Paraguay facts :
Paraguay is located in the central South America and in the northeast of Argentina.
The latitude and longitude of the country is 23 00 S and 58 00 W respectively.
The climate of the place is subtropical to temperate.
There is adequate rainfall in the eastern portions, which becomes semi-arid in the far west.
Gran Chaco region has mostly low marshy plain.
The natural resource of the place is hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, and limestone.
The Population of the country is 6,669,086 according to a estimate taken in 2007.
The literacy rate among the people is 94%.
The major ethnic group is mestizo which is mixed Spanish and Amerindian which constitutes about 95% of the population.
Link : The King's Speech
Majority of the population are engaged in the agriculture.
The Government type is constitutional republic.
Asuncion is the capital of the country.
Guarani is the currency of the country.
Spanish and Guarani are the official languages of the country.
The official name comes from Guaraní and the literal translation is: Para = of many varieties; Gua = from, belonging to or place; Y = water, river or lake.
The most common interpretations of the name "Paraguay" along the nation's history suggest - "River which originates a sea".
The Spanish military and scientist Félix de Azara contains two versions: "water from Payaguas (Payaguá-and Payagua-i), referring to natural Payaguas living on the coasts of the river, and the other was due to name a great chief called "Paraguaio."
The historian French-Argentine, the writer Paul Groussac argued that meant "river that flows through the sea (Pantanal)."
The ex-president and Paraguayan politician, Juan Natalicio Gonzalez meant "river of the habitants of the sea."
Fray Antonio Ruiz de Montoya said that meant "river crowned."
Pre-Columbian society in the wooded, fertile region which is now present-day Paraguay consisted of seminomadic tribes, who were recognized for their fierce warrior traditions.
These indigenous tribes were members of five distinct language families, and 17 separate ethnolinguistic groups still remain today.
Europeans first arrived in the area in the early sixteenth century, and the settlement of Asunción was founded on August 15, 1537, by the Spanish explorer Juan de Salazar de Espinosa.
The city eventually became the center of a Spanish colonial province, as well as a primary site of the Jesuit missions and settlements in South America in the eighteenth century.
Jesuit Reductions were founded and flourished in eastern Paraguay for about 150 years until the expulsion of the Jesuits by the Spanish crown in 1767.
Paraguay gained its independence after overthrowing the local Spanish administration on May 15, 1811.
Link :Best Little Stories from the Civil War: More than 100 true stories
Paraguay fought the War of the Triple Alliance against Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, and was defeated in 1870 after five years of the bloodiest war in South America.
According to William D. Rubinstein, "The normal estimate is that of a Paraguayan population of somewhere between 450,000 and 900,000, only 221,000 survived the war, of whom only 28,000 were adult males."
The Chaco War was fought with Bolivia in the 1930s, and Bolivia was defeated.
Between 1904 and 1954, Paraguay had thirty-one presidents, most of whom were removed from office by force.
From 1954 to 1989, the country was ruled by Alfredo Stroessner and the Colorado party.
Leftist former bishop Fernando Lugo achieved a historic victory in Paraguay's presidential election in April 2008, defeating the ruling party candidate and ending 61 years of conservative rule.
Lugo won with nearly 41% of the vote compared to almost 31% for Blanca Ovelar of the Colorado party.
Link : Collapse Into Now
Paraguay's first railroad was created and built in three years starting in 1858 by British engineers.
Paraguay's official name is Republic of Paraguay or Republica del Paraguay.
The People of Paraguay have an average age of 20 years-old for males and 21 years-old for females.
Women will have an average of four children.
Much of the population lives east of the large Paraguay river that separates Paraguay into two sections.
The legal system in the country is a combination of Argentine and French codes as well as Roman law.
The President and Vice President are freely elected for five year terms.
Paraguay owns the Itaipu Dam with Brazil. This dam is the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world and even though it is co-owned, Paraguay remains the largest maker and exporter of hydroelectric power.
Its untamed wilderness, exuberant wildlife, great waterfalls and ancient Jesuit ruins are the biggest Paraguay attractions you shouldn't miss to visit.
Asunción became part of the Viceroyalty of Peru, but remained largely neglected by the Spanish Crown mainly due to the country's lack of resources.
Paraguay - together with Bolivia - are the only two land-locked countries in South America.
It lies some 900 miles upstream the Paraná river, from the Atlantic ocean.
Link : Burlesque
Sigh No More
Bordering with Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil, it's divided by the Paraguay river (tributary of the Paraná river) in two very constrasting regions - Oriental and Occidental Paraguay, also known as Chaco.
The Religion practised here are (89.6%) Roman Catholic, (6.2%) Protestant.
The highest point in the Republic of Paraguay is Cerro Pero (842 m).
The Pantanal, the world's largest freshwater wetland, extends through Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil.
The Chaco consists mainly of plains and forests. It is the location of a number of Paraguay's National Parks.
The Jesuit Missions of La Santisima Trinidad de Parana and the Jesus de Tavarangue Mission are on the World Heritage List.
The Chaco War (1932-1935) between Paraguay and Bolivia was an attempt by landlocked Bolivia to gain access to the Atlantic coast through the Rio de la Plata river system.
In August 2004 over four hundred and twenty people died in a fire at a shopping centre in Asuncion.
If you’re eating soy beans they probably come from Paraguay as they are the biggest exporter of soyabean.
Floating islands known as camalotes can be seen in the Paraguay River during the rainy season.
During the heavy downpours, portions of the riverbanks break away and begin a journey downstream.
The Guarani heritage is proudly displayed and an important part of their culture.
During the 1920s, thousands of Mennonites immigrated to Paraguay with the promise of freedom by the government.
Popular foods include mandioca or cassava which is boiled and eaten like potatoes.
Chipa is a bread made from mandioca and yerba mate.
Herb tea is the national drink.
You will often see the locals drinking their tea from an ornate gourd with a bombilla (straw).
Paraguayans enjoy their soccer, music, and dance. During festivities, the Paraguayan bottle dancers will perform their remarkable routine with the bottles balanced on their heads.
During the 1865-1870 War of the Triple Alliance Paraguay lost 2/3rds of all adult males and much of its territory. It was economically stagnant for the next 50 years.
The lowest elevation junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana stands at 46 metres.
According to 2003 estimate, the Life Expectancy in Paraguay is total population - 74 years, male - 71 years and female - 77 years.
Paraguay is sometimes called the Corazon de America.The nickname was popularized almost 50 years ago, in a documentary form 1961 entitled “Paraguay, Corazon de America”.
Iguacu Falls is located just outside of Paraguay on the Argentina/Brazil border.
There are over 275 individual cascades within Iguacu Falls, spread out across the Iguacu River.
If the falls were unfurled from their winding form, they would measure over two miles wide.
In comparison with Niagara Falls, Iguacu is twice as wide and even taller than New York and Canada’s natural wonder.
Law declares that the president of the country must be a Roman Catholic believer.
Poverty estimates believe that up to 50% of the population of Paraguay lives below the poverty line;
The poorest 60% of the population earns only 20% of the total income earned by the country as a whole.
Most food in Paraguay is cooked using cassava and corn as a base ingredient.
Cassava, also called Yucca, is a plant that is native to the continent of South America.
The root of the plant Cassava can be portioned into approximately 12” long pieces that resemble a large potato with a root like skin.
Corn is the second grain that is commonly used in the preparation of dishes. One of the most common meals made from this base are bori bori soup.
Agriculture and cattle ranching are the major economic activities of Paraguay.
Paraguay is the world's third largest exporter of soybeans.
- By Sunil R Yadav
Wild Sight
21
Protector
Sigh No More BurlesqueThe King's Speech
Collapse Into Now Blessed
Best Little Stories from the Civil War: More than 100 true stories
No comments:
Post a Comment