| variable | 1980-1989 | 1990-1999 | 2000-2007 | 2008-2009 | 2010-2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| real gdp growth | 3.16 | 2.45 | 3.3 | 5.42 | 3.12 | 4.02 | 0.18 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 3.8 |
| CPI % | 21.75 | 13.57 | 8.88 | 3.62 | 3.9 | 4.79 | 9.77 | 4.63 | 3.83 | 3.71 |
| Unemployment rate | 6.21 | 5.66 | 6.02 | 5.01 | 5.45 | 7.31 | 6.75 | 5.89 | 5.81 | 5.69 |
| Debt/GDP % | 67.0 | 26.91 | 30.41 | 13.96 | 19.53 | 37.5 | 40.53 | 41.06 | 45.24 | 43.91 |
| Current account balance/GDP % | -3.89 | -1.07 | 1.71 | 0.3 | 0.64 | -1.11 | -7.16 | -0.56 | -3.94 | -2.36 |
Data derived from World Economic Outlook Database. To see main macroeconomic indicator in graphs click here
Several Indigenous groups, principally belonging to the Guarani language family, inhabited the area of modern Paraguay before the arrival of the Spanish in the early 16th century, when the territory was incorporated into the Viceroyalty of Peru. Paraguay achieved its independence from Spain in 1811 with the help of neighboring states. In the aftermath of independence, a series of military dictators ruled the country until 1870. During the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1864-70) -- fought against Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay -- Paraguay lost two thirds of its adult males and much of its territory. The country stagnated economically for the next half-century and experienced a tumultuous series of political regimes. Following the Chaco War of 1932-35 with Bolivia, Paraguay gained a large part of the Chaco lowland region. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER ended in 1989, and Paraguay has held relatively free and regular presidential elections since the country's return to democracy.
Area: 406,752 km2
Climate: subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
Natural resources: hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Groups: Mestizo (mixed Spanish and Indigenous ancestry) 95%, other 5%
Languages: Spanish (official) and Guarani (official) 46.3%, only Guarani 34%, only Spanish 15.2%, other (includes Portuguese, German, other Indigenous languages) 4.1%, no response 0.4% (2012 est.)major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.note: data represent predominant household language
Religions: Roman Catholic 80.4%, Protestant 7% (Evangelical (non-specific) 6.7%, Evangelical Pentecostal <0.1%, Adventist <0.1%, Protestant (non-specific) <0.1%), Believer (not belonging to the church) 5.7%, other 0.6%, agnostic <0.1%, none 0.2%, unspecified 6.2% (2023 est.)
Capital: Asunción
Government type: presidential republic
Chief of state: President Santiago PEÑA Palacios (since 15 August 2023)
Head of government: President Santiago PEÑA Palacios (since 15 August 2023)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelection/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple-majority popular vote for a single 5-year termmost recent election date: 30 April 2023election results: 2023: Santiago PEÑA Palacios elected president; percent of vote - Santiago PEÑA Palacios (ANR) 43.9%, Efraín ALEGRE (PLRA) 28.3%, Paraguayo "Payo" CUBAS Colomés (PCN) 23.6%, other 4.2%2018: Mario ABDO BENÍTEZ elected president; percent of vote - Mario ABDO BENÍTEZ (ANR) 49%, Efraín ALEGRE (PLRA) 45.1%, other 5.9%expected date of next election: April 2028note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
Description: legislature name: Congress (Congreso)legislative structure: bicameral
Information derived by "The World Factbook 2021. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency, 2021. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/"