Major Cities: Asunción (508,000 inhabitants), Ciudad del Este (261,000), San Lorenzo (228,000), Luque (210,000), Capiatá (199,000), Lambaré (126,000), and Fernando de la Mora (120,000) rank as Paraguay’s most populous cities⎯the country’s only cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants.

Independence: Paraguay led the South American charge for independence, securing its freedom from Spain on May 17, 1811, after several days of fighting. Independence day is observed on May 15.

Public Holidays: New Year’s Day (January 1); Day of Heroes (March 1); Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter (variable dates in March or April); Labor Day (May 1); Independence Day (May 15); Chaco’s Peace (June 12); Founding of Asunción (August 15); Battle of Boquerón (September 29); Virgin of Caacupé (December 8); and Christmas Day (December 25).

Flag: The Paraguayan flag has three equal, horizontal bands of red (top),

white, and blue and is one of the few national flags with different emblems

on each side. The national coat of arms is centered in the middle white band

on the hoist side. The reverse side bears the seal of the treasury.

RECENT NEWS ARTICLES

Paraguay in a spin about Bush's alleged 100,000 acre hideaway  -  Oct 22, 2006
Guardian Unlimited,Unless of course you are a resident of northern Paraguay and believe reports in the South American press that he has bought up a 100,000 acre (40,500 hectare ...

Bolivia Sends Peace Message to Paraguay  -  Oct 20, 2006
Prensa Latina,Asuncion, Oct 20 (Prensa Latina) Bolivian Chancellor David Choquehanca, after meeting with Paraguay President Nicanor Duarte and Chancellor Ruben Ramirez, told ...

AB signs Paraguay distributor  -  Oct 19, 2006
Bizjournals.com,Anheuser-Busch said Thursday it will launch its Budweiser beer in Paraguay through an import and distribution agreement with Bebidas del Paraguay that begins ...

Jenna Bush on charity spree  -  Oct 21, 2006
Telugu Portal,According to pagesix.com, Jenna, who has been seen less at social gatherings and parties, was recently in Paraguay on a 10-day UNICEF trip as a volunteer. ...

Anheuser-Busch Rolls out Budweiser in Paraguay  -  Oct 18, 2006
BeerAdvocate.com,ASUNCIÃ“N, Paraguay (Oct. 18, 2006) -- Anheuser-Busch is launching Budweiser in Paraguay through an import and distribution agreement ...

BUSHES GOING TO PARAGUAY?  -  Oct 20, 2006
Free Market News Network,...according to a posting at Whitley Strieber's Unknown Country, George W. Bush and his family are planning to purchase nearly 100,000 acres of land in Paraguay. ...

Paraguay Prez Descries Arms Race  -  Oct 17, 2006
Prensa Latina,Asuncion, Oct 17 (Prensa Latina) President of Paraguay Nicanor Duarte called on the superpowers to invest their money to avoid hunger and misery in the world ...

Paraguay to Atone Plan Condor Victims  -  Oct 18, 2006
Prensa Latina,...criminal actions, and conclude the trials. The case related to the Condor operation is the fourth IAHRC sentence imposed on Paraguay.

Food Crisis Sharpens in Paraguay  -  Oct 16, 2006
Prensa Latina,Alderete call demands an efficient response, as it was pointed out that the median family income in Paraguay only covers 58.3 percent of food needs.

MAINTAINING SIGHT IN PARAGUAY  -  Oct 17, 2006
Abbotsford News,...cross-Canada tour to talk about his teamâ€™s efforts to make eye care and cataract surgery available and affordable for everyone in the rural areas of Paraguay ...

Snoop may enter Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay in 2007  -  Oct 19, 2006
BNamericas,Argentine IT consultancy Snoop Consulting is studying launching operations in Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay during 2007, company president and CEO Gustavo ...

Jenna Bush joins UNICEF program in Paraguay  -  Oct 9, 2006
International Herald Tribune,AP. ASUNCION, Paraguay Jenna Bush came to this poor, landlocked South American country to take part in a UNICEF program for young professionals who volunteer in ...

Jenna Bush in Paraguay for UNICEF plan  -  Oct 9, 2006
Seattle Post IntelligencerAP WRITER. ASUNCION, Paraguay -- President Bush's daughter Jenna came to this poor, landlocked South American country to take part in a UNICEF program for young ...

Jenna Bush joins UNICEF program in Paraguay  -  Oct 10, 2006
Boston Herald,Natalie Echague. â€œShe will get to know the UNICEF activities in Paraguay and some of the programs it cooperates in.â€?. Local news ...

Paraguay hardens US military stance  -  Oct 9, 2006
Herald News Daily,ASUNCION, Paraguay - Paraguayâ€˜s decision to refuse diplomatic immunity for US troops and not to renew a military cooperation pact sparked debate Tuesday ...

MERCOSUR to Benefit Paraguay  -  Oct 11, 2006
Prensa Latina,Asuncion, Oct 10 (Prensa Latina) In agreement with MERCOSUR integration policy, Paraguay will begin receiving the first 48 million dollars from the bloc in ...

Jenna Bush joins UNICEF program in Paraguay  -  Oct 10, 2006
WZZM,AP. ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) - President Bush's daughter Jenna is in Paraguay, taking part in a United Nations Children's Fund program. ...

Bush Buys Land in Northern Paraguay  -  Oct 13, 2006
Prensa Latina,Oct 13 (Prensa Latina) An Argentine official regarded the intention of the George W. Bush family to settle on the Acuifero Guarani (Paraguay) as surprising ...

Pdvsa kicks off hydrocarbon prospecting in Paraguay  -  Oct 11, 2006
El Universal,Chaco is an arid, scarcely populated area to the northeast of Paraguay, bordering Bolivia, where there are presumably large, profitable deposits of gas and oil ...

Jenna Bush Joins UNICEF Program In Paraguay  -  Oct 10, 2006
WCSH-TV,President Bush's daughter Jenna is in Paraguay, taking part in a United Nations Children's Fund program. UNICEF describes the visit ...

Escape to Paraguay? Rumors of Bush Land Deal  -  Oct 13, 2006
Political Cortex,By truthista. At least two sources, including Upsidedownworld and Prensa Latina, report rumors of a Bush family purchase of land in northern Paraguay. ...

Paraguay attentive to Venezuela-Bolivia military alliance  -  Oct 16, 2006
El Universal,Paraguay should be on guard vis-Ã -vis the scope of the military agreement Bolivia and Venezuela initialed last May 26, as it represents a threat, said the ...

Prince Akishino to visit Paraguay  -  Oct 13, 2006
The Japan Times,Prince Akishino will leave for a weeklong tour of Paraguay and other countries from Oct. 30, the Imperial Household Agency said Friday. ...

Paraguay Stock Scandal May Explode  -  Oct 11, 2006
Prensa Latina,Asuncion, Oct 11 (Prensa Latina) The Paraguayan Attorney's Office is investigating Wednesday the stocks of Deputy Chamber president Victor Bogado, who may have ...

Undernews: Bush Purchases 99000 Acres In Paraguay?  -  Oct 19, 2006
Scoop.co.nz (press release),Why might the president and his family need a 98,840-acre ranch in Paraguay protected by a semi-secret US military base manned by American troops who have been ...

PARAGUAY: AB set to launch Budweiser  -  Oct 19, 2006
just-drinks.com (subscription),The brewer has teamed up with local drinks group Bebidas del Paraguay, which will import and distribute Bud throughout the Latin American country. ...

Paraguay Hardens US Military Stance  -  Oct 3, 2006
Washington Post,ASUNCION, Paraguay -- Paraguay's decision to refuse diplomatic immunity for US troops and not to renew a military cooperation pact sparked debate Tuesday, with ...

Paraguay Escape With 1-1 Draw in Oz  -  Oct 8, 2006
OhmyNews International,In their first hit out since their disappointing World Cup campaign, Paraguay has escaped with a 1-1 draw against Australia in a friendly in Brisbane Saturday ...

Paraguay's decision not to grant US military immunity draws debate  -  Oct 3, 2006
International Herald Tribune,ASUNCION, Paraguay Paraguay's decision to refuse diplomatic immunity to US troops in the country sparked debate Tuesday, as political analysts called it a blow ...

Paraguay captain's farwell  -  Oct 5, 2006
Daily Telegraph,The Socceroos won't have a mortgage on international farewells in Saturday's friendly against Paraguay. Their skipper is also retiring. ...

Late own goal costs Australia, gives Paraguay equalizer  -  Oct 7, 2006
International Herald Tribune,...own goal in stoppage time Saturday canceled out the goal that veteran Tony Popovic minutes earlier thought had given Australia a win over Paraguay in his last ...

Late own goal costs Australia, gives Paraguay equalizer  -  Oct 7, 2006
SLAM! Sports,Michael Beauchamp's own goal in stoppage time Saturday cancelled out the goal that veteran Tony Popovic thought had given Australia a win over Paraguay in his ...

Paraguay to stop giving US troops immunity  -  Oct 2, 2006
Washington Post,ASUNCION, Paraguay (Reuters) - Paraguay will stop granting US troops immunity from prosecution next year in an about-face aimed at coordinating policies with ...

Paraguay to stop giving US troops immunity  -  Oct 2, 2006
ABC NewsOct 2, 2006 â€” ASUNCION, Paraguay (Reuters) - Paraguay will stop granting US troops immunity from prosecution next year in an about-face aimed at coordinating ...

Neill to take the helm against Paraguay  -  Oct 5, 2006
Sydney Morning Herald,Lucas Neill will captain the Socceroos for the first time in tomorrow's friendly against Paraguay at Suncorp Stadium. With World ...

This series of profiles of foreign nations is part of the Country Studies Program, formerly the Army Area Handbook Program. The profiles offer brief, summarized information on a country’s historical background, geography, society, economy, transportation and telecommunications, government and politics, and national security. In addition to being featured in the front matter of published Country Studies, they are now being prepared as stand-alone reference aides for all countries in the series, as well as for a number of additional countries of interest. The profiles offer reasonably current country information independent of the existence of a recently published Country Study and will be updated annually or more frequently as events warrant.