Paraguay is a beautiful, subtropical land still largely unspoiled. Although the country was conquered by the Spanish in the 16th century, the native Guarani retained their national identity. Since that time the two cultures have blended together and created the intriguing country that is Paraguay today. The country is cut in half by the Paraguay River. To the west lies the Gran Chaco—a vast plain of dry forest. To the east of the river is Paraguay proper, with wooded hills and plains stretching toward the rich lands and forests of the Parana Plateau.

Map

What is the landscape of Paraguay like?

Paraguay is a landlocked country, about the size of California. The River Paraguay flows through the middle of the country and divides it into two quite distinct areas: the eastern 'Paraneña' region—a mixture of plateaus, rolling hills, and valleys—and the western 'Chaco' region—an immense arid plain. About 95 percent of Paraguay's population resides in the Paranena region.

Eastern Paraguay

Eastern Paraguay is rolling and heavily wooded, having swamplands, vast plains, and low plateaus rising to about 600 meters (2,000 feet). The part of that slopes toward the Paraguay River is a region of low plains and much farmland, and this is the where most of the people and towns, including Asuncion, the capital lies. Only the northern part of the region is within the tropics, the remainder lies in a more temperate region, but the climate is sub-tropical. Large parts of the region are densely forested, while there are grasslands in the south.

The Paraneña region has wide plains, wide valleys and lowlands. It is drained primarily by rivers flowing west to the Rio Paraguay, although some rivers flow east to the Rio Parana. Low-lying meadows prone to flooding separate the eastern mountains from the Rio Paraguay.

To the east, the densely forested Parana Plateau occupies a third of the region and stretches its entire length from north to south and as far as 145 kilometers (90 miles) west of the Brazilian and Argentine borders. The western edge of the Parana Plateau is defined by an escarpment that drops from an elevation of about 460 meters (1,500 feet) at the north to about 180 meters (590 feet) at the southern end. The plateau slopes moderately to the east and south, its remarkably smooth surface broken only by the narrow valleys carved by the west-flowing tributaries of the Rio Parana.

Western Paraguay

Western Paraguay consists mainly of an immense level plain. It forms part of El Gran Chaco ('the Great Hunting-Ground'), which also continue into parts of Argentina and Bolivia. It is drained by slow rivers and contains vast stretches of grass and woodlands. The temperatures are tropical and semitropical but are subject to wide variations and long droughts sometimes occur.

The region is a vast plain with elevations no higher than 300 meters (1,000 feet) and an average of 125 meters (410 feet). Covering more than 60 percent of Paraguay's total land area, the Chaco Plain slopes gently eastward to the Rio Paraguay. The Gran Chaco, the entire western part of the region, is divided into the Alto Chaco (Upper Chaco), which borders Bolivia, and the Bajo Chaco (Lower Chaco), which borders the Rio Paraguay. The low hills of the northwestern part of the Alto Chaco are the highest parts in the Gran Chaco.

What is the nature of Paraguay like?

The Paraguay River divides the country into well-defined botanical regions. In Eastern Paraguay the hills and valleys have virgin forests with majestic trees, tangled lianas, and brilliant flowers. Among the forests are wide tracts of pasture covered with tall grass, and palm trees crowning many hills. There are also groves of orange trees whose fruit never fails, and clumps of bananas. The Chaco, west of the river, on the other hand, presents the bare aspect of a heath occasionally marshy or dotted over with stunted palms; on rising ground thrive dense quebracho forests. Perhaps the most distinctive vegetable product is mate, which grows in the forests, is cultivated on plantations, and is used to make a traditional caffeine-rich drink.

What is the climate of Paraguay like?

See our main article: The Climate of Paraguay

Paraguay is hot, but the heat is tempered by many refreshing breezes from the south. The temperature of the summer months (December, January, and February) ranges from about 13°C to 38°C (55 to 100°F). From May to August (winter) it occasionally falls to about 4°C (40°F), but during the day is frequently 27°C (80°F). Nine of the twelve months maybe said to be perpetual spring, the other three months being very hot. There is no real rainy season, although the winter months are notably drier.

Climate data for Asunción (1971–2000)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	33.5 (92.3)	32.6 (90.7)	31.6 (88.9)	28.4 (83.1)	25.0 (77.0)	23.1 (73.6)	23.2 (73.8)	24.8 (76.6)	26.4 (79.5)	29.2 (84.6)	30.7 (87.3)	32.3 (90.1)	28.3 (82.9)
Daily mean °C (°F)	27.5 (81.5)	26.9 (80.4)	25.9 (78.6)	22.8 (73.0)	19.8 (67.6)	17.9 (64.2)	17.6 (63.7)	18.6 (65.5)	20.5 (68.9)	23.2 (73.8)	24.8 (76.6)	26.5 (79.7)	22.7 (72.9)
Average low °C (°F)	22.8 (73.0)	22.3 (72.1)	21.3 (70.3)	18.6 (65.5)	15.7 (60.3)	13.8 (56.8)	13.1 (55.6)	14.3 (57.7)	15.9 (60.6)	18.6 (65.5)	20.1 (68.2)	21.8 (71.2)	17.9 (64.2)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	147.2 (5.80)	129.2 (5.09)	117.9 (4.64)	166.0 (6.54)	113.3 (4.46)	82.4 (3.24)	39.4 (1.55)	72.6 (2.86)	87.7 (3.45)	130.8 (5.15)	164.4 (6.47)	150.3 (5.92)	1,401.2 (55.17)
Source: World Meteorological Organization

The official websites

• Visit Paraguay—National Secretariat of Tourism