Short facts about the geography of Paraguay

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 to temperate; 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 Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 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 were 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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

Source: World Factbook