Paraguay

Welcome to Paraguay

Capital of Paraguay: Asunción
Population of Paraguay: 7.3 million - 9th in South America
Size of Paraguay: 406,752 km2 - 8th in South America
Language in Paraguay: Spanish and Guaraní

Divided in half by its eponymous river, Paraguay is a land of contrasts, especially between its lush eastern region where most of the population lives and the arid west, filled with rustic villages and old Jesuit colonies. Although under Spanish rule for three centuries and with a recent history of dictatorships and wars, Paraguay retained its native Guarani culture, with more than 80 percent of population of indigenous heritage. You'll find plenty of things to do in Paraguay, from touring cosmopolitan cities and quaint Jesuit colonies, to browsing affordable arts and crafts stores and sailing on rivers that crisscross the diverse natural landscape that makes up this landlocked nation.

Highlights

Gawk at the amazing Iguazu Falls and step into three countries in a single day from the city of Ciudad del Este
Track down the Alpine-style German Mennonite village in the middle of the great tropical plains
Cruise up and down the fabulous Paraguay River and straddle both sides of the Tropic of Capricorn
Discover the power of the largest hydro electrical plant in the world at Itaipu Dam
Take a ride in style on the oldest railroad in South America
Drive some of the 250-mile long Gran Chaco Highway and witness in amazement the wild expanse around you
Go wildlife spotting in one of Paraguay’s globally important, protected natural areas
Understand more about one of South America’s strongest remaining indigenous cultures, the Guirani