Information about Paraguay.

Capital: Asunción

Offical Languages: Spanish, Guarani

Demonym: Paraguayan

Government: Constitutional Presidential Republic

Religion: Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, other Protestant 10%

Monetary Unit: Guarani

Area: 406.752 Km – /157.048 sq mi

Water(%): 2.3

Population: 6.158.000

Density: 15/km2 – 39/ sq mi

Int. tel. code: +595

Law

Paraguay’s legal system is based on Roman law, quite updated to the present standards in occident. Paraguay has recently made important progress toward better fiscal transparency.

Geography

Paraguay is located in the heart of South America. It is surrounded by Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina. The country is divided into two regions of well-differentiated soil and climate, located on both sides of the Paraguay River, which crosses the territory from north to south. The Western (Occidental) Region or Paraguayan Chaco is a vast semi-arid plain with temperatures ranging between 14 and 40 ºC throughout the year, and the Eastern (Oriental) Region, a fertile Mesopotamia irrigated by a number of rivers and inner streams, with mountain ranges low above the sea level.
Most of the country’s populations live in the Occidental Region and the capital city, Asunción, is one of the oldest cities in South America.
Paraguay, a landlocked country of more than 6 million people, has a racially mixed population mostly mixed or “mestizo” (racially), and maintains until present days the richness of bilingualism given by Spanish and “Guarani”, the language of the original inhabitants of the land.

No states or provinces but “Departments and District”

Paraguay’s territory is divided in seventeen departments and one capital district. These are, with their capital cities indicated.

Culture

Paraguayan culture & ancestry can be traced to the extensive intermarriage among the original male Spanish settlers and female indigenous, “Guarani” brides.
Paraguayan culture therefore is a fusion of two cultures and traditions: one European (Spanish), and the other original American (Guarani). More than 80% of Paraguayans are “mestizo” and this makes Paraguay one of the most homogeneous populations in Latin America.

The cultural fusion is expressed by artisans in embroidery (ao po’i) and lace making (ñanduti). The music, consisting on lilting “polcas”, bouncy “galopas”, and languid “guaranias” is played on guitars and the native harp.

Paraguay’s culinary heritage is also deeply influenced by this cultural fusion.

Social life revolves largely around an extended family of parents, children and blood cousins. For older people, usual conversations are about what sort of job they have /will get, whether they will win a lawsuit, and in some cases whether they would be wise to emigrate for a time. Even so, they are very warm-hearted and usually interested in foreigners and what they have to say.

Inside the family, conservative values predominate. In lower classes, godparents have a special relationship to the family, since usually they are chosen because of their favorable social position, in order to provide extra security for the child. Particular respect is owed them, in return for which the family can expect protection and patronage. In higher classes, however, godparents are usually family members or family friends, thus being chosen is more of an honor than a serious commitment.

Food

Paraguayan cuisine offers an endless number of exquisite dishes and delicious desserts. The typical food is prepared with fresh and natural products (in the old days, it used to be a custom to consume what was harvested in the day).

Beef, along with subtropical ingredients are most common in Paraguay. You will find excellent dishes prepared with corn and manioc. In addition, there is a large diversity of fruits throughout the year.

“Tereré” is one of the greatest traditions of Paraguay: the locals prepare this refreshing drink with “yerba mate” (also called Paraguayan tea), cold water and other medicinal herbs. It is consumed by Paraguayans in large quantities to regain fluids in the long summer time.

Several popular dishes contain manioc, a local staple crop similar to the yuca root found in the Southwestern United States and Mexico and other indigenous ingredients. A popular dish is “sopa paraguaya”, similar to a thick corn bread. Another notable food is “chipa”, a bagel-like bread made from cornmeal, and cheese.

Many other dishes consist of different kinds of cheese, onions, bell peppers, cottage cheese, yellow cornmeal, milk, seasonings, butter, eggs and fresh corn kernels.

Hosting in Paraguay

AFS Paraguay hosts almost exclusively in the eastern (oriental) region. Out of 27 local AFS committees, only one is in the occidental region (Chaco), and it is very close to the capital city, Asunción.