FAX: (21) 213-728

Flag description: three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)

Paraguay Economy

Economy - overview: Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. The informal sector features both reexport of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population derives their living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3% annually in 1995-97, but GDP declined slightly in 1998 and 1999. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural reform, substantial internal and external debt, and deficient infrastructure. Growth rebounded slightly in 2000.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $26.2 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,750 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28%

industry: 21%

services: 51% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 36% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7%

highest 10%: 46.6% (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 2 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 45%

Unemployment rate: 16% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.3 billion

expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (1999 est.)

Industries: sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products

Industrial production growth rate: 0% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 51.554 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.07%

hydro: 99.79%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0.15% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 1.915 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 46.03 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (yucca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber

Exports: $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: electricity, soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils

Exports - partners: Brazil, Argentina, EU

Imports: $3.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery

Imports - partners: Brazil, US, Argentina, Uruguay, EU, Hong Kong

Debt - external: $3 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: guarani (PYG)

Currency code: PYG

Exchange rates: guarani per US dollar - 3,570.0 (January 2001), 3,486.4 (2000), 3,119.1 (1999), 2,726.5 (1998), 2,177.9 (1997), 2,056.8 (1996); note - since early 1998, the exchange rate has operated as a managed float; prior to that, the exchange rate was determined freely in the market

Fiscal year: calendar year

Paraguay Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 290,475 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 510,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion

domestic: fair microwave radio relay network

international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998)

Radios: 925,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (2001)

Televisions: 990,000 (2001)

Internet country code: .py

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2000)

Internet users: 20,000 (2000)

Paraguay Transportation

Railways: total: 971 km

standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 60 km 1.000-m gauge

note: there are 470 km of various gauges that are privately owned

Highways: total: 25,901 km

paved: 3,067 km

unpaved: 22,834 km (2001)

Waterways: 3,100 km

Ports and harbors: Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Merchant marine: total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,066 GRT/35,441 DWT

ships by type: cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2 (2000 est.)

Airports: 915 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11

over 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 904

1,524 to 2,437 m: 29

914 to 1,523 m: 340

under 914 m: 535 (2000 est.)

Paraguay Military

Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air
Force

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,388,436 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,001,516 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 58,359 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $125 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY98)

Paraguay Transnational Issues

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in South America; transshipment country for Andean cocaine headed for Southern Cone markets and Europe

@Peru

Peru Introduction

Background: After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980. In recent years, bold reform programs and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity and drug trafficking have resulted in solid economic growth.

Peru Geography

Location: Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S, 76 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 1,285,220 sq km

land: 1.28 million sq km

water: 5,220 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 5,536 km

border countries: Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km, Colombia 1,496 km (est.), Ecuador 1,420 km

Coastline: 2,414 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM

territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate: varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes

Terrain: western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Natural resources: copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 3%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 21%

forests and woodland: 66%

other: 10% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 12,800 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity

Environment - current issues: deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia

Peru People

Population: 27,483,864 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 34.41% (male 4,803,464; female 4,654,890)

15-64 years: 60.8% (male 8,408,210; female 8,302,943)

65 years and over: 4.79% (male 603,309; female 711,048) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.7% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 23.9 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 5.78 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 39.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.3 years

male: 67.9 years

female: 72.81 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.96 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.35% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 48,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Peruvian(s)

adjective: Peruvian

Ethnic groups: Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%

Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 88.7%

male: 94.5%

female: 83% (1995 est.)

Peru Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Peru

conventional short form: Peru

local long form: Republica del Peru

local short form: Peru

Government type: constitutional republic

Capital: Lima

Administrative divisions: 24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 constitutional province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali

note: the 1979 constitution mandated the creation of regions (regiones, singular - region) to function eventually as autonomous economic and administrative entities; so far, 12 regions have been constituted from 23 of the 24 departments - Amazonas (from Loreto), Andres Avelino Caceres (from Huanuco, Pasco, Junin), Arequipa (from Arequipa), Chavin (from Ancash), Grau (from Tumbes, Piura), Inca (from Cusco, Madre de Dios, Apurimac), La Libertad (from La Libertad), Los Libertadores-Huari (from Ica, Ayacucho, Huancavelica), Mariategui (from Moquegua, Tacna, Puno), Nor Oriental del Maranon (from Lambayeque, Cajamarca, Amazonas), San Martin (from San Martin), Ucayali (from Ucayali); formation of another region has been delayed by the reluctance of the constitutional province of Callao to merge with the department of Lima; because of inadequate funding from the central government and organizational and political difficulties, the regions have yet to assume major responsibilities; the 1993 constitution retains the regions but limits their authority; the 1993 constitution also reaffirms the roles of departmental and municipal governments

Independence: 28 July 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Constitution: 31 December 1993

Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Alejandro TOLEDO (since 28 July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by the Constitution, First Vice President Raul DIEZ Conseco (since 28 July 2001) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001)

head of government: President Alejandro TOLEDO (since 28 July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by the Constitution, First Vice President Raul DIEZ Conseco (since 28 July 2001) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001)

note: Prime Minister Roberto DANINO (since 28 July 2001) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; special presidential election held 8 April 2001 with runoff election 3 June 2001); next to be held NA 2006

election results: President TOLEDO elected in runoff election; percent of vote - Alejandro TOLEDO 53.1%, Alan GARCIA 46.9%

Legislative branch: unicameral Democratic Constituent Congress or Congresso Constituyente Democratico (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held 8 April 2001)

note: many congressmen defected to and then from former President FUJIMORI's coalition in 2000

election results: percent of vote by party - Peru 2000 42.16%, Peru Possible 23.34%, FIM 7.56%, Somos Peru 7.2%, APRA 5.5%, others 14.24%; seats by party - Peru 2000 52, Peru Possible 29, FIM 9, others 30

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de
Justicia (judges are appointed by the National Council of the
Judiciary)

Political parties and leaders: American Popular Revolutionary
Alliance or APRA [Alan GARCIA]; Andean Rebirth [Ciro GALVEZ
Herreria]; Avancemos [leader NA]; Democratic Cause [Jorge
SANTISTEVAN]; Independent Moralizing Front or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA
Vega]; National Solidarity or SN [Luis CASTANEDA Lossio]; National
Unity [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Peru 2000 [leader NA]; Peru Posible or
PP [Alejandro TOLEDO Maniquez]; Popular Action or AP [leader NA];
Popular Agrarian Front of Peru or Frepap [leader NA]; Popular
Solution [Carlos BOLONA Behr]; Project Country [Mario Antonio
ARRUNATEGUI]; Somos Peru or SP [Alberto ANDRADE]; Union for Peru or
UPP [leader NA]; Vamos Vecinos or VV [Absalon VASQUEZ]

Political pressure groups and leaders: leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at-large)]; Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned), Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)]

International organization participation: ABEDA, APEC, CAN, CCC,
ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
LAES, LAIA, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Alfonso RIVERO Monsalve

chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: (202) 833-9860 through 9869