Republic of Paraguay
South America
Landlocked · Quiet · Guaraní
Paraguay (officially Republic of Paraguay) is a country located in South America. Its capital city is Asunción, with other major cities including Ciudad del Este and San Lorenzo. With a population of approximately 7.4M, the main languages spoken are Spanish, Guaraní. The country covers an area of 406,752 km². The official currency is the Paraguayan guaraní (₲). Traffic drives on the right side.
Paraguay is one of the few countries where an indigenous language, Guaraní, is co-official and spoken by the majority of the population — around 90% of Paraguayans speak Guaraní regardless of ethnicity.
Asunción serves as the political, cultural and economic heart of Paraguay, positioned in South America. As the seat of government and often the most populous city, it concentrates the country's main institutions, universities and cultural landmarks. Beyond the capital, major cities include Ciudad del Este, San Lorenzo, Encarnación — each a hub of regional culture, economy and history. Asunción is South America's oldest capital city, founded in 1537 and serving as the base for Spanish conquistadors who pushed out in all directions to found Buenos Aires and other colonial cities — now a city of 2 million sitting on a bluff above the Paraguay River where the colonial-era Palacio de los López government building and the Catedral Metropolitana anchor a modest historical centre.
With a population of approximately 7.4M, Paraguay is a vibrant society with a rich mix of traditions and communities. The principal languages spoken are Spanish, Guaraní, which reflect the country's cultural heritage and open doors to a wide international community. Internationally, Paraguay is reached via the dialling code +595. Paraguayans maintain one of Latin America's most distinctive bilingual societies — both Spanish and Guaraní are official languages and 90% of the population speaks Guaraní in a linguistic survival unique among indigenous languages in the Americas, with Guaraní spoken not only by indigenous communities but as a first language by mestizo urban Paraguayans who use it for intimate conversation even when they work in Spanish.
Paraguay spans 406,752 km², in the South America subregion of Americas. Geographically centred around 23.0°S, 58.0°W, the country offers a diverse range of landscapes shaped by its location, climate and geology. Road traffic follows the right-hand rule, in line with surrounding Americas convention.
The official currency is the Paraguayan guaraní (₲), used for everyday transactions and commerce throughout the country. Paraguay's economy is shaped by its geography, natural resources and trade relationships. Business and daily life operate under UTC-04:00, aligning the country with its regional neighbours.
Football holds a special place in the heart of Paraguay's national identity. Football is Paraguay's defining competitive sport, with the national team's 2011 Copa América runner-up finish and multiple qualifier appearances representing achievements significant for a landlocked country of 7 million — but the traditional sport of piki-volley (a hand-volleyball hybrid played with a heavy ball that requires different technique from standard volleyball) represents the grassroots athletic culture of Paraguayan barrios.
The highest point in Paraguay is Cerro Tres Kandú, rising to 842 metres above sea level. The Chaco — a vast subtropical dry forest occupying 60% of Paraguay's territory but only 3% of its population — is one of South America's most complete wilderness areas, sheltering the world's largest remaining population of jaguars (the Chaco Jaguar Conservation Program tracks individuals across the entire Gran Chaco), giant anteaters, and giant armadillos in a landscape of thorn forest and palm savannas that few visitors reach.