Page:The World Factbook (1990).djvu/263

 Paracel Islands



Geography

Total area: undetermined

Comparative area: undetermined

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 518 km

Maritime claims: undetermined

Disputes: occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

Climate: tropical

Terrain: undetermined

Natural resources: none

Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other

Environment: subject to typhoons

Note: located 400 km east of Vietnam in the South China Sea about one-third of the way between Vietnam and the Philippines

People

Population: no permanent inhabitants

Government

Long-form name: none

Economy

Overview: no economic activity

Communications

Ports: none; offshore anchorage only

Defense Forces

Note: occupied by China   Paraguay



Geography

Total area: 406,750 km²; land area: 397,300 km²

Comparative area: slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries: 3,920 km total; Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290km

Coastline: none—landlocked

Maritime claims: none—landlocked

Disputes: short section of the boundary with Brazil (just west of Guaíra Falls on the Rio Paraná) is in dispute

Climate: varies from temperate in east to semiarid in far west

Terrain: grassy plains and wooded hills east of Río Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Río Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere

Natural resources: iron ore, manganese, limestone, hydropower, timber

Land use: 20% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 39% meadows and pastures; 35% forest and woodland; 5% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Environment: local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Note: landlocked; buffer between Argentina and Brazil

People

Population: 4,660,270 (July 1990), growth rate 3.0% (1990)

Birth rate: 36 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 48 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 67 years male, 72 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 4.8 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun—Paraguayan(s); adjective—Paraguayan

Ethnic divisions: 95% mestizo (Spanish and Indian), 5% white and Indian

Religion: 90% Roman Catholic; Mennonite and other Protestant denominations

Language: Spanish (official) and Guarani

Literacy: 81%

Labor force: 1,300,000; 44% agriculture, 34% industry and commerce, 18% services, 4% government (1986)

Organized labor: about 2% of labor force

Government

Long-form name: Republic of Paraguay

Type: republic

Capital: Asunción

Administrative divisions: 19 departments (departamentos, singular—departamento); Alto Paraguay, Alto Paraná, Amambay, Boquerón, Caaguazú, Caazapá, Canendiyú, Central, Chaco, Concepción, Cordillera, Guairá, Itapúa, Misiones, Neembucú, Nueva Asunción, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

Independence: 14 May 1811 (from Spain)

Constitution: 25 August 1967

Legal system: based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Independence Days, 14-15 May (1811)

Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet), Council of State

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consists of an upper chamber or Senate and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)

Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—President Gen. Andres RODRIGUEZ Pedotti (since 15 May 1989)

Political parties and leaders: Colorado Party, Juan Ramon Chaves; Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA), Domingo Laino; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Jorge Dario Cristaldo; Febrerista Revolutionary Party (PRF), Euclides Acevedo; Liberal Party (PL), Reinaldo Odone; Popular Colorado Movement (MOPOCO), Miguel Angel Gonzalez Casabianca; Radical Liberal Party (PLR), Emilio Forestieri; Popular Democratic Movement (MDP)

Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18 and up to age 60  247