the significant orographic
features and the more predictable climate. The Paraneña region can
be generally described as consisting of an area of highlands in
the east that slopes toward the Río Paraguay and becomes an area
of lowlands, subject to floods, along the river. The Chaco is predominantly
lowlands, also inclined toward the Río Paraguay, that are alternately
flooded and parched (see
fig. 3).
Data as of December 1988
Paraguay
The Paraneña Region
The Paraneña region extends from the Río Paraguay eastward to the
Río Paraná, which forms the border with Brazil and Argentina. The
eastern hills and mountains, an extension of a plateau in southern
Brazil, dominate the region, whose highest point is about 700 meters
above sea level. The Paraneña region also has spacious plains, broad
valleys, and lowlands. About 80 percent of the region is below 300
meters in elevation; the lowest elevation, 55 meters, is found in
the extreme south at the confluence of the Río Paraguay and Río
Paraná.
The Paraneña region is drained primarily by rivers that flow westward
to the Río Paraguay, although some rivers flow eastward to the Río
Paraná. Low-lying meadows, subject to floods, separate the eastern
mountains from the Río Paraguay.
The Paraneña region as a whole naturally divides into five physiographic
subregions: the Paraná Plateau, the Northern Upland, the Central
Hill Belt, the Central Lowland, and the Ñeembucú Plain. In the east,
the heavily wooded Paraná Plateau occupies one-third of the region
and extends its full length from north to south and up to 145 kilometers
westward from the Brazilian and Argentine borders. The Paraná Plateau's
western edge is defined by an escarpment that descends from an elevation
of about 460 meters in the north to about 180 meters at the subregion's
southern extremity. The plateau slopes moderately to east and south,
its remarkably uniform surface interrupted only by the narrow valleys
carved by the westward-flowing tributaries of the Río Paraná.
The Northern Upland, the Central Hill Belt, and the Central Lowland
constitute the lower terrain lying between the escarpment and the
Río Paraguay. The first of these eroded extensions stretching westward
of the Paraná Plateau--the Northern Upland-- occupies the portion
northward from the Río Aquidabán to the Río Apa on the Brazilian
border. For the most part it consists of a rolling plateau about
180 meters above sea level and 76 to 90 meters above the plain farther
to the south. The Central Hill Belt encompasses the area in the
vicinity of Asunción. Although nearly flat surfaces are not lacking
in this subregion, the rolling terrain is extremely uneven. Small,
isolated peaks are numerous, and it is here that the only lakes
of any size are found. Between these two upland subregions is the
Central Lowland, an area of low elevation and relief, sloping gently
upward from the Río Paraguay toward the Paraná Plateau. The valleys
of the Central Lowland's westward-flowing rivers are broad and shallow,
and periodic flooding of their courses creates seasonal swamps.
This subregion's most conspicuous features are its flat-topped hills,
which project six to nine meters from the grassy plain. Thickly
forested, these hills cover areas ranging from a hectare to several
square kilometers. Apparently the weathered remnants of rock related
to geological formations farther to the east, these hills are called
islas de monte (mountain islands), and their margins are
known as costas (coasts).
The remaining subregion--the Ñeembucú Plain--is in the southwest
corner of the Paraneña region. This alluvial flatland has a slight
westerly-southwesterly slope obscured by gentle undulations. The
Río Tebicuary--a major tributary of the Río Paraguay -- bisects
the swampy lowland, which is broken in its central portion by rounded
swells of land up to three meters in height.
The main orographic features of the Paraneña region include the
Cordillera de Amambay, the Cordillera de Mbaracayú, and the Cordillera
de Caaguazú. The Cordillera de Amambay extends from the northeast
corner of the region south and slightly east along the Brazilian
border. The average height of the mountains is 400 meters above
sea level, although the highest point reaches 700 meters. The main
chain is 200 kilometers long and has smaller branches that extend
to the west and die out along the banks of the Río Paraguay in the
Northern Upland.
The Cordillera de Amambay merges with the Cordillera de Mbaracayú,
which reaches eastward 120 kilometers to the Río Paraná. The average
height of this mountain chain is 200 meters; the highest point of
the chain, 500 meters, is within Brazilian territory. The Río Paraná
forms the Salto del Guairá waterfall where it cuts through the mountains
of the Cordillera de Mbaracayú to enter Paraguayan territory.
The Cordillera de Caaguazú rises where the other two main mountain
ranges meet and extends south, with an average height of 400 meters.
Its highest point is Cerro de San Joaquín, which reaches 500 meters
above sea level. This chain is not a continuous massif but is interrupted
by hills and undulations covered with forests and meadows. The Cordillera
de Caaguazú reaches westward from the Paraná Plateau into the Central
Hill Belt.
A lesser mountain chain, the Serranía de Mbaracayú, also rises
at the point where the Cordillera de Amambay and Cordillera de Mbaracayú
meet. The Serranía de Mbaracayú extends east and then south to parallel
the Río Paraná; the mountain chain has an average height of 500
meters.
Data as of December 1988
Paraguay
The Chaco Region
Separated from the Paraneña region by the Río Paraguay, the Chaco
region is a vast plain with elevations reaching no higher than 300
meters and averaging 125 meters. Covering more than 60 percent of
Paraguay's total land area, the Chaco plain gently slopes eastward
to the Río Paraguay. The Gran Chaco, the entire western portion
of the region, is subdivided into the Alto Chaco (Upper Chaco),
bordering on Bolivia, and the Bajo Chaco (Lower Chaco), bordering
on the Río Paraguay. The low hills in the northwestern part of the
Alto Chaco are the highest parts in the Gran Chaco. The main feature
of the Bajo Chaco is the Estero Patiño, the largest swamp in the
country at 1,500 square kilometers.
Data as of December 1988
Paraguay
Drainage
Rivers have greatly influenced the character of the country. The
Río Paraguay and Río Paraná and their tributaries define most of
the country's borders, provide all its drainage, and serve as transportation
routes. Most of the larger towns of the interior, as well as Asunción,
are river ports.
The Río Paraguay has a total course of 2,600 kilometers, 2,300
of which are navigable and 1,200 of which either border on or pass
through Paraguay. The head of navigation is located in Brazil, and
during most years vessels with twenty-one-meter drafts can reach
Concepción without difficulty. Medium-sized ocean vessels can sometimes
reach Asunción, but the twisting course and shifting sandbars can
make this transit difficult. Although sluggish and shallow, the
river sometimes overflows its low banks, forming temporary swamps
and flooding villages. River islands, meander scars, and oxbow (U-shaped)
lakes attest to frequent changes in course.
The major tributaries entering the Río Paraguay from the Paraneña
region--such as the Río Apa, Río Aquidabán, and Río Tebicuary--descend
rapidly from their sources in the Paraná Plateau to the lower lands;
there they broaden and become sluggish as they meander westward.
After heavy rains these rivers sometimes inundate nearby lowlands.
About 4,700 kilometers long, the Río Paraná is the second major
river in the country. From Salto del Guairá, where the river enters
Paraguay, the Río Paraná flows 800 kilometers to its juncture with
the Río Paraguay and then continues southward to the Río de la Plata
Estuary at Buenos Aires, Argentina. In general, the Río Paraná is
navigable by large ships only up to Encarnación but smaller boats
may go somewhat farther. In summer months the river is deep enough
to permit vessels with drafts of up to three meters to reach Salto
del Guairá, but seasonal and other occasional conditions severely
limit the river's navigational value. On the upper course, sudden
floods may raise the water level by as much as five meters in twenty-four
hours; west of Encarnación, however, the rocks of the riverbed sometimes
come within one meter of the surface during winter and effectively
sever communication between the upper river and Buenos Aires.
The rivers flowing eastward across the Paraneña region as tributaries
of the Río Paraná are shorter, faster-flowing, and narrower than
the tributaries of the Río Paraguay. Sixteen of these rivers and
numerous smaller streams enter the Río Paraná above Encarnación.
Paraguay's third largest river, the Río Pilcomayo, flows into the
Río Paraguay near Asunción after demarcating the entire border between
the Chaco region and Argentina. During most of its course, the river
is sluggish and marshy, although small craft can navigate its lower
reaches. When the Río Pilcomayo overflows its low banks, it feeds
the Estero Patiño.
Drainage in the Chaco region is generally poor because of the flatness
of the land and the small number of important streams. In many parts
of the region, the water table is only a meter beneath the surface
of the ground, and there are numerous small ponds and seasonal marshes.
As a consequence of the poor drainage, most of the water is too
salty for drinking or irrigation.
Because of the seasonal overflow of the numerous westwardflowing
streams, the lowland areas of the Paraneña region also experience
poor drainage conditions, particularly in the Ñeembucú Plain in
the southwest, where an almost impervious clay subsurface prevents
the absorption of excess surface water into the aquifer. About 30
percent of the Paraneña region is flooded from time to time, creating
extensive areas of seasonal marshlands. Permanent bogs are found
only near the largest geographic depressions, however.
Data as of December 1988
Paraguay
Climate
Paraguay experiences a subtropical climate in the Paraneña region
and a tropical climate in the Chaco. The Paraneña region is humid,
with abundant precipitation throughout the year and only moderate
seasonal changes in temperature. During the Southern Hemisphere's
summer, which corresponds to the northern winter, the dominant influence
on the climate is the warm sirocco winds blowing out of the northeast.
During the winter, the dominant wind is the cold pampero from the
South Atlantic, which blows across Argentina and is deflected northeastward
by the Andes in the southern part of that country. Because of the
lack of topographic barriers within Paraguay, these opposite prevailing
winds bring about abrupt and irregular changes in the usually moderate
weather. Winds are generally brisk. Velocities of 160 kilometers
per hour have been reported in southern locations, and the town
of Encarnación was once leveled by a tornado.
The Paraneña region has only two distinct seasons: summer from
October to March and winter from May to August. April and September
are transitional months in which temperatures are below the midsummer
averages and minimums may dip below freezing. Climatically, autumn
and spring do not really exist. During the mild winters, July is
the coldest month, with a mean temperature of about 18°C in
Asunción and 17°C on the Paraná Plateau. There is no significant
north-south variation. The number of days with temperatures falling
below freezing ranges from as few as three to as many as sixteen
yearly, and with even wider variations deep in the interior. Some
winters are very mild, with winds blowing constantly from the north,
and little frost. During a cold winter, however, tongues of Antarctic
air bring subfreezing temperatures to all areas. No part of the
Paraneña region is entirely free from the possibility of frost and
consequent damage to crops, and snow flurries have been reported
in various locations.
Moist tropical air keeps the weather warm in the Paraneña region
from October through March. In Asunción the seasonal average is
about 24°C, with January--the warmest month--averaging 29°C.
Villarrica has a seasonal mean temperature of 21°C and a January
mean of 27°C. During the summer, daytime temperatures reaching
38°C are fairly common. Frequent waves of cool air from the
south, however, cause weather that alternates between clear, humid
conditions and storms. Skies will be almost cloudless for a week
to ten days as temperature and humidity rise continually. As the
soggy heat nears intolerable limits, thunderstorms preceding a cold
front will blow in from the south, and temperatures will drop as
much as 15°C in a few minutes.
Rainfall in the Paraneña region is fairly evenly distributed. Although
local meteorological conditions play a contributing role, rain usually
falls when tropical air masses are dominant. The least rain falls
in August, when averages in various parts of the region range from
two to ten centimeters. The two periods of maximum precipitation
are March through May and October to November.
For the region as a whole, the difference between the driest and
the wettest months ranges from ten to eighteen centimeters. The
annual average rainfall is 127 centimeters, although the average
on the Paraná Plateau is 25 to 38 centimeters greater. All subregions
may experience considerable variations from year to year. Asunción
has recorded as much as 208 centimeters and as little as 56 centimeters
of annual rainfall; Puerto Bertoni on the Paraná Plateau has recorded
as much as 330 centimeters and as little as 79 centimeters.
In contrast to the Paraneña region, the Chaco has a tropical wet-and-dry
climate bordering on semi-arid. The Chaco experiences seasons that
alternately flood and parch the land, yet seasonal variations in
temperature are modest. Chaco temperatures are usually high, the
averages dropping only slightly in winter. Even at night the air
is stifling despite the usually present breezes. Rainfall is light,
varying from 50 to 100 centimeters per year, except in the higher
land to the northwest where it is somewhat greater. Rainfall is
concentrated in the summer months, and extensive areas that are
deserts in winter become summer swamps. Rainwater evaporates very
rapidly.
Data as of December 1988
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