The Country and Its People

BASIC DATA

The gender distribution in the national territory is 50.3% men and 49.7% women.

The age structure of the population shows that 28.2% of the population is under 15 years old, 64.7% are between 15 and 64 years old, and just over 7.1% are 65 years or older.

The average annual population growth rate in Paraguay for 2022 is 1.36% and will experience a slight decrease throughout the period. In 2024, it is expected to be 1.33% annually.

Today, the urban population (63.3%) is larger than the rural population (36.7%), and projections indicate that it will continue to increase. The average number of children per woman in 2022 is 2.4 and will decrease to 2.3 in 2024.

Life expectancy at birth in 2022 is 75.1 years; for women, it is 78.1 years, and for men, it is 72.1 years. In 2022, half of the population is older than 27 years. In 2024, half of the population will be older than 28 years.

The Central Department is the most populated in the country, and together with the population of Asunción, it accounts for 37.7% of the total population, that is, 2,807,111 inhabitants.

Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay  (in Guaraní: Paraguái Tavakuairetã)  , is a landlocked country located in the central region of South America. It is organized as a unitary state, with its territory comprising one capital district and 17 departments. Its capital and most populous city is Asunción. Paraguay’s form of government is a republic governed by the presidential system and organized as a democratic, secular state governed by the rule of law. It is a founding member of Mercosur, along with Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay.

It has an area of 406,752 km², making it the 7th largest country in South America by size.

CLIMA

The Köppen climate classification divides Paraguay into three main climate types: humid subtropical climate, predominant in the southern part of the Eastern Region; tropical savanna climate, predominant in the Chaco (Western Region) and the northern part of the Eastern Region; and hot semi-arid climate, in the northwest of the Chaco (Boquerón Department).

The annual average temperature ranges between 20°C and 25°C across the country, increasing from south to north. Precipitation varies by region. For example: In the southeast of Paraguay, precipitation is abundant year-round (>1700 mm/annually). In the central-north region of the Eastern Region and the tropical Chaco, precipitation drops significantly during the winter season (1300 mm annually). In the semi-arid region of the Chaco, precipitation is almost nonexistent in winter (<800 mm annually). Generally, summer brings the highest rainfall of the year.

Extreme maximum temperatures in summer can exceed 40°C (record: 45°C in 2014), and winter minimum temperatures can drop below 0°C (record: -7.5°C in 2000). The seasons are not well-defined due to the prevailing heat throughout much of the year and proximity to the Tropic of Capricorn. The temperature difference between the warmest and coldest months is approximately 10°C.

ENERGY

100% of the electricity consumed in Paraguay is generated through hydroelectric power, making it one of the countries with the cleanest energy in the world. The country has an installed electric capacity of 8110 MW, producing 63,000,000,000 kWh annually (as of 2016), while internal consumption is only 15,000,000,000 kWh annually. The surplus is sold to Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, making Paraguay the world’s largest exporter of electricity.

The National Electricity Administration (ANDE) oversees the entire electricity market, including generation, distribution, and transmission. It operates 2,100 miles of transmission lines and 670 miles of distribution lines. More than 92% of the country has electricity coverage.

Electrical appliances operate on 200 volts at 50 Hertz.

LANGUAGES

Spanish and Guaraní

POLITICAL SYSTEM

Democracy

RELIGION

Catholicism (90%)

CURRENCY

Guaraní

Tips for Immigrants

ENTRY AND CUSTOMS

For stays of up to 90 days, citizens of the European Union must present a valid passport, the international entry card provided by the airline before landing, as well as the form with the sworn declaration stating that the passenger will not bring plants, food of animal origin, or currency exceeding 10,000 USD or its equivalent in other currencies into the country.

In general, it is sufficient to have a child under 18 registered in one of the parent’s passports. In any case, the passport must remain valid for the entire duration of the stay.

Travelers entering the country by land through the border crossings of Ciudad del Este (Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil) in the east, Encarnación-Posadas (Argentina) in the south, and Puerto Falcón (Argentina), the access route to Asunción in the west, must ensure they obtain an entry stamp in their passport from the Paraguayan immigration service. Otherwise, they will have to pay a fine if their identity is checked on one of the intercity routes and/or when leaving the country.

The extension of the stay must be requested before the expiration of the mentioned 90-day period at the Dirección General de Migraciones, located at Caballero No. 201 corner Eligio Ayala. Another extension for 90 days can also be obtained by exiting and re-entering the country.

Customs regulations are similar to those of other countries. Personal items such as camcorders, cameras, etc., are duty-free. Alcoholic beverages and cigarettes are more affordable when purchased at local supermarkets than in the duty-free shops of international airports.

Travelers arriving from a country with endemic yellow fever zones must present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate upon entering the country.

For stays in Paraguay, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends the following vaccines: yellow fever, tetanus, diphtheria, possibly whooping cough (pertussis), and hepatitis A. For stays longer than 4 weeks, hepatitis B, rabies, and typhoid are also recommended.

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