 Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay conventional short form:Paraguay local long form:Republica del Paraguay local short form:Paraguay
Government type:
constitutional republic
Capital:
name:Asunciongeographic coordinates:25 16 S, 57 40 W time difference:UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time:+1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends fourth Sunday in March
Administrative divisions:
17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro
Independence:
14 May 1811 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 14 May 1811 (observed 15 May)
Constitution:
several previous; latest approved and promulgated 20 June 1992; amended 2011 (2011)
Legal system:
civil law system with influences from Argentine, Spanish, Roman, and French civil law models; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice
International law organization participation:
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 75
Executive branch:
chief of state:President Horacio CARTES (since 15 August 2013); Vice President Juan AFARA Maciel (since 15 August 2013); note - the president is both chief of state and head of governmenthead of government:President Horacio CARTES (since 15 August 2013); Vice President Juan AFARA Maciel (since 15 August 2013) cabinet:Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections:president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held on 21 April 2013 (next to be held in April 2018) election results:Horacio CARTES elected president; percent of vote - Horacio CARTES 45.8%, Efrain ALEGRE 36.94%, Mario FERREIRO 5.88%, Anibal CARRILLO 3.32%, other 8.06%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections:Chamber of Senators - last held on 21 April 2013 (next to be held in April 2018); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 21 April 2013 (next to be held in April 2018) election results:Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANR 19, PLRA 12, FG 5, PDP 3, Avanza Pais 2, UNACE 2, PEN 1, PPQ 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANR 44, PLRA 27, Avanza Pais 2, PEN 2, UNACE 2, FG 1, PPQ 1, other 1
Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 9 justices divided 3 each into the Constitutional Court, Civil and Commercial Chamber, and Criminal Divisionjudge selection and term of office:justices proposed by the Council of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura, a 6-member independent body, and appointed by the Chamber of Senators with presidential concurrence; judges appointed until mandatory retirement at age 75 subordinate courts:appellate courts; first instance courts; minor courts, including justices of the peace
| | Political parties and leaders:
Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Lilian SAMANIEGO]Avanza Pais coalition [Adolfo FERREIRO] Broad Front coalition (Frente Guasu) or FG [Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez] Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Jorge OVIEDO MATTO] Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PPQ [Sebastian ACHA] Partido del Movimiento al Socialismo or P-MAS [Camilo Ernesto SOARES Machado] Partido Democratica Progresista or PDP [Desiree MASI] Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Fernando CAMACHO Paredes] Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Miguel ABDON SAGUIER] Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares] Partido Popular Tekojoja [Sixto PEREIRA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Ahorristas Estafados or AE
International organization participation:
CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Francisco BARREIRO (since 31 October 2013)chancery:2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone:[1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962 FAX:[1] (202) 234-4508 consulate(s) general:Los Angeles, Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
embassy:1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion mailing address:Unit 4711, DPO AA 34036-0001 telephone:[595] (21) 213-715 FAX:[595] (21) 213-728
Flag description:
three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears a circular seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words PAZ Y JUSTICIA (Peace and Justice)); red symbolizes bravery and patriotism, white represents integrity and peace, and blue denotes liberty and generosity
National symbol(s):
lion
National anthem:
name:'Paraguayos, Republica o muerte!' (Paraguayans, The Republic or Death!)
lyrics/music:Francisco Esteban ACUNA de Figueroa/disputed note:adopted 1934, in use since 1846; the anthem was officially adopted following its re-arrangement in 1934 |