Paracel Islands
_Paracel_Islands.jpg)
See regional map IX
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
_Paraguay.jpg)
See regional map IV
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
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