Paraguay - Useful information for your trip

Paraguay is situated in South America and its capital city is Asunciòn. A landlocked country, it is bordered by Bolivia to the north, Argentina to the south-west and Brazil to the east. The land is crossed by the river Paraguay separating two different regions: Paraguay Oriental, also known as Paranà, and Paraguay Occidental, also known as Chaco. Whereas Paranà is mainly covered in plains with uplands on the Brazilian border, Chaco is entirely flat.

Besides Paraguay, the other main river is Paranà: their tributaries branch out throughout the country and most of the cities are built on a river bank and have their own port. The climate is typically subtropical and wet with abundant rainfalls in the eastern area, while the western part is subject to tropical weather, with two seasons, one dry and one rainy.

The region of Paranà is covered by tropical rainforest, while the central part is characterized by savannah. Paraguay exhibits several animal species, including jaguars, armadillos, ant-eaters, tapirs, peccaries, monkeys and eagles.

The economy in Paraguay is unfortuantely affected by a large amount of underground labor: it is estimated that almost one fourth of the population works illegally, especially in urban areas. They are generally employees or small managers, mostly operating in services and commerce. Since 2010 the economic system has been gradually growing, even if the poverty rate is still high.

Agriculture and livestock remain the two main sectors while industries are primarily involved in the processing of agricultural products. Paraguay is the fourth larger exporter of soybeans in the world and the ninth exporter of beef. An important role is also played by the cultivation of corn, wheat, sunflowers, cassava, sugar, sesame, beans, rice and cotton.

Anyone who visits Paraguay shouldn't miss the splendid capital city, Asunciòn, built on a river: here an ancient colonial mansion is located, the Casa viola, that is also a musem today, along with the Casa de cultura paraguaya, a cathedral erected in 1772 and the oldest building in the city. The cathedral has also a museum, called Casa de la Indipendencia, where indipendence was declared in 1811.

Other places worth seeing are the grandiose rainforests, the eleven natural parks scattered all around the country and, in the eastern part, the towns of Itaguà, Areguà and San Bernardino, famous for their handmade products, which attract curious visitors from all over Latin America.