Paraguay (South America): Key data on the country
Area: 406,752 km² (land: 397,302 km², water: 9,450 km²)
Population: 6.5 million people (July 2011, CIA). Mestics (Spanish and indigenous roots) 95%, others 5%.
Population density: 16 people per km²
Population growth: 1.284% per year (2011, CIA)
Capital: Asunción (507,570 residents, 2006)
Highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu), 842 m
Lowest point: confluence of the Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana, 46 m
Form of government: According to militarynous, Paraguay has been a presidential republic since 1967. The constitution dates from 1992. The bicameral parliament consists of a House of Representatives with 80 and a Senate with 45 members. Paraguay has been independent from Spain since 1811.
Administrative division: 17 departamentos (AltoParaguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes and San Pedro) and a capital city (Asuncion).
Head of State and Government: President Frederico Franco, since June 22, 2012
Language: The official languages in Paraguay are Spanish and Guaraní. English is not spoken very often.
Religion: 89.6% Catholics, 6.2% Protestants, 1.1% other Christians, 1.9% others, 1.1% no confession (2002).
Local time: CET – 5 h. From the first Sunday after October 15th to the first Sunday after March 8th: CET – 4 h.
The time difference to Central Europe is 6 hours in summer and 4 hours in winter.
International phone code: +595
Internet identifier:.py
Mains voltage: 220 V, 50 Hz.
In Paraguay there are some historical buildings to see. There would be B. the Jesuit missions of the Guaranis, La Santissima in Trinidad del Parana, in the same city a church from the 17th century and the Filadelfia Mennonite missions of the twenties in the Chaco area.
The feast of the Madonna de los Milagros in Caacupe is particularly impressive. It takes place here on December 8th every year. On this day there are thousands of believers in the city from inland, Argentina and even Brazila.
Asuncion is an architecturally interesting city. Asuncion is the metropolis of Paraguay. At the beginning of the 19th century, at the request of the dictator Franica, the city was completely restructured and redesigned according to a manageable, scraper-like street network. As a result, most of the historic buildings from Paraguay’s colonial times have unfortunately disappeared. Mostly there are high-rise buildings and various two-story apartment buildings to be seen here.
Plaza Juan de Salar is located in the center of downtown Asuncion. The Nacional de los Heros heroes’ memorial is located on these. This structure is very similar to the construction of the Invalides in Paris. The graves of some of the presidents and war heroes of Paraguay are located near the monument.
A visit to the Casa de la Independencia is an absolute must. It is located near the Panteon and was the meeting point in 1811 for the conspirators against the Spanish colonial rulers to end their centuries-old rule.
The city’s cathedral, Plaza Juan de Salzar, is also worth a visit. It was built in 1845. There is also the monument to the first governor of the country.
Museum lovers don’t miss out in Paraguay either. So it is worth visiting the Archbishop’s Museum, the Museo Arzobispal Monsenor Juan S. Bogarin. Here you can see various relics, paintings and historical objects from a period of fifty years. The Palacio Legislativo and Palacio de Gobierno are also worth seeing. The Palacio Gobierno is a smaller twin of the Louvre in Paris. Those interested in trains should check out the oldest train station in South America, the Estacion del Ferrocarril. But the Museuo Nacional de Bellas Artes is also worth a visit.
The huge monument Ceroo Lambare against slavery is one of the highlights of every tourist in Paraguay. Other sights of Asuncion are the Jartin Botanivo, the Mercado Cuatro or the Terminal de Autobus.
But Asuncion isn’t the only interesting city Paraguay has to offer. San Bernardino, one of the most important tourist centers in the country, is also worth seeing. The city has an impressive history and also has a large number of different sights and attractions to offer.
Aregua is recommended for beach holidaymakers, as it is an extremely popular seaside resort. Nature lovers don’t miss out in Paraguay either, as there are some natural beauties to admire here, such as the Itaipu reservoir, the Parque Nacional Ybycui or the Parque National Cerro Cora.
Paraguay – important addresses
Secretaria Nacional de Turismo: Palma 468 c,
Alberdi y 14 de Mayo, PY-Asunción
Telephone: (021) 49 4110, Fax: (021) 49 1230
email: [email protected]
Embassy of Paraguay in Germany : IE Ms. Liliane Lebron, Ambassador (since 14.06.2004),
Hardenbergstrasse 12, 10623 Berlin
Telephone: (030) 3199 86 10/11, Fax: (030) 31 99 8617
email: [email protected]
Opening times: Mon – Thu 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Fri 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. (personal inquiries only by prior appointment). Consular section: Mon – Fri 9 a.m. – 1.30 p.m.
also responsible for Denmark, Latvia and Poland.
Paraguay maintains honorary consulates general in Hamburg (phone: (040) 881 661 65, email: [email protected]), Munich (phone: (089) 693 795 26, email: [email protected]) and Wiesbaden (phone: (0611) 170804, email: [email protected]) as well as honorary consulates in Potsdam (phone: (0331) 7047578) and Stuttgart (phone: (0711) 72233150).
Embassy of Paraguay in Austria : Prinz-Eugen-Strasse 18/1 / Apt. 7,
1040 Vienna
Telephone: (01) 505 4674, Fax: (01) 941 9898
email: [email protected]
Embassy of Paraguay in Switzerland : Kramgasse 58,
PO Box 523, 3000 Bern 8
Telephone: (031) 312 3222, Fax: (031) 312 3432
email: [email protected]
Opening times: Mon – Fri 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Embassy of Germany in Paraguay : Dietmar Blaas, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary,
Avenida Venezuela 241, PY-Asunción
Postal address: Embajada de la República Federal de Alemania, Casilla de Correo 471, Asunción, Paraguay
Telephone: (0059521) 214009, 214010, 214011, 202757, Fax: (0059521) 212863
email: [email protected]
Germany maintains in Ciudad del Este (phone: (0059 561) 570630, [email protected]), Encarnacion (phone: (0059 571) 204041, 203335, email: con_alema @ itacom.com.py) and Neu-Halbstadt (phone: (00595493) 240319, email: [email protected]) honorary consulates.
Honorary Consulate of Austria in Paraguay : Av. Aviadores del Chaco 1690,
Casilla de Correo 582, PY-Asunción
Phone: (021) 61 3316, Fax: (021) 61 3323
email: [email protected] Hours of Operation
: Mon – Fri 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Austria has no embassy in Paraguay, the responsible embassy is in Buenos Aires (see Argentina – important addresses).
Embassy of Switzerland in Paraguay : Juan E. O’Leary 409,
esq. Estrella, Edif. “Parapiti”, Piso 4 – Ofs. 419/23, PY-1225 Asuncion
Postal address: Casilla de Correo 552, PY-1209 Asunación
Telephone: (021) 44 8022 and 49 0848, Fax: (021) 44 58 53
email: [email protected]
