Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay (Spanish: República del Paraguay , ; Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái ), is one of the two landlocked countries which lie entirely within the Western Hemisphere, the other being Bolivia, both in South America.
It lies on both banks of the Paraguay River and is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Because of its central location in South America, the country is sometimes referred to as Corazón de América — Heart of America. As of 2009 the population was estimated at over six million.
Name
The country is named after the river that runs through the center of the country, from north to south. There are at least four versions for the origin of the river's name. The literal translation from Guaraní is Para = of many colors; Gua = from or belonging to or place; Y = water or river or lake.
Geography
Main article: Geography of ParaguayParaguay is divided by the Río Paraguay into the eastern region, officially called Eastern Paraguay (Paraguay Oriental) and known as the Paraná region; and the western region, officially called Western Paraguay (Paraguay Occidental) and also known as the Chaco.
The southeastern border is formed by the Paraná River, containing the Itaipú dam shared with Brazil. It is currently the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world, generating almost all the electricity consumed by Paraguay. Another large hydroelectric power plant on the Paraná River is Yacyretá, a collaborative project by Paraguay and Argentina.
The terrain consists of grassy plains and wooded hills to the east. To the west, there are mostly low, marshy plains.
The local climate ranges from subtropical to temperate, with substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, though becoming semi-arid in the far west.
History
Main article: History of ParaguayPre-Columbian society in the wooded, fertile region which is now present-day Paraguay consisted of seminomadic tribes, who were recognized for their fierce warrior traditions. These indigenous tribes were members of five distinct language families, and 17 separate ethnolinguistic groups still remain today.
Europeans first arrived in the area in the early sixteenth century, and the settlement of Asunción was founded on August 15, 1537, by the Spanish explorer Juan de Salazar y Espinoza. The city eventually became the center of a Spanish colonial province, as well as a primary site of the Jesuit missions and settlements in South America in the eighteenth century. Jesuit Reductions were founded and flourished in eastern Paraguay for about 150 years until the expulsion of the Jesuits by the Spanish crown in 1767. Paraguay declared its independence after overthrowing the local Spanish administration on May 14, 1811.
Paraguay's history has been characterized by long periods of political instability and infighting, and devastating wars with its neighbors.
Paraguay fought the War of the Triple Alliance against Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, and was defeated in 1870 after five years of the bloodiest war in South America. Paraguay's prewar population of approximately 525,000 was reduced to about 221,000 in 1871, of which only about 28,000 were men. Paraguay also suffered extensive territorial losses to Brazil and Argentina.
The Chaco War was fought with Bolivia in the 1930s, and Bolivia was defeated. Paraguay re-established sovereignty over the region called the Chaco, but forfeited additional territorial gains as a price of peace.
The history of Paraguay is fraught with disputes among historians, educators and politicians. The official version of historical events, wars in particular, varies depending on whether you read a history book written in Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Europe, or North America.
Both the Colorado Party and Liberal Party maintain distinct official versions of Paraguayan history. During the pillaging of Asuncion ( Saqueo de Asunción ) in 1869, the Brazilian Imperial Army ransacked and relocated the Paraguayan National Archives to Rio de Janeiro where they have been kept secret, making Colonial and early National Period history difficult to study.
Between 1904 and 1954, Paraguay had thirty-one presidents, most of whom were removed from office by force.
Leftist former bishop Fernando Lugo achieved a historic victory in Paraguay's presidential election in April 2008, defeating the ruling party candidate and ending 61 years of conservative rule. Lugo won with nearly 41% of the vote compared to almost 31% for Blanca Ovelar of the Colorado party.
Government and Politics
Main article: Politics of ParaguayMain article: Foreign relations of ParaguayParaguay is a representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Paraguay is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the National Congress. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Political History
After World War II, politics became particularly unstable with several political parties fighting for power in the late 1940s, which most notably led to the Paraguayan civil war of 1947. A series of unstable governments ensued until the establishment in 1954 of the stable regime of dictator Alfredo Stroessner, who remained in office for more than three decades. Paraguay modernized to some extent under Stroessner's regime, though his rule was marked by extensive human rights abuses.
The splits in the Colorado Party in the 1920s and the conditions that led to this — Stroessner's age, the character of the regime, the economic downturn, and international isolation — provided an opportunity for demonstrations and statements by the opposition prior to the 1988 general elections.
The PLRA leader Domingo Laíno served as the focal point of the opposition in the second half of the 1980s. The government's effort to isolate Laíno by exiling him in 1982 had backfired. On his sixth attempt, in 1986, Laíno returned with three television crews from the U.S., a former United States ambassador to Paraguay, and a group of Uruguayan and Argentine congressmen. Despite the international contingent, the police violently barred Laíno's return.
However, the Stroessner regime relented in April 1987 and permitted Laíno to arrive in Asunción. Laíno took the lead in organizing demonstrations and diminishing somewhat the normal opposition party infighting. The opposition was unable to reach agreement on a common strategy regarding the elections, with some parties advocating abstention and others calling for blank voting. Nonetheless, the parties did cooperate in holding numerous lightning demonstrations ( mítines relámpagos ), especially in rural areas. Such demonstrations were held and disbanded quickly before the arrival of the police.
Paraguay was obviously stung by the upsurge in opposition activities, Stroessner condemned the Accord for advocating "sabotage of the general elections and disrespect of the law" and used the national police and civilian vigilantes of the Colorado Party to break up demonstrations. A number of opposition leaders were imprisoned or otherwise harassed. Hermes Rafael Saguier, another key leader of the PRLA, was imprisoned for four months in 1987 on charges of sedition. In early February 1988, police arrested 200 people attending a National Coordinating Committee meeting in Coronel Oviedo. Forty-eight hours before the elections, Laíno and several other National Accord members were placed under house arrest.
Although contending that these results reflected the Colorados' virtual monopoly of the mass media, opposition politicians also saw several encouraging developments. Some 53% of those polled indicated that there was an "uneasiness" in Paraguayan society. Furthermore, 74% believed that the political situation needed changes, including 45% who wanted a substantial or total change. Finally, 31% stated that they planned to abstain from voting in the February elections.
Relations between militants and traditionalists deteriorated seriously in the months following the elections. Although Chaves and his followers had not opposed Stroessner's re-election bid, Montanaro denounced them as "legionnaires" (a reference to those Paraguayan expatriates who fought against Francisco Solano López and who were regarded as traitors by the original Colorados).
By late 1988 the only major agencies still headed by traditionalists were the IBR and the National Cement Industry (Industria Nacional de Cemento). In Septemb
Spain Holidays. Book Cheap Spain Holidays Now and Save Money
For cheap holidays in Spain call CheapHolidays.com on 0800 294 1555. CheapHolidays.com provide cheap Spain deals on holidays in the worlds most popular locations. Book now for ...
Cheap property Spain | Costa Blanca Property | Spanish Villas for sale ...
Welcome to Belmonte International: The number one resource for those trying to find cheap property in Spain, Spanish repossession property, bank repos and CAM bank repossession or ...
Holidays Spain, hotels, holiday apartments, villas and map of Spain
Holiday apartments Spain or villas in Spain to rent, Spanish Holidays in Spain hotels apartments and villas. Cheap Spanish holidays to Spain.
Cheap Villa Holidays - Rent Villas Spain Portugal Cyprus Italy
HOLIDAY BARGAINS - Cheap villa holiday rentals from owners direct, rent villas and apartments in Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, France, Florida, Italy, Greece and Turkey
Cheap Holiday in Spain, Christmas in Spain, Holiday in Spain Villa ...
Are you looking for a Cheap Holiday in Spain? Do you want to spend Christmas in Spain? We have thousands of choices for you to Holiday in Spain in a Villa. We also have Apartment ...
Cheap Holidays - Spain
Many people might have dreamt of owning Private Villas in Spain for holiday rental which often feels like an unattainable dream to many of them but not anymore.
Villas Spain - Holiday Villas in Spain Rental
We make booking Villas in Spain easy, just let us know your dates ... Our most popular Apartments & Holiday Villa Rentals. CLICK HERE CHEAP FLIGHTS CLICK HERE: Villas Spain typical kitchen
Cheap Apartment, Villas, Hotels
These cheap apartments, hotels and villas are available in Spain, the Canary islands of Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Portugal, Greece ...
Cheap villas and apartments to rent in Spain. Villa holidays in Spain.
Cheap villas for rent in Spain. Cheap apartments for rent in Spain. Plan your own villa holiday in Spain. Villas and apartments from under £200 per week.
Villa Spain
cheap flights to spain ... USEFUL TRAVEL LINKS AND RESOURCES Welcome to our Links page. If you are interested in having your web site's link placed in our links pages please click ...