Country explorer: Paraguay

EXPERIMENTAL
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Overview

Paraguay is a landlocked, upper-middle-income country in South America with a small population. Its economy has grown stably in recent decades, and is based on agriculture, services and manufacturing.

Paraguay is home to the largest hydropower complex in the world, the Itaipu Dam.

Economy

Paraguay has demonstrated notable economic resilience and growth, consistently maintaining low unemployment rates and moderate inflation levels compared to its regional peers, reflecting steady societal and economic progress.

Demographics

Paraguay has experienced significant population growth, a decline in net migration loss, a gradual decrease in fertility rates, and an improvement in life expectancy, trends similarly observed in many upper-middle-income countries, illustrating its socioeconomic development and demographic transition.

Basic needs

Paraguay has seen significant improvements in access to basic needs, with marked progress in access to clean cooking fuels, electricity, safely managed drinking water, and sanitation, reflecting broader efforts toward improving living standards that align with those observed in upper-middle-income countries.

Human development

Paraguay has shown progress in human development indicators such as a rising Human Development Index, a decrease in child mortality, improvements in literacy rates, and an increase in learning-adjusted years of schooling, reflecting a trend of gradual socio-economic improvements that aligns with the broader patterns observed in upper-middle-income countries.

Environment & energy

Paraguay has experienced significant environmental changes, highlighted by a consistent decline in forest area and per capita CO₂ emissions that fluctuate with land use change, while embracing a notable increase in renewable energy production, particularly in hydroelectric power, reflecting a transition toward more sustainable energy sources and indicating both shared and distinct environmental and energy trends compared to its regional peers.

Technology & innovation

Paraguay has demonstrated a significant commitment to enhancing its technological and innovative landscape, evidenced by a steady increase in internet usage, mobile phone subscriptions, research and development spending as a portion of GDP, and scientific publications per million people, showcasing a development trajectory that mirrors the broader trends observed in upper-middle-income countries, albeit at a more gradual pace.

Culture & society

Paraguay has witnessed significant societal transformations, marked by a moderate increase in foreign-born population, steady improvements in life satisfaction, gradual reduction in gender inequality, and a notable decrease in the age dependency ratio, reflecting broader trends seen across upper-middle-income countries while also highlighting its distinct progress amidst its regional peers.

Governance

Paraguay has made notable progress in enhancing political and civil liberties, alongside a gradual improvement in combating corruption, although it remains challenged by issues of governance and rule of law, reflecting a common struggle among its regional peers yet showing a distinct trajectory toward reform.

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