Paraguay+(Chris)

** Paraguay **



Paraguay is one of the two land-locked countries located in South America.Because of its location in the middle of South America, Paraguay is sometimes referred to as //Corazón de América,// or The Heart of America. Although the capital of Paraguay is Ascenión, the major economic city in Paraguay is Ciudad del Este. In 2010 Paraguay experienced the second largest economic expansion. There are 2 official languages in Paraguay; Spanish and Guarani. 92% of the 6.3 million people in Paraguay (as of 2009) speak Spanish, and 98% of those people speak Gaurani. The Gaurani people have been living in Paraguay since prior to the Spanish colonization in the 16th century. Paraguay gained independence from Spain in 1811.

**Geography** Paraguay is one of two land-locked countries in South America. The country is divided into two parts by the Rio Paraguay. The north eastern section of Paraguay is known as the Paraná region (Eastern Paraguay). The south western half is known as Chaco (Western Paraguay). The eastern part of the country is mainly grasslands or wooded forests. The western half, on the other hand, is comprised of mostly low, marshy plains. The climate ranges from subtropical to temperate; with substantial rainfall in the east, and drier weather in the west.

** History ** Before the Europeans arrived, the area that is now known as Paraguay was settled by fierce, seminomadic tribes.The tribes spoke Guaraní, which is the second most popular language in Paraguay. When the Europeans arrived in the sixteenth century, they established the settlement of Ascención on August 15th, 1537. The Spanish ruled this area untill 1811 when the native people in Paraguay revolted against Spanish rule. During the first 60 years of independence, Paraguay was ruled by three dictators. in 1870, they designed a constitution that was meant to prevent dictatorship, but unfortunantly, it failed. Economic and political stability didn't arrive until 1912. From 1932 through 1935, Paraguy fought in The Chaco War and gained more western territory. Unfortunantly, after WWII, Paraguay fell back into a dictatorship. From 1954-1989, Alfredo Stroessner was the dictator of Paraguay. He was overthrown in 1989 by Gen. Andres Rodriguez, who later went on to win Paraguay's first election. The modern Paraguain constitution went into effect in 1992.

**Government/Current Political S****ituation** Paraguay's government has been a democracy since 1992 when the constitution was put into effect. They have had their ups and downs, but overall, the government has remained strong and intact. To be more exact, the governement is classified as a presidential representitive democratic republic. This means that the president is both the head of state and the head of governement. It is also a multi-party system. The structure of the governement is similar to thatof the United States. They Paraguain constitution calls for the seperation of powers. This means that Paraguay also has three branches of government; the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. The executive branch consists soley of the president, and the current president is Fernando Lugo. The legislative branch includes two chambers of the National Congress. The jducial branch is made up of three different sectors; tribunals, a court of civil law, and a Supreme Court which has 9 judges. All of these sectors of the judicial branch are independent of the executive and the legislature.

Paraguayan culture is a combination of two different peoples. In Paraguay, the culture is a mix of European and Southern Guaraní. 93% of the people in Paraguay are mestizos. This fact makes Paraguay one of the most homogenious countries in Latin America. Paraguay is also one of the most bilingual countries. Over 80% of the population can speak both Spanish and the indigenous language of the area, Guaraní. This cultural fusion is expressed in many different ways, whether it be through food, music or arts. Some of the main arts in Paraguay include embroidery and lace making. The music, however, consists of lilting polkas, bouncy //galopas,// and languid //guaranías;// all played on the native harp. When it comes to food, you can see the evident influence of cultural fusion. Most of the foods are made of mostly dairy products, various peppers and spicies, along with eggs and vegetables. Everyday life in Paraguay revolves around family and extended family. It's not unlikely for houses to consist of 3 generations of people. The family you belong usually determines many of the life choices you make, such as political party, who you marry, and what you do for a living. The family you belong to can also effect the outcome of some court cases.
 * Culture **

Paraguay is an excellent place to visit. They are many things to do. You can spend your time in some of the big cities or maybe out in the beautiful, rural, part of the country. In the rural areas of the country, you can fully experience Paraguay's beauty. You can visit some of Paraguay's many rivers and waterfalls. Or maybe your time simply observing the wide variety of plants and animals found in Paraguay. Either way, Paraguay is and excellent place to visit if you enjoy the outdoors. It has many wonderful natural wonders, along with big cities.
 * Tourism **


 * Current Events **

In 2013, Paraguay is expected to triple it's soyoil exports. This is due to the construction of two new processing plants that are being build in Paraguay. Paraguay is currently the 4th largest soyoil exporter. Although exports have decreased recently due to the drought, Paraguay still exports 1.2 million tonnes of soyoil per year. This number is expected to reach almost 4 million in 2013 due to two new, large processing plants that are being built about 30 miles south of the capital, Asuncion. Both of the plants required a $300 million investment by other companies and the government. However, it is predicted that the plants will produce much more money than that.
 * Soyoil Exports Expected to Triple **

Officials say three dangerous inmates dug a tunnel about 26 feet from their cell to the street, and were about to break free just before dawn when the dog began to bark and alerted a guard. Authorities at the Tacumbu prison dragged the unlucky prisoners before the media on Friday to tell the story. "Because of a stray dog we couldn't escape," complained Hilario Villalba. "When I reached the street, sticking my head out, the stupid dog barked and alerted a guard."
 * Stray Dog Foils Prison Break **

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