Historical Background

In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70) - between Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay - Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner was overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular presidential elections have been held since then.

Information and Demographics

• Area:  total: 406,750 sq km landlocked
• Border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,365 km
• 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
• Natural resources: hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
• Population: 6,669,086
• Population growth rate: 2.416%
• Birth rate: 28.77 births/1,000 population
• Death rate: 4.54 deaths/1,000 population
• Infant mortality rate: total: 26.45 deaths/1,000 live births
• Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.34 years
• HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.5%
• HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 15,000
• Population below poverty line: 32%
• Inflation rate: 12.5%
• Unemployment rate: 9.4%

Religions: Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1%

Languages: Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Literacy: male: 94.9%    female: 93%

More Country Information

The Mennonites in Paraguay

The first colony, Menno, founded on 1927 by Canadian Mennonites who rejected the military service, were followed by Filadelfia, founded by Russian refugees in 1930 and by Newland founded in 1947 by German Mennonites who were released of the Soviet Ukraine during the German invasion of 1943.

There are about 30,000 Mennonite living in Paraguay (MWC estimate) in 20 conferences.

IMHA in Paraguay

IMHA was informed of the opportunity for partnership with the Alto Refugio Hospice http://www.altorefugio.org/ by a new IMHA member.

Alto Refugio Hospice