Location Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Geographic coordinates 23 00 S, 58 00 W

Map references South America

Area
total: 406,750 sq km
land: 397,300 sq km
water: 9,450 sq km

Area - comparative slightly smaller than California

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

Coastline 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims none (landlocked)

Climate subtropical; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

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

Elevation extremes
lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
highest point: Cerro San Rafael 850 m

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

Land use
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 55%
forests and woodland: 32%
other: 7% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land 670 sq km (1993 est.)

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

Environment - current issues deforestation (an estimated 2 million hectares of forest land have been lost from 1958-85); water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil

NOTE: The information regarding Paraguay on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Paraguay Geography 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Paraguay Geography 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.