| Geography and Climate |
Paraguay is located in Central South America, northeast of Argentina. Area - comparative: slightly smaller than California. Total land boundary is 3,920 km, border countries are Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km.
Climate is subtropical; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west. Terrain consists of 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 extreme has the lowest point in junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m and highest point in Cerro San Rafael 850 m. Natural resources are 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 are 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
Geography—note: landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil.
Ref. Anonymous, 1999 |